AKO (Army Knowledge On-Line) Accounts

You can still keep your ako account after you go through the MEB process and leave the Army. There is a "medically discharged" account type to which you can switch. If you are not retired, or are not a dependant, or an Army Civilian, ako only allows an additional 3 months of access. Switching away from ako is pretty simple, though forwarding an entire inbox, contact list, and other information can be tedious. Lots of "freemail" out on the Internet now -- hotmail, yahoo, gmail, and I'm sure others as well. Each is a little different and while less secure than ako they are all a little more user-friendly.


- Ragin' Ranger Out

Traumatic Injury Protection (TSGLI) Under the Service Members' Group Life Insurance Program

Effective 1 December 2005, service members who are insured under SGLI and suffer from a traumatic injury are eligible to receive monetary compensation for a total amount not less than $25, 000 an not greater than $100,000.

Any questions regarding this process can be sent to OSGLI at osgli.claims@prudential.com or call toll free 1-800-419-1473.

I haven't looked very deeply into this process, but the form seems simple enough. Forms must be completed by Service Member, Physician, and Branch or Service.

Definitely worth looking into. The extra expenses families take on when any member is injured can be a serious burden - fortunately this is a way that can help, at least a little.


- Ragin' Ranger Out

Negligent Medical Care

I saw this and wanted to share.
From the Army Times website:

• Negligent medical care
Have you or a family member experienced what you regard as negligent medical care at a military hospital? We'd like to hear from you, whether you're uniformed or not. Send your comments to Military Times staff writer William McMichael. Please include a preferred way for us to get in touch with you; we won't use your name in a story unless you give us permission to do so.

To: bmcmichael@navytimes.com
Subject: Negligent medical care


From Army Times Link: http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-getinvolved.php

- Ragin' Ranger Out

VA Budget decrease

I know that the new budget has the VA listed as receiving a 6% increase in the coming fiscal year, but that is really a decrease when sheer numbers are aligned. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11609834)

With the growing rate of combat vets returning with disabilities and increasing costs of medical care I feel fairly certain that the VA's financial burden will increase by more than 6% in the next 365 days, especially when the VA is already underfunded. Budget increase my A$$.

Also, the VA is considering increasing costs of care for Vets with higher Co-pays, WTF, didn't Vets already "pay" for life-long medical care in blood, what is this squeezing the wallet, too.

I guess this is TX math, no wait, I met some smart Texans in the Army, I guess its Connecticut-spoiled-brat-moved-to-Texas math, daddy needs to re-check this homework assignment after housecleaning is done.

- Ragin' Ranger Out

Health Insurance

Medical insurance coverage is sketchy everywhere, even in the civilian world, ESPECIALLY in the civilian world. Civilian insurance often carries the infamous "War Clause" where the insurance company doesn't have to pay hospital bills if a patient seeks treatment related to anything that happened "in war." And I am sure the insurance company will find a way to protect its own money.
A vet that thinks themself fortunate for having a good job with good benefits, or gets "comprehensive" insurance through their spouse's employment may find out that their injuries will not be covered by the civilian insurance company. Going to a non-VA Emergency Room will certainly lead to more paperwork and red-tape when trying to get compensated.


- Ragin' Ranger Out

Nashville IAVA Veteran's Day Event

Should have posted this earlier, hope some of you all can make it.

Nashville: Celebrate Veterans Day with IAVA

What are you doing for Veterans Day? If you want to combine a great evening with a chance to really support the Troops, join IAVA this Friday, November 10th, at Coyote Ugly Nashville.

Here is the link:

http://www.iava.org//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2153&Itemid=105


- Ragin' Ranger Out

Army Regulations

I was talking to someone the other day while helping them construct their appeal to their MEB. I'm trying to help this soldier ensure that the MEB dictation or Narative Summary (NARSUM) has conditions listed so that when this soldier is a veteran the VA will be able to provide treatment ASAP and the new veteran will not have to wait through the Red Tape of the VA. The MEB Office here is trying to rush the MEB because the soldier has been going through the MEB for a long time. Rushing the MEB is a dis-service to the soldier.

These are the things that piss me off the most and I try to help as much as I can.

