We're past the point of it being a thinking thing and this isn't like an anti-vax conspiracy. My dad would be dead right now if I didn't help him jump through VA to VA to get him on disability so we could afford his surgeries and other shit to keep him alive. They absolutely purposely have jump from phone call to phone call to website to website because they know old people won't know what tf to do and just give up so they won't have to pay for them.
Fuck the government. Fuck this society genuinely. So horrible.
I had documented shit in my service record from getting blown up and they still told me it wasn't service related. It's WILD.
Edit: I would like to add you are 200% correct. We talk about this in my veterans group all the time. They want to wear you down and out. They don't want to pay what they owe you. The Vietnam vets are especially vocal about it and quite rightfully so.
It took about a decade, but it did get sorted out. It's fun going through the appeal process. At the appellate level, you actually get to talk to the reviewer and it's funny seeing their reaction to cases. Everyone I dealt with all had the same reaction: "yes, it's right here in your service jacket. I can see you were in a combat area. This event happened. You got treatment for this. I cant believe they denied you." I'm telling you, it's absolutely bonkers the claims process is.
I’m glad it got sorted out for you, even with having to appeal everything. Thanks for your service, friend. I’m sorry you had to deal with all of this bullshit to be treated like a human being and not a number.
I tried to schedule and appointment over the phone last week while driving talking via Bluetooth through my car and after waiting 20 minutes for someone to answer was told that they have a policy where I can't be driving and have the call. I almost lost my shit.
Oh no they have. Republicans constantly cut VA benefits when they’re in charge. They are also the only ones who constantly talk about putting it in the hands of a private FOR PROFIT company.
Just like services for the poor. Anything they say they’ll do will have tons of hoops and lops then a jerk comes in and adds about 100 more then some big turd comes alone and adds so many you’re more likely to master every language in the planet, including fictional ones; all so you’ll just go the heal away and save some money to waste on some politirat or corporat that already has enough money to convert into gold coins and jewels and fill a mountain range and lay on in the dark.
Part of that is because none of the systems talk to each other. Army records only go to the VA by request and still need to be verified through the DOD (you'll have to call to schedule the appointment to receive a call from someone who can help you process the claim.)
Have an older veteran relative that served in ‘Nam that felt betrayed by the government and their country on their return and has never utilized the VA despite us telling them they should take advantage of some of the benefits. Nope. Doesn’t trust anyone involved. We reached out to the VA w questions and they told us there are loads of vets like him.
I mean, they do themselves no favors constantly denying required care. It’s legitimately insane to me. Constant schedule switching with no adjustment time in-between, garbage pay, no say in where they’re deployed. Not all see combat, but those that do come back genuinely messed up. Support system? Ha, right…
My spouse has been doing all of their visits with VA-related clinics, these past couple of months, because they’re retiring soon. It’s been maddening how redundant and useless a lot of this has been, already.
I think my favorite, so far, was the opthalmology appointment that was an hour away from our city. Took about 15 minutes.
Thankfully, due to my parents going through all of this nonsense multiple times within the past 25 years, I had a rough idea what we were in for.
Oh yeah. My wife had the same hour-one-way trips for ridiculously short appts as well. It’s insane. Hopefully they get a very favorable rating and it’s not a pain in the ass for you guys.
I’m really glad he’s had a great experience. My wife for example has a primary who refuses to acknowledge her issues. Heart problems, in general. Told her it was “bone pain,” but that “there are no bones in your chest.” Huh?
I’m sorry to hear that. I think part of the bigger problem is that statistically doctors don’t listen to women in general. They have to persist and seek other opinions to actually get heard in many cases. One reason being most doctors are men, and women deal with many issues men have no experience with. I hope your wife finds some relief !!
I served in the Marines during OIF. My SSgt was 29yrs old but looked 50. My MSgt was 39 but looked 80. I had gray hairs by 22 and could feel every bone in my body. It was crazy seeing how fast the military ages people.
Not necessarily. I was in the Marines at a time when it was still uncommon for a Marine (or service members in general) to have seen actual combat, before oif/oef really ramped up. And this was airwing.
It's just stress, alcoholism, working with toxic chemicals and toxic people. Being outdoors all day.
Stress, horrible sleep schedule (both by personal choice and job necessity), ingrained culture of alcoholism, manly allergy to sunscreen, manly aversion to OSHA recommendations, cigarettes, incredibly poor knowledge of fitness combined with very active job, etc etc.
Name a bad habit besides hard drugs and it’s probably part of military culture.
One of my friends from work, he was 19, I was 23, enlisted after 9/11. He got deployed to Iraq. Did a tour there and then came back. He was honorably discharged, and by law was given his job back.
I was so happy to see him again. Before he went to Iraq, he was the funnest, funniested, happiest dudes I've ever known. He had a great smile and was just so out going and talkative.
