The Facts About Veterans With Disabilities

1.  Is the MEB process, more soldiers are going through it.  2.  Is the ease of filing a claim.  When I was ACAPing they came in and briefed us about how to file a claim. 3. A VSO was also located at my ACAP Center, and he offered to review anyone's med records for claims.

I Know that in RVN the nature of attacks on tanks and vehicles in general usually resulted in traumatic amputation or death. As was stated before these recent conflicts was were much more mobile wars with IEDs and RPGs playing a large part in the types of wounds, and better medical attention for them. PTSD and TBI are also being readily recognized as combat injuries, they were not in the past.

I was the recipient of a large command detonated mine (believed to be a dud 500 lb. bomb). It removed the entire right side of the tank, penetrated the hull below my feet and started a turret fire. Normally mines of this size killed at least half the crew. We were lucky, no one bled a drop. I did a quick check and found all of my precious bodily fluids still contained and being Young dumb and immortal said "Next". I had been launched into the roof of the turret and was hurting, but had seen much, much worse. I didn't check out with the corpsman. I was a Marine right! 30 years later my chiro informed me that way back when, I had injured my spine in about four places and it was deteriorating. I dealt with it on my own and tried everything known to man to stop the increasing pain and disability.

I was run off from the VA back in the early seventies, after I went in for help with what was PTSD (as far as they were concerned then, it did not exist) by their shitty treatment, nasty people and an episode they caused that dam near killed me. It cost me an inch out of my left leg.

Shorter story, about 4 years ago I returned to the VA and filed a claim. I now receive 70% service connected but still do not receive anything for my back injuries. The VA has slowly worked with me on the problem, but every 3 to 6 months I am forced onto a cane or stuck in bed until the next go round. I was denied because there was nothing in my medical record and even though I submitted after action reports detailing the incident and the results of others of that type. My detailed claim was about an inch thick. I cannot find any other crew from that day to corroborate. There were only eight of us. We are all old and starting to die off these days.

If you were injured, file a claim, get statements from those who were with you, while you still can, get the after action reports. Persevere. I still do a lot of crazy shit in between the pain, but I sure wish that I had put the ego aside and visited the corpsman. There are a lot of us old Viet vets just now going to the VA, my old gunner is one of them. Don't be like us, it is much better now.

At 80%, I know a lot

I work for a law firm that helps disabled vets fight the VA, and in my spare time, I answer veteran's disability questions on facebook. So if anyone has any questions, I'd be glad to help!

As someone who specializes in chemical exposure cases, I suspect we're going to have an explosion of chemical-exposure related disabilities over the next ten years, including cancers, due to burn pits, oil well fires, and other exposures in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I believe for the combat veteran side of the table, the reason the claims are higher is due to the higher rate of survivabilitty on the battlefield and the equipment used. Medical technology has come along ways since the 1900s increasing the rate service members lives are saved. The equipment being used supersedes that of which was used by our forbears. It's heavier and we carry more gear. You figure the average grunt is walking on patrol carrying 250-300+ lbs of gear and equipment on a daily basis for a year. You add in that factor with training and physical fitness, you're naturally going to have a lot more injured service members.

Yes, I have some familiarity with veterans and liabilities.

I believe the current spike has several causes, among them, under reporting in the past, better transition information; and a combination of current factors to include: Higher survival rates after injury, increased uptempo, the physiological impact of numerous deployments into different combat zones since 2001, the impact of unit command climate, peer pressure, family pressure, the ironman (and iron women) ethos, and the needs of the service. I am not sure we have in our history pressured our service members to the degree we have over the past 14 years. The spike in disability claims in my opinion it is the combination of all of these factors (and precepts some I have missed).

I know that I am a veteran with disabilities but I still drive on and do my very best at all times to maintain a regular lifestyle. I know some veterans with disabilities struggle because they refuse to accept that they have a disability and refuse to seek help.

Multiple combat tours of long lengths, more survivals on the battlefield, and the high prevalence of TBI. In addition, PTSD is in many ways worse because of all these factors and more.

There are also many reports saying that recruits are not as physically qualified as they used to be. Poor physical condition can lead to higher injuries.

Further, the very high rate of mobilizations of Guard and Reserve troops in the last 15 years of war exacerbate things, because citizen soldiers often start out behind the power curve...

PTSD and Agent Orange.

I spent some 22 years between active service and active reserve service in my career. When I was young, I could do anything, until I hit 48 years old and my left knee gave out. I had surgery at Portsmouth Navel Hospital to fix my knee. Years later, I started having issues with the same knee. I did not know about the VA until 4 years ago and applied for medical help. Within 8 months, they said I had 10% and went to have myself checked out. I found out that not only was my knee in bad shape, my left ankle was bad and sent me for major surgery. Before the surgery, they sent me to have a nerve test and found out that because of the damage to my knee, that my body had over compensated the injury and that my L4 and L5 were collapsing. That explained why I had problems with sleeping and share pain down my whole left side. I am now in a state of idle with my appeal because of my back, hip, knee and ankle are of high concern to my doctor. I am now faced with a 2nd surgery on my ankle and nothing has been down with my back. I am still waiting to hear from the VA.....

I still work and I take as little meds as possible because the pain meds go to my head and I have a hard time functioning so I put up with the pain so I can function. I teach at a local college and love my work. What most do not know is that I am in a state of pain all the time and when the weather goes south; rain or cold outside, then it takes on a new form of pain. I just want relief but the time it takes to have this accomplished through the VA is amazing. I have private insurance and want to use this to help me. My concern is that if I do, will the VA disqualify me? What a paradox to be in and mine is not from "combat" but the issues are similar with others. I sustained my injury in service and feel that the military should help me fix what they can.

I cannot image what it is like for those that have missing limbs, PTSD and significant injuries well beyond mine and I must say that I have the upmost respect for you. I do not want to get my ankle fused and yet, I do not know what else to do and my back, well I hear that a fusion will fix that, so I am waiting, like so many others out their, for help.