> Just because you joined the military does not mean you rate healthcare for life.
Bullshit it doesn't. It's the only reason I even committed to 20 in the first place.
You good sir would not be who this is meant for IMHO. At 20, you did your time and got your health care for life.
This post is the dudes who did their 4 sitting behind a desk and then are claiming 50%+. I did 8 years, 4 active, 2 guard while finishing out bachelor's, and 2 on active orders. I got out with zero disability and I'm cool with that. As an Intel dude, I did very little that I would ever consider impacted my health. The most I had was basic and yearly pt tests. If I had broken my arm or had any other amount of things, I would have written it up while I was getting out, but I didn't.
Now comes my personal story. Practically every single veteran I run into practically shames me for not trying to collect disability. Many have gone as far as to tell me to claim ptsd because I flew drones. Most of the vets I know are incredibly conservative and like to scream from the rooftops about socialized this and welfare that. The overlap of that group who served about 4 years and claim x amount of disability is damn near a perfect circle, and almost every single one has absolutely no impact on their health, but they'll still claim it.
Now I firmly believe we should have a single payer system in the country anyway, but honestly it makes me pretty angry the same people claiming leaches on welfare or "illegals getting free money" are all scam artists, don't hold themselves to the same standards and openly encourage other vets to scam the VA.
I know this is anecdotal, but I've run into so much when I tell other vets I don't have any VA disability that it has to be far more common for people scamming than you think.
And there are people who should have a disability rating that don’t because scumbag leadership who openly shame you for getting your ailments documented. When I was in the Active Duty Army, my leadership always tried to discourage people from seeking medical care for themselves, because it would bring down their readiness. The same leaders would tell you that it’s not worth talking to the VA because in their words, they will just deny you anyway. I know plenty of guys who can barely bend over at their waist because their back is shot, but they are proud they aren’t disabled…
I didnt do a claim for 25 years. After my injuries have started affecting my job and daily life I finally did it...only to have to fight for it. Service connected but 0% lol. Im at 20 now with my fucked up shoulder still in appeal. I shouldnt have waited but pride had me
Pride kills, I had it, came back in and I’m slowly getting my stuff documented, I’m lucky that I work closely with AES and the Doc helps our AMDS with their doc stuff because they are short on Dr’s. He’s been a god send on doing everything properly
Amen!! I’ll be retiring this year at 21 years. As of now it looks like I’ll be retiring with maybe 15% tops. Mostly stuff from prolonged sitting in horrible chairs and working at a computer all day. Either way the amount of times I’ve been shammed into saying I should go for more is absurd. We’re talking people telling me a should flat out lie and how to do it. Of the people I work with currently there’s way more people scamming the system than being honest. I just can’t bring myself that low to become one of them. Even if as they say to some extend,”Everyone’s doing it and you did your 20. Might as well.” What drives me even more mad is, as you mentioned, they’re usually the same people that don’t support social like programs. Usually using the defense that those others didn’t serve their country. Like you can’t serve or contribute to our country in some other capacity beside the military. It’s like they didn’t think of the teachers, farm workers and countless other profession’s that are core to the well being of our country and economics. Of course I’m not claiming that a lot vets don’t deserve disability, as they definitely do, it’s just I firmly believe a huge amount are straight up lying as witnessed in the conversations I’ve been part of first hand.
No that's not what I'm saying at all, I'm saying others told me to claim it to get disability, not because I actually had it. Maybe try actually reading my comment. I have plenty of friends who got severe ptsd from the job and the people telling me to "just claim it" clearly don't know anybody that has ever suffered from it and do a disservice to those who have ptsd.
The VA's biggest issue is that there aren't enough people and services to actually help veterans and congress doesn't care about us unless we're a tool for their political game. Has nothing to do with Vets getting service related disability. I'd rather everyone get 100% than have 22 die a day because of not getting the right service or sleeping on a park bench.
The military loses incalculable amounts of money every year to pure corruption, but these “big thinkers” have been deluded into thinking the greatest issue facing the American government is the prior-servicemember getting a little compensation for their knee that clicks when they walk. Sure, there’s some bad actors, but there’s countless more that will never receive compensation for the government using and discarding their body. But yeah, let’s just toss the whole thing away.
My dad can barely walk faster than a hobble. Tore both shoulders in service related incidents, has COPD from burn pits, and PTSD. It took him a few years just to get 100% from the VA even after being checked out by VA doctors multiple times who all said it doesn’t make sense why the VA won’t just give him 100%.
If those guys can manage to get 100% ratings then they deserve it just for the effort it takes.
That is to imply disability rating actually affected VA services to begin with, with a service that all service members are entitled to to begin with (regardless of rating). Way to put the onus on the service member for the Government's inability to properly provide resources or adequate service for.
I would give back my disability benefits to not feel like shit everyday. I wake up feeling like my body is shutting down daily.
If I lose it because people abuse the system…I am gonna be pissed.
I’ve known people who got 100% sitting on their ass for four years. Never deployed. Barely worked.
And we got folks out there fighting for a better life with the VA.
Pieces of shit is what ruins it for all of us.
I mean, healthcare should be fucking free for everyone regardless of service.
I'm loathe to see a retiree, even one who left in good health, get buried under our morally bankrupt pharmaceutical complex.
I guess i'm just concerned that you're shifting the blame to your peers when it's the 1% ratfucking all of us.
Go to the veterans benefits page and see how they try to commit fraud.
“What’s something easy I can claim to get to 100%?”
Those comments are everywhere.
Not to mention the amount of folks I know who faked their way to 100%.
Meanwhile, I’m over here with body shakes and spots of brain damage just looking for any doctor to do something.
As someone who is on track to retire with zero disability, I don't like it either. But they aren't solely responsible for your lack of care. That's on congress, and the "wealth extraction over social concern" culture that pervades America. They have partial ownership of the problem.
Where's your ire towards the ones directing this system—those enabling corruption and wide-spread fraud? They cut the purse strings on your treatment and blamed the guys picking up your change. And you're totally ok with them screwing you over?
i think they broke it down at taps, 18 million vets only 5 million of that has a claim in. you see posts in here where people freak out “they’re going to ruin it for me when it’s my turn”. no, it’s not. they have this stuff budgeted out already the moment you sign up for service.
\*TAP
Yeah and what I see from a lot of people is ego... so stupid. I'm not saying fake it but definitely get yours as they've gotten every penny from you one way or another
EDIT: PSA... GO TO THE DOCTOR when stuff hurts damnit
When I learned about all this stuff I was like “cool, extra help when I’m out, even if I don’t go 20 years”
Then about a year before my grandfather passed, I found out he didn’t take advantage of his benefits. He served 25-30 years and didn’t want to “mooch off the government”.
His life would have been a million times better if he had just understood his entitlements.
I’ll get mine.
Though that number is correct, (5.4 billion last fiscal year)...that's ALL vets. The vast majority of vets that haven't served in 20+ years aren't getting any disability. And most of the old timers that are, aren't making 100% nearly as much as recent retirees/seperated.
That 5.4 has been growing a lot the past 10 years, and the disabilty percentage the average vet is getting keeps getting higher. People are getting seen more often, claiming more things, and mental health...the largest factor in claims, is getting used and accepted more.
To be honest, I can see them start to be stricter about claims in the future. At the current pace, soon 1/2 of all separated service members are going to be rated between 50-100%. They can't budget to account for ALL of that. I guess they could...but probably have to make cuts somewhere else.
I mean, it's so common and easy to get disability now after just one enlistment, that if I was a Recruiter, it would be one of the biggest things I highlight. Like, "You don't even need to do 20 years. Just give the military 4 or 6 and be completely honest on your physical and mental health questions and you'll probably end up with the same pension you'd get if you did 20. Sign here!"
Just last week a veteran I’ve known my whole life died waiting on the VA to treat him for a UTI.
He wore his Air Force hat every day, if not a matching shirt to go with it, posted military and USA quotes on Facebook all the time like the boomers do, got to go on an honor flight last year and was elated. Dude was the proudest veteran I’ve ever met and besides that just one of the best men I knew. And he died waiting to be properly treated for a UTI like we’re in a 3rd world country.
But I’m sooo glad we keep getting all VA disability mail overnighted the last few months, despite it not being time sensitive AT ALL, because that’s a good spend of taxpayer money.
Was he down and out financially? Assuming he is old enough, did he not qualify for medicare so he could have gotten seen somewhere else and not be completely dependent on the VA?
A UTI is not a like a gaping, bleeding wound that makes it profoundly obvious when you need to seek other care at any cost if your first option isn’t cutting it. You can’t see the bacteria killing you. I have 0 idea how much money this man had and I have no idea why the fuck it matters. He shouldn’t have NEEDED to be seen anywhere else. His culture should have been promptly reviewed and adequate treatment given following. It got past the point of no return with no one’s knowledge (except the VA, sitting on the results) while the family was waiting on a phone call.
It’s hard to judge without knowing the details but as a nurse and VA patient I can imagine scenarios where this could happen. If a patient has an issue and calls for appointment but doesn’t describe the symptoms to indicate its seriousness it could delay being seen.
My local VA has an urgent care open M-F 0730-1700. I’ve gone there twice and seen quickly and appropriately treated. I’m particularly critical of care being a nurse and I have been pleased with the level of care.
Not to mention the VA isn't the only healthcare organization with wait times. People pretend there isn't a huge shortage of doctors and nurses in this country. Hell I've gotten appointments through the VA *quicker* than going through local places.
That’s been my experience. I also have a Medicare supplement plan from my civilian employer. Most appointments need to be made far in advance. My dermatologist will need 9 months if you reschedule.
