Military memes

Clem72

Clem72

Well-Known Member
limblips said:
There is a guy that hangs out at the pub I frequent. He is constantly telling vets about making sure they get documentation for all of their ills. He tells them how he draws 100% disabilty. This has been going on for years. A year or so I asked him what rank he retired at. He replied he didn't retire, he spent just under a year in the Army in Germany but hurt his back jumping off a truck.
Click to expand...

Heard many a similar story about white man's welfare.

Everyone leaving the service apparently has tinnitus, gerd, and every other subjective ailment that can't be disproved but warrants a rating + things that every older person gets regardless of whether they are in the military or not. Tired of co-workers with their 80-100% disability ratings pulling down more in disability payments than the median houshold income while bragging about their Tough Mudder or Rugged Maniac course times. Hell, the damn definition of 100% disabled says you are unable to work, so how do they let you get a job working civil service or as a contractor for the federal government?
 
Yooper

Yooper

Up. Identified. Lase. Fire. On the way.
Clem72 said:
Heard many a similar story about white man's welfare.

Everyone leaving the service apparently has tinnitus, gerd, and every other subjective ailment that can't be disproved but warrants a rating + things that every older person gets regardless of whether they are in the military or not. Tired of co-workers with their 80-100% disability ratings pulling down more in disability payments than the median houshold income while bragging about their Tough Mudder or Rugged Maniac course times. Hell, the damn definition of 100% disabled says you are unable to work, so how do they let you get a job working civil service or as a contractor for the federal government?
Click to expand...
I understand your frustrations. But your frustrations have led you to make some inaccurate statements. A "100% disability" does not mean one can't work. In fact, if only for mental health purposes, the VA doesn't discourage 100%-disabled folks from trying to work. For good or bad, the VA disability ratings system is far more nuanced than "disabled means you can't work." Unfortunately, those nuances sometimes allow for folks to abuse the system.

I get it, I, too, am often frustrated by the type of folks you describe. But then I'm reminded of my own issues. If one were to look at me one would say I'm perfectly healthy. But then one wouldn't see all the scars, surgeries, diseases, etc. I've had that puts me firmly in the 100% camp. In fact, one of the reasons I've posted so infrequently of late is that I'm having a hard time dealing with the "death by a thousands cuts" stuff I mention in my sig block. Yet if you saw me sitting in Burger King you'd say there was nothing wrong with me. And yet I am absolutely unable to work in any meaningful sense.

So yes, there are those who abuse the system. But also there are those who are quick to judge when they think they see something. The ones who brag about their "Tough Mudder or Rugged Maniac course times" may be abusing the system, but also it may be part of them keeping their spirits up/intact (why I mentioned the mental health aspect, above). When "it" happens to me (i.e., when someone questions the legitimacy of my rating) my retort is to ask them if they would like a run-down of what ails me (to include a slide show, visual demonstration, and lengthy lecture of why I received the rating). That usually shuts them up. I guess I could just tell them to eff off, but I prefer to extend grace and educate. So this "white man's welfare" is both inaccurate and really offensive. This ain't welfare to me; I gave the Army 30 years of my life and was broken on the wheel doing so. I fulfilled my part of the contract, the VA is fulfilling the government's part.

Sorry if I misunderstood the intent of your comments, but I did feel they needed addressing.

--- End of line (MCP)
 
Last edited:
Clem72

Clem72

Well-Known Member
Yooper said:
I understand your frustrations. But your frustrations have led you to make some inaccurate statements. A "100% disability" does not mean one can't work. In fact, if only for mental health purposes, the VA doesn't discourage 100%-disabled folks from trying to work. For good or bad, the VA disability ratings system is far more nuanced than "disabled means you can't work." Unfortunately, those nuances sometimes allow for folks to abuse the system.
Click to expand...

Certainly seems like you put a lot of thought into this, and I respect your opinion, but I will stick by my guns based on the actual basis for the VA disability rating.

Federal law (38 U.S.C. 1110 and 1155) requires VA to "adopt and
apply a schedule of ratings of reductions in earning capacity from
specific injuries or combination of injuries" to determine the amount
of compensation disabled veterans are entitled to receive. The
ratings are to be based, "as far as practicable, upon the average
impairments of earning capacity resulting from such injuries in civil
occupations." The law gives the chief administrator of VA the
discretion to define "average impairments in earning capacity" and
the authority to readjust the schedule to help ensure that disability
ratings reflect VA's experience.
Click to expand...

So your disability ratings isn't related to how much pain you are in, how inconvenienced your life is, or how physically fit you are. Your disability is measured ONLY by the average impact to your earnings potential, Therefore 100% disabled means that on average a person with your disability/ies would have a 100% impact to their earnings potential (which in English means you can't work). It doesn't mean no one can work at this rating, but it certainly means that any given person with this rating very likely shouldn't be able to perform most types of work.

I understand in your case the 100% may be warranted, but I have worked with dozens over the years where its plainly misapplied.
 
Last edited:
Yooper

Yooper

Up. Identified. Lase. Fire. On the way.
It's not simple/plain Englsh as 100% doesn't solely apply to one's ability to work. Work is one aspect; the other being the sum total of one's medical issues (as determined by the VA tables that take into account overall health).

For example, the sum total of my individual "issues' is somewhere north of 160%. But no one can be more than one person so the max rating tops out at 100%. That's my rating per the VA tables. But that doesn't yet factor in one's ability to work. That comes when a "permanent and totally disabled" determination is made. (I have both the 100% rating and a "P & T D" determination.)

