Suicide
VA Offers Unreliable Data and Unrealistic Solutions in first Congressional Testimony on Veteran Suicide states AMVETS, does that surprise you?
Click on the Unreliable Data button to read the article from AMVETS, it should put you in the right mindset to understand more.
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Why is it so hard to understand why Veterans commit suicide 20 times a day in the United Starts? And why is the Veterans Administration so puzzled about Veterans not using the VA for help? You may start to understand this by reading more.
Let's step back to the honor Veterans felt when they first entered the military, and carry that honor forward. There are many reasons why someone enters the service, when I went in several had the choice between going to jail or joining the military, some were drafted in, many thought it was a way to grow up, some wanted an education, and others just wanted to serve. And what you noticed most is when you first put on your service uniform, you not only looked good, but you felt great. You were part of something big and you never had that feeling before. And, you were proud to serve.
And the first thing you learn in boot camp is - you are not alone, you are in a team like no other - all of you, are one! You learn how to rely on others, how to help others, and how to help each other to move the mission forward. And then you are given the promise of, we are here to help, now and when you leave.
So the Veteran did their part and the Military did their part. Health care after retirement, you get hurt you service, we will help. No man left behind. Pretty simple statement, "we will help", and No man left behind, and then you put that aside in your mind… Until something happens.
Not everyone gets hurt in the military, but more than you would think. Statistically, over 25% of Veterans have a service connected disability. Of that, 29% report a disability of 30% or more, while another 41% have a disability of 60% or higher. And Veterans Post 9-11 have higher Disability ratings. The post 9-11 Veterans have a 41% disability rating according to Military.com, 25 March 2019 article by Richard Sisk.
My thinking is that that article does show the disability rates are a lot higher than you would have ever imagined, but it is a little misleading, as this does not take into consideration technology, or cell phones with cameras in it. And post 911 Military personnel document everything. Their history is on a disk, take a photo by the firepits, take a photo of where you were, and document and timestamp your military career of your every movement by use of your cell phone. For example, when the VA ask them in a claim, “When were you there?”, or “What happened?, Our newer Veterans can just take out their cell phone (or disk) and show them. Whereas in older Veterans we need documents that we don’t have, photos that we were not allowed to take, and so on. Our newer Veterans don’t have more disabilities, they have better records to produce, and that leads to better claims. We just have more DENIED CLAIMS then our Post 9-11 Veterans.
And how can I prove my claim that older Veterans have the same rate as our newer Veterans? Well that's simple, just take a look at our VA claims process itself and what they ask for proof of service connection.
Or you can take a look at the Stars and Stripes article, Report: VA claims for Gulf War illness denied 80 percent of the time from July 10th, 2017 by Nilli Wentling. This clearly shows 83% “From 2010 to 2015, the VA approved 17 percent of claims – or 18,000 of 102,000 -- for health care and disability compensation for veterans suffering from Gulf War Illness”. What makes this horrible is that most of these claims fall under “Presumed”, meaning that if a Veterans had the symptoms it was automatically presumed you got the illness during your time in service in the Gulf War Theater of Operations. And these are valid claims.
Same thing with our Vietnam Veterans, my God, just look how the VA dragged this issue out and how they long it took them to approve needed help that these Veterans needed and deserved. I mean, over 50 years later the Veterans Administration is just approving the "Blue Water Veterans", These are Veterans who served in the waters off of shores of Vietnam. How many Veterans have died waiting for the Veterans Administration to approve these Veterans to get get the help they needed for so long.
And after so many Veterans have died due to agent Orange, the VA was happy when they announced they cleared the Blue Water Vets, when in fact it should have been a great embarrassment for the VA and the 50 year stonewalling of Agent Orange coverage for all who had it.
And lets not forget about the World War II Veterans. It took the Veterans Administration over 75 years to review Mustard Gas effects on those Veterans. A tab bit slow are we?
The videos below best tells the story of how the trust, and history of the Veterans Administration effects Veterans. And when you are wondering why a Veterans does not go to the VA, here is the story that best tells you why.
1. Tells the history of mistrust
2. As told by the Veterans
3. What the Department of Defence tells us.
By viewing all 3 videos, it tells a story of the history of distrust, delay, and mis-understanding the Veterans Administration has towards Veterans. And you should start understanding why some Veterans stay away from the Veterans Administration.
Agent Orange wont hurt you, it was made to attack vegetation only.
Put away your shot records and don't tell anyone about these shots we are going to give you. Was the common message Gulf War Veterans got. This was an experimental shot was was untested and given to all Veterans who served in the Gulf War.
