2 Million Ride to remember

homeagain wrote: Computer.....I ask this in EARNEST and with immense RESPECT.......when you (collectively) have
completed the task,given your COMPLETE and total all, WHAT has the government given you
in return???? From my view.....when you have GIVEN OVER your body (read maimed and dis
figured) and GIVEN OVER your mind,soul (read MENTALLY fubared coming back into society_)has
the government MADE IT RIGHT???? (DISCLAIMER HERE.....never been in the military,NEVER
had to endure the aftermath of someone who has seen combat/maimed bodies)....I just do
a huge amount of reading about the subject and from what I read/understand the answer to
this question is this......GOVERNMENT PARTICIPATION IN MAKING PEOPLE WHOLE AGAIN......
is next to non-existent......I will gladly retract this statement IF it is incorrect.....there is a
DISCONNECT.....create a "killing machine" and then DUMP the individual when the job is done.JMO

I can only speak to my experiences:
1) My completed task was ultimately retirement at age 38. My body is not what it was when I went in at 18--I get a monthly disability payment for my injuries/problems--I know a lot of people who do not get what they rightly deserve because they get frustrated with the paperwork and the length of the process and because their issues were not documented. It took 15 months for my initial disability request to be approved and an extra 5 months for another part to be approved--I was prepared for the wait and had all the paperwork required for the request to go through as quickly as it did.
2) Mentally...I did not experience the same things that some of my comrades did...but I did experience some tragedies and for those I went to Mental Health...a lot of my brothers and sisters in arms refused to go see a mental health professional because they were afraid it was going to hurt their career and they would possibly lose their security clearance. Whenever I heard this from anyone, I told them their mental health and possible physical health was not worth the worry--my Top Secret security clearance was never taken away from me.
3) Being in the military is the same as being a fireperson or a police-person...there are things available to aid an individual, both physically and mentally, should they choose to use them. If they choose not to use them, it is only their fault and blaming someone else or something else is not the answer.

Not only do I get paid a disability payment every month, but I go to the VA for my medical issues and so my medical costs are real, real low. Again, there are a lot of veterans who for whatever reasons choose not to use this benefit. Lastly, as a retired blue-suiter, I have access to base facilities--the gym and other health and welfare facilities such as concert tickets, or ski passes, and most importantly the Base Exchange and Commissary...and while it may take me a day and 190 miles round trip to go shopping, it saves me a lot more than those two "head-aches" combined.

Each person gets in return what they choose to get...I could be bitter and blame all my problems on the military, but I got far more than just tangible or monetary things from them when I was in--I choose to think the same for when I'm out.

Lastly, the job I currently work at and have worked at for almost 8 years I got specifically because of my military experience.

I welcome the questions and actually prefer them to the uninformed comments that are sometimes made.

FredHayek wrote: Homeagain interesting view of the military and what they do to you. Would other veterans like to speak on this? Does the DOD eat you up and spit you out? Or do they make you a better person and give you opportunities and experiences you are grateful for? Or a little bit of both? And besides a ROTC class I have no military experience either.

Fred: It all depends on your attitude. In my case I became a better person and the opportunities and experiences I was given I woundn't have had had I not gone in. There is no time when the DoD ate me up and spit me out...not one. Furthermore, the experiences my children had have been immeasurable to them (they've told me so, that's how I know).

ComputerBreath. Is your interactions with the VA strictly for your disability? I am 0% disabled and am happy to say I have never had to deal with them.

I have talked to military retired that deal with them for medical but have never understood it.

ComputerBreath wrote:

homeagain wrote: Computer.....I ask this in EARNEST and with immense RESPECT.......when you (collectively) have
completed the task,given your COMPLETE and total all, WHAT has the government given you
in return???? From my view.....when you have GIVEN OVER your body (read maimed and dis
figured) and GIVEN OVER your mind,soul (read MENTALLY fubared coming back into society_)has
the government MADE IT RIGHT???? (DISCLAIMER HERE.....never been in the military,NEVER
had to endure the aftermath of someone who has seen combat/maimed bodies)....I just do
a huge amount of reading about the subject and from what I read/understand the answer to
this question is this......GOVERNMENT PARTICIPATION IN MAKING PEOPLE WHOLE AGAIN......
is next to non-existent......I will gladly retract this statement IF it is incorrect.....there is a
DISCONNECT.....create a "killing machine" and then DUMP the individual when the job is done.JMO