For anybody casually reading this, I've had several UTIs because I have a spinal cord injury. (Not rated; I was in the Air Force a while back.) If you have symptoms of this and can't get a VA appointment, please go to an Emergicare and get some antibiotics. It's a $30 copay.
https://www.va.gov/resources/getting-urgent-care-at-va-or-in-network-community-providers/#covered-urgent-care-services
My grandmother served as a navy nurse during Vietnam and she’s struggling to get treatment as well, it’s awful. She’s got like 5 different medical issues that haven’t been addressed properly for almost a year. The VA clinic she goes to also doesn’t have any machines/equipment to care for females, so they have to refer her to other facilities, so from the point where she may have a problem and want help she’s gotta wait for her VA appointment just to wait for a referral. It ends up being nearly 6 months before she can be treated.
>Just because you joined the military does not mean you rate healthcare for life.
I agreed with everything up until that last sentence. If I retire after 20 years, regardless of my disability rating, I do in fact still get healthcare for life. That’s part of the deal. I don’t need the extra check, but I do need the promised healthcare.
100% agree, but I think OP was referring to the 1 and done enlisted types. I know someone personally who did 4yrs Security Forces, never deployed. Now brags it took him 6 years, but he's now at 100% permanently disabled for anxiety. I have a hard time believing 4 years in the AF checking ID'S at gates gave him that much anxiety.
Yup. I've been told to just lie about shit. Oh, you had an old hip injury rated at 0? Go back, fake some restricted mobility, say it makes me depressed because I can't do the things I used to. Damn son, I'm not that worried about it. I live comfortably as is.
Shit we had a guy who was so in shape he altered his heart rhythm to fake out a heart monitor(which kept him out of work for 6 months because it wasn't allowed in the secure area) and got 90% after 4 years in. And the one who got 40% for getting a depression diagnosis because had to work 8 hours a day. Or the guy who got caught smoking weed, was given a free pass, got caught again, was still allowed to skill bridge and pulled double income from his skill bridge job(karma wise he got caught selling weed to middle schoolers shortly after at least). Fucker even had a beard waiver and complained that the military was too hard 😒. I just can't comprehend how some people can be so greedy... We get taken care of pretty good compared to most entry level jobs
It’s not a pie where Amn Snuffy getting 95% means Sgt Wright now can’t get 100%. I don’t know where he’s getting that.
But, hey, it’s Reddit so the fixation on dude bro vets means it’ll get upvoted.
That's how I got my high rating. Filled out all the stuff, sent in my records, and had my exams. The general C&P where a doc went over everything with me had him finding shit that I just wrote down as a general pain or ache or whatever. I didn't game the system, a non-military doctor looked over me and my records and said, "Hey, your back is fucked and you're at a really high risk for respiratory issues".
That’s true, but I think there’s some validity to the linked post for a different reason than paid disability payments. Since vets are incentivized to be unwell, there is more demand for care. I’m pretty sure to maintain your disability status for certain things you need to actually follow-up with a VA clinic. Vets that are clogging up the system with bullshit (say for an example an overweight gamer who worked a desk job and has chronic knee pain that probably just needs to lose weight) potentially decrease access for vets that really need care. Decreased appointments, longer wait times, increased provider burnout and turnover, all add up to decreased quality of care. On the other hand, those problems could be solved by increased funding and resources/healthcare staff to support the VA to meet the demands. Take that to the extreme, and put the burden of healthcare for all citizens on everyone (socialized) and then we don’t have this silly system of rating how sick someone is because it can seem kind of arbitrary in many cases and is easily manipulated. I’m kind of talking out of my ass though cause I don’t know firsthand what the VAs problems are just from anecdotal complaints like the linked post. Maybe it’s not that bad, but like everything else in life if you read about it on the internet it seems bad.
My daughter has her education paid for and health insurance until she's 26 because of my deployment injuries. It would be cool that I didn't slip a disc a week ago washing my wife's car and be able to stand up straight again, but a win is a win.
Absolutely; there are lots of misconceptions about how the system works. I had ten years of records they went through and a lot of stuff I had came back as 0%. I'd give back the percentage for my back tomorrow if it meant I wouldn't have to deal with problems I do now being under 40.
I'd much rather be healthy than have my current disability rating. Pills are the only thing keeping my body's immune system from killing itself. I'm fucking miserably sick all the time and incapable of performing basic tasks on bad days. I'm not rated at 100% even with all that going on. These people are delusional if they think everyone is just gaming the system for 100%
They'd rather gatekeep who gets to have VA disability compensation based on what job you had in the service. It's not our job to determine who deserves what benefits. That shit remains between the veteran, their representative, and the VA itself.
If your body is busted up and it's not getting better, then you should absolutely get the compensation you deserve. Idk why someone would squander their benefits just as a point of pride.
If you get injured or broken in some way while serving, why would you let pride allow you to not get those medical bills covered for the rest of your life?
One of the comments in that thread says “I’d give back the disability if it meant I didn’t have to wake up in pain”. Truer words have never been spoken.
I’ve said the same thing myself. Alternatively, I’d like to not have to worry that I’m gona screw my back up anymore than it already is. Once you’ve hurt yourself the fear that it will get worse is always there. It sucked to have back surgery at 21 years old, the last 20 years I’ve always worried if anything I pick up will result in another issue. Especially hard when I was still in and the macho mentality was just to do it, it’s not that heavy. When I asked for help pushing a -60 down the line I’d tell em I’m not gonna make my leg any more numb than it was already for a stupid power on.
at least I found out I made staff while on convalescent leave.
Actually keep one month of GI bill, then use vocational rehab and e something VRE to get more education benefits. But you have to have a service connected disability that is affecting your job performance.
The money set aside for veterans disability is a very small fraction compared to the military budget. Get what you deserve, they decide that. They decide what you deserve, not you. Sure, some people abuse the system but why worry about something you cannot control. Get the disability you are entitled to. Even you Comm and Intel nerds.
Man fuck like 90% of the comments in that sub. They can continue the “I did 100 years in the infantry and didn’t claim a thing because I’m a badass” dick measuring contest and I’ll continue to rightfully claim compensation for any issue that was caused or exacerbated by service.
I did 4 years in the infantry. Didn't claim a thing when I ETS'd bc I had the mentality of there are other ppl who need it more, even though i literally have next to no cartilage in my knees, both rotator cuffs ripped to shreds, and all types of back issues. I have friends who lost limb and mind from all the shit, so that's why I had that mentality. But I learned from my mistake. Fuck all of that bs. Especially the pride. Money gets you farther in life.
I suppose the upside for me not claiming anything was that I was able to jump ship to the AF and basically get a redo on everything. I have the experience and knowledge to know better this time around.
Kind of what happens when your entire economy and global hegemony is built off of military adventurism for 100+ years. Don't like it? Then maybe the federal government should stop creating vets. Until then idk maybe cry about it? No individual person with a rating is taking away from another individual person that narrative is bullshit.
I had a retired navy snco tell me "they'll get their pound of flesh. Make sure you get yours. Get it, get what you can out of them and get out." And I gotta say he's 100% right. They've fucked me and so many of my friends over they have it coming
The VAs biggest issue is military retirement compensation is terrible and people will do whatever they have to to get by.
Separation is a different conversation but military retirement is not enough to make ends meet without being propped up by disability.
If you tell people you are going to give them money if there is something wrong with them of course they are going to look for problems. This is especially true if it's the difference between having to immediately go into another soul sucking grind or pursuing a passion later in life.
That being said, you still have to get examined by a doctor, so it's not like the VS just takes people's word for it either. This guy just sounds like he wants to gatekeep who gets care based off of his own criteria.
That and they were practically talked out of making claims and made to feel like claiming anything was a form of weakness. My dad was a Gulf War vet, but when he separated from the military he literally separated completely.
I was 3, almost 4 when he got out after 12 years of service so I don't remember anything. I actually didn't know he was ever in the military for a long time because he never really talked about it and he never went to the VA. And he was never affiliated with anything military-or-veteran-related.
The majority of gulf war vets served the same as most do now, as fobbits. A very, very, very small number of US forces saw direct combat. The war was decided by airpower, not boots on ground, despite the large coalition presence.
Worth noting everybody: the VA budget is around $360B and some change. VA fraud is estimated at $292M. That’s 0.07%. It doesn’t cost you anything to enroll and can still get healthcare even without a percentage.
Only 100% guys get dental though.
I am not a doctor or a lawyer. VA ratings are written and negotiated by doctors and lawyers, and at the end of it i certainly didn’t understand them to the same level they were written. At the end of my exam I was awarded X%. I don’t know why and I don’t know how.
If I talk to a lawyer who knows way more about VA ratings than I do, and that lawyer says I got screwed and my rating should be higher, who the fuck am I to tell him “no, it’s actually too high already, I feel fine.”
We follow tech data and AFIs and DoDMs for 20+ years, then when that guidance says we might be entitled to more money we say no? Fuck outta here.
If your rating goes up, it’s not cheating the system it’s the system working as intended. Don’t let anyone guilt you out of it. And don’t *don’t* share your rating with anyone because to them it’s just welfare.
No, this is terrible advice OP. You should get as much as you can in benefits without cheating. They are they for that. It’s a perk of the military service you give and there are plenty of trade offs for getting those perks.
The VA is not bad because of this.
I used to know a guy who broke a bone during Marine boot camp. He pressed the VA to get 100% disability. He joined the Wounded Warrior Project, placing stickers everywhere and wearing their t-shirts. He walks around with a cane, too. He's faking most of it. Sure, he was injured, but he healed properly. He's a dirt bag for taking full advantage of the system! After I found out about this, I stopped talking to him and haven't seen him in several years. Nor do I care to.
It's a stupid take. It's bullshit that the VA hides what they consider to be a potential disability (they should hide the rate/value it would incur). The VA reps in TAP are explicitly disallowed from providing or telling that there is a document that lists what is allowed and how much.
