I retired after 26 years of service in 1991. Since I was retiring on the day we arrived back from deployment to Desert Storm I had my final physical exam on a Navy Destroyer Tender in Marseilles, France. They said they were unable to "certify" any VA disabilities, but that I could extend my service and get it done stateside. I just wanted out. Never made a claim. I have an appointment on 5 November with the VA to file a claim. 34 years late, but better than never.
If there were any problems - snoring, for example - that might not be in your medical records, search the various Find a Vet organizations to see if you can contact your old unit mates and see if they can provide 'buddy statements' confirming your claim.
significant snoring is an indication of sleeping airway obstruction leading to sleep apnea, which, if service connected, can result in not only supportive therapy, but a rating of up to 50% on its own.
Thanks, Doc. I'll add that to the list I've made. About the only thing in my medical record is severe hearing loss, a broken ankle, and a gunshot wound. I think my ship assignments can prove asbestos, Agent Orange and toxic chemical exposures. The normal wear and tear of a 43-year-old Navy guy kind of manifested itself after I retired. Some of it pretty quickly. That makes up most of my list. I'll leave it to the VA to see if any of my current ills stem from my service. I am 77, so I have a long list. I'll be happy if I get hearing aids. People around me are tired of me saying, "Huh?".
So many horror stories from military and VA doctors misdiagnosis/mistaken treatment. But if you do your own due diligence through community care, you can get better treatment, IMHO. You just got to keep asking questions, finding the triage you need, and talking to your congressman if the VA doesn't help.
from the better part of 40 years of experience with referring VA Patients or potential patients for care, as well as having received that care myself, the best VA care is obtained through VAMCs directly associated with, and within walking distance of, major university medical centers. Harry S. Truman VAMC being a shining example, across the street from U Mizzou Medical Center in Columbia.
Second rate facilities are those associated with such high level centers, but not conveniently located to them - Kansas City VAMC and the two in St Louis - Jefferson Barracks and Johnny Cochran - among them - because there is less direct support in the form of medical students, Resident and Fellowship level physicians, but decent support in transferring to a higher level of care when needed.
Third rate facilities are those not directly associated with University level systems, or which are remotely located from such facilities - 'Black Jack' Pershing VAMC, down in Poplar Bluff, MO is such a facility. Attempts to transfer even relatively routine patients being seen in civilian facilities to there for needed inpatient, but not high acuity, care were refused almost 100% of the time.
I have a family member who did their intake at the local VA outpatient facility. Months later they found out that the doctor, who took down the data and retired soon after, had entered someone else's personal/medical data in their file. So I'd suggest patients go download their data on the VA website. 🫤
start with the 'Blue Button' records to download EVERYTHING on file for comparison to your personal records.
after that, download any and all official letters of notification - including Service Dates and status, VA Home Loan information, and any disability ratings pending or completed.
If you have a rating of 40% or more already, check with one of the Veterans' Service Organizations to ensure that you are receiving all proper benefits. Note that there are automatic ratings that should apply - for example, Helo and Artillery postings carry at least a 10% rating, as does Tinnitus in general.
Tinnitus only counts if there was a note of it in your records as hearing loss, as they go together. If you aren't noted to have hearing loss (even though you worked a job with headphones on and the volume loud), they don't count the tinnitus. (My VSO said it always gets turned down unless the hearing loss was noted before leaving service.)
interesting. I know that as soon as I applied for disability in 2011, and was shown to have a 20dB loss from my discharge in 1991, and complaints of tinnitus in my left ear, the 10% was rubber stamped into my record. Foot, ankle and shoulder problems brought it up to 40% overall, and qualified me for VA Care and vocational rehab.
and that was before then Senator McCaskill took an interest in my case.
and it was specific for aviation and artillery types at that time, not even tread heads. One of my social acquaintances was an Abrams Platoon Leader in DS/DS, and didn't get his hearing loss accepted until 2018 or so, due to a change in one definition, IIRC.
No, the hearing loss was only documented by the VA Audiology folks after I complained about the tinnitus, and mentioned my flight status.
the 20dB loss was from my ETS physical to my VA physical.
Now, there was also a 20 dB loss from my initial entry physical to my ETS physical, but neither the flight surgeon nor the VA was interested in going from a -20dB to 0dB threshold.
Concur. it wasn't until 2011 until I got into the VA system, but both before and since that time, I've helped a least a dozen over the years get appropriate VA Care and disability ratings, despite never really being involved in the American Legion or Disabled American Veterans, the only two formal groups for which I qualify.
I can't help but wonder if Dad's cancer was related to Agent Orange. He was in Thailand then. It was just so aggressive. By the time it was diagnosed it was already too late.
I retired after 26 years of service in 1991. Since I was retiring on the day we arrived back from deployment to Desert Storm I had my final physical exam on a Navy Destroyer Tender in Marseilles, France. They said they were unable to "certify" any VA disabilities, but that I could extend my service and get it done stateside. I just wanted out. Never made a claim. I have an appointment on 5 November with the VA to file a claim. 34 years late, but better than never.