Sound Familiar? Nothing has changed, for older Veterans it still takes 15 years for a claim to go through, sometimes more.
And then here comes the Veterans Administration, we're here to help. This Department of the Government has many different sides to it, and is very helpful to Veterans. If you want to go to college, you have a way in. If you want to buy a house, you can get financing. If you want a job, they can help. If you want health care, you can see a Doctor. And if you have a severe health issue, here is the problem.
Let's look a little closer at the above, if you want an education, you can get a stipend, a little cash to help you out. If you want to buy a house, the funds are there and the VA will help with closing cost and a low percentage rate loan. If you want a job, the VA will pay to train you and you will receive a monthly check to help you out. And if you have a health condition that is caused by your service to our Country, well, you screwed.
It normally takes a Veterans years of dealing with an issue before realizing that they have a service connected disability, and then the Veterans always remembers the , "We are here to help you", message. And you go to the VA with a health issue, the Veteran goes there because they think the VA understands what you did during your tour of duty. And then you have to file for Veterans Compensation Benefits. While you are seeing the VA doctors.
Veterans compensation Benefits are not like, you get hurt and go into workmen's compensation. Far from it. With a workman's comp you get hurt, go see a doctor and, if needed, if you can't work, you get compensation for as long as you need it to help you to "MAINTAIN". It may not be what you were making, but you can get by, and live a close to normal life. With the Veterans Administration, it's a lot different. There is no stipend or a little cash to help you out, there are forms to fill out and years of delay. The average time for monetary help is 8 to 20 years. That's more than enough time to lose your home, car, family, and life.
Most Veterans do not like to file with the VA figuring others need the help more than they do. It's normal - go help the guy who needs it. And what the Veteran doesn't realize at that time, is that he or she, is the one who needs the help most. And they don't feel that they are that sick, or their issue is not that bad - it can wait. When they finally realize they do need help, the Veteran is behind the 8 ball already. And If a Veteran needs Compensation, the Veteran has to first file (and then feels the guilt for doing that) to let the VA know what the problem is. Then the Veteran sees his, or her doctors for evaluations. Unfortunately if you see a VA doctor for a few years and ask the Doctor to fill out the forms to help your claim, your VA Doctor will more then likely tell you, no, we don't do that. They are not allowed to help or sign any forms for your claim. The claims personnel can look at your medical files to make a determination. And then, when you get your paperwork in, you are now officially in Limbo, that's the time where it takes the VA claims personnel to review and come up with a determination of your claim. (I look at it as the middle ground where you don't know what way you will go. Further down the hole, or a way out of the hole.)
It has been my finding that it took 14 months to build the Empire State Building and that, oddly enough is the amount of time it takes the VA to move a file from one desk to another. And while you are waiting you have no money coming in. if you can't work, or find it hard to work, you have nothing. This is the start of Limbo that is confusing for Veterans. Why aren't they helping me? What is the hold up? It used to take 2 or more years for the first review, now the goal is 6 months, but the results are the same, The veteran is denied everything. 80% of the claims are denied on the first go around. Maybe your paperwork wasn't filled out correctly, maybe you thought you had a different illness and the VA classified as another, so you have to start over with different paperwork. Several things could have gone wrong, but the overall percentages are that the Veteran is denied. And then you have to file an appeal. And then you need to have a Representative help you file again. And so on… your stay in Limbo.
Overall, a claim for benefits from the Veterans Administration average is well over 9 years. Hell, I've had my claim in for 8 years and after talking with a former VA rater, I'm still looking at another 5 years for this appeal, and more for the next appeal, or more appeals after the next one. And when you go back to see a VA doctor, they all ask you, "Are you homeless?" , And you can tell them, I just lost my home and I'm sleeping in a garage at my old buddy's house, and they are OK with that, you are good to go then and don't count as homeless. And then you wonder how the Veteran got to be homeless? Well after 4 years of no income and no real help, why do they even ask? My guess is that they have to fill the square.
Why do Veterans commit suicide? That was the big question these past few years from the President and a committee was formed to study it. Is it really that hard to figure out? Why do 40% of the suicidal Veterans never go to the Veterans Administration? Why would they? They understand that they will not receive the help they truly need to "MAINTAIN". The VA will not help pay the bills, the Veterans is not the person their spouse married, the VA has no relationship with the Veterans family, the VA won't talk with your employer, the VA won't talk to your friends, the VA just does not understand the other side of the coin. Unlike Workmen's Comp, the Veteran can not "MAINTAIN", and definitely can not get by on, someday your claim will come back. Well, unfortunately, odds are your claim does come back several times, DENIED. And the Veteran starts over, and again, back in Limbo.