That's bullshit. How do they expect people to know what to report if they don't tell us it's reportable for disability? They don't expect it. They expect us to get fucked over and get nothing.
I fully support the people sharing such things and experiences because fuck em. You busted your balls for X years and this is part of getting your due recompense.
If they truly want to fix the system, lets start with some fiscal responsibility.
My take about all this as a recently, (July of 23) Med Retired individual. Get your bag. Because we all sacrificed, so take everything you can to help your life be that much better. Sign up for all the stuff. We are entitled to it due to service connected disabilities, that are documented over time from military and eventually va docs. So if they say that I’m 100% p&t at 24, then so be it(i do be hurtin like a mofo all the time tho). I will happily accept funds from the government, and live a modest life from my benefits, and never have to give uncle sam an interest free loan again. Thanks
Quit gatekeeping, you don't know anything about their situation. The VA searches and tries HARD to deny everything, you have to push back just as hard to get what you're owned.
Maybe unpopular opinion but I agree. Dont exaggerate to get more benefits. Im only claiming legit things and people that game the system are putting unnecessary burden on it.
Yep. A ton of people have the mindset that because it can be abused, and that they can get away with it, they should.
They don't feel guilty about it either because they'll twist it into some morphed reality about how it is something they earned and the government owes them or something which is unlikely to be actually true to the situation.
>Yeah, well, you know, that's just like, uh, your opinion, man.
On a serious note, there is some truth the take away and at the same time we gain nothing for not taking care of ourselves and others in a world that is systematically designed to oppress us (in a royal sense).
I believe the differences of ideaology in these sort of topics really comes down to a generational and occupational gap. It's no reason as to why people tend to be exasperated when when met by the same old diatribe of "get fucked, you're in the military" whenever Uncle Sam doesn't make good on their promise.
Actual incentives reveal the actual intentions of those that made them.
In this case a certain group has been incentivized to impune their own character in return for a an ongoing benefit largely provided by one subset of lawmakers. This is cohort capture.
While the VA does tons of good for vets. However, It's clear from the incentive set up, and it's functioning, that helping vets isn't it's only purpose. It's also a political football. It's a trivial way to stir up voters, and that (based upon the observations of the text's author) appears to be more valuable to the lawmakers than veteran care.
Want to stir up voters turn out? "The other party is threatening to cut Vets benefits!"
Want to stir up hate? "Those other guys want to audit VA payments, spending dollars to make dimes, while calling war wounded soldiers liars!"
Just my two cents, but it possible that OP's author is right, that the VA system is being abused, and that some people are passionate about their expectation to be allowed to abuse it now and forever. And if so, that's exactly probably the point.
Falsifying documents and claiming things that aren’t true sure, however “exaggeration” as you stated, is subjective. Just because you think you can grit through what constitutes a disability on paper for someone else, doesn’t mean that person has no right to their claim. You don’t live their life or know how the service connected disabilities they’re dealing with affects them.
I agree with this. There’s a lot of people who get out and lawyer up and get 100% without actually needing it, and unfortunately it makes it harder for a lot of people who legitimately deserve that rating because the VA cracks down on it in the worst way. Hell, my advocate who helped me file everything properly had his rating dropped from 100 to 90 because he was able to walk around after he had both knees replaced, and he was in the process of fighting them that just because he had metal knees it didn’t change the hardship he still goes through.
Get what you deserve, but don’t be greedy about it
You have to exaggerate to get any kind of actual care at all, otherwise the medical staff/specialists will send you on your merry way with either an ibuprofen perscription or tell you to do some stretches.
I didn't exaggerate a thing and got 100% for anxiety and PTSD. I just told the doc what I was experiencing and they rated me 100% P&T. It probably stemmed from the fact my childhood was normal and I wasn't really fucked up until I got out after 10 years. There really wasn't any single traumatic event, but the it seems like entirety of the BS of service was enough.
The VA reps at my informed decision brief said that money gets allocated when you join. Get your bennies. You will likely not leave the military the same as before you joined.
My USMC friend here can shove the entire box of crayons just all the way up his ass.
The Air Force has taken a not-insignificant amount from me, both mentally and physically, and when I retire they WILL pay me what they owe for giving them the best 20 years of my life.
Some jobs, I can see a rating being guaranteed since even four years will have a lifelong impact on the person. For example, in aircraft maintenance, if they come into contact with fuel, hydraulic fluid, oil, fiberglass, asbestos, or tritium (aircraft exit signs), they will suffer long-term damage. Just one year on the flight line permanently damages hearing, which only worsens over time. Working with fuels guarantees cancer, while electrical/environmental workers risk being shocked, burned, or developing cancer from being in contact with everything on the jet. Jet mechanics are guaranteed nerve damage from oil, and those working with hydraulics have constant exposure to hydraulic fluid. Even avionics personnel are constantly exposed to radiation. I coach my airmen to get the maximum percentage possible because one day they will need it.
The way I see it, the gov gives money out to tons of people for various reasons. Of all the people that get money from the government (corporate welfare being the worst), I'm ok with vets getting disability pay since vets make up a miniscule percentage of the population and actually signed the dotted line in service to their nation. Many people getting gov handouts have done jack shit for the nation and some aren't even legal citizens.
And this is the exact person this post was targeting lol. The same shit spewed in this here comment belittling people on welfare and food stamps then telling people to get what they can out of the government lol. The irony is ripe for the picking.
If you got legit injuries in the military claim it, but you shouldn't just go in with the mentality "I signed the dotted line so I'm entitled to it because there's people getting food stamps" lol
It's not like you get a rating for everything you claim. There has to be medical evidence and VA doctors review it. Are there some people who fake it? Of course. Are there some people on welfare who fake it? Of course. If you hate the system don't partake and contact your congressmen to change it. Don't get mad at others for utilizing a system our gov elected officials put in place.
Lol, yes I will be mad and call out hyprocacy every time I see it, including those in this very thread. Like I said the overlap of those complaining about "handouts" and then trying to scam and sue the gov or 100% disability is almost a perfect circle.
Not calling out the shit heads is exactly the wrong thing to do. Everybody screams we should get rid of welfare for 2% of fraud, everybody in this thread is upset because it just got uno reversed on them scamming the VA for their sprained ankle from a hike they did on their day off and think they deserve an 80% rating for it.
So I agree with you in that if people are scamming the VA the is wrong. VA comp should be for legit injuries. But I think people should claim whatever they want to and let the VA decide if it is legit or not. I am of course against people faking symptoms as well as anyone trying to scam the gov. To be fair though, the gov taxes the hell out of people so trying to maximize your return isn't a bad thing in my eyes.
Ahh yes its the veterans fault. It's my fault the local VA can't do MRIs. So I need to wait 6 weeks for an initial appointment, a week for x-rays, 2 months to drive 90 minutes to LA for the MRI, get the results via mail a month later, then can't get a follow up for 2 more months. The issue? I cant walk more than a few feet without severe pain because my knee says fuck you.
I went just to see how good my local VA was, and I will continue to primarily rely on civilian insurance. While waiting I had an appt, transferred x-rays records, an MRI, and started physical therapy in under 2 weeks. The VA seriously needs more resources and changes in processes to be closer to civilian medical standards and timeframes.
I did not. I just use my civilian insurance since or military medical when on orders. I use Kaiser and I can just call urgent with an important but non-life threatening issue they set me an appt for next day to not wait. Just had to learn that process.
Nah, fuck this guy. If Boeing, Lockmart, Raytheon and every other defense contractor can make billions, despite being behind schedule and over budget, if you so much as have an ache in a joint, you should get your money.
Or it’s just vets helping other vets get the disability rating they deserve. It’s much more common to get denied or 0% your first go around with the VA. The fact she is shitting on gulf war vets or GWOT vets tells me she is a pos, probably with some bullshit rating herself.
I'd agree with the post, but the military makes enables people to do that. If the problem is money being wasted on people who don't need it, the military should be more stringent on disablity.
People wouldn't game the system if they didn't feel like they got gamed first. The AF uses and abuses people for a decade, and then it becomes the VAs problem. I don't see anything wrong with that.
I see this from both sides, on one hand, don’t be scammy to only do a couple years and spend half of it documenting “health issues” just so you have free money for life. On the other is you served honorably the government has the money that is other wise wasted on sending to other countries that could be and should be used on veterans.
this is such a shit post. the Government and the military will take you back and make you look at the flowers all day long but fuck me if I get my 100 percent because i got medically retired.
Pentagon loses millions of dollars a year, branches fail all these audits. And I'm not one those people that are going to lie about some shit just to get what I want.(I've had MULTIPLE Ncos/Amn tell me to) I don't believe in selling myself a lie like that but you aren't taking away shit from anybody by using your benefits. No where on the contract any of us signed said we had to join for a specific personal reason. If your M.O is to get what you can out of this shit, all you're doing is matching Uncle Sam's M.O too.
They're not wrong that people are trying to abuse the system to "get theirs".
So many people get out trying this trick or that trick to try and get easy percentage. It's a pervasive thought that the government/military "owes" them something or that they "deserve" compensation when in reality they don't.
You also see how almost everyone complains about being "used and abused" and how the military "broke them physically" but 80% of these people have worked desk jobs for most of their career. They can't accept that they simply got older and that's normal so they blame it on the government as if it somehow wouldn't have happened in the civilian sector.
>This is why we can't have nice things.
People abusing shit to try and get theirs.
>Fuck you. I got mine
I'd say only 1 out of 4 of the mates I've worked with actually "deserve" their rating *as intended*. The other 75% only "deserve" it because they played the system and shouldn't be getting that rate.
It's going to be hated here but it's the reality we live in.
Ok. That's your prerogative.
But we give billions to SpaceX and Boeing for making shit that doesn't work.
But hey, you don't deserve 1200 because it's gonna bankrupt the VA or whatever.