Is it possible you're missing the distinction between "100%" (often not a permanent compensation award, can be subject to change, and not specifically tied to an ability to work) and "100% permanent and totally disabled" rating (which is a permanent award and is related to the ability to work)?

--- End of line (MCP)
 
D

DaSDGuy

Well-Known Member
156558
 
WingsOfGold

WingsOfGold

Well-Known Member
Clem72 said:
Heard many a similar story about white man's welfare.

Everyone leaving the service apparently has tinnitus, gerd, and every other subjective ailment that can't be disproved but warrants a rating + things that every older person gets regardless of whether they are in the military or not. Tired of co-workers with their 80-100% disability ratings pulling down more in disability payments than the median houshold income while bragging about their Tough Mudder or Rugged Maniac course times. Hell, the damn definition of 100% disabled says you are unable to work, so how do they let you get a job working civil service or as a contractor for the federal government?
Click to expand...
I'm AMAZED how many I know are 100%. Some range from 4 - 20 years, 100%. Never got seriously hurt or whatever. I say bullshit.

I'm getting zero, I desperately need hearing aids but the VA will have to wait until I get my second dose of Pfizer. Over the years I've gone from hearing a million crickets to now being in a jungle aviary, CONSTANT chirping to the point I don't know if a sound is real or not. Knees shoulders hips..... I chalk it up to old age, just give me hearing aids.
 
BOP

BOP

Well-Known Member
Yooper said:
I understand your frustrations. But your frustrations have led you to make some inaccurate statements. A "100% disability" does not mean one can't work. In fact, if only for mental health purposes, the VA doesn't discourage 100%-disabled folks from trying to work. For good or bad, the VA disability ratings system is far more nuanced than "disabled means you can't work." Unfortunately, those nuances sometimes allow for folks to abuse the system.

I get it, I, too, am often frustrated by the type of folks you describe. But then I'm reminded of my own issues. If one were to look at me one would say I'm perfectly healthy. But then one wouldn't see all the scars, surgeries, diseases, etc. I've had that puts me firmly in the 100% camp. In fact, one of the reasons I've posted so infrequently of late is that I'm having a hard time dealing with the "death by a thousands cuts" stuff I mention in my sig block. Yet if you saw me sitting in Burger King you'd say there was nothing wrong with me. And yet I am absolutely unable to work in any meaningful sense.

So yes, there are those who abuse the system. But also there are those who are quick to judge when they think they see something. The ones who brag about their "Tough Mudder or Rugged Maniac course times" may be abusing the system, but also it may be part of them keeping their spirits up/intact (why I mentioned the mental health aspect, above). When "it" happens to me (i.e., when someone questions the legitimacy of my rating) my retort is to ask them if they would like a run-down of what ails me (to include a slide show, visual demonstration, and lengthy lecture of why I received the rating). That usually shuts them up. I guess I could just tell them to eff off, but I prefer to extend grace and educate. So this "white man's welfare" is both inaccurate and really offensive. This ain't welfare to me; I gave the Army 30 years of my life and was broken on the wheel doing so. I fulfilled my part of the contract, the VA is fulfilling the government's part.

Sorry if I misunderstood the intent of your comments, but I did feel they needed addressing.

--- End of line (MCP)
Click to expand...
Is it possible to get a rating for "death by PowerPoint"? Asking for some friends.
 
Louise

Louise

Well-Known Member
Yooper said:
I understand your frustrations. But your frustrations have led you to make some inaccurate statements. A "100% disability" does not mean one can't work. In fact, if only for mental health purposes, the VA doesn't discourage 100%-disabled folks from trying to work. For good or bad, the VA disability ratings system is far more nuanced than "disabled means you can't work." Unfortunately, those nuances sometimes allow for folks to abuse the system.

I get it, I, too, am often frustrated by the type of folks you describe. But then I'm reminded of my own issues. If one were to look at me one would say I'm perfectly healthy. But then one wouldn't see all the scars, surgeries, diseases, etc. I've had that puts me firmly in the 100% camp. In fact, one of the reasons I've posted so infrequently of late is that I'm having a hard time dealing with the "death by a thousands cuts" stuff I mention in my sig block. Yet if you saw me sitting in Burger King you'd say there was nothing wrong with me. And yet I am absolutely unable to work in any meaningful sense.

So yes, there are those who abuse the system. But also there are those who are quick to judge when they think they see something. The ones who brag about their "Tough Mudder or Rugged Maniac course times" may be abusing the system, but also it may be part of them keeping their spirits up/intact (why I mentioned the mental health aspect, above). When "it" happens to me (i.e., when someone questions the legitimacy of my rating) my retort is to ask them if they would like a run-down of what ails me (to include a slide show, visual demonstration, and lengthy lecture of why I received the rating). That usually shuts them up. I guess I could just tell them to eff off, but I prefer to extend grace and educate. So this "white man's welfare" is both inaccurate and really offensive. This ain't welfare to me; I gave the Army 30 years of my life and was broken on the wheel doing so. I fulfilled my part of the contract, the VA is fulfilling the government's part.

Sorry if I misunderstood the intent of your comments, but I did feel they needed addressing.

--- End of line (MCP)
Click to expand...

Glad to see you post. It has been a while. God bless the USA.
 
Yooper

Yooper

Up. Identified. Lase. Fire. On the way.
BOP said:
The information is probably in the 400+ page "notes" section.
Click to expand...
Actually, nope. I think it is in the third binder that accompanies the notes. It's gonna take awhile to go through it. I'll get back to you when I find it.

--- End of line (MCP)
 
  • Like
Reactions: BOP
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top