I can only speak to my experiences:
1) My completed task was ultimately retirement at age 38. My body is not what it was when I went in at 18--I get a monthly disability payment for my injuries/problems--I know a lot of people who do not get what they rightly deserve because they get frustrated with the paperwork and the length of the process and because their issues were not documented. It took 15 months for my initial disability request to be approved and an extra 5 months for another part to be approved--I was prepared for the wait and had all the paperwork required for the request to go through as quickly as it did.
2) Mentally...I did not experience the same things that some of my comrades did...but I did experience some tragedies and for those I went to Mental Health...a lot of my brothers and sisters in arms refused to go see a mental health professional because they were afraid it was going to hurt their career and they would possibly lose their security clearance. Whenever I heard this from anyone, I told them their mental health and possible physical health was not worth the worry--my Top Secret security clearance was never taken away from me.
3) Being in the military is the same as being a fireperson or a police-person...there are things available to aid an individual, both physically and mentally, should they choose to use them. If they choose not to use them, it is only their fault and blaming someone else or something else is not the answer.

Not only do I get paid a disability payment every month, but I go to the VA for my medical issues and so my medical costs are real, real low. Again, there are a lot of veterans who for whatever reasons choose not to use this benefit. Lastly, as a retired blue-suiter, I have access to base facilities--the gym and other health and welfare facilities such as concert tickets, or ski passes, and most importantly the Base Exchange and Commissary...and while it may take me a day and 190 miles round trip to go shopping, it saves me a lot more than those two "head-aches" combined.

Each person gets in return what they choose to get...I could be bitter and blame all my problems on the military, but I got far more than just tangible or monetary things from them when I was in--I choose to think the same for when I'm out.

Lastly, the job I currently work at and have worked at for almost 8 years I got specifically because of my military experience.

I welcome the questions and actually prefer them to the uninformed comments that are sometimes made.

THANK YOU for your response.....I understand that every individual is different and that every
EXPERIENCE is different within the scope of what we are discussing.......I could list sources
of material that I have read that paint a far different picture,but it is FAR MORE preferable to
read/understand a POV that is closer to my immediate world......the VA is a SPECIFIC problem
that appears to be a on-going issue of contention/confusion/controversy....QUALITY of care
is a topic that continues to elicit NEGATIVE comments/experiences.

I,too, WELCOME further comment from veterans, because the documentaries, reading material
and general information available tend to be pretty BLEAK and paint a picture of inefficiency and LACK of consistent application......JMO

Vice Lord wrote:

ComputerBreath wrote:
...the ones that were there became scarce and Americans did indeed "forget"...and then 9/11 happened. Never forget, always remember...

lol Yeah 911 happened because we forgot about Pearl Harbor, and let our guard down...

:rofllol


I'm going to kill you in the Pick 5 contest now CB

#NOMERCY!

Gee, I thought it was well understood that 9-11 is the result of the internet which was a communication device our Army came up with so they could win wars....I mean cause them...I mean win them. Step one, piss everyone off with endless wars, step two, ratchet up these wars by giving the enemy access to all information in the world, including access to our power grids and tax records by putting them on the internet.

Anyone else notice that the biggest threats to our lives are things we have created? Nukes, networked lives, robots and Chinese taking your job, internet taking your local economy, jails and cops taking your kids. These are all thing sold to you by your govt to make your life better and they have all backfired.

9-11 did not hurt the govt, it hurt the country. Incentives are interesting. When your group does better when you are attacked, it makes for odd incentives, and thus odd reactions. Like 2 million people riding bikes into a city or even odder, asking for permission.

ComputerBreath wrote:

FredHayek wrote: Homeagain interesting view of the military and what they do to you. Would other veterans like to speak on this? Does the DOD eat you up and spit you out? Or do they make you a better person and give you opportunities and experiences you are grateful for? Or a little bit of both? And besides a ROTC class I have no military experience either.

