RE: http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,142878,00.html
Vets have been complaining for years and all we get is, "Shut up cry baby!". The system has had problems for years and it only gets worse.
When will it ever be fixed?
Respectfully, SUNLINER81

I have reported on this problem consistantly since my first day on Military.com 11-12-02. I started a topic on 11-26-03 which is still running. Hoping to make people aware.
These are mostly copy and paste articles and e-mails. Some good, some bad, some indifferent.

http://forums.military.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/4230026980001/m/8311979586

I wonder how many employees of the VA who are in these decision making positions are veterans?

If there was a conscious decision to minimize the number of employees, who are veterans, in fear of charges from congress of a "conflict of interest"; that would be a typical DC bonehead action.

I would have thought it wouldn't be impossible to institute a national scale of payments which would be exactly the same no matter where you live. If you have a disability, well, you've got a disability and where you live wouldn't seem to me to have anything to do with what you get paid. I believe, and I'm sure somebody will correct me if I'm wrong, that is the system the British Government operates. It's all run through the Ministry of Defence, and if you qualify for disability pay, well you get it. And it is standard based on the degree of disability. The British Legion wouldn't put up with anything else, and no Government can ignore them. Haven't heard any shouts here about inequalities in the system, but if there are any British soldiers out there who have experience of problems, it would be good to have the system we use explained from inside.

When I went through the process of getting rated I had a horrible time. Originally, the VA denied all my claims for disability. I went through the DAV for a service rep. and they were helpful but only to a point. The VA has a lock on the system and they decide who they let in. I actually had to go through the rating process twice because the original doctor listed me as a 69 year old male. I was 34 at the time of the original eval. There were a number of other mistakes on my records as well. Luckily for me I was able to convince the VA to readminister the eval. fianlly, after 5 years they awarded me a service-connected rating and I was able to get my benefits. I can't count the number of vets who were more worse off then I was who had similar problems.

A friend I made from the Vietnam era and a Vietnam vet told me that no matter what I had to keep appealing till they awarded me my rating and most importantly the service connected blurb. He said they [the VA] did this because often times they hope the Veteran just goes away after a period of time --and once a certain time passes, I think it is a year, then they don't have to consider the application any more.

From my experience the doctors are told to basically find reasons to deny applications. That is my opinion, unfortunately I was never able to proove that. The system sucks though that is for sure.

The only thing I have heard complaints about is Gulf War Syndrome which the Ministry of Defence doesn't recognise. There is a campaign going on to get them to pay out for that one. But at the minute it's all gone quiet, so perhaps they've done something about it, and I've missed it. If I have, well, I'm sure somebody will tell me.

quote:

From my experience the doctors are told to basically find reasons to deny applications. That is my opinion, unfortunately I was never able to proove that. The system sucks though that is for sure.

That would cause a major scandal of monumental proportions here if it happened. The British Legion is a highly organised political lobby on behalf of Vets and no Government can afford to ignore them. We have got a campaign going at the minute, highly well organised to get increases in disability pay etc. I'm pretty sure it will succeed. There's an internet petition going the rounds. If anybody's interested google The British Legion Broken Covenant (I think) but I will check.

I just checked that. Go to www.britishlegion.org and you'll find it. Should explain the situation here, what's wrong with it, and what our Vets are trying to do.

Mornin' from stormy Ohio CDR, Sunliner, TPCAT, Et al. One day they are going to realize (I pray) that the system is definately broken! It is time to stop trying to put a finger in the dike and do an all out repair/replacement! Too many inconsistancies from place to place, with: evaluations; treatment; and payments.

Many branches but one brotherhood!

Just tried that link myself and it works. When you get to the site, click on "Broken Covenant". The video "Tom's Story" is good and may reflect some of your own experiences.

Morning Ralph, check out that link above and tell me what you think. I wouldn't say the system here is especially better, or fairer, but it does seem to run alittle better. Then as far as medical treatment itself, medicine etc., goes, well, I think our Vets are treated within the mainstream National Health Service. If there are anomalies, that will be where they occur, because things do vary region to region.

quote:

Originally posted by TPCAT:
Morning Ralph, check out that link above and tell me what you think. I wouldn't say the system here is especially better, or fairer, but it does seem to run alittle better. Then as far as medical treatment itself, medicine etc., goes, well, I think our Vets are treated within the mainstream National Health Service. If there are anomalies, that will be where they occur, because things do vary region to region.