Back to the point of this post. The soldier in questions told me that the paper-bound regulations at the unit were out-dated and a pain to use because there was only one copy and it was often missing from the shelf.

Here are the links to the regulations that govern the MEB process:

AR 40-400 Patient Administration

AR 635-40 Physical Evaluation Retention Retirement Separation

AR 40-501 Standards of Medical Fitness

Use the adobe search function to find topics you need to find. For instance, search 40-501 for the condition in question to help find the standards for that condition.

- Ragin' Ranger Out

Conflict of Interest

The system is actually fairly decent by design it is the application of the regulations that gets problematic. Right now, with the war going on, the system is way over-taxed and people are cutting corners at the expense of soldiers. (Body Armor saved so many live that the death toll was far lower than initial estimates in Iraq. This lower death rate was coupled with an astoundingly higher wounded rate than anticipated, so now the medical system must pick-up a much larger patient load than they had prepared for.) Different individuals interpret regulations wording different ways. Policies at one hospital do not translate to other hospitals. The rank structure of the army can interfere when one doctor out-ranks another but the lower ranking doctor has better training and experience. When patients are referred to civilian doctors sometimes there are problems because the military just operates so differently than common civilian practice is used to.

The major overlying problem is a conflict of interest between the medical profession working inside the military profession. The doctors are charged with helping patients and are bonded by medical ethical standards. The army is only interested in treating soldiers until they can either return to duty or must be separated from service. What happens is that soldiers are lost in-between the two systems (military and medical) with little guidance and no one to really fight for their rights.
Ordinarily the soldier's chain of command would be the soldier's advocate, but once hurt, a soldier is treated completely differently. An injured soldier is a dormant asset. A fighting unit must choose whether or not to help the soldier heal or to push the soldier away in order to get a replacement (units are only allowed certain numbers of soldiers and must maintain certain strength levels). Fortunately there are Medical Hold Companies where the soldier is not a dormant asset to any specific unit but is in a holding pattern to either heal and return to duty or heal and leave the army. However, now the soldier's chain of command is too closely tied to the doctors. In our case (and the case of the others here) our "case manager" or patient advocate, works directly for the provider/administrator we're having problems with - now we have no voice. So, we go straight to the hospital commander.
Our whole situation is so fucking nuts that we have to explain it over and over again to everyone. When we start telling the story every listener assumes that we have dealt with rationally thinking/acting individuals who may have just made decisions that we disagree with. By the end of our second or third time explaining the circular logic of the hospital staff our audience usually loses any faith in the army medical system. I can't say I blame them.
Not every Medical Hold in the army may have these problems but I assure you the web pages of those hospitals are not going to advertise "abandon all hope ye who enter!"

There is little to no accountability of providers in this hospital. Military doctors must often choose between needs of the patient and needs of the army. As a professional, serving two masters must be incredibly difficult for doctors -- I do not envy their position at all. I have noticed a trend of doctors leaving the army in high numbers and not just to pursue higher paying practices. Budget constraints, which are a major factor in medical care, are not set by medical professionals but by politicians.

- Ragin' Ranger Out

Government Accountability

I was getting ready to make some phone calls this morning and realised I may be talking to people that need more than just my opinion and my own personal evidence. Believe it or not some people think I am an isolated case and that I "slipped through the cracks" of the system. First of all the system is broken. Second of all there are people forcing us through cracks that need not be in place and are fixable if the right people care enough to fix the problem.

These studies by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) prove that troops feeling "screwed by the system" are not isolated incidents.

When I make my calls today I intend to discuss some of the information I read in these - I haven't finished reading them yet but will post comments when I do read them.

The Army times ran an article about one of these reports a few months ago. It was on page 16 or 18 of the issue about Dress Blues. It wasn't referenced on the front page so I doubt many people read it - I almost missed it myself.


This one is titled Improved Oversight Needed to Ensure Consistent and Timely Outcomes for Reserve and Active Duty Service Members
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06362.pdf
It is the GAO Report to Congressional Committees


This one is titled Ensuring Consistent and Timely Outcomes for Reserve and Active Duty Service Members
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06561t.pdf
It is the GAO Testimony before the Subcommittee on Military Personnel, Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives

- Ragin' Ranger Out

Better than a standard congressional complaint

I got this email from a friend the other day. Might as well take advantage of the election cycle when people at least *act* like they care.

