Vent: The V.A. and my son-in-law UPDATE: Message 1

[JCJRSmith]

My son-in-law was sent to Iraq with his reserve unit three years ago. A roadside bomb took out the vehicle he was in. He suffered a brain injury, permanent hearing loss in one ear, and suffers from headaches and PTSD. After he returned to the states, it took intevention from his congressman to get his purple heart awarded to him. The VA evaluated him, classified him as a "Wounded Veteran" and awarded him 80% disabilty.

Fast forward to July of 2008 - his unit gets sent back to Iraq and the Army takes a wounded veteran receiving disability payments, calls him back to active duty and sends him back. He told me that during processing, the Army doctors were evaluating him, one of them told him that, while his injuries qualified him for 80% disability, he probably should have been getting 100% disability. THAT SAME DOCTOR QUALIFIED HIM FOR ACTIVE DUTY AGAIN. (I also have two nephews who were wounded in Iraq, quailifed for disability, and got shipped back to Iraq again). Fortunately, this time, there were no wounds, but he had a tough time dealing with the PTSD issues, and worked thru it with the help of a therapist stationed at the base in Iraq. His unit came home this past July.

Now, because he was not injured during this tour, the VA has reclassified him, taken away his "Wounded Veteran" status and stopped his disability payments, despite the fact that he still suffers from PTSD, still has no hearing in one ear, and has scars on his face from the shrapnel that hit him.

He has contacted his congressman to see what the congressman can do. In the mean time, he and my daughter are struggling to make bills, and the VA is dragging its feet. My wife and I just sent them some money, and I know my daughter's mother (my ex-wife) has also sent them some money to help them get by.

That's all, just wanted to vent. If you could, please keep my daughter, son-in-law and grandkids in your thoughts and prayers. Hopefully this will come to a swift resolution.


***UPDATE***
First - thanks to all of you for the kind words/thoughts/prayers. GOOD NEWS: My daughter informed me today that my son-in-law will be receiving a back-pay disability check in the next week, and will start again receiving regular payments starting in January of 2010. Very Happy Holidays indeed.

 

[piglet too]

I think it is a shame how our Veterans are treated. I hope that he is able to get the status he needs.

 

[lovemygoofy]

If he was qualified at 80% disability after the first accident, why was he not medically discharged from the army?

I'm sorry for everything that your daughter and her family is dealing with. The VA has such red tape and the tape reaches far and wide and more families are getting strangled in it.

 

[JCJRSmith]

If he was qualified at 80% disability after the first accident, why was he not medically discharged from the army?

I'm sorry for everything that your daughter and her family is dealing with. The VA has such red tape and the tape reaches far and wide and more families are getting strangled in it.

I asked that same question - the reserves kept him.

 

[lovemygoofy]

I asked that same question - the reserves kept him.

I know that sometime military members in the guard and the reserves don't know exactly all their rights and sometimes are too scared or in the gray to make a good decision.

So when your SIL was deployed the last time was he receiving disability payments and his active duty salary?

 

[Jennasis]

Our country is truly embarassing in regards to how our vets are treated. I have no advice, just hugs and prayers.

 

[JCJRSmith]

I know that sometime military members in the guard and the reserves don't know exactly all their rights and sometimes are too scared or in the gray to make a good decision.

So when your SIL was deployed the last time was he receiving disability payments and his active duty salary?

No, his AD pay replaced his disability payments. He was told that, upon his return, everything would revert to what it was before the deployment.

I am hoping this is just a case of the VA wheels grinding slowly. Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[lovemygoofy]

No, his AD pay replaced his disability payments. He was told that, upon his return, everything would revert to what it was before the deployment.

I am hoping this is just a case of the VA wheels grinding slowly. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Now, I'm in no way an expert on the VA or the army ways but I understand that if he was on temporary disability but then back to active duty that he would have to undergo a new medical physical with the army doctors essentially opening a whole new chapter in his VA file.

If he is still classified at 80%, I would imagine that he would be eligible for permanent profile at the minimum and could practically demand a medical board out of the army. I just went to a convention last week about VA and army issues and family issues. I have alot of resources if your family should need some names or organizations if the congressman doesn't work let me know. I would also recommend that your SIL go to Warrior in Transition Unit person if at possible. We have people that specialize in the army paperwork and trying to help with the VA working in these units. Usually found at the local army ACS.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Let me start off by saying I know nothing about the military and how it works. However, if his Congressman or Senator can't or won't help him, I'd try a local TV and/or major network news program. Now maybe this would make matters worse, I don't know, but I do know he doesn't deserve the crap that he's being put through.

 

[Piglets Mommy]

I don't have any advice, just a and THANK YOU for all your SIL has done for us!

 

[mckryan]

Please make sure that he meets with the local DAV representative. They can be a tremendous help in these situations, and their services are free. The VA does move slowly, but I am hopeful that things will go back to the way they were before the second deployment. Definitely be the "squeaky wheel" in this situation and keep hounding the local and state representatives for a resolution.

 

[cheerful chickadee]

wow, that is ridiculous. I too have no idea how the military/VA works but it only takes common sense to know that this is not how our military men and women should be treated. I hope this gets straightened out for your DD and SIL.

