Question for US Air Force Dawgs

[Jack Lambert]

One issue with VA disability claims is that there are so many frivolous and down right fraudulent claims, it gums up the system and makes it harder for those truly impacted by military service to get benefits they are due.

As far as A-10s, no idea on why they are flying out of Coronado, but my friends who worked in A-10 maintenance always complained about how labor intensive they are.

I am going to disagree a little. Post dramatic stress is real. Every veteran has it to a certain degree. That's the only one you don't need medical records for. Any other injury you are going to have to have medical records sent to your VA hospital. I will say this as Veterans get older a lot of the those injures turn to arthritis. I use to never use the VA. I thought I have had a good life and wasn't going to take VA resources away from another vet but my attitude is starting to change reading what is being done with VA resources. I broke my right hand while on active duty Marine Corps. I have four screws. It is starting to really hurt all the time. I am pretty sure it is arthritis setting in. I now have arthritis for serving for serving my country and I am going to claim it. It will probably be 30% disability but like my fellow Marine Buddies say, "I earned It". It is only going to get worse and I need to get it started. I can increase the % as the years go by.

[NCMSTFAN]

I am going to disagree a little. Post dramatic stress is real. Every veteran has it to a certain degree. That's the only one you don't need medical records for. Any other injury you are going to have to have medical records sent to your VA hospital. I will say this as Veterans get older a lot of the those injures turn to arthritis. I use to never use the VA. I thought I have had a good life and wasn't going to take VA resources away from another vet but my attitude is starting to change reading what is being done with VA resources. I broke my right hand while on active duty Marine Corps. I have four screws. It is starting to really hurt all the time. I am pretty sure it is arthritis setting in. I now have arthritis for serving for serving my country and I am going to claim it. It will probably be 30% disability but like my fellow Marine Buddies say, "I earned It". It is only going to get worse and I need to get it started. I can increase the % as the years go by.

Good post and I agree. I'm also a Veteran and completed 2 tours in Iraq in the early 2000's... alot of those injuries sustained then and even doing my job are re-surfacing as I get older, luckily I did have it all in my records and the VA does compensate me. But viverlibre isn't wrong, there are people who lie about injuries alot. Some of them fool the VA, others have been caught, especially recently.

[viverlibre]

I am going to disagree a little. Post dramatic stress is real. Every veteran has it to a certain degree. That's the only one you don't need medical records for. Any other injury you are going to have to have medical records sent to your VA hospital. I will say this as Veterans get older a lot of the those injures turn to arthritis. I use to never use the VA. I thought I have had a good life and wasn't going to take VA resources away from another vet but my attitude is starting to change reading what is being done with VA resources. I broke my right hand while on active duty Marine Corps. I have four screws. It is starting to really hurt all the time. I am pretty sure it is arthritis setting in. I now have arthritis for serving for serving my country and I am going to claim it. It will probably be 30% disability but like my fellow Marine Buddies say, "I earned It". It is only going to get worse and I need to get it started. I can increase the % as the years go by.

I should have preferenced my comments with "in my experience" which is with the AF and ANG. Not my intent to disparage combat vets, please accept my apology.

I served 32 years and personally know of many who have filed claimed for knee issues, elbow issues, CPAP, etc., that are questionable. One example is a former Airman who had knee surgery in the early 90s (suffered playing basketball off duty), he played rec basketball at a high level in a city league into his 50s. He received 30% disability upon his discharge in the early 90s. So he can play basketball several nights a week for decades after service, but his knee is so bad he has gotten tens of thousands in VA disability? I know several fatties who have gotten 50% for being on a CPAP, again these are AF folks who have never done anything dangerous or been exposed to chemicals, and done very little PT. There is a cottage industry of doctors and other paid professionals who will write a nexus letter for you for just about anything and connect it to your service.

Again my experience is AF, no doubt many Marines and Soldiers have faced combat, rigorous/dangerous training, done harsh PT in full gear, etc., and earned VA disability. Most Airman have not faced such hardships (a few have). Many service members deserve disability benefits, but those who don't deserve benefits gum up the system for those who do, just like with SS disability, Workers Comp, etc.