Hiya-
I've had a bad day, but hopefully it will mean good things for you.
I'm sorry, but I have to tell you a boring story before I get to the part
about you. We have a lot of close races for Congress right now in CT.
Congressman Rob Simmons has an ad out featuring a "mother" who says that he
got weapons for her son's reserve unit. That irritated me 'cause in 2003 I
wrote to him asking that he do his part to either get equipment to soldiers
or stall 'til soldiers had the right equipment and the response basically
accused me of lacking patriotism.
Anyhoo, I e-mailed his office and I sent the same e-mail to the office
of his competitor. Funny, when it wasn't an election year it was months
before I got a response in the form of a letter. Now it only took about a
half-hour to get a personal phone call. First from his chief of staff and
then from the Congressman personally.
The response was frustrating, but I'm sure you're familiar w/ all that.
At one point he tried to smooth it over by acknowledging that Chris was
home now. However, it's not OK 'cause from what I can tell the situation
has not improved for troops overseas. Also, our reasons for leaving were
mainly healthcare and education, not the war, and those have not improved at
all. All the good soldiers have left for those same reasons and my fear is
if another 9/11 happens all that we'll have to defend us are the dopes.
Also, as I told the congressman troops who were severly injured are only
being offered 10% disability and the Army is consistently playing games to
prevent people from leaving.
Now here's the part that you're interested in. Even if you are not from
CT, There is someone in Rob Simmon's office who is taking on the cases of
mistreated soldiers. His name is K. Robert Lewis (aka. K.Bob) his # is
(860) 886-0139 and his e-mail is Krobert.lewis@mail.house.gov . He'll probably ask you for a privacy release to investigate.
I'm sure that you've been down this road before, but at the end of our
conversation he seemed serious about helping.

- Ragin' Ranger Out

re-fighting the last war . . . AGAIN!

Below is the link to a very sad article from Newsweek about the psychological impact war has on the individual.
The war never really goes away from those who have been there. This article highlights the affect the current war is having on Veterans of previous wars, Vietnam in particular. I guess they are the living proof that the wars have a lot in common.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14966290/site/newsweek/

There is only so much a vet can do to distance themself from a past they would rather forget -- but they can't un-see or un-do, or un-hear, or un-feel, or un-taste, or un-smell. It is part of us and we all act differently based on the relative stress levels we endured. I'm no shrink but I have seen people drastically change after some experiences over there.



- Ragin' Ranger Out

The World a Soldier Sees

Just a picture of the world a soldier sees. I looked through that windsheild with that frame for about 4 months until we moved into an airplane hanger. It was home. I burned a Yankee Candle on the dash to smell something other than burning shit and piss and other contributors to 3rd world stench. I didn't mind living in the truck -- I kind of liked the solitude, at least when it was quiet, and it was often quiet.



- Ragin' Ranger Out

MEB NARSUM Appeals

When writing an appeal to an MEB NARSUM it can be very difficult to not get personal in writing style. It is important to remember that the people reading the appeal probably don't care about your personal life and don't care for your opinion of some doctor. I haven't heard many service members compliment doctors, it is a rarity. (I will compliment my doctor -- he did a wonderful job re-attaching my arms so that they stay in the socket -- I am very pleased with what he did).
It is important to not stoop to a level of "attack mode," but to very carefully and professionally point out errors with what the doctor "may have missed," in describing your condition.

Open nice and politely by saying something like: "After reviewing my MEB and NARSUM I am concerned that my condition is not fully described in a manner that will allow the reviewing doctors to have an accurate understanding of my condition."
Then list all the things that you saw that are wrong and describe, professionally, why it's wrong. "According to AR 40-501," is a great way to start describing why your condition is not properly documented. Attach updated records that support your claims. Make this easy for the reviewers: "my NARSUM states that I have ___, however, according to AR 40-501 my condition should be documented as _____. The attached records from a visit with Dr. ___ describe why this should be changed.