Fred: It all depends on your attitude. In my case I became a better person and the opportunities and experiences I was given I woundn't have had had I not gone in. There is no time when the DoD ate me up and spit me out...not one. Furthermore, the experiences my children had have been immeasurable to them (they've told me so, that's how I know).

Glad to hear the VA has done you right. One of my other friends who is a disabled vet gave up on them fairly quickly and buys his own healthcare insurance. He compares it to the DMV, but with more attitude.

Blazer Bob wrote: ComputerBreath. Is your interactions with the VA strictly for your disability? I am 0% disabled and am happy to say I have never had to deal with them.

I have talked to military retired that deal with them for medical but have never understood it.

My interactions with the VA were first for disability...then they opened a clinic in Salida and now it is primarily for medical care. I too have heard from others that have had nightmares with their disability requests--the length of time to get the paperwork through, the approval percentage, getting a higher percentage, getting in to see a doctor, etc., but I was either lucky or (what I prefer) prepared. I am beyond happy with the care I've received...it isn't any worse than the worse care I received when I was active duty (had a PA tell me one day I wasn't sick, that adults didn't get ear infections...when I went back the next day in pain and tears begging him to take a throat swab, he laughed at me, but did the swab--then he called me the next day at work and told me that I had strep and why wasn't I at home like he told me I should be!), but it certainly isn't the best care I've ever received (which was by a family doc I had in high school--it helped that I babysat his son).

There isn't any understanding the VA--I have a cousin that works for them in D.C., and he doesn't understand them!

FredHayek wrote: Glad to hear the VA has done you right. One of my other friends who is a disabled vet gave up on them fairly quickly and buys his own healthcare insurance. He compares it to the DMV, but with more attitude.

Try dealing with both on the same issue together...in Colorado if a Veteran is 60% or more disabled, they get free DV license plates for their vehicle. The two DMV offices that are closest to my home or my work do not do these license plates so I had to request it through the main office in Denver. I looked on-line and just had a feeling that what I read wasn't right so I called and after being put on hold multiple times and transferred 'cuz no one knew the answers I was asking, I got differerent requirements than what was on-line. One of the things they told me was that I needed documentation showing my disability rating. The state told me to call a 1-800 number to get a single page letter and when I called that number it turned out to be a regional office where the person I spoke with was in California and he said we only do national VA stuff like helping with your disability, any state benefits should go through a state office and he gave me a number. So I was real frustrated at this point and called the state number...I was transferred to a had to be an E9, I'm thing from the Army or Marines, cuz when I explained my dilemma, he cursed up a storm at the DMV...I got my letter though. Then after sending the DMV all the info needed, they lost my request so I had to resubmit it...fortunately, I had copies of everything when it was done and who I spoke with, so it was rushed through. Most frustrating thing I've ever done.

I'm sorry, I gotta go, wheres my coat? Its all explained here

http://www.mymountaintown.com/forums/th ... ouse/29006

#GOODAYSIRS!

ComputerBreath wrote:

FredHayek wrote: Glad to hear the VA has done you right. One of my other friends who is a disabled vet gave up on them fairly quickly and buys his own healthcare insurance. He compares it to the DMV, but with more attitude.

Try dealing with both on the same issue together...in Colorado if a Veteran is 60% or more disabled, they get free DV license plates for their vehicle. The two DMV offices that are closest to my home or my work do not do these license plates so I had to request it through the main office in Denver. I looked on-line and just had a feeling that what I read wasn't right so I called and after being put on hold multiple times and transferred 'cuz no one knew the answers I was asking, I got differerent requirements than what was on-line. One of the things they told me was that I needed documentation showing my disability rating. The state told me to call a 1-800 number to get a single page letter and when I called that number it turned out to be a regional office where the person I spoke with was in California and he said we only do national VA stuff like helping with your disability, any state benefits should go through a state office and he gave me a number. So I was real frustrated at this point and called the state number...I was transferred to a had to be an E9, I'm thing from the Army or Marines, cuz when I explained my dilemma, he cursed up a storm at the DMV...I got my letter though. Then after sending the DMV all the info needed, they lost my request so I had to resubmit it...fortunately, I had copies of everything when it was done and who I spoke with, so it was rushed through. Most frustrating thing I've ever done.

Wow, very Kafkaesque. Good to see you eventually got satisfaction.