 

[brockash]

I think it is a shame how our Veterans are treated. I hope that he is able to get the status he needs.

It's a shame how all ppl. and their families are treated that are involved in the military. The military doesn't care at all about the ppl. working for them or their families; they just care about their "mission." They don't care how it gets done, or who it hurts, just that it gets "accomplished." It's a very sad mentality. My DH is in the Army and while I think the individual ppl. in the military are good ppl., for the most part, the policies of the military are crap.

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

Now, I'm in no way an expert on the VA or the army ways but I understand that if he was on temporary disability but then back to active duty that he would have to undergo a new medical physical with the army doctors essentially opening a whole new chapter in his VA file.

If he is still classified at 80%, I would imagine that he would be eligible for permanent profile at the minimum and could practically demand a medical board out of the army. I just went to a convention last week about VA and army issues and family issues. I have alot of resources if your family should need some names or organizations if the congressman doesn't work let me know. I would also recommend that your SIL go to Warrior in Transition Unit person if at possible. We have people that specialize in the army paperwork and trying to help with the VA working in these units. Usually found at the local army ACS.

That's the problem our Guard/Reservists are facing. They don't receive (and sometimes are disqualified from receiving) the same support and benefits as the active duty soldiers. It's sickening.

 

[Piecey]

No, his AD pay replaced his disability payments. He was told that, upon his return, everything would revert to what it was before the deployment.

I am hoping this is just a case of the VA wheels grinding slowly. Keeping my fingers crossed.

My DH got reactivated by the Marine Corps. last year (he was in IRR). Everything he had going with the VA stopped at that point.... he had to re-apply for disability benefits and go to a new appointment (cmp, cnp c&P? I forget what it's called) to determine his eligibility status.

DH said it's because the military itself is completely separate from the VA and they work together very, very poorly. He worked for the VA shortly and got very irritated with the poor communication and networking between the two.

On the regards of the Dr. that mentioned he should have 100% and then reactivating him for duty.... that doesn't surprise me. DH was diagnosed with PTSD, treated for PTSD by a VA Dr., but all his paperwork says he doesn't have PTSD because the guy who was treating him wasn't qualified to make the diagnosis. It's a crock.

Hire a lawyer. DH did.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Geesh!

My mother is always in fear that her VA benefits will get stripped. She is 100% disabled. It is just what they do--helps them cut costs.


I wish your son well. Tell him to keep petitioning.

My mother had a long gap between her medical discharge (sometime approximately in 1998/99 there-abouts) and finally getting the disability (for their failure to diagnose a back fracture that healed incorrectly and debilitated her). Her benefits came through some time in 2004/2005 but I can't remember.

Long gap--but worth fighting for. Her disability is permanent--but even then, the VA can do a review and make a decision whenever they want.

In the meantime--the VA does have a wonderful treatment for PSTD that has been effective for veterans.

It is called EMDR or something like that. I have used it and when my mother wanted to know what the quack science was--when i googled for details, I was surprised that the VA had it as well--which makes sense b/c vets are who it was used with first.

Here is a write up on EMDR: http://www.emdr.com/

I can't handle the eye movement--so the alternative is to utilize tapping and I am able to do that. (the eye movement thing makes me dizzy)

My mother refuses to seek that out--and her meds are ineffective.

He would have to seek this out when he gets home--and treatment can take anywhere from one visit to a couple of years or more. Really depends on the type of trauma and the amount of work needed to get through it.


Thank you for your son's service and I hope that he is helped as he is needed in the near future.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Our country is truly embarassing in regards to how our vets are treated. I have no advice, just hugs and prayers.

EXACTLY! It is truly disturbing.

 

[ericamanda01]

The VA is a joke. The military and the government believe once you are out they are done with you. They don't care, and it's reflected in the pay, treatment and care given to those in the service. My DH and I were so happy to be done with it all! There needs to be reform in how vets are evaluated after war or any sort of military trauma. I am so sorry your SIL is going through all this. I wish you all the best.

 

[lovemygoofy]

That's the problem our Guard/Reservists are facing. They don't receive (and sometimes are disqualified from receiving) the same support and benefits as the active duty soldiers. It's sickening.

They are entitled to pretty much all things as the active duty army but it maybe on a different scale. I'm not trying to make the argument that it's a good thing or not. I have been learning albeit very slowly about guard and reserve things because more and more of the population I'm working with are geographically displaced soliders.

The National Guard is building community centers around the country, very slow, but still being built. They will be essentially a one stop shop for the guard and reserve and anyone else affiliated with the army.

Overall I think it's just more difficult because most guard and reserve are so far displaced from an army post to receive all benefits they are entitled to. Most of the families don't even know what all they are entitled to recieve whether on active duty service or in general because of the affiliation with the army. It's a challenge that anyone that works with army families is trying to figure out how to overcome.

myarmyonesource.com is a good starting point for anyone army to figure out where they need to go for help.

 

[agnes!]

OP -

Listen to lovemygoofy, she is the fount of all wisdom .

agnes!