Agree. Human debris will always be human debris and one can hope they step on legos and stub their toes everyday until the end.
I have a few acquaintances who are also using the VA as a job, they are getting Uncle Sugars cash...correction our tax dollars...but they aren't really happy people, as they need to continue to play the game to maintain their ill gotten gains.
Special kind of dirtbag to steal from those who really need the assist.
Good luck, be well!
Fuck that. I'm claiming everything that has been recorded. With the amount of bs two branches of the military have put me through, I am going to get mine. I am aiming for at least 80% when my time comes. Anything after that is just a bonus.
Yes, get what's entitled to you for actual stuff that's wrong. No one is saying you shouldn't. What people are complaining about is the ones that game the system and lie about their disabilities or the extent of their disabilities.
I got 90% after a medical retirement. The VA rated me post-assessment/pre-decision with 27 different things. Post-decision they took 5 off with no compensation, 7 with zero % and the rest at 10% with one 30%.
Seriously, I got screwed up after 23 years active. I didn’t ask for it. The med group pushed me for a med board, and my CC concurred. I did what the medical people told me to do and what exams I was told to take where. The VA came up with the amounts. And I’d give every penny back, starting from day one, to be healthy again.
I got my retirement and it’s what I wanted to have after surviving the shit show. The concurrent receipt is a great bonus…but it’s not worth it with what I have wrong with me.
As for my use of the VA…I love it. I have zero complaints about any of the multiple times I have gone. Probably 30 visits a year, in-person and by-phone. The people and the facilities at the Dayton VA are great.
There are parts of it that I agree with. Like *part* at least a *small part* of why it's so hard to get some of these ratings is because they're known to be easy to scam.
That said, they should always be erring on the side of giving people the benefits rather than taking them away.
I am firmly in camp, if you believe that your disability is related to your service you should *absolutely* go and get disability for it. But I know I was encouraged to try to get disability for a bunch of stuff that really had nothing to do with my time in the military. I saw people openly brag about doing the hearing test and being like, yeah if it sounds kinda quiet just don't click the button and then you'll get hearing loss disability.
I was a desk jockey that did some *light* actual maintenance work. The Air Force didn't break me. I have knee problems because I've kinda always had knee problems and running in the air force made it kinda worse at the time. Only reason I needed a waiver was because the Air Force was making me run at times and I would need like a day or two of taking it easy and taking some Motrin till it was pretty much back to 100% again.
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All that said, the VA has some serious issues with wildly disparate quality of care between hospitals and wildly different standards for how claims are *actually* processed for disability and what not. And that is not okay.
Oooof... sounds like he spends his weekends out on the town hunting down stolen valor people.
Impressive display of "I'm doing everything I can to fix this" to "fuck you for applying for benefits".
*Chefs kiss*
They cohld actually fix this problem by paying an actual retirement instead of pay that means you still have to go back to work after "retiring".
That probably wouldent solve the problem of people trying to claim 100% after only 6 years. Maybe its an incentive issue. If they come up with somthing where you have to serve more than 10 years to recieve free medical. Make it a serve 10 or nothing deal unless what you have is directly related to military service. Im not sure thr tradeoff would be worth it though. Recruitment would tank if that was done. I guess the penny pinchers in washington need to do the math. Is it worth the $ to pay for some fraudulent or boarderline fraudulent medical retirement in order to keep butts in desk chairs doing work. This may be a very well known phenomenon and they have done the math on it already and determined if they get fleeced occassionally, its worth it as long as they can keep bringing in warm bodies to do their work.
C&P for mental health of someone with suicidal ideations:
Evaluator: "How are you today?"
Snuffy: "I'm okay."
0% or no service connection.
It's not about lying for a higher percentage. It's about being as accurate as possible, describing years of trauma, and your worst days during appointments that often end in 15 minutes. The military will take everything from you in record time. Take the benefits that you earned and don't feel bad for it.
I don’t know. I just turned my med records in and did c and p exams and came out 100%. P and t. I say everyone who served deserves it. The Congress and lawmakers have shit all over the mi,Italy for years now.
Too many people malingering and taking resources away from those who need it. It's not money, government resources only appear infinite if they are rationed...and it's the dirt bags bogging the system down.
I’m a Gulf War veteran and I totally agree with you. Don’t paint us all with that broad brush…some of us are honest people. When you can actually pay an entity large sums of money to increase your VA rating…There is a big problem. Don’t get me wrong the VA sucks on an infinite level but I personally will not pad my misfortunes so I can benefit from funds that should be going to those who really need it. Also, it seems the VA only reacts positively with with embellished stories…I honestly think that the VA folks working directly with veterans are getting some type of kickback when they refuse the honest filings and force veterans into the arms of companies who are paid handsomely to ensure that 100%.
I had no idea there were groups you pay to increase your rating. My county courthouse has an office you can walk into for free. Same with the local DAV chapter. Vets helping vets and one thing they’ve very vocal about: your rating is yours. Increasing it has no impact on the guy next to you. The ones who need it are still going to get it, regardless of your percentage.
You should see peoples faces when I tell them I never went to the VA to get evaluated, and don't have any disability rating, despite being in Security Forces and doing 7 deployments.
I was healthier at 40 getting out than I was at 18 going in, I still feel great, my back is fine.
You are 100% within your right to not claim. Just like any other benefit afforded to vets. You don't have to use TA nor the GI bill, etc.
At the end of the day, vets avoid advancing themselves in life by not taking advantage of these opportunities.
I am truly happy for your health and I hope many more years of continued health. That being said, please don't let your pride prevent you from taking care of yourself because time is king, and we all break sooner or later. You will thank yourself later when you aren't waiting in assistance when you need it.
No one’s gonna force you to go in. But I’m asking, as another SF, please enroll. It’s easy to click through. Upload the 214, and the medical pdf, they reimburse you the mileage for meeting with their third party docs. They match whatever you tell them with what’s in your records and decide the rating that way.
I have a local VA support office in with the county clerk. Free of charge, ran by vets (another defender) for vets.
And you don’t need a disability percentage to get the healthcare that comes with it. If you’re on your second career and using that health system or your spouse’s or whatever, you can still use VA for health. No ones saying you can only have one coverage.
My grandpa is a little over 80 years old. He was in the Navy where he joined right after HS, then went in the Army Reserves about a decade after he got out and retired after 28+ years combined service. Civilian side my grandpa hustled quite a bit and did a lot of back breaking trade work. Quite literally a man's man.
He finally told me last year that his ship was attacked in Vietnam and he saw combat but you never would haven't known since he has a very warm personality and rarely ever had a temper when I was a kid. Did it with a straight face too. He never followed up with the VA either and while he has plenty of health issues at his age, he has a zero percent disability rating and chalks up his health issues to getting old and working hard in the trades and smoking a lot in his earlier years. Not due to things that happened in his military career.
It’s so fucking gross. People will kill the entirety of their last several months on duty going to get things “seen” and “on the record” just so they can point at it and scream “SERVICE CONNECTED”. Fuck right off with that shit.
I don’t want to think about how good the VA would actually be if it was properly staffed and shitbags weren’t using every damn trick in the book to get 100% and drain the coffers unnecessarily.
I don't believe you should not claim ANYTHING that is not going to effect how you do a job on the outside to the level that you are seeking. It's to curb the fact that you are disabled. Not a money tree for you to take advantage of. It is not a compensation for all your hard work. If you wanted that continue to retirement.
Okay.
I'm going to claim everything that's on my records. Even the things I think my doctor is wrong about. It's an entitlement, and I earned it.
You go ahead and hobble yourself out of pride all you want.
These are the same people that see a decrepit dorm or post about an Airman not having hot water and say, “They volunteered…they could be in a foxhole durr”.
That is where you are incorrect. Disability is, in fact, an entitlement. It is not a privilege to be offered care- it is a federally mandated right in exchange for your honorable service. Your rating, on the other hand, may vary.
You can actually read the thread here https://www.reddit.com/r/USMC/s/BzcO2h9Swc
> Just because you joined the military does not mean you rate healthcare for life. Bullshit it doesn't. It's the only reason I even committed to 20 in the first place.
You good sir would not be who this is meant for IMHO. At 20, you did your time and got your health care for life. This post is the dudes who did their 4 sitting behind a desk and then are claiming 50%+. I did 8 years, 4 active, 2 guard while finishing out bachelor's, and 2 on active orders. I got out with zero disability and I'm cool with that. As an Intel dude, I did very little that I would ever consider impacted my health. The most I had was basic and yearly pt tests. If I had broken my arm or had any other amount of things, I would have written it up while I was getting out, but I didn't. Now comes my personal story. Practically every single veteran I run into practically shames me for not trying to collect disability. Many have gone as far as to tell me to claim ptsd because I flew drones. Most of the vets I know are incredibly conservative and like to scream from the rooftops about socialized this and welfare that. The overlap of that group who served about 4 years and claim x amount of disability is damn near a perfect circle, and almost every single one has absolutely no impact on their health, but they'll still claim it. Now I firmly believe we should have a single payer system in the country anyway, but honestly it makes me pretty angry the same people claiming leaches on welfare or "illegals getting free money" are all scam artists, don't hold themselves to the same standards and openly encourage other vets to scam the VA. I know this is anecdotal, but I've run into so much when I tell other vets I don't have any VA disability that it has to be far more common for people scamming than you think.
