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I am a Vietnam veteran diagnosed and being agressively treated for PTSD by VA doctors. At least 12 of them agree on my diagnosis. I have also been to the very intense Inpatient PTSD program at the Salisbury VA Medical Center which is reserved for the most severe cases of PTSD for veterans in the eastern part of the country.

Yet, the VA Compensation and Pension beaurecrats refuse to acknowledge my condition is service connected. My claim for service connected disability is nearing four years old, yet the VA does not accept the diagnosis of their on doctors as "credibale evidence" to support a PTSD disability claim. I

I have had (12) Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT) treatments, more commonly known as "shock" treatments. During those treatments, I had "combat flashbacks" on several occassions while under anesthesia as witnessed by the Chief of Mental Health Services at the Salisbury VA Medical Center. She even wrote a personal letter to the VA describing these events and supporting my PTSD as being obviously service connected. Yet, they say this is not evidence that is acceptable becaus it is after the fact.

Yet, the Veterans Claim Assistance Act of 2000 says the veteran should be afforded "benefit of the doubt" if lay testimony and medical evidence is equal to the the proof the VA has that your illness is not service connected. In this case they have no proof it isn't service connected other than there are no records of the incident I experienced over 30 years ago. How many firefights do you think went undocumented in a 10 year conflict???

Bottom-line, the VA compensation and Pension people disreguard their own doctors' diagnosis and opinions, but the doctors can keep you from working based upon their diagnosis and opinions, because they are doctors, leaving you umemployable, but with no compensation.

This is not an isolated incident. Many vets face this deliema and get frustrated and give up. That is what the VA wants.

I was discharged from the Marine Corps in August 1964 with a hearing disability. I had been a member of the Hawaiian Marine Rifle and Pistol, team. I shot over 100 rounds a day 5 days a week and competed on weekends. I won a 10000 yard match at Scoffield Barracks in October of 1963. I was destined to be on the famed scout and sniper platoon. I was following in the footsteps of famed marine sniper Gunnery Sgt, Carlos Hathcock. He left the team just three months before I joined. I was derailed by a routine physical when they discoved that I had developed a nerve damage in my ears. I spent the final six months of my career in the Great Lakes Naval Hospital.
I was discharged with 20% diability for hearing loss. They gave me $900 severance pay and I thought that was it. I found out several years later I could file for disability, but the catch was I would have to repay the original $900. My first checks were $50.00 a month. My hearing got progressively worse, but there was nothing they could do. Hearing aids don't help nerve damaged hearinng. A few years back I applied for a upgrade in my disability. After about a year I was upgraded to 30%. Big deal.
During that time I suffered a stroke, cancer and a torn left knee tendon. The ortho clinic wouldn't do anything for two years and then they decided I was to get injections in my knee. It didn't help a little bit. By favoring my left knee I developed advanced arthritis in my right knee. I have fell numerous times, resulting in both rotator cups torn, a high fracture in my right shoulder along with a slab fracture in the same shoulder. I was told that the reason I couldn't get my knee worked on was because the goverment only allowed for 8 to 10 knee operations a month. I am gradually becoming where I can't walk at all. But still they do nothing.
Our wonderful State Pepresentive Anne Northrup tells us about her advances in getting a new hospital built, but in the meantime, we veterns go without care. It is time that someone told Bush and his cronies that while he is making veterns in record numbers, ne should think about fixing some of our aces and pains.

In my earlier posting, I really blasted the VA. However, I do need to clarify that the VA medical staffs, especially at the Salisbury, NC VA Medical Center have in most cases been exceptional in their care for me. In fact, they saved my life and continue to support me today with excellent therapy, medication and personal care.

My VA doctors call me at home and most have taken their valuable time and a lot of political risks to write letters to the VA Compensation people supporting my claim for service connected PTSD, which, of course, the VARO ignores.

The culprits in this saga are the VA Regional Office (VARO) "bean counters" in Winston Salem, who feel it is their job to keep veterans from receiving benefits by literal interpretation and application of the law. Someone needs to clean that hole out up there and let them see how the VA medical people treat vets and even things out a bit.

I hope I cleared this up,that all the VA is not against the veteran.

Also, any veteran needing help getting into the health care system or filing a claim and has gotten the cold shoulder, brush off and/or misinformation from their county or service organization (VFW, DAV, American Legion etc.) Service Officer, please give me a call or email me. I might can help. I am at 336-476-7642 or bkint@triad.rr.com. I am not a service officer, so I don't have to ask permission or follow protocol to get something done. I am just a disabled vet with a lot of time and some experience helping other vets get what they deserve. Never give up. Let's keep fighting these folks as if they are the enemy we fought before, as they seemto be worse than the enemy.

I went through the inpatient treatment program in Salibury. Do I have a better chance to get an increase.

I went through the inpatient treatment program in Salibury. Do I have a better chance to get an increase.