Excellent site.

We have a number of groups working for fair treatment of our Vets here, but too many on Capital Hill are just turning a blnd eye. This issue gets more "lip service" and less action than possibly any other issue.

Gotta' get ready for school(I am in Ohio for the final phase of my Radiology repair training), so all ya'll have a great day.

Blessings.

Many branches but one brotherhood!

****ing VA..the doctors do try to deny us veterans the benefits we are entitled to. I have had at least 5 operations in both eardrums to try and maintain a decent hearing level. My drumas are so scarred, they resemble foxholes during WW1. I am still losing my hearing. It is making more progress than the UD dollar.
After fighting the bastards since 1972, I got upped to 10% disability. Yet, the VA asked me to be a guinea pig in a special research project
aimed at Gulf Vets for the infamous Gulf War Syndrome. I know I have skin melanoma, but they keep denying it. Screw those mother****ers.

Will do, have a great day that is, you have fun whatever comes your way.

The entire VA system needs to be overhauled. It needs to be as much a priority as Homeland Security. Massive funding & quality people installed at all levels. (There I go dreaming again)

One could argue that a country can be judged by the way it treats its war veterans. Every time I see a story about how VA doctors downgrade disability compensation for seriously wounded vets, it makes me sick.

Every time I hear about a VA doctor who gets a wounded war veteran to waive his/her benefits by accepting a lump sum (usually when they are still groggy from anesthetic and not thinking straight, and without an advocate for the Soldier present), it makes me sick.

Every time I see the executive branch disapprove a minor annual pay raise for US servicemembers, it makes me sick.

This is not a partisan complaint; it happened frequently in both of the last two administrations. No president has done what they should do and start the ball rolling to fix the VA system. All the flag waving and pretty words don't mean a thing to someone who can't work because they are disabled and aren't being paid enough by their own government for their war injuries to get by.

If the POTUS or vice prez. had to get the same level of health care that US servicemembers and disabled vets did, I guarantee you that this problem would be fixed. But the sad truth is, they really don't give a s***.

Sorry for the rant, but I think that what we as veterans have to put up with now is criminal, and it is not being fixed or even considered by those who have the power to fix it. For shame.

there should be all vets on the board to determine vets disability ratings. i went to get re-eval because my conditions has gotten worsen and they declined my whole claim they say my condition has not worsened, they should take the vets word if they say there condition has worsened. we all serve all coutry they should take us on a word instead of trying to screw all the veterns they can. I AM 60% DISABLED BUT I THINK I SHOULD BE ABOUT 90-100% DISABLED BECAUSE OF MY INJURIES.

Wait! Wait! Here I am spending 3 years to somehow apply for a rating due to documented hearing loss in an IED attack and the first thing I was treated for upon coming back was PTSD? -And it's the number one disability rating for this war? (Hits self in head) I could'a had a V-8 (corvette).

So, like a rating for me is really gonna happen. I was ordered to the VA by my unit 3 weeks ago. They took xrays of shoulder and chest injuries, didn't even speak to the hearing issue (maybe I just didn't hear them?) Then, since I was in such chronic pain (it's a cyclic thing) that week that I couldn't stand upright, they handed me a month supply of valium and codeine and an appointment for 4 months later.

I don't see the problem here...

Actually, I'm amazingly pissed off about the whole VA process and still not sure I've even applied although they gave us quilts for coming back and free membership in the American Legion..Oh, and a T-shirt!

Fortunately, because of the meds, I have a totally view of the situation. I'm still screwed for life, will probably go back to the pit yet again, and again...and again, will never get adequate treatment from the VA, probably never get monitored for the asbestos exposure but I'm okay with all that. Really! Not a problem. At least till the meds run out. They told me to call if that happens. Refills are 'easy' for narcotics over the phone at the VA. I wonder why? I knew a second ago, it seemed it was important, but I've forgotten it now...no matter. Did I say the VA is great? Those guys are the best! They gave me girl scout cookies (2 Boxes!) and a second box lunch even though I didn't ask! Oh, and FREE parking in Baltimore. FREE! Is that cool or what?

oops, gotta go. I think I just wet myself again... funny how that just started happening over the last couple of years...

...I have a totaly DIFFERENT view of the situutoin... sory, side effects fo th narkotiks...