And there are people who should have a disability rating that don’t because scumbag leadership who openly shame you for getting your ailments documented. When I was in the Active Duty Army, my leadership always tried to discourage people from seeking medical care for themselves, because it would bring down their readiness. The same leaders would tell you that it’s not worth talking to the VA because in their words, they will just deny you anyway. I know plenty of guys who can barely bend over at their waist because their back is shot, but they are proud they aren’t disabled…
I didnt do a claim for 25 years. After my injuries have started affecting my job and daily life I finally did it...only to have to fight for it. Service connected but 0% lol. Im at 20 now with my fucked up shoulder still in appeal. I shouldnt have waited but pride had me
Pride kills, I had it, came back in and I’m slowly getting my stuff documented, I’m lucky that I work closely with AES and the Doc helps our AMDS with their doc stuff because they are short on Dr’s. He’s been a god send on doing everything properly
Amen!! I’ll be retiring this year at 21 years. As of now it looks like I’ll be retiring with maybe 15% tops. Mostly stuff from prolonged sitting in horrible chairs and working at a computer all day. Either way the amount of times I’ve been shammed into saying I should go for more is absurd. We’re talking people telling me a should flat out lie and how to do it. Of the people I work with currently there’s way more people scamming the system than being honest. I just can’t bring myself that low to become one of them. Even if as they say to some extend,”Everyone’s doing it and you did your 20. Might as well.” What drives me even more mad is, as you mentioned, they’re usually the same people that don’t support social like programs. Usually using the defense that those others didn’t serve their country. Like you can’t serve or contribute to our country in some other capacity beside the military. It’s like they didn’t think of the teachers, farm workers and countless other profession’s that are core to the well being of our country and economics. Of course I’m not claiming that a lot vets don’t deserve disability, as they definitely do, it’s just I firmly believe a huge amount are straight up lying as witnessed in the conversations I’ve been part of first hand.
So because you don’t have ptsd from being a 1N0 drone operator others are not allowed to have mental health issues that go above 50%?
No that's not what I'm saying at all, I'm saying others told me to claim it to get disability, not because I actually had it. Maybe try actually reading my comment. I have plenty of friends who got severe ptsd from the job and the people telling me to "just claim it" clearly don't know anybody that has ever suffered from it and do a disservice to those who have ptsd.
The VA's biggest issue is that there aren't enough people and services to actually help veterans and congress doesn't care about us unless we're a tool for their political game. Has nothing to do with Vets getting service related disability. I'd rather everyone get 100% than have 22 die a day because of not getting the right service or sleeping on a park bench.
The military loses incalculable amounts of money every year to pure corruption, but these “big thinkers” have been deluded into thinking the greatest issue facing the American government is the prior-servicemember getting a little compensation for their knee that clicks when they walk. Sure, there’s some bad actors, but there’s countless more that will never receive compensation for the government using and discarding their body. But yeah, let’s just toss the whole thing away.
My dad can barely walk faster than a hobble. Tore both shoulders in service related incidents, has COPD from burn pits, and PTSD. It took him a few years just to get 100% from the VA even after being checked out by VA doctors multiple times who all said it doesn’t make sense why the VA won’t just give him 100%. If those guys can manage to get 100% ratings then they deserve it just for the effort it takes.
noooo dont ruin smug the circle jerk for them!!
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by having everyone get 100% wouldn't the VA be more overwhelmed? yeah nevermind, y'all have opened my eyes.
That is to imply disability rating actually affected VA services to begin with, with a service that all service members are entitled to to begin with (regardless of rating). Way to put the onus on the service member for the Government's inability to properly provide resources or adequate service for.
a general trend with the government is their inability to properly provide
Friendly reminder that the military will bend you over every chance they legally can, return the favor in kind, get that bread.
Get that bread LEGALLY...right? ...Right?
yes? don’t commit fraud that’s generally frowned upon but don’t leave entitlements on the table out of foolish pride
I would give back my disability benefits to not feel like shit everyday. I wake up feeling like my body is shutting down daily. If I lose it because people abuse the system…I am gonna be pissed. I’ve known people who got 100% sitting on their ass for four years. Never deployed. Barely worked. And we got folks out there fighting for a better life with the VA. Pieces of shit is what ruins it for all of us.
I mean, healthcare should be fucking free for everyone regardless of service. I'm loathe to see a retiree, even one who left in good health, get buried under our morally bankrupt pharmaceutical complex. I guess i'm just concerned that you're shifting the blame to your peers when it's the 1% ratfucking all of us.
Go to the veterans benefits page and see how they try to commit fraud. “What’s something easy I can claim to get to 100%?” Those comments are everywhere. Not to mention the amount of folks I know who faked their way to 100%. Meanwhile, I’m over here with body shakes and spots of brain damage just looking for any doctor to do something.
As someone who is on track to retire with zero disability, I don't like it either. But they aren't solely responsible for your lack of care. That's on congress, and the "wealth extraction over social concern" culture that pervades America. They have partial ownership of the problem. Where's your ire towards the ones directing this system—those enabling corruption and wide-spread fraud? They cut the purse strings on your treatment and blamed the guys picking up your change. And you're totally ok with them screwing you over?
i think they broke it down at taps, 18 million vets only 5 million of that has a claim in. you see posts in here where people freak out “they’re going to ruin it for me when it’s my turn”. no, it’s not. they have this stuff budgeted out already the moment you sign up for service.
\*TAP Yeah and what I see from a lot of people is ego... so stupid. I'm not saying fake it but definitely get yours as they've gotten every penny from you one way or another EDIT: PSA... GO TO THE DOCTOR when stuff hurts damnit
When I learned about all this stuff I was like “cool, extra help when I’m out, even if I don’t go 20 years” Then about a year before my grandfather passed, I found out he didn’t take advantage of his benefits. He served 25-30 years and didn’t want to “mooch off the government”. His life would have been a million times better if he had just understood his entitlements. I’ll get mine.
Though that number is correct, (5.4 billion last fiscal year)...that's ALL vets. The vast majority of vets that haven't served in 20+ years aren't getting any disability. And most of the old timers that are, aren't making 100% nearly as much as recent retirees/seperated. That 5.4 has been growing a lot the past 10 years, and the disabilty percentage the average vet is getting keeps getting higher. People are getting seen more often, claiming more things, and mental health...the largest factor in claims, is getting used and accepted more. To be honest, I can see them start to be stricter about claims in the future. At the current pace, soon 1/2 of all separated service members are going to be rated between 50-100%. They can't budget to account for ALL of that. I guess they could...but probably have to make cuts somewhere else. I mean, it's so common and easy to get disability now after just one enlistment, that if I was a Recruiter, it would be one of the biggest things I highlight. Like, "You don't even need to do 20 years. Just give the military 4 or 6 and be completely honest on your physical and mental health questions and you'll probably end up with the same pension you'd get if you did 20. Sign here!"
If they got money to blow in Ukraine every year, they got money for vet disability.
Ukraine is a small drop in the bucket compared to the money we throw on other countries that will never pay us back.
100%
That is where you are wrong. Nothing is ever a guarantee.
Just last week a veteran I’ve known my whole life died waiting on the VA to treat him for a UTI. He wore his Air Force hat every day, if not a matching shirt to go with it, posted military and USA quotes on Facebook all the time like the boomers do, got to go on an honor flight last year and was elated. Dude was the proudest veteran I’ve ever met and besides that just one of the best men I knew. And he died waiting to be properly treated for a UTI like we’re in a 3rd world country. But I’m sooo glad we keep getting all VA disability mail overnighted the last few months, despite it not being time sensitive AT ALL, because that’s a good spend of taxpayer money.
Was he down and out financially? Assuming he is old enough, did he not qualify for medicare so he could have gotten seen somewhere else and not be completely dependent on the VA?
A UTI is not a like a gaping, bleeding wound that makes it profoundly obvious when you need to seek other care at any cost if your first option isn’t cutting it. You can’t see the bacteria killing you. I have 0 idea how much money this man had and I have no idea why the fuck it matters. He shouldn’t have NEEDED to be seen anywhere else. His culture should have been promptly reviewed and adequate treatment given following. It got past the point of no return with no one’s knowledge (except the VA, sitting on the results) while the family was waiting on a phone call.
It’s hard to judge without knowing the details but as a nurse and VA patient I can imagine scenarios where this could happen. If a patient has an issue and calls for appointment but doesn’t describe the symptoms to indicate its seriousness it could delay being seen. My local VA has an urgent care open M-F 0730-1700. I’ve gone there twice and seen quickly and appropriately treated. I’m particularly critical of care being a nurse and I have been pleased with the level of care.
Not to mention the VA isn't the only healthcare organization with wait times. People pretend there isn't a huge shortage of doctors and nurses in this country. Hell I've gotten appointments through the VA *quicker* than going through local places.
That’s been my experience. I also have a Medicare supplement plan from my civilian employer. Most appointments need to be made far in advance. My dermatologist will need 9 months if you reschedule.
For anybody casually reading this, I've had several UTIs because I have a spinal cord injury. (Not rated; I was in the Air Force a while back.) If you have symptoms of this and can't get a VA appointment, please go to an Emergicare and get some antibiotics. It's a $30 copay. https://www.va.gov/resources/getting-urgent-care-at-va-or-in-network-community-providers/#covered-urgent-care-services
My grandmother served as a navy nurse during Vietnam and she’s struggling to get treatment as well, it’s awful. She’s got like 5 different medical issues that haven’t been addressed properly for almost a year. The VA clinic she goes to also doesn’t have any machines/equipment to care for females, so they have to refer her to other facilities, so from the point where she may have a problem and want help she’s gotta wait for her VA appointment just to wait for a referral. It ends up being nearly 6 months before she can be treated.
>Just because you joined the military does not mean you rate healthcare for life. I agreed with everything up until that last sentence. If I retire after 20 years, regardless of my disability rating, I do in fact still get healthcare for life. That’s part of the deal. I don’t need the extra check, but I do need the promised healthcare.
100% agree, but I think OP was referring to the 1 and done enlisted types. I know someone personally who did 4yrs Security Forces, never deployed. Now brags it took him 6 years, but he's now at 100% permanently disabled for anxiety. I have a hard time believing 4 years in the AF checking ID'S at gates gave him that much anxiety.