An EXTREME for instance: If a patient had their left arm amputated and the doctor wrote "patient has limited functionality of upper extremity." The very first step is to locate the paragraph in AR 40-501 that references amputations and explain that because the arm is gone, a better description is: "quote from regulation." Though it may be tempting to write something like: "This doctor is totally incompetent and grossly misdiagnosed my amputated arm condition as mere 'loss of functionality in upper extremity,' he obviously does not care how my disability rating reflects my condition."

Yes, the second statement sounds awesome in the court of public opinion and with your buddies in the barracks, but the MEB bureaucrats will label you a whiner and your appeal will be taken less seriously.

Another great problem in military medicine is the 2nd opinion debate. What constitutes a second opinion and where is a second opinion guaranteed? I'm still trying to find a definition of both cases and when I do I will post it, but right now I don't know.
However, if your PCM tries to say that you had a second opinion and you don't think you did, think about the credentials of the providers you did see.

AN EXTREME For example: If your PCM is a proctologist (ass doctor) by specialty and is counting his opinion about a brain tumor as your first opinion and the opinion of your orthopedic doctor as a second opinion, you may be able to build a case for why neither of these counts as an opinion.
A brain tumor patient should probably see a brain-tumor doctor, an ass doctor, as a PCM, should first write a referral for the patient to see a brain-tumor doctor -- that should count as opinion #1. If the patient is not satisfied by the recommendation to have their knee scoped to cure the brain tumor, the PCM (ass doctor) should write a referral for a second opinion by another brain-tumor doctor - this time a case manager should intervene and double check that the brain-tumor doctor has the specialized training and qualifications necessary to diagnose and treat the condition and act in the best interest of the patient.
PCMs can certainly count as a first opinion in many cases but for some serious and complicated cases the opinions of specially trained experts are essential to providing the best care possible.

In closing the appeal a good way to sign off is to just say words to the effect of "I feel that my above recommendations are needed to describe my condition. I have attached the following documents that support my claims: list of records that you have that were either lost or are from outside providers, or were created after the dictation was written." Then, if needed: "I respectfully request the opportunity to see another specialist for a second evaluation and opinion of my condition," or "I am still pending further tests and evaluations that may change the nature of diagnoses in my MEB."

It is important to sound confident and professional. Don't stoop to their level.
Also keep in mind that anything not listed on your MEB will probably be denied by the VA. You can still appeal the VA, but its a time consuming process and a pain in the ass.

This next paragraph can be confusing, I had trouble writing it, to much regulatory bull shit involved in government money. Every case is different and I suggest talking to a veteran's advocacy group before getting anxious about money situations but the bottom line is simple: if the gov't can find a way to not pay the will find it.

This is a warning shot, this can and has happened:
NOT having conditions listed on your MEB can also work in your favor with the VA. The VA withholds the total value of any money a vet received from severance pay -- some gov't jibber-jabber codes payments intended to go to vets from the VA as "already paid" by DoD (DFAS), and instead of VA money going to vets it goes to DoD. What the gov't is saying is that the severance pay was just an advance on a vet's disability payments by the VA. To get severance from the DoD and then get disability from VA would be considered "double-dipping) So, if a vet has been discharged at less than 30% disabled (by their active component), but due to a laundry list of conditions, all VA compensation for those conditions will be withheld until the severance is "paid back." If a vet is discharged for less than 30% with only one condition they can claim their additional conditions with the VA and not have that compensation withheld. Cases over 30% are even more complex, I'm not going to try to explain it -- go to the VA site to get confused, sorry.

- Ragin' Ranger Out

National Symposium for the Needs of Young Veterans

Lots of Veteran's advocacy groups going to this. I'm looking forward to it and hope it brings strong positive results.

National Symposium for the Needs of Young Veterans' official Web site. This first-of-its kind event will be hosted by AMVETS on Oct. 18-21 at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare (please use special event code 26168 for the best rate) in Chicago.

One of the greatest and yet largely unrecognized challenges facing America is how we will provide for the needs of future veterans—especially those younger people who are serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and other parts of the world today. It’s an issue we must address now if our nation is to keep its promise to those who defend us.

