Well, I was too close to my contract expiring.they told me I could ETS normally, or extend and attempt a med-board which wasn't guaranteed since it was in a "my choice" situation to where it wasn't forced on me, just suggested to me to be a better option.... I elected for normal ETS which in hindsight was stupid on my part
As long as you are happy in life, that is what is important. I am happy in my life, but I do get tired of being in pain for the last 30 years. The last three years seems to really getting worse. I need to go to the VA for a revaluation, but there are so many young people that I feel need help there more than I do.
I am happy, but annoyed at the VA disability process. Been a PITA since I got out. I am finally getting paid, but they denied quite a bit. I'm at the VA regularly for appointments...I have 2 this coming week alone. My brother was hurt worse than me...he is 3 years younger than me and on a cane in severe pain the rest of his life....and him and I sit at the same rating. Not a fair system at all when they go by what's on paper alone. The drs they have examine you that are supposed to be impartial just don't care...thus leading to the VA not caring because of coarse the impartial Dr only writes down a small bit of info which they in turn call inconclusive proof of the injuries. But I love my job now as an actor.... allows me to work when I feel up to it/when I want....Also a lot of fun, and meeting the A-listers all the time as my co-workers for that day or week or whatever is pretty awesome.
Last edited by ready2play; 03-08-2014 at 07:14 PM.
Yeah, it's a "catch 22", you don't want to be labeled as a "sick bay commando" while you're in, but the VA wants to see it in your record...lots of injuries I sustained aren't even in my medical record book. I'm not complaining though, I avoided some of the more serious problems that I see other Vets suffering with, and for that I'm thankful. I still P.T. every day because I feel like I shouldn't take my good health for granted. Running sucks, but not being able to run would suck more!
And the other catch 22 comes when you get out....I was looking at the possibility of 100%...as such, not knowing if the rating would be listing me as "employable" or "unemployable", I couldn't even GET a full time job for fear of losing my benefits and back pay since they are nullified if you work and then you get rated unemployable. In that time I defaulted on several bills I could not pay with my menial income at the time...seeking help did no good. I was a paid member of the VFW, and they DENIED me help because I wasn't working full time.... And I thought they were supposed to UNDERSTAND the VA system....my military credit cards took me OFF of a payment plan that allowed me to actually afford the monthly payments and said if I just paid what I had been paying my accounts would go into default, which they did.....THEN, they penalized the accounts with a 25% account balance charge for no payment, plus late fees and other charges....$6k I owed is now $11k, my SSN is government blocked so I can't even get a passport if I want, and none of the agencies set up to HELP in such a situation wants to help....again, because I am not maintaining what they consider "full-time" emplyent. Straight pisses me off. So though I am getting some income from it, my claim is once again in appeals (another 2 years I'm sure), and my credit is now screwed....I had close to an 800 credit score before all this BS. Talk about getting railed by a government run system...
oldmurph58 (06-12-2014)
Spent 20 years in the USAF, 1972 to 1992, retired as an E-7. Spent a lot of time in the Pacific, Okinawa, Philippines, and Korea. Enjoyed my time and I spent half as a boiler mechanic and the other half working manpower studies. Hard to believe that I've been retired 22 years this October...
If you think education is difficult, try being stupid...
Infidel (01-04-2015)