If there were any problems - snoring, for example - that might not be in your medical records, search the various Find a Vet organizations to see if you can contact your old unit mates and see if they can provide 'buddy statements' confirming your claim.
significant snoring is an indication of sleeping airway obstruction leading to sleep apnea, which, if service connected, can result in not only supportive therapy, but a rating of up to 50% on its own.
Thanks, Doc. I'll add that to the list I've made. About the only thing in my medical record is severe hearing loss, a broken ankle, and a gunshot wound. I think my ship assignments can prove asbestos, Agent Orange and toxic chemical exposures. The normal wear and tear of a 43-year-old Navy guy kind of manifested itself after I retired. Some of it pretty quickly. That makes up most of my list. I'll leave it to the VA to see if any of my current ills stem from my service. I am 77, so I have a long list. I'll be happy if I get hearing aids. People around me are tired of me saying, "Huh?".
Thank you too for your work with vets.
"We take care of our Own .... because it's damn sure that neither Congress nor the VA wants to!"
So many horror stories from military and VA doctors misdiagnosis/mistaken treatment. But if you do your own due diligence through community care, you can get better treatment, IMHO. You just got to keep asking questions, finding the triage you need, and talking to your congressman if the VA doesn't help.
from the better part of 40 years of experience with referring VA Patients or potential patients for care, as well as having received that care myself, the best VA care is obtained through VAMCs directly associated with, and within walking distance of, major university medical centers. Harry S. Truman VAMC being a shining example, across the street from U Mizzou Medical Center in Columbia.
Second rate facilities are those associated with such high level centers, but not conveniently located to them - Kansas City VAMC and the two in St Louis - Jefferson Barracks and Johnny Cochran - among them - because there is less direct support in the form of medical students, Resident and Fellowship level physicians, but decent support in transferring to a higher level of care when needed.
Third rate facilities are those not directly associated with University level systems, or which are remotely located from such facilities - 'Black Jack' Pershing VAMC, down in Poplar Bluff, MO is such a facility. Attempts to transfer even relatively routine patients being seen in civilian facilities to there for needed inpatient, but not high acuity, care were refused almost 100% of the time.
Do your VA medical needs shopping wisely!
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Thank you, Doc. So much good info for us all. 🫡
I have a family member who did their intake at the local VA outpatient facility. Months later they found out that the doctor, who took down the data and retired soon after, had entered someone else's personal/medical data in their file. So I'd suggest patients go download their data on the VA website. 🫤
start with the 'Blue Button' records to download EVERYTHING on file for comparison to your personal records.
after that, download any and all official letters of notification - including Service Dates and status, VA Home Loan information, and any disability ratings pending or completed.
If you have a rating of 40% or more already, check with one of the Veterans' Service Organizations to ensure that you are receiving all proper benefits. Note that there are automatic ratings that should apply - for example, Helo and Artillery postings carry at least a 10% rating, as does Tinnitus in general.
Tinnitus only counts if there was a note of it in your records as hearing loss, as they go together. If you aren't noted to have hearing loss (even though you worked a job with headphones on and the volume loud), they don't count the tinnitus. (My VSO said it always gets turned down unless the hearing loss was noted before leaving service.)
interesting. I know that as soon as I applied for disability in 2011, and was shown to have a 20dB loss from my discharge in 1991, and complaints of tinnitus in my left ear, the 10% was rubber stamped into my record. Foot, ankle and shoulder problems brought it up to 40% overall, and qualified me for VA Care and vocational rehab.
and that was before then Senator McCaskill took an interest in my case.
and it was specific for aviation and artillery types at that time, not even tread heads. One of my social acquaintances was an Abrams Platoon Leader in DS/DS, and didn't get his hearing loss accepted until 2018 or so, due to a change in one definition, IIRC.
See? It was noted in your records that you had a hearing loss.
They also said it used to be easier to get at least basic tinnitus, just like it used to be easier to get Sleep Apnea diag.
Also, I had 10% for a long time 1993-ish, but only got my "upgrades" in the last year and a half.
No, the hearing loss was only documented by the VA Audiology folks after I complained about the tinnitus, and mentioned my flight status.
the 20dB loss was from my ETS physical to my VA physical.
Now, there was also a 20 dB loss from my initial entry physical to my ETS physical, but neither the flight surgeon nor the VA was interested in going from a -20dB to 0dB threshold.
Concur. it wasn't until 2011 until I got into the VA system, but both before and since that time, I've helped a least a dozen over the years get appropriate VA Care and disability ratings, despite never really being involved in the American Legion or Disabled American Veterans, the only two formal groups for which I qualify.
I can't help but wonder if Dad's cancer was related to Agent Orange. He was in Thailand then. It was just so aggressive. By the time it was diagnosed it was already too late.