Homepage:
http://www.veteransnationalsymposium.org/home.htm


- Ragin' Ranger Out

Military medical malpractice

Why can't service members sue their military doctor for medical malpractice? The Feres Doctrine, which protects military doctors from malpractice claims is explained in the following links. The courts turned their backs on American Service Members more than half a century ago. Will the American people keep their backs turned, or will they push Congress to enact legislation to hold military doctors to the standards of their separate profession within the profession of arms? Legislation get kicked around every now and then but nothing has come of it yet.

• The Feres Doctrine Decision

- Ragin' Ranger Out

State Programs for vets

Some states offer special programs for Veterans and Active Duty members who have been on Active Duty during conflict regardless of being deployed over seas. It is worth checking out state programs through state government websites.
In Mass. Veterans and Active Duty Service Members may qualify for what is called the "Welcome Home Bonus." Check it out at www.mass.gov/veterans do a search on "bonuses" in the search window (top right corner). There are phone numbers on the site you can call if you're having trouble with the site.
Some states offer educational and vocational programs to varying degrees.
There is one thing that nearly every single agency has in common - they won't come looking for individual vets to offer their help - these agencies don't have the budget for massive advertising, and some gov't agencies are notoriously lazy (but that could be called common knowledge). Vets have to go find them. Some are easier to work with than others.
www.Firstgov.gov is a decent site to check out for explanations of various government programs.


- Ragin' Ranger Out

PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Battle Fatigue Combat Stress

It's all the same, really. And what sucks the most about it is just how hard it is to prove that PTSD keeps soldiers and vets from having normal lives. It's different for everyone. But no matter what, it sucks for the patient and the patient's family.

The worst scars from battle are the ones invisible on the surface - they penetrate the deepest and they heal slowest.

Vets who are having trouble proving their claim for PTSD should probably consider if they suffer from other possible behavioral health problems that may augment or enhance their symptoms. Anxiety and depression are very common among vets. Both are treatable and both are commonly acknowledged as service connected by VA.

- Ragin' Ranger Out

Guide to my helpful links

The Links below will open in a new window.
To open Links on the SideBar in a new window hold "CTRL" as you [click].

Lots of acronyms in the Helpful Links section on my sidebar.
What do they all mean?
VOTE VETS -- This is an organization committed to Veterans Issues - whatever they may be.
VA -- Dept of Veteran's Affairs. Major gov't bureaucracy that has many benefits available to veterans. For every benefit they provide there always seems to be 10 reasons why *you* won't qualify for it.
DAV -- Disabled American Veterans. One of many Veterans Advocacy groups that helps cut through the 10 reasons VA wants to block benefits. This group is very helpful on the Active Duty side for Service Members going through the MEB process.
VFW -- Veterans of Foreign Wars. Another Veteran's Advocacy group with similar goals to DAV
IAVA -- Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. A group fighting to help make changes in the military now, also deals with military medical issues and VA as well
Vet Pac -- Group of Vietnam Vets that don't want to see another generation of Vets suffer from ANY mistreatment by ANY entity after leaving the service.
Web MD -- This is a great resource to help patients be more proactive in their own care. It can help patients understand medical jargon more clearly. This site sometimes has more up-to-date information than the information provided with prescriptions of some medications.
U.S. Code Title 10 -- This is the "LAW OF THE LAND." Laws are often cited in official military documents, this is where much of it comes from. Just a great reference.
FirstGov.gov -- This site offers a guide to many government programs. Sure the gov't put it together to try to explain itself, but it can be helpful.

- Ragin' Ranger Out

Dependant vs. Active Duty Medical Care

Last week I went to see a doctor at the local army hospital. My wife is still in the army and I have the special privilege of being provided military "health care." (OK, I know sarcasm doesn't always read well -- army health care is an oxymoron, and is more a sentence than a privilege)
Anyway, I see this doctor, who I've never seen before, just to get refills for the medicines I take for back pain. The contracted, civilian doctor took time to ask me many questions about my back pain. I told him chiropractic treatment would relieve the pain for a day but the pain quickly returned. I'd had X-rays taken and knew I had some degeneration and bone spurs -- very common for any soldier, especially those who wear Kevlar helmets often, like I did. But my X-rays were a year old and this new doctor wanted to update my records and try to see if further degeneration had occurred. Having to physically life my wife out of bed for 3 years has aggravated my back pain significantly. This doctor referred me immediately for an MRI and physical therapy. He was quite surprised that I had not been recommended for these tests and treatments already.

