I spent 3 months in Iraq, and got a medical discharge for lower leg stress fractures and mental illness. The military lost my 201 file, that had X-rays, doctors notes, ect in it, and now the VA says there is no record. Also, i got in some juvenile trouble and had to see a counselor years ago, and i didnt talk to her, so she said i was depressed. Somehow they dug this crap up and say my mental illness was preexisting, but I was never diagnosed with what they said I had before the Army. Why does the VA insist on screwing veterans? I have appealed three times, and even had my Rep write them, with no avail. Also, my DD-214 doesn't list my combat medic badge, how can I fix that?
2007-03-25 17:30:22 · 8 answers · asked by ringshank1980 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Your best bet would be to contact a Veterans Service Officer at the DAV. They are the experts on what it takes to get a claim through and how to get that claim processed.
BTW - your 201 file and your medical records are two different things, and nowadays the medical records are kept electronically.
2007-03-26 03:17:40 · answer #1 · answered by MikeGolf 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need to submit a disability claim. Expect it to be turned down several times. Get what you can of your service records now from the Service Record Center in St. Louis.
Get in touch with any and all of your fellow vets who served with you and get "buddy letters." Get them to attest to you being the Medic and to anything that they witnessed involving you.
As for the mental problems, VA does nto cover personality disorders, but if they treated it, you might have a case. Pre-existing conditions are out the window when you sign the enlistment papers and they accept you. There is a law in the USC, and it is duplicated in Title 38 CFR, that states that if you were accepted into the service, you are considered to have been sound in mind and body at that time.
You don't need your 201 if you have buddy letters. Two would be enough. The VA has the legal task of assisting you in developing your case. (Look on Google for "VCAA 2000 or Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000.) That is the law!
Find your friends and get their letters. The VA has to be able to prove the events did not take place and they are using available records, or the lack thereof, for that purpose. If they cannot absolutely prove that, your buddy letters have the same evidential character as your files.
Go to the DAV and get them to serve as Advocates. Keep on fighting them. Remember their taking all the time that they are taking is netting you well over $2000 per month for every month they sit of their tails.
2007-03-26 09:40:58 · answer #2 · answered by Polyhistor 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, first--you need a lawyer.
As to why the VA is doing this kind of thing, that's simple. It's been run by Bush's political friends for the last 6 years--while at the same time Bush has cut funding to the VA, despite the increased demand due to the wars.
2007-03-25 17:38:25 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
As veteran myself I can tell you that the army does a lot of things to solders that are not approved by the FDA or the EPA. If your records are missing there is something in them the government does not want known. If your medical records are missing, did you have alamgam siver filling put in your teeth. If so you may have mercury vapor poisining. This causes mental illness or symptoms like it.
2007-03-25 17:44:51 · answer #4 · answered by matconco 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
First get to your congressman, complain about this and stay on his case till you get what you want. The VA has a long history of abuse, but the squeaky wheel gets the oil. Call the local DAV or VFW group and ask them for help.
2007-03-25 17:39:29 · answer #5 · answered by Outside the box 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Probably due to the cuts in funding that have occured over the past 6 years of this administration. It's been terrible.
2007-03-25 18:24:29 · answer #6 · answered by Sailinlove 4 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Because Bush is a coward who secretly hates soldiers, because they have courage and he doesn't. He loves to seem them suffer. That's why he's starting illegal and immoral wars around the World: He loves seeing people die, or suffer.
This is NOT speculation: This has been documented by a renowned psychiatrist, who has analyzed everything Bush has ever said or written!
2007-03-25 17:38:04 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
Because they are a government agency, and these are the type of things that happen when a government tries to run health care. think about that when you hear LIES about National Health Care, and how great the government does running it.
2007-03-25 17:34:51 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