Yup. I've been told to just lie about shit. Oh, you had an old hip injury rated at 0? Go back, fake some restricted mobility, say it makes me depressed because I can't do the things I used to. Damn son, I'm not that worried about it. I live comfortably as is.
Shit we had a guy who was so in shape he altered his heart rhythm to fake out a heart monitor(which kept him out of work for 6 months because it wasn't allowed in the secure area) and got 90% after 4 years in. And the one who got 40% for getting a depression diagnosis because had to work 8 hours a day. Or the guy who got caught smoking weed, was given a free pass, got caught again, was still allowed to skill bridge and pulled double income from his skill bridge job(karma wise he got caught selling weed to middle schoolers shortly after at least). Fucker even had a beard waiver and complained that the military was too hard 😒. I just can't comprehend how some people can be so greedy... We get taken care of pretty good compared to most entry level jobs
It’s not a pie where Amn Snuffy getting 95% means Sgt Wright now can’t get 100%. I don’t know where he’s getting that. But, hey, it’s Reddit so the fixation on dude bro vets means it’ll get upvoted.
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That's how I got my high rating. Filled out all the stuff, sent in my records, and had my exams. The general C&P where a doc went over everything with me had him finding shit that I just wrote down as a general pain or ache or whatever. I didn't game the system, a non-military doctor looked over me and my records and said, "Hey, your back is fucked and you're at a really high risk for respiratory issues".
That’s true, but I think there’s some validity to the linked post for a different reason than paid disability payments. Since vets are incentivized to be unwell, there is more demand for care. I’m pretty sure to maintain your disability status for certain things you need to actually follow-up with a VA clinic. Vets that are clogging up the system with bullshit (say for an example an overweight gamer who worked a desk job and has chronic knee pain that probably just needs to lose weight) potentially decrease access for vets that really need care. Decreased appointments, longer wait times, increased provider burnout and turnover, all add up to decreased quality of care. On the other hand, those problems could be solved by increased funding and resources/healthcare staff to support the VA to meet the demands. Take that to the extreme, and put the burden of healthcare for all citizens on everyone (socialized) and then we don’t have this silly system of rating how sick someone is because it can seem kind of arbitrary in many cases and is easily manipulated. I’m kind of talking out of my ass though cause I don’t know firsthand what the VAs problems are just from anecdotal complaints like the linked post. Maybe it’s not that bad, but like everything else in life if you read about it on the internet it seems bad.
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My daughter has her education paid for and health insurance until she's 26 because of my deployment injuries. It would be cool that I didn't slip a disc a week ago washing my wife's car and be able to stand up straight again, but a win is a win.
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Absolutely; there are lots of misconceptions about how the system works. I had ten years of records they went through and a lot of stuff I had came back as 0%. I'd give back the percentage for my back tomorrow if it meant I wouldn't have to deal with problems I do now being under 40.
I'd much rather be healthy than have my current disability rating. Pills are the only thing keeping my body's immune system from killing itself. I'm fucking miserably sick all the time and incapable of performing basic tasks on bad days. I'm not rated at 100% even with all that going on. These people are delusional if they think everyone is just gaming the system for 100%
They'd rather gatekeep who gets to have VA disability compensation based on what job you had in the service. It's not our job to determine who deserves what benefits. That shit remains between the veteran, their representative, and the VA itself. If your body is busted up and it's not getting better, then you should absolutely get the compensation you deserve. Idk why someone would squander their benefits just as a point of pride.
This is the most reasonable take.
If you get injured or broken in some way while serving, why would you let pride allow you to not get those medical bills covered for the rest of your life?
Fucking Marines
One of the comments in that thread says “I’d give back the disability if it meant I didn’t have to wake up in pain”. Truer words have never been spoken.
I’ve said the same thing myself. Alternatively, I’d like to not have to worry that I’m gona screw my back up anymore than it already is. Once you’ve hurt yourself the fear that it will get worse is always there. It sucked to have back surgery at 21 years old, the last 20 years I’ve always worried if anything I pick up will result in another issue. Especially hard when I was still in and the macho mentality was just to do it, it’s not that heavy. When I asked for help pushing a -60 down the line I’d tell em I’m not gonna make my leg any more numb than it was already for a stupid power on. at least I found out I made staff while on convalescent leave.
The guy is complaining about a certain subreddit where he views people are gaming the system
I plan on getting every penny I can. They fucking owe me.
Don't forget to max out that TA and then use your GI Bill after you get out.
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Actually keep one month of GI bill, then use vocational rehab and e something VRE to get more education benefits. But you have to have a service connected disability that is affecting your job performance.
You sound entitled af
Entitled or not, healthcare is more important than ego.
If it’s earned I couldn’t agree more with you. My issue is with when it isn’t earned.
For what?
The money set aside for veterans disability is a very small fraction compared to the military budget. Get what you deserve, they decide that. They decide what you deserve, not you. Sure, some people abuse the system but why worry about something you cannot control. Get the disability you are entitled to. Even you Comm and Intel nerds.
Man fuck like 90% of the comments in that sub. They can continue the “I did 100 years in the infantry and didn’t claim a thing because I’m a badass” dick measuring contest and I’ll continue to rightfully claim compensation for any issue that was caused or exacerbated by service.
I did 4 years in the infantry. Didn't claim a thing when I ETS'd bc I had the mentality of there are other ppl who need it more, even though i literally have next to no cartilage in my knees, both rotator cuffs ripped to shreds, and all types of back issues. I have friends who lost limb and mind from all the shit, so that's why I had that mentality. But I learned from my mistake. Fuck all of that bs. Especially the pride. Money gets you farther in life. I suppose the upside for me not claiming anything was that I was able to jump ship to the AF and basically get a redo on everything. I have the experience and knowledge to know better this time around.
Good luck!
[You got soft hands brother](https://youtube.com/shorts/6qgR7Z7VQiE?si=DPKDI8WdNnaZHhJs)
Marines are clowns
The problem with the VA is that a lot of them are run by people who are worse than finance
Kind of what happens when your entire economy and global hegemony is built off of military adventurism for 100+ years. Don't like it? Then maybe the federal government should stop creating vets. Until then idk maybe cry about it? No individual person with a rating is taking away from another individual person that narrative is bullshit.
Don't worry. He's USMC. We don't play those games over here, because....nothing can stop the US Air Force!
I had a retired navy snco tell me "they'll get their pound of flesh. Make sure you get yours. Get it, get what you can out of them and get out." And I gotta say he's 100% right. They've fucked me and so many of my friends over they have it coming
The VAs biggest issue is military retirement compensation is terrible and people will do whatever they have to to get by. Separation is a different conversation but military retirement is not enough to make ends meet without being propped up by disability. If you tell people you are going to give them money if there is something wrong with them of course they are going to look for problems. This is especially true if it's the difference between having to immediately go into another soul sucking grind or pursuing a passion later in life. That being said, you still have to get examined by a doctor, so it's not like the VS just takes people's word for it either. This guy just sounds like he wants to gatekeep who gets care based off of his own criteria.
I’m sorry but how do gulf war veterans not count they were literally in combat
That and they were practically talked out of making claims and made to feel like claiming anything was a form of weakness. My dad was a Gulf War vet, but when he separated from the military he literally separated completely. I was 3, almost 4 when he got out after 12 years of service so I don't remember anything. I actually didn't know he was ever in the military for a long time because he never really talked about it and he never went to the VA. And he was never affiliated with anything military-or-veteran-related.
The majority of gulf war vets served the same as most do now, as fobbits. A very, very, very small number of US forces saw direct combat. The war was decided by airpower, not boots on ground, despite the large coalition presence.
Doesn’t matter combat I’d combat
Lol fuck that guy
The problem is the less Vet bros that take advantage, the less workers VA will have because congress will short staff every chance they get
Worth noting everybody: the VA budget is around $360B and some change. VA fraud is estimated at $292M. That’s 0.07%. It doesn’t cost you anything to enroll and can still get healthcare even without a percentage. Only 100% guys get dental though.
I am not a doctor or a lawyer. VA ratings are written and negotiated by doctors and lawyers, and at the end of it i certainly didn’t understand them to the same level they were written. At the end of my exam I was awarded X%. I don’t know why and I don’t know how. If I talk to a lawyer who knows way more about VA ratings than I do, and that lawyer says I got screwed and my rating should be higher, who the fuck am I to tell him “no, it’s actually too high already, I feel fine.” We follow tech data and AFIs and DoDMs for 20+ years, then when that guidance says we might be entitled to more money we say no? Fuck outta here. If your rating goes up, it’s not cheating the system it’s the system working as intended. Don’t let anyone guilt you out of it. And don’t *don’t* share your rating with anyone because to them it’s just welfare.
No, this is terrible advice OP. You should get as much as you can in benefits without cheating. They are they for that. It’s a perk of the military service you give and there are plenty of trade offs for getting those perks. The VA is not bad because of this.
I used to know a guy who broke a bone during Marine boot camp. He pressed the VA to get 100% disability. He joined the Wounded Warrior Project, placing stickers everywhere and wearing their t-shirts. He walks around with a cane, too. He's faking most of it. Sure, he was injured, but he healed properly. He's a dirt bag for taking full advantage of the system! After I found out about this, I stopped talking to him and haven't seen him in several years. Nor do I care to.
How tf do you get 100% off of a broken bone?!
Beats me. He did it somehow.
It's a stupid take. It's bullshit that the VA hides what they consider to be a potential disability (they should hide the rate/value it would incur). The VA reps in TAP are explicitly disallowed from providing or telling that there is a document that lists what is allowed and how much. That's bullshit. How do they expect people to know what to report if they don't tell us it's reportable for disability? They don't expect it. They expect us to get fucked over and get nothing. I fully support the people sharing such things and experiences because fuck em. You busted your balls for X years and this is part of getting your due recompense. If they truly want to fix the system, lets start with some fiscal responsibility.
