R & r

[formergrunt70]

Hi to all.
Think I will take a break for a while. Feel like I'm getting burned out putting this stuff together for this PTSD exam. I'm sure They want the truth, and that is My intentions. So
as I looked over some old documents, photos, and etc. The Wife started to get on My nerves, so think I will work on it somewhere that is quiet.
This is a start of My research:
Less than 60 days in Country with 196th 6 KIA.

Battalion Company Date Last Name First Name Mil Grade HomeCity Ho
3/21 D 11/19/69 Bachman Roger 1LT WESTFIELD NJ
3/21 D 1/7/70 Bradley Larry CPL VERHALEN TX
3/21 D 1/7/70 Erkes William 2LT UPPER BLACK EDDY PA
3/21 D 1/7/70 Retseck John PFC MICHIGAN CITY IN
3/21 D 1/7/70 Wells Gene SSGT PULASKI KY
3/21 D 1/7/70 Zydzik Frank SP4 PHILLIPS

[formergrunt70]

Okay- Got all of My documents, photo's, etc. In good order. Called VA regional about My PTSD exam, and asked if I should continue to see My Civilian Counselor. She said by all means, continue to see Him. As this VA exam with the VA psychiatrist will be a one time only
visit. ?? They will set Me up for the appointment. I see My counselor again Friday, and will let Him know My status on the PTSD therapy.

[1CAVCCO15MED]

The psychiatrists basicly prescribe medications not counsel patients. I think they probably were meaning you have a good relationship with a counselor already so why change. I don't know if you live near a Vet Center but they are the best and primary contacts for PTSD treatment and rating in the VA system. If you have a Purple Heart or CIB or CMB you are automaticly assumed by the VA to have PTSD. What they are rating is how badly or well you are getting along with it. It is not so much your experiences getting PTSD they are looking at but your ability to function and how much treatment you are needing. A 100% rating is rare, it means you are unable to function on your on in a meaningful way and probably need a person to manage your affairs for you. There is something called a GAF score. It means global assessment of funtioning, basicly how many cylinders you are firing on and is stated in a percent. The VA says they don't base their rating on this but it seems to be very important. The 100% disabled guys have a GAF of less than 30% from my experience. Anything higher and they can rate you from 10% up to 70% disabled. I am rated a GAF of 35% and am rated 70% diabled. They derive this from a questionaire and an interview. It is symptoms and ability to function they are looking for so don't hold back, if you minimize or are not honest it will hurt you. They are NOT judging you on whether your experiences in Vietnam were bad enough. Listing every battle and every KIA doesn't help them figure out how PTSD is affecting you. If you have a CIB, Purple Heart or CMB you don't need a stressor letter. If you do, remember you are being rated by a lazy clerk. They don't want to read a lot. It should not be over a page long.

After all is said and done, unless you have someone having to drive you around and pay your bills for you because you are unable to do it you will probably not get rated at 100% diabled. The next thing lower is 70% and that is probably the best to hope for. If you get rated 70% disabled and it is either difficult or impossible to hold a job then you've got to go back through the process. Everyone that gets unemployability has had to do this.

This time you are trying to be rated unemployable if that is the case. You have to go through the whole thing again for this but the focus is different. Once again GAF score is important. Usually you have gotten your 70% disability and have gone through more treatment. It would be a very good idea if this treatment is from a Vet Center. Somebody needs to say there that you are unemployable and it is total and permanent either at the Vet Center or whatever counseling you are receiving. Then the rating board looks at the paperwork again to see if you can hold a job. If you are holding a job when you apply for unemployability, obviously you can so it will be denied.

I have gone through this process and am rated 100% disabled total and permanent due to unemployability. I feel this is accurate and what I should have. My psychiatrist at the VA, my Vet Center counselor and the PTSD counselors that I went to at the inpatient facility at Salem Virginia VA Hospital all said this befor I applied for anything so the VA had to give it to me. I am getting worse with my ability to function and may get to the point soon I will need a guardian. I already have one, she is called a wife and as long as she is around I will not try to get the true 100%.

[formergrunt70]

Got it all done Yesterday. Looks nery good. 3 sections: #1. Nam 69-70 Photos, newpaper clippings, letters, good, and bad stuff. #2 All career type stuff, deployments, and etc. Civilian activities tied to the military Veterans day, Me reading the citation in class "A"s
in His home town. My newspaper interview on the Iraqi war 2003, My 2 Sons deployment to Iraq 2 months a part. # 3 Medical stuff as related to Me, Diabetes,hypertension, PTSD, etc.
This section is labled Restricted files medical personnel only: Privacy act of 1974.
Any one is free to look at the album, I just will not share My medical History with anyone else, unless I know They are going to help me. I have some very strong Psychiatric reports
contain there. I would remove those files if someone would like to see the album.
Finally- I got My letter yesterday from VA I'm scheduled for a C&P exam on 13 May 09.
I know I have PTSD, and I feel it was in the delayed stage. Even though I re-lived the tragedy of 7 jan 70, (5 Killed) i did fairly well with it. My problem is these past 3 years, when I finally came on here for answers,seeked counseling from My civilian Doctor, enrolled
in group session at the Vet Center. This past Year PTSD hit me like a ton of bricks:
Major depression, isolation, (stay to Myself a lot) un-controllable anger, (this is why I was
moved out of My leadership position) and definitely dissasociation. Less golf, and a lot less fishing. I use to play sick just to play golf, or go fishing. The interest is no longer there.
Thought this was My long time dream to do these things. Still planning on doing it, just have to deal with this"monster" head on. Thanks for all of the support, and thank God
for internet access.
Topp

[MORTARDUDE]

Doc Fred gave me the best advice of all..."Let the VA tell the VA you have PTSD." I had started going to the Vet Center in 2001. I was rated 70 % for PTSD and 30 % for unemployability for 100% total, in Sept 2005. I did all the paper work myself. They had initially given me 30% for PTSD in 2004. I also spent 6 weeks at the North Little Rock VA facility for the PTSD program there in Jan 2005. It was very good. I was hospitalized for depression in 1987, 2000, and in Oct 2004 for 3 weeks at the VA, in lockup mode, when my ex-wife divorced me. I go to a one hour a week group session at the VA hospital, as well as the Vet Center, now.

Without the folks on this website that I have known for 9 years, and the VA, I would not be alive today.

If you need me, just call.

Larry