The Veterans Administration is extremely proud to announce that the suicide rate has been cut down, the new suicide rate is 17, from 20. They were able to do that not by the great actions of wisdom, no they did it by cutting down on the Veterans who could participate in the count. That's a great idea, and I am certain that they could cut down the rate more by the swipe of a pen rather then doing the right thing and working the problem. But, they do not have to worry about those 2.5 Veterans a day, again. And, the number will be going down more with the use of a pen, it will be so low that no one would care anymore about this issue. All good in today's Veterans Administration.
But if you wanted to use a real fix, the Veterans Administration could cut down the real count, 20 per day, by 5 or more a day if they would just give a shit about the Veteran.
What I mean by this is, In Sept of 2019 the Stars and Stripes had an article about how the VA cut the rate by 2.5 and also noted that the VA did not use 5 million dollars in their budget for helping Veterans combat suicide and there was no accounting as to where those funds went. In short, the VA really does not give a shit, they are working on the suicide issue because they have too. They just don't have to work real hard at it, and just have to make a showing at it. And I could show you 5 million reasons why this is true. The article from the Stars and Stripes is on this page above in the link, 17 per day.
To explain the above, since the VA cut the suicide rate to 17. That pissed me off due to the fact the VA decided to take off Guardsmen and Reservists who were never activated. That is pure Bullshit, as I served for 23 years as a Reservist, and was not on active duty when participating in most of the conflicts the US was in during my 23 years of service. And I know I am not the only Reservist or Guardsman who served in a, "hot zone", while not on a "Called Up Activated Status". That action is common to all branches of the Military.
I was activated for 29 days (for inactive status), 3 consecutive times for the beginning of the Gulf War. That’s right 29 days at a time for 3 times in a row with no breaks in-between, and then those 3 inactive orders turned into a activated set of orders for the year. They had to clean up the orders they gave us so they took away the first 3 29 day tours and put us on a 1 year activated tour. They only activated us for inactive duty tours of 29 days so we would not be eligible for health insurance and our families and would NOT be eligible for health insurance and for VA benefits. That being said, I know a lot of Reservists and Guardsmen who go into the Theater of Operations who are not Activated and just are on Man-days or on short term orders for the duration of a Mission, under 29 days. I know that due to the fact I was off my Activated tour in August of 1991 and flew over 30 missions to the Theater of Operation (the hot zone - tax free area) in Reserve status (Mandays) up to my retirement in 1998. These Reservist and Guardsmen that were taken off the Suicide list go through the same training as their active duty counterparts AND ARE 50% of the Total Force Concept. Active duty forces are 50% of the total force. Reservist and Guardsman, and Retired Reservist and Guardsmen are the other 50% of the Total Force. These are the people who the Veterans Administration do not want to count, as they are not worthy to be on such a list. Besides, the VA said they only account for 2.5 people a day, so who cares. They also said that those 2.5 people fall under a different agency, and that is TOTAL BULLSHIT, AS THERE IS NO OTHER AGENCY. Also note, the VA should be studying why does 50% of the Total Force only have 2.5 suicides when the Active Duty side has 17.5 per day.
Also, I have not heard from 1 person in Congress to say anything about this, not even the ones who wave the flag, or the ones who were elective due to their Military service. Really guys, what's up with that? Are your really OK with the new suicide rate? Election time is coming up, I suggest maybe you look into this. 2.5 people DO COUNT.
So how do you get Veterans back into the system? You do a restart of the system.
Anyway, here is a quick fix that should be started immediately,
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If a Veteran has a claim in for over 6 months, start giving the Veteran Compensation based on the current claim rate until the claim is finalized. This would promote the Veterans well being and "MAINTAIN" their living standards. They could get by, and be able to "MAINTAIN".
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If a Veteran receives back claims from the start of the claim, have the VA pay interest on the funds. Pay the same interest as the IRS when the IRS owes money to you, This will promote the VA not to take 14 months to move a file. And also penilize the VA for delaying of claims.
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When a claim is being processed, if there is an issue, or if something is missing, let the Veterans know as soon as possible so they can get the information back quickly to the claims personnel. Instead of waiting a year for the final report.
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If Congress wants to have a special board to find out what the problem is, put Veterans on the Board that has the issues so the rest of the Board knows what they are dealing with.
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And if the VA wants to do a survey, put in the survey, how long do you think you would last if you had no income while having a claim in the VA system?
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Look into alternate methods of care. Most Veterans know that Cannabis is certainly a way to help PTSD. The VA can not use it due to Congress' delay on making it legal. Well, make it legal. Or give compensation to the States that have legal Cannabis use to give Veterans Cannabis Medical Cards along with doctor visits to certify the does and types of Cannabis to be taken. This method is certainly a lot better than the VA Doctors giving the Veteran pills to put them asleep for years and getting further down the hole.