I don't even have a 0% rating. I still use the VA as my primary healthcare and I plan to until they turn me away, if they ever do.
My take about all this as a recently, (July of 23) Med Retired individual. Get your bag. Because we all sacrificed, so take everything you can to help your life be that much better. Sign up for all the stuff. We are entitled to it due to service connected disabilities, that are documented over time from military and eventually va docs. So if they say that I’m 100% p&t at 24, then so be it(i do be hurtin like a mofo all the time tho). I will happily accept funds from the government, and live a modest life from my benefits, and never have to give uncle sam an interest free loan again. Thanks
Quit gatekeeping, you don't know anything about their situation. The VA searches and tries HARD to deny everything, you have to push back just as hard to get what you're owned.
Maybe unpopular opinion but I agree. Dont exaggerate to get more benefits. Im only claiming legit things and people that game the system are putting unnecessary burden on it.
Yep. A ton of people have the mindset that because it can be abused, and that they can get away with it, they should. They don't feel guilty about it either because they'll twist it into some morphed reality about how it is something they earned and the government owes them or something which is unlikely to be actually true to the situation.
>Yeah, well, you know, that's just like, uh, your opinion, man. On a serious note, there is some truth the take away and at the same time we gain nothing for not taking care of ourselves and others in a world that is systematically designed to oppress us (in a royal sense). I believe the differences of ideaology in these sort of topics really comes down to a generational and occupational gap. It's no reason as to why people tend to be exasperated when when met by the same old diatribe of "get fucked, you're in the military" whenever Uncle Sam doesn't make good on their promise.
Actual incentives reveal the actual intentions of those that made them. In this case a certain group has been incentivized to impune their own character in return for a an ongoing benefit largely provided by one subset of lawmakers. This is cohort capture. While the VA does tons of good for vets. However, It's clear from the incentive set up, and it's functioning, that helping vets isn't it's only purpose. It's also a political football. It's a trivial way to stir up voters, and that (based upon the observations of the text's author) appears to be more valuable to the lawmakers than veteran care. Want to stir up voters turn out? "The other party is threatening to cut Vets benefits!" Want to stir up hate? "Those other guys want to audit VA payments, spending dollars to make dimes, while calling war wounded soldiers liars!" Just my two cents, but it possible that OP's author is right, that the VA system is being abused, and that some people are passionate about their expectation to be allowed to abuse it now and forever. And if so, that's exactly probably the point.
Ah yes there’s no moral disability claim but my disability claim.
Thats not at all what I was saying. However, claiming things that arent true IS immoral.
Falsifying documents and claiming things that aren’t true sure, however “exaggeration” as you stated, is subjective. Just because you think you can grit through what constitutes a disability on paper for someone else, doesn’t mean that person has no right to their claim. You don’t live their life or know how the service connected disabilities they’re dealing with affects them.
Bro im not saying any of that.
I agree with this. There’s a lot of people who get out and lawyer up and get 100% without actually needing it, and unfortunately it makes it harder for a lot of people who legitimately deserve that rating because the VA cracks down on it in the worst way. Hell, my advocate who helped me file everything properly had his rating dropped from 100 to 90 because he was able to walk around after he had both knees replaced, and he was in the process of fighting them that just because he had metal knees it didn’t change the hardship he still goes through. Get what you deserve, but don’t be greedy about it
You have to exaggerate to get any kind of actual care at all, otherwise the medical staff/specialists will send you on your merry way with either an ibuprofen perscription or tell you to do some stretches.
I didn't exaggerate a thing and got 100% for anxiety and PTSD. I just told the doc what I was experiencing and they rated me 100% P&T. It probably stemmed from the fact my childhood was normal and I wasn't really fucked up until I got out after 10 years. There really wasn't any single traumatic event, but the it seems like entirety of the BS of service was enough.
The VA reps at my informed decision brief said that money gets allocated when you join. Get your bennies. You will likely not leave the military the same as before you joined.
You break it you buy it. Its getting veterans what we deserve. As much as the government wants to toss us to the side we wont allow it.
My USMC friend here can shove the entire box of crayons just all the way up his ass. The Air Force has taken a not-insignificant amount from me, both mentally and physically, and when I retire they WILL pay me what they owe for giving them the best 20 years of my life.
Some jobs, I can see a rating being guaranteed since even four years will have a lifelong impact on the person. For example, in aircraft maintenance, if they come into contact with fuel, hydraulic fluid, oil, fiberglass, asbestos, or tritium (aircraft exit signs), they will suffer long-term damage. Just one year on the flight line permanently damages hearing, which only worsens over time. Working with fuels guarantees cancer, while electrical/environmental workers risk being shocked, burned, or developing cancer from being in contact with everything on the jet. Jet mechanics are guaranteed nerve damage from oil, and those working with hydraulics have constant exposure to hydraulic fluid. Even avionics personnel are constantly exposed to radiation. I coach my airmen to get the maximum percentage possible because one day they will need it.
The way I see it, the gov gives money out to tons of people for various reasons. Of all the people that get money from the government (corporate welfare being the worst), I'm ok with vets getting disability pay since vets make up a miniscule percentage of the population and actually signed the dotted line in service to their nation. Many people getting gov handouts have done jack shit for the nation and some aren't even legal citizens.
And this is the exact person this post was targeting lol. The same shit spewed in this here comment belittling people on welfare and food stamps then telling people to get what they can out of the government lol. The irony is ripe for the picking. If you got legit injuries in the military claim it, but you shouldn't just go in with the mentality "I signed the dotted line so I'm entitled to it because there's people getting food stamps" lol
It's not like you get a rating for everything you claim. There has to be medical evidence and VA doctors review it. Are there some people who fake it? Of course. Are there some people on welfare who fake it? Of course. If you hate the system don't partake and contact your congressmen to change it. Don't get mad at others for utilizing a system our gov elected officials put in place.
Lol, yes I will be mad and call out hyprocacy every time I see it, including those in this very thread. Like I said the overlap of those complaining about "handouts" and then trying to scam and sue the gov or 100% disability is almost a perfect circle. Not calling out the shit heads is exactly the wrong thing to do. Everybody screams we should get rid of welfare for 2% of fraud, everybody in this thread is upset because it just got uno reversed on them scamming the VA for their sprained ankle from a hike they did on their day off and think they deserve an 80% rating for it.
So I agree with you in that if people are scamming the VA the is wrong. VA comp should be for legit injuries. But I think people should claim whatever they want to and let the VA decide if it is legit or not. I am of course against people faking symptoms as well as anyone trying to scam the gov. To be fair though, the gov taxes the hell out of people so trying to maximize your return isn't a bad thing in my eyes.
Ahh yes its the veterans fault. It's my fault the local VA can't do MRIs. So I need to wait 6 weeks for an initial appointment, a week for x-rays, 2 months to drive 90 minutes to LA for the MRI, get the results via mail a month later, then can't get a follow up for 2 more months. The issue? I cant walk more than a few feet without severe pain because my knee says fuck you. I went just to see how good my local VA was, and I will continue to primarily rely on civilian insurance. While waiting I had an appt, transferred x-rays records, an MRI, and started physical therapy in under 2 weeks. The VA seriously needs more resources and changes in processes to be closer to civilian medical standards and timeframes.
Have you tried the VA ER for more serious issues? You have to wait for a few hours to be seen but it’s better than waiting a few months
I did not. I just use my civilian insurance since or military medical when on orders. I use Kaiser and I can just call urgent with an important but non-life threatening issue they set me an appt for next day to not wait. Just had to learn that process.
Nah, fuck this guy. If Boeing, Lockmart, Raytheon and every other defense contractor can make billions, despite being behind schedule and over budget, if you so much as have an ache in a joint, you should get your money.
A lifetime of my disability payments wouldn't pay for one bomb we give to Ukraine or Israel. 0 guilt from this 70%'er 😄
Or it’s just vets helping other vets get the disability rating they deserve. It’s much more common to get denied or 0% your first go around with the VA. The fact she is shitting on gulf war vets or GWOT vets tells me she is a pos, probably with some bullshit rating herself.
What is the C&P sub he mentioned?
I'd agree with the post, but the military makes enables people to do that. If the problem is money being wasted on people who don't need it, the military should be more stringent on disablity.
People wouldn't game the system if they didn't feel like they got gamed first. The AF uses and abuses people for a decade, and then it becomes the VAs problem. I don't see anything wrong with that.
I see this from both sides, on one hand, don’t be scammy to only do a couple years and spend half of it documenting “health issues” just so you have free money for life. On the other is you served honorably the government has the money that is other wise wasted on sending to other countries that could be and should be used on veterans.
this is such a shit post. the Government and the military will take you back and make you look at the flowers all day long but fuck me if I get my 100 percent because i got medically retired.
Pentagon loses millions of dollars a year, branches fail all these audits. And I'm not one those people that are going to lie about some shit just to get what I want.(I've had MULTIPLE Ncos/Amn tell me to) I don't believe in selling myself a lie like that but you aren't taking away shit from anybody by using your benefits. No where on the contract any of us signed said we had to join for a specific personal reason. If your M.O is to get what you can out of this shit, all you're doing is matching Uncle Sam's M.O too.
They're not wrong that people are trying to abuse the system to "get theirs". So many people get out trying this trick or that trick to try and get easy percentage. It's a pervasive thought that the government/military "owes" them something or that they "deserve" compensation when in reality they don't. You also see how almost everyone complains about being "used and abused" and how the military "broke them physically" but 80% of these people have worked desk jobs for most of their career. They can't accept that they simply got older and that's normal so they blame it on the government as if it somehow wouldn't have happened in the civilian sector. >This is why we can't have nice things. People abusing shit to try and get theirs. >Fuck you. I got mine I'd say only 1 out of 4 of the mates I've worked with actually "deserve" their rating *as intended*. The other 75% only "deserve" it because they played the system and shouldn't be getting that rate. It's going to be hated here but it's the reality we live in.
