Anyone ever dealt with the VA?

[lonegunman762x51]

God I hate these people. I retired in late 2009 and have spent two years sending them paperwork and watching the make decisions that utterly boggle the mind. I had figured with complete documentation and a 27 year career it would be easy enough to review this stuff and decide something,,,,,,,,,man was I wrong.

With a DD214 showing service in Iraq, a picture of me and General Patreaus standing in the Al Faw Palace in Baghdad, copies of my orders, medical reports from the EMEDS, an Iraqi Campaign medal and a Commendation medal approved by my commanding BG, they still asked me to get a letter from a "witness" who saw me there.

As we slip into month 25 of this adventure one of my friends is retiring and saying, "I have complete documentation and cannot imagine this will be a problem". Man is he in for a surprise!

Now my congressman is working on it and after that I am sure I will need a lawyer in a year or two. I really just hate these people. Complaining on the internet is less bothersome to the neighbors than yelling to the sky in my back yard.

I'm glad I served and proud of my time in the service, sadly less than 1/2 of 1% of Americans serve in the military anymore. I just really hate people who send you a letter "thanking you for your service in Iraq" one day and deny the service on the next day.

And yes,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I sent them copies of those damned letters as well.

Ahhhhhhh vent complete.

[C5M1]

Have had mostly good luck going through a local VA rep. Still a bunch of bureaucratic bs to wade through. should be used to it after 27 yrs....grin.. Don't let em grind ya down, thanks for your service.


regards, dennis

[RED]

I had a bureaucrat at the VA tell me that my DD214 only showed 31 days of active service. He was only off by 6 years!

Actually the bureaucracy hasn't bothered me as much as the poor quality of the care I have received. The VA hospital I go to has a Legion Service Rep on the premises and he pretty well knows which strings to pull. He helped get me the 10% service related disability rating that got me hearing aids and a pair of glasses. In the final analysis it all boils down to a crap shoot. If you are lucky you get somebody that actually does their job, or you may wind up like the OP... and that is SOL.

[raymeketa]

Just wait until you get a little older and have to deal with the Social Security Administration. You ain't seen nothing yet!

I live in a small town and the staff at the local VA office are all Vets or wives of Vets. I've never had a problem with them and they are always ready to help me when I have problems with the kids at the Regional office.

Ray

[amber]

Maybe I was very lucky, but I had NO TROUBLE with the VA or the Social Security Adm. When I became too disabled to work anymore, I hired an attorney who specialized in getting SS disability for folks who really deserve it. Only took about 3 months and the SS people paid the attorny's fees -- no joke!! Even got back disability benefits.

For my Viet Nam related disabilities, I went to the local state SO (service officer). She is a disabled former marine and had all set with the VA in short order. I am in Priority Group 1 and in addition to getting full disability, I (and my wife, if she should ever need to use it), get 100% of out medical care at the VA Hospital for free. That's everything, eye glasses, dental, etc. etc. everything.

I could not be more happy with the VA and their service to me. I can not imagine why so many people complain about the VA, getting benefits, health care, etc. Perhaps you are going about it in the wrong way.

[Michaelp]

42 years experience with them.

No real problems and overall excellent care.
I draw 70% for wound residuals and other stuff.

A lot of vets stroll in with a "you owe me atitude" and the fun begins.

There are better places to go if you can afford them, but I am satisfied.

Like any beurocracy, there are hoops to jump and one has to earn the ropes.

It is adviseable to get a good VSO-they range from so-o to outstanding.

[joem]

I to have had no problems with the VA or the care and treatment I've had so far. It takes time to get into the system and they are overwhelmed by the number of vets applying. Just sit back and relax. Respond to their requests for information as soon as possible and Don't ever miss a appointment or be late without calling in!

[Johnny P]

My wife's father was a WWII vet, and after he died my wife's mother required help to come to her home. The VA paid part of this expense, and getting all the required paper work and information took several months to get the benefit started. After about a year of this her mother had to go into a nursing home, which the VA didn't pay on. My wife and her brother contacted the VA to let them know their mother was in a nursing home so the checks would be discontinued. After several months, during which the checks kept coming, they had no success in getting the payment stopped. My wife finally contacted our U.S. Representative about the problem, and it still took his office another three or four months to get the payments stopped. None of the checks had been deposited, and finally a request came from the VA for the return of the checks from the time her mother went in the nursing home.

It seemed they could never get the right office or the right person. They were constantly being referred to another office, and nothing was happening.

[Sean P Gilday]

So far so good with the VA. When I came home in 2005 the Demob station, Ft. Dix couldnt be bothered to do any physicals or checks even on the guys like myself who had been wounded. Was told to go to the VA. Northport Long Island VAMC was superb. Went to physical therapy 4 times a week and regained the use of my right arm again. Had to beg off free eyeglasses since I bought my own, they sent me for all kinds of tests.

My Only quibble was the PTSD co-ordinator tried to get me to file for 30% disability and I have no symptoms at all. I told him, but his answer was free money which frankly pissed me off.

[amber]

Maybe you should have listened to him. The PTSD can really sneak up on you!!