I didn't want to gum up a different thread where a few folks were discussing VA disability.
When I served, I had to stand quarterdeck watch. In dress shoes. Standing on a steel deck. They had mats but no way could you stand in 1 small area the entire time. At the end of a 4 hour watch, often my feet hurt and my toes would be numb. I went to medical and they fixed me up. Had surgery and they never bothered me again.
On a P3 flight from Miami to Jacksonville, we hit some really rough weather. I was moving around when the plane lost lift. We dropped like a stone. For a half second I was weightless. Then I slammed into the overhead. When the plane caught lift again, I fell to the deck like I was sitting in a chair. Ass first. When it was safe to move I bolted for my ditching station. I jumped over a guy that was on the floor screaming in pain. He ended up with a 65% compressed disk. For months after he wore this plastic thing that looked like a turtle shell. They said I had lumbar and cervical strains. I was very stiff for a few days. But my lower back ached for a while.
When I got out of the service, I did the exit exam with the VA. They gave me credit for my fixed feet. Yet my feet didn't bother me for years. They denied that my backache was service related. Yet it was in my records. Plus my back did and still does give me issues. They said I could appeal but I figured it would be like pissing in the wind.
So that's my story. I did have a guy that I served with tell me that I should tell the VA I'm an alcoholic. I guess he knew people that figured out a story to get to 100%. No need to make stuff up. But I can understand how the system can be abused. Just like any other government program that provides funds to people. Some are always going to find a way to get over. And some that deserve it will go without because of many different reasons.
When I served, I had to stand quarterdeck watch. In dress shoes. Standing on a steel deck. They had mats but no way could you stand in 1 small area the entire time. At the end of a 4 hour watch, often my feet hurt and my toes would be numb. I went to medical and they fixed me up. Had surgery and they never bothered me again.
On a P3 flight from Miami to Jacksonville, we hit some really rough weather. I was moving around when the plane lost lift. We dropped like a stone. For a half second I was weightless. Then I slammed into the overhead. When the plane caught lift again, I fell to the deck like I was sitting in a chair. Ass first. When it was safe to move I bolted for my ditching station. I jumped over a guy that was on the floor screaming in pain. He ended up with a 65% compressed disk. For months after he wore this plastic thing that looked like a turtle shell. They said I had lumbar and cervical strains. I was very stiff for a few days. But my lower back ached for a while.
When I got out of the service, I did the exit exam with the VA. They gave me credit for my fixed feet. Yet my feet didn't bother me for years. They denied that my backache was service related. Yet it was in my records. Plus my back did and still does give me issues. They said I could appeal but I figured it would be like pissing in the wind.
So that's my story. I did have a guy that I served with tell me that I should tell the VA I'm an alcoholic. I guess he knew people that figured out a story to get to 100%. No need to make stuff up. But I can understand how the system can be abused. Just like any other government program that provides funds to people. Some are always going to find a way to get over. And some that deserve it will go without because of many different reasons.