Agreed. People keep telling me to make sure I get my 100%, but in all honesty, FOR WHAT, I’m in the fking Air Force 😂
Ok. That's your prerogative. But we give billions to SpaceX and Boeing for making shit that doesn't work. But hey, you don't deserve 1200 because it's gonna bankrupt the VA or whatever.
Let’s just say I couldn’t morally take the money.
Agree. Human debris will always be human debris and one can hope they step on legos and stub their toes everyday until the end. I have a few acquaintances who are also using the VA as a job, they are getting Uncle Sugars cash...correction our tax dollars...but they aren't really happy people, as they need to continue to play the game to maintain their ill gotten gains. Special kind of dirtbag to steal from those who really need the assist. Good luck, be well!
They were seen by Doctors and given a rating🤷🏼♂️. Let’s make you in charge, you have it figured out.
Womp womp cry about it. I’m gonna get that 💰
We had a SARM troop getting medically retired at 15 for hurting his ankle during intramural basketball. What a joke.
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He was still balling so wasn’t that bad.
what do you want to happen? he gave 15 of the best years of his life to the service and likely wanted to make it to 20+ years.
Dude was still playing ball. It isn’t that bad and seems like he’s dodging work.
So what is that C&P subreddit that they mentioned that will teach me how to get a scrap of money after I get out?
Checkout r/veteransbenefits
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oof
Someone reported my comment and Reddit removed it. Then gave me a warning for identity based hate. Crazy
That’s really weird.
I used to have a similar mindset until a contractor on deployment told me, “if you serve you deserve,” and that stuck with me during the VA process.
How can speak with boot so far down throat
Fuck that. I'm claiming everything that has been recorded. With the amount of bs two branches of the military have put me through, I am going to get mine. I am aiming for at least 80% when my time comes. Anything after that is just a bonus.
Yes, get what's entitled to you for actual stuff that's wrong. No one is saying you shouldn't. What people are complaining about is the ones that game the system and lie about their disabilities or the extent of their disabilities.
So glad I came out of the military unscathed and don’t have to worry about this. I’ve heard plenty of disappointing stories.
I got 90% after a medical retirement. The VA rated me post-assessment/pre-decision with 27 different things. Post-decision they took 5 off with no compensation, 7 with zero % and the rest at 10% with one 30%. Seriously, I got screwed up after 23 years active. I didn’t ask for it. The med group pushed me for a med board, and my CC concurred. I did what the medical people told me to do and what exams I was told to take where. The VA came up with the amounts. And I’d give every penny back, starting from day one, to be healthy again. I got my retirement and it’s what I wanted to have after surviving the shit show. The concurrent receipt is a great bonus…but it’s not worth it with what I have wrong with me. As for my use of the VA…I love it. I have zero complaints about any of the multiple times I have gone. Probably 30 visits a year, in-person and by-phone. The people and the facilities at the Dayton VA are great.
There are parts of it that I agree with. Like *part* at least a *small part* of why it's so hard to get some of these ratings is because they're known to be easy to scam. That said, they should always be erring on the side of giving people the benefits rather than taking them away. I am firmly in camp, if you believe that your disability is related to your service you should *absolutely* go and get disability for it. But I know I was encouraged to try to get disability for a bunch of stuff that really had nothing to do with my time in the military. I saw people openly brag about doing the hearing test and being like, yeah if it sounds kinda quiet just don't click the button and then you'll get hearing loss disability. I was a desk jockey that did some *light* actual maintenance work. The Air Force didn't break me. I have knee problems because I've kinda always had knee problems and running in the air force made it kinda worse at the time. Only reason I needed a waiver was because the Air Force was making me run at times and I would need like a day or two of taking it easy and taking some Motrin till it was pretty much back to 100% again. ------------ All that said, the VA has some serious issues with wildly disparate quality of care between hospitals and wildly different standards for how claims are *actually* processed for disability and what not. And that is not okay.
It’s easier to praise veterans than help them
Oooof... sounds like he spends his weekends out on the town hunting down stolen valor people. Impressive display of "I'm doing everything I can to fix this" to "fuck you for applying for benefits". *Chefs kiss*
They cohld actually fix this problem by paying an actual retirement instead of pay that means you still have to go back to work after "retiring". That probably wouldent solve the problem of people trying to claim 100% after only 6 years. Maybe its an incentive issue. If they come up with somthing where you have to serve more than 10 years to recieve free medical. Make it a serve 10 or nothing deal unless what you have is directly related to military service. Im not sure thr tradeoff would be worth it though. Recruitment would tank if that was done. I guess the penny pinchers in washington need to do the math. Is it worth the $ to pay for some fraudulent or boarderline fraudulent medical retirement in order to keep butts in desk chairs doing work. This may be a very well known phenomenon and they have done the math on it already and determined if they get fleeced occassionally, its worth it as long as they can keep bringing in warm bodies to do their work.
Just goes to show, wearing Grunt Style is douchy as fuck.
C&P for mental health of someone with suicidal ideations: Evaluator: "How are you today?" Snuffy: "I'm okay." 0% or no service connection. It's not about lying for a higher percentage. It's about being as accurate as possible, describing years of trauma, and your worst days during appointments that often end in 15 minutes. The military will take everything from you in record time. Take the benefits that you earned and don't feel bad for it.
I don’t know. I just turned my med records in and did c and p exams and came out 100%. P and t. I say everyone who served deserves it. The Congress and lawmakers have shit all over the mi,Italy for years now.
He’s right though
Too many people malingering and taking resources away from those who need it. It's not money, government resources only appear infinite if they are rationed...and it's the dirt bags bogging the system down.
I’m a Gulf War veteran and I totally agree with you. Don’t paint us all with that broad brush…some of us are honest people. When you can actually pay an entity large sums of money to increase your VA rating…There is a big problem. Don’t get me wrong the VA sucks on an infinite level but I personally will not pad my misfortunes so I can benefit from funds that should be going to those who really need it. Also, it seems the VA only reacts positively with with embellished stories…I honestly think that the VA folks working directly with veterans are getting some type of kickback when they refuse the honest filings and force veterans into the arms of companies who are paid handsomely to ensure that 100%.
I had no idea there were groups you pay to increase your rating. My county courthouse has an office you can walk into for free. Same with the local DAV chapter. Vets helping vets and one thing they’ve very vocal about: your rating is yours. Increasing it has no impact on the guy next to you. The ones who need it are still going to get it, regardless of your percentage.
Trust me they’re out there.
Preach
I'll hit 40, when im done, i want to get mine 🤣
*leeches
You should see peoples faces when I tell them I never went to the VA to get evaluated, and don't have any disability rating, despite being in Security Forces and doing 7 deployments. I was healthier at 40 getting out than I was at 18 going in, I still feel great, my back is fine.
You are 100% within your right to not claim. Just like any other benefit afforded to vets. You don't have to use TA nor the GI bill, etc. At the end of the day, vets avoid advancing themselves in life by not taking advantage of these opportunities.
I am truly happy for your health and I hope many more years of continued health. That being said, please don't let your pride prevent you from taking care of yourself because time is king, and we all break sooner or later. You will thank yourself later when you aren't waiting in assistance when you need it.
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No one’s gonna force you to go in. But I’m asking, as another SF, please enroll. It’s easy to click through. Upload the 214, and the medical pdf, they reimburse you the mileage for meeting with their third party docs. They match whatever you tell them with what’s in your records and decide the rating that way. I have a local VA support office in with the county clerk. Free of charge, ran by vets (another defender) for vets. And you don’t need a disability percentage to get the healthcare that comes with it. If you’re on your second career and using that health system or your spouse’s or whatever, you can still use VA for health. No ones saying you can only have one coverage.
I have Tricare prime retired for me and my whole family, why would I need a VA healthcare?
My grandpa is a little over 80 years old. He was in the Navy where he joined right after HS, then went in the Army Reserves about a decade after he got out and retired after 28+ years combined service. Civilian side my grandpa hustled quite a bit and did a lot of back breaking trade work. Quite literally a man's man. He finally told me last year that his ship was attacked in Vietnam and he saw combat but you never would haven't known since he has a very warm personality and rarely ever had a temper when I was a kid. Did it with a straight face too. He never followed up with the VA either and while he has plenty of health issues at his age, he has a zero percent disability rating and chalks up his health issues to getting old and working hard in the trades and smoking a lot in his earlier years. Not due to things that happened in his military career.
It’s so fucking gross. People will kill the entirety of their last several months on duty going to get things “seen” and “on the record” just so they can point at it and scream “SERVICE CONNECTED”. Fuck right off with that shit. I don’t want to think about how good the VA would actually be if it was properly staffed and shitbags weren’t using every damn trick in the book to get 100% and drain the coffers unnecessarily.
I don't believe you should not claim ANYTHING that is not going to effect how you do a job on the outside to the level that you are seeking. It's to curb the fact that you are disabled. Not a money tree for you to take advantage of. It is not a compensation for all your hard work. If you wanted that continue to retirement.
Okay. I'm going to claim everything that's on my records. Even the things I think my doctor is wrong about. It's an entitlement, and I earned it. You go ahead and hobble yourself out of pride all you want.
These are the same people that see a decrepit dorm or post about an Airman not having hot water and say, “They volunteered…they could be in a foxhole durr”.
Your GI Bill is an entitlement for honorable service. Disability is not.
That is where you are incorrect. Disability is, in fact, an entitlement. It is not a privilege to be offered care- it is a federally mandated right in exchange for your honorable service. Your rating, on the other hand, may vary.
Ooh, the rare triple negative.
What’s the other subreddit? Asking for a friend