Experiences With the VA

I believe that the first application is automatically blown off without a current service related disability in place.

 

medically....horrible disaster. I see no reason to fight so hard to get such crappy care.

The Voc Rehab folks were awesome!

 

I haven't had a single issue with them. I applied a month or two ago and was immediately approved--largely because I am an OIF vet so I still fall within a higher priority group window.

My first appointment was within a few weeks, with immediate follow-up care. I need treatment through specialists and the process started the same day I first arrived.

I know it's a huge system so obviously there are going to be varied experiences across the country, bu my Virginia clinic has apparently proven the major exception to the rule. While everyone else complains about taking forever to get care, I've had four appointments in about one month's time with two or three scheduled for June.

In other words, I can't complain about anything. And oddly enough, these are the first government-paid providers that a) actually believe me when I describe a problem and b) know how to address it. They've actually proven more competent than all my previous Army and civilian providers. Trust me, I was as shocked as you probably are...! God is good.

 

When I got back from VietNam, the VA was awful.They downplayed and ignored any PTSD and refused to believe that Agent Orange had any effect. They were worthless when i got back.

But that has changed. Recent vets I've talked with and older vets are mostly saying they are getting much better care.

 

A friend died in a VA hospital of cancer he was over 70. He was given insufficient pain killers because "he might become addicted." Who care if someone over 70 becomes addicted? He died a few days later.

 

While in Cheyenne I was on va medical and had no problems. Most trouble was a 300 pound nurse practitioner giving me a hard time for not having had a physical in many years and that as she sat breathing like she had just run a marathon

I dropped out when I went back to secular work but have been waiting couple months to get reinstated, need to give them a call.

In the NW they have a two-three month wait for getting glasses but they are working on the bottle neck in ID where they come from.

 

S-N -- don't make sounds like you're trying to close out this thread. I'm finding this extremely informative. Y'all keep the stories coming; I'm learning things.

Air Force denied my initial application for retirement. My original request was to retire in about 5 months; suffice to say, I was given a choice of retiring within 6 weeks, or 9 months. I chose the 9 months, mainly because I've got some health stuff I still need to get taken care of, and would rather do it while on active duty than try to get it done through VA later.

Based on the tables I've been looking at (USC 38, Part 4), I think I'm already at about 60% VA disability rating. And that's without a full medical review. So I think I'll be doing okay. Not sure I've totally got the table figured out, but enough that I can figure out 2 or possibly 3 conditions. After that, it gets confusing.

 

Remember, folks: a 0% is a rating, and is more desirable than no rating.

My grandfather (Navy cook, tail-end of WWII), says to stay away from the VA in Oklahoma City. He likes the one down around Dallas.