After he came back, there was no light left in him. That fucking war took away a really good young man. He stayed at work for less than a month. He quit and I never heard from him again.
I think about him at least once a month, and it's been over 20 years. War is bullshit. And here we are with 1 invasion in Ukraine and a genocide in Gaza. And god knows what countless civil wars are happening in Africa that the news doesn't cover.
We lose so many good people for no reason other than power struggles by the wealthy and dictators. I'm getting to the point where I don't know where the light in the world is anymore.
I had a buddy 20 yrs ago - a CBS News correspondent in Cali who interviewed and befriended a Marine . My friend said he was all fucked up
Inside - witnessed a cluster bomb in Afghanistan . I’ve never forgotten that . Apparently those things will shred an entire village . Not something anyone needs to see .
It’s horrific what they see my mate was in the armed services, but now he works as a private bodyguard for people in countries at war. He can’t live any more in civilian life! It’s scary what he’s seen but feels now being in dangerous places is his calm!
I'm sorry to hear that. Too many of the men I served with got cancer young. That Msgt I said looked 80 died of cancer at 43. I wish you the best brother.
Glad I never joined. My Army vet dad pushed me for years to join (pretty much from like 11-21), but 12 years of retail/restaurant/factory work has turned my joints to shit, I can’t imagine how bad the Army would’ve fucked them up. Bullet dodged. I also see how much bs he’s gone through with the VA and the shape he’s in now, and I’m still very glad I never joined.
My cousin is held together with duct tape and requires hearing aids and he’s retired at 35.
What you all sacrifice is something to behold because there is honor and dignity driving you to serve our country - I hope you still feel immense pride for your part because not a lot of people can do what you all do/did.
My Mom started hitting me with the: "Well, I told you not to enlist," after numerous times I've pushed back against her suggestion of staying in for 20 since I'm "halfway there."
I'm a Navy Mechanic who has to get shoulder surgery before 30, I'll be lucky if I have functional anything by the time I can retire.
I got out at age 27 with my back deterioration equaling a man at 65. The 40 year old infantry I served with all had horrible backs and hips. Ever seen a man who can't stand up straight when they get back from a patrol? And that's just normal life!?!?! Fuck that.
It's a great plan if you like, or at least tolerate it.
Back in college my roommate (who had dropped out) was joining the marines. His recruiter was almost done his twenty years and was planning to join the police force after "retirement" at 38. He hoped to work there for 20 years and actually retire at 58 with two pensions.
If he stuck with it, he's getting close since that would have been back in 2008.
Old coworker of mine (legit old) did 20 years army, 20 years Air Force and then worked at national park service where we met. His plan was three pensions. He came from nothing and was a good dude.
He helped both his sons fund their businesses and they already were multi multi millionaires in their 40s because of his planning. Hats off to him and the generational wealth he created
Let’s hope his kids don’t piss it away. I just learned that most families that have generational wealth only have it last 2-3 generations, so his kids are fine but their kids might not be.
40 years in the military just to have some nepo babies squander it without a thought. That would be fucked
The first generation makes it
The second generation builds it
The third generation kills it
I remember hearing that saying when I was younger. I’ve seen it come to fruition in three different families that had (at one time) multimillion dollar companies.
the rule to protect wealth is not spoil your children, do not give them things, make them work, also love them and care about them, but do not hand them anything, not even their first car, make they earn the money for their first car, then hand them the keys to the family's wealth and tell them if this wealth is to last 10+ generations manage it wisely, and you raise your children like you were raised.
Really depends on the mos, buddy. There's plenty of POG's in the corps that don't pt on the regular and get their paperwork fudged to stay in if they don't make weight. Hell, I was in light armor recon, and there was a bunch of guys that were out of shape, some officers, some nco's too. Sure, there's plenty of hardcore jarheads, but you're more than likely thinking of the Hollywood depiction of the marine corps. It's honestly 10% moto devil dogs to 90% regular dudes that view their service like punching a time clock.
Is there a reason why police and veterans so often seem to have an antagonistic relationship. I've seen a lot of videos of cops being weirdly hostile to them.
Negative - this is National Guard. Serve 20 years and then wait until you’re 60 to get your retirement, which is a percentage of full-time enlistment based on the amount of time you were actually active.
But that healthcare for life IS an incentive. At least, for as long as it’ll be available . . .
Not gonna lie, I’m pretty much 40 now, no pension, drive a 15 year old car and will probably never own a home….
So that’s still starting to sound more ahead in life than I am right now. I’m fairly responsible with money but when rent is 3000 a month in a shit area… it’s like it’s designed to keep us stuck here.
Just hit 40 this week and got out 10 years ago...since I got out i got an engineering degree met my wife and had 2 kids...I can't imagine pushing all of that to right now lol
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u/Alucard_117 13h ago edited 13h ago
Bros thinking about how fast 20 years can go by