I was very happy to have a PT referral and to have an MRI scheduled.

BUT NOW I'M PISSED!

Other active duty soldiers (including my wife) going through the MEB process at this same hospital are treated like shit at what has been named the "Deployment Health Clinic." Some soldiers, once an MEB starts, transfer to the Medical Hold Company. Med Hold is a good thing for the army because it helps personnel managers track soldier status and unit fighting strength more accurately.
At our hospital all soldiers assigned to Med Hold are also assigned to the Deployment Health Clinic (DHC). The DHC is in a sad state of affairs. My wife's treatment from providers at that clinic has been deplorable. But her story is, unfortunately, not unique.

I felt the red carpet was rolled out for me at my appointment. I received outstanding medical care from a professional staff. I did not discuss much of my military history, just some medical concerns, with this doctor, I would assume he treats every single patient he sees in the same manner he treated me: with respect and acknowledgement of my personal assessment of my prior treatments and future concerns.

So for now we continue to fight administrative battles inside the hospital regarding this piss-poor treatment of injured soldiers. Some of the most handicapped soldiers are assigned to Med Hold and DHC and they deserve much better than to be dismissed as weak-minded or just complaining.
But it's also time to turn up the intensity of complaints. The public needs to know how America's injured warriors are treated.

- Ragin' Ranger Out

Anger Tab

When guys didn't graduate Ranger School we said that they had earned their Anger Tab -- they were usually pretty pissed off for whatever reason they didn't finish. Bottom line is, Ranger School is not fair. Some guys who graduate shouldn't, and some guys who fail out should have made it.




The concept of the Anger Tab has new meaning to me. I earned my Ranger Tab in 2001. Since I got out I've doned my ANGER Tab. But I am angry with how army medicine operates. The Ranger Creed (that I still hold near and dear in my heart) says "never leave a fallen comrade." Many injured soldiers are left behind every single day by the army medical system. That makes my blood boil.

- Ragin' Ranger Out

Call me, ask me, I want to help you, too!!

One morning I woke up to a phone call. I felt very much "cloak and dagger" when the voice on the other line said "I'm having trouble at the hospital and someone told me to call this number. Do I have the right person?" The wise guy side of me wanted to respond with "who are you looking for," or better still, "is this for pick-up or delivery?" But I knew exactly why he was calling.
My wife and I have been through a very ugly medical situation with our army hospital. Only strong expletives could accurately describe how I feel. So I knew this caller had heard something about us.
He went on to describe how the doctor he saw told him that "back pain is normal in the army," and "you'll just have to learn to live with it." And that was it. When the first doctor left the hospital for another assignment this soldier got another doctor. Instead of a real second opinion the second doctor just said "well if you've already been seen there is nothing more I can do for you." And now, because of his intense pain, he will be separated from the army.

Second opinions are hard to come by in the army. If a soldier is fortunate enough to be granted one the second doc will often just defer to the opinion of the first doc. It's just easier that way. It separates soldiers faster and is cheaper. The misconception that "the VA will take care of disabled vets," must be the only threads left holding these doctors' consciences together.

check out this site if you think the VA is doing its job: www.dav.org

I've been out for over 8 months and I still haven't seen a dime from VA for some of my well-documented disabilities.

In a nutshell on claims: I developed acid reflux during service. The VA considered that condition "service connected," which means the VA will assume responsibility for treating my indigestion at VA clinics and the VA pays for my antacid meds.
However, the VA claims that my bone spurs and joint degeneration in my neck (from wearing a Kevlar Helmet and Body Armor) is not service connected. I guess back pain just happens!?!?

It does according to the VA.