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Have the Veterans join Service Organization's to meet and talk with others that truly understand what they are going through.
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Train representatives in the Service Organization's to help them understand the program. This, I think is fair for everyone. If the VA will help the Veteran by compensating them before the claim is final, have them get out of the house and meet others.
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For Veterans with PTSD, give the Veteran funds to join a gym, to promote communicating with others, promote exercise, and get moving. And make this a requirement. This should only cost $20 a month that the Veterans does not have now. Most gyms have sign in sheets for health insurance cost reimbursements so this should be no factor to have the Veteran sign in, or check-in with the VA by use of your cell phone locator. Make it monitory to go once a week and then after 6 months go 2 times a week. This may sound silly to people who do not understand, but for someone who is sitting at home, it is a big deal to get out, sweat a little, and talk to someone, even if it is to say, "Hello or Goodbye".
These factors above will not help everyone, but it's a start. This should cut the suicide rate by 5 per day, maybe more. It will enable the Veteran to - "MAINTAIN".
And why is the Veterans Administration so puzzled as to why Veterans stay away for them? Kinda simple I think. If you were to have problems, why would you put yourself through a process that could work and takes years to work through. It turns out that that is only half of the issue, the other half is - you have a family who is there for you but you are not there for them, you have a place to live and find it hard to "MAINTAIN", you and your family have to eat, your marriage is strained, and there is no money coming in on your side. And then the other issue is. You totally understand the VA will take years for cash to come in, you see your life going in the wrong direction. Many Veterans understand, and no one ever talks about the unknown deaths.. So bear with me on this one since there is no study that I know of, and I know is true, and it's horrible. Many Veterans do not want to go for help because they know the VA will help them, but not in time to save them, they can not "MAINTAIN". So the Veteran gets in the car, gets on a highway, and drives the family car ofF the road and into a tree. Sadly, if you go to the VA for help, that is noted and you probably will not be insurable. So if you stay away, keep your problems to yourself, kill yourself, your family can keep the house, and "MAINTAIN" without you. Petty fucked up, isn't it? Well, it happens. Or they just get a gun and end it because they can't see the end of their problems. You love your family, don't understand what is happening, and so, just end it. Kinda simple, isn't it? Why would a Veteran go to get help from the VA and not be able to put food on the table for your family? Can you understand now?
The VA needs people who really do give a shit. Simple as that.
I am in no way saying these all the answers, but I know, and understand, the problem. When Veterans are promised help, it would be great, IF THEY GOT IT. Veterans need to MAINTAIN.
VA compensation rates for 2020 are;
10% award for compensation is $142.29 monthly
30% award for compensation is $435.69 monthly
60% award for compensation is $1,131.68 monthly
100% award for compensation is $3,106.04 monthly
Maintaining is a third of the problem, help is a third of the problem, treatment is a third of the problem. Combbind is 100% understanding the whole problem.
The VA needs people who understand the whole problem. Simple as that.
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What Is Presumption of Service Connection?
The application of statutory presumptions is one way the law helps veterans seek compensation for service connected disabilities. In the context of the adjudication of VA compensation claims, a presumption relieves the veteran of the burden of producing evidence that directly establishes service connection for a specific condition. For example, if a veteran can show he served at a particular place and time, and later incurred a certain type of illness, the law will presume the illness was connected to military service. In other words, the onus is placed on the VA to show lack of connection. Congress and the VA have used presumptions to implement policy when scientific certainty
Eligibility for Health Care and Disability Compensation
Health Care The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), through the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), operates the nation’s largest integrated direct health care delivery system. Veterans' medical care is a discretionary program, and eligibility for VA medical care is based on an array of factors including (but not limited to) veteran status, presence of service connected disabilities or exposures (such as Agent Orange), income, status as a former prisoner of war (POW) or Purple Heart or Medal of Honor recipient.
Disability Compensation
A veteran may be eligible for disability compensation if (1) the veteran is disabled resulting from personal injury suffered or disease contracted in the line of duty, or for aggravation of a preexisting injury suffered or disease contracted in the line of duty, in the active military, naval, or air service, during a period of war and (2) if the veteran was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable from the period of service in which the injury was incurred. In general, to establish service connection for a disability, a veteran must submit (1) medical evidence of a current disability, (2) medical evidence, or in certain circumstances lay testimony, of in-service incurrence or aggravation of an injury or disease, and (3) medical evidence of a nexus between the current disability and the inservice disease or injury.