Done With The VA . . .

Yes, done with the Veterans Administration. That is a red tape zoo, understandable as there are many veterans and a lot of them need help. Some need more care than others. Today we call it PSTD, during WW-II and WW-I it was called it shell shock. No matter there are many levels and degrees, those that suffer the worst usually end up in the VA alcoholic ward. I don't have disease fortunately.

But I do have lingering effects of Viet Nam, Agent Orange. Years ago, when other veterans were having problems I never thought it would effect me. After all they were awash in the stuff - Dioxin. Dioxin is the primary agent that attack us humans in any number of ways. In my case, it is the liver. I have had problems for years with high chlorestorol - that's probably primarily caused by hereditary liver problems. That is my liver was generating the stuff - much more than eating eggs, oysters or fatty meats. I was happy when the physicians put me on statins, primarily Lipitor. Over time I take more and more of the stuff. I am pretty tolerant of using it but it is supposed to effect one's memory a bit. I thought it was just getting old (maybe both???).

My Viet Nam disease is Diabetes Mellitus, Type II. VA has done several studies and had positively correlated the disease to Agent Orange exposure. I was on the flight line at both DaNang and Bien Hoa Air Base which staged the "Ranch Hands." That was the code name for C-123s that sprayed the stuff on the jungle. It kill the trees and deprived the Viet Cong from a place to hide. I can even remember rooming with a Ranch Hand pilot at DaNang. He carried a different gun each day he flew: he had 38s, 45s, AR-15s, even a Thompson submachine gun. The guy was a walking arsenal!

Back to the VA. My doctor, a good man, recently put me on Metformin, a drug that helps the liver deal with insulin rejection. He also had me on Januvia, another Type II drug that works on the liver. (Poor liver - Lipitor, Metformin and Januvia). So that restricts my alcohol intake - an occasional glass of Red Wine is okay. Maybe have two a month, no more Martinis at night.

So I filed a form, the VA is full of forms to use, for reevaluation of my circumstances. That was 1 September 2009. Nothing happened. Finally, in December 2009, I called the VA, got a nice person by the name of Sande Jones. Things began to happen. I was given an appointment to be examined by a VA contractor - a doctor. He did a good exam but did not even seem concerned about Diabetes for which I had filed a request for evaluation. I later learned he did detect a loss of sensitivity -known as nueropathy. This was in both feet and left hand. I did not think much of it but I guess it was significant.

Later, I had an examination by an Ophthalmologist. He said my cataracts were chemically caused but because there is no rating for that, he had to associate it with Diabetes Mellitus, Type II. That was significant in that he said, "Good that he saw the cataracts before I had any corrective surgery." Otherwise, the VA would have disallowed it. That was in February 2010. Slow progress.

Things were perking along slowly, so I contacted the Disabled American Veterans (DAV). I am a life member of the DAV. I contacted them via the Internet and got an instant response the next day. And within four days the DAV provided me with data that my new rating would be 90%. That was preliminary, and "Did I agree with it." Now I was expecting a change from 70% to say 80% and that the rating percentage to pay the compensation would move from 60% to 80%. So yes, 90% was acceptable. But I also said there was yet one more physical exam to be conducted by a VA contractor.

I received a letter from the VA with in a week saying actually I was now rated 110% disabled but because the VA combine certain ratings, it was only 90%. And that I was to get a compensation slightly greater than 90% (I did not know they had shades of gray). So I get a bit more than the normal 90%er. This was adjusted here and there to get to the number and oh, by the way, there was still the examination to be conducted on my other existing disabilities.

So there is potential that it could go higher but somehow, I don't think that will happen. The good news other than I confirmed I am getting older and sicker, that the compensation is 100% tax free (from both state and federal taxes). I am yet to figure out what effect it will have on my retirement income.

The military pays its own disability, it is deducted from my retirement and given back to me by the VA - tax free. A number of years ago, congress agreed that it was unfair, so they adjusted that at rate of 10% or per year. That is known to us retirees as "concurrent receipt." So I had just about worked off the old "60%" and now will have to deal with the "90%." I don't think it will start all over but some of it will get so treated.

We will see. Already, have had some impact on retirement but not paper work yet to tell us what is what. That took eight months but the good news is they adjust rates based on the date I originally filed - 2 September 2009 was when they received the request.