Disability ratings are based on two measures: subjective pain scale (1-10) and objective range of motion.
In the civilian world doctors use objective functional assessments to determine the effects of a patient's disability. These examinations often span a period of time (at least 2 days) and monitor many motions and actions on each day. Using this method gives and accurate description of how a patient's disability affects their activities of daily living (ADLs).

But the Army won't use this method!!

WHY is the easy question, at least it seems to be -- MONEY. A functional assessment would likely show higher disability ratings for veterans and that would increase VA spending greatly. The VA budget is a joke already. The VA will fight increasing disability ratings as long as it can. The current payments for disability is already sad as it is.
Check it out here: http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Rates/comp01.htm

As you can see, a lone veteran who is 100% disabled gets $2,393.00 per month. That is tax free, but how far can that really go? That's $28,716 a year. Increases to that come at Congress's leisure.
Is that really the best America can do to reward a kid who went to war (perhaps didn't even want to go) and came home with a disability so bad that they can't work again, EVER, AT ALL!?!?!?!? And what of their mental health, family life, recreation, and overall quality of life!?!?!?!? There is no dollar amount worthy of the sense of wholeness and many vets feel themselves to be in pieces, broken shards of war's destruction.

Where else can this disabled vet get money?
Hopefully the Army retired them from active duty -- not a guarantee. A young soldier with 4 years of active duty service can get $514 a month for being considered 30% or more disabled by the Army. There is some fuzzy math that goes into these calculations but now this disabled vet is up to $29,230 a year.

Some perks come with this: guaranteed medical treatment, but how much does a disabled vet trust the Army's medical system. PX and Commissary privileges as a retiree but if the vet wants to get away from the seedy Army town this means little to nothing.

And that is sad considering all that this person sacrificed.

In all of my anger at the Army's medical system I remind myself that my personal experience wasn't too bad. I had a great surgeon who I trusted and fixed my shoulders very well. I just can't do certain Army tasks now. (But who really should carry an 80 lb. pack!?!?) I loved the physically demanding environment of the Infantry, my body just couldn't hang together any more.
I also had cartilage removed from my knee -- I was rucking (back-packing) exactly 6 weeks later. For those of you familiar with the Sapper School road march course at Ft. Leonard Wood, MO, I finished it in 2:45 (2nd place) only 2 and a half months out from surgery. Those docs did a great job!!

- Ragin' Ranger Out

Going away . . . coming back . . .

I was in Iraq just under a year but part of me never came home. I am different now. I can't quite put my finger on it but I changed.
I check the casualty list every day. I have friends over there now, some who want to be there, some who hate it there (for more than just the geography) and/or hate being away from family, and some who are torn between wanting to be home with family and wanting to stay there.
I respect my friends that want to stay in -- hey, if it works for them that's great, I hope they can stay happy. I hope they never have to deal with the medical side of the military.

Here's the page I look at. I wear a black bracelet for one who is listed.

http://icasualties.org/oif/default.aspx

Forgot to mention: the reason I like this page is the search function at the bottom and the statistical information the website provides.

Don't miss the link to Afghanistan casualties as well

- Ragin' Ranger Out

Intro

Greetings!

Welcome to my page of anger and frustration toward the medical systems that are supposed to provide health care for Service Members and Veterans of the United States of America. And it is OK to laugh at stuff I post. I'm from Red Sox Nation and have a very dry, often bitter, sense of humor. If you don't laugh at some of my posts you'll cry. Dealing with the "medical professionals" that handle service member care has reduced me to tears many times. I've mourned losses from battle but seeing a Disabled Veteran suffer due to a failing medical system can be a far deeper cut through my heart.

I don't claim to be a great writer and you might have to navigate through the occasional spelling or grammatical error. Sometimes when I get real pissed off and want to broadcast the awful truth that I have uncovered I forget to run my spell checker or double-check my comma usage.
Oh well. No apologies here, I was trained to kill, not to write about it.

That being said, my wife almost dumped me when we were dating because of an ill-placed comma in an emotionlly charged email. So, if you're confused about something I say just ask for clarification. Who knows, maybe you read it just right! Some of the $h1t I've seen done with medical "care" in the military is pretty F#$&@?g baffling.

More to follow

Rangin' Ranger OUT --