Love your soldiers, for the pot smokers they are.
I'm just now seeing this thread, no respect for the OP.
Really?
I don't think the OP is the one who had any respect lost here. You might want to check the mirror for that one.
Love your soldiers, for the pot smokers they are.
I'm just now seeing this thread, no respect for the OP.
Why, because I don't blindly support/agree with GHG? Because we don't agree?Really?
I don't think the OP is the one who had any respect lost here. You might want to check the mirror for that one.
While many come home with horrific physical and/or emotional trauma, the vast majority of those soldiers seem to have been brainwashed to believe they have PTSD and should just quit doing anything productive. I'm not quite sure why command does this but I sincerely believe they do. Maybe it's just to bring in fresh new younger more impressionable more controllable minds.
While many come home with horrific physical and/or emotional trauma, the vast majority of those soldiers seem to have been brainwashed to believe they have PTSD and should just quit doing anything productive.
ZERO trolling on my part. You may be surprised to hear I've received notes agreeing with my comments herein and that they too are legitimately concerned about you.Please troll another thread.
You have a point, but IME it is a minority, not the vast majority, who game the system and thereby steal finite resources from those in need.
I sadly agree that the term "PTSD" has become another opportunity for the entitled minded culture progressives have fostered.
ZERO trolling on my part. You may be surprised to hear I've received notes agreeing with my comments herein and that they too are legitimately concerned about you.
Have you sought help outside the VA system? Obviously rhetorical unless you choose otherwise.
By "notes" I meant PMs, completely unsolicited by me. I am not gathering notes on you or any TGT member.
I am intentionally ignoring the rest of your post.
Fair enough, DarkHorse. My experiences probably are different than yours. However, that doesn't make those experiences insignificant. My exposure to events were nearly all at MEDCOM level. I was just a lowly VTC technician but I saw and heard quite a bit. Although I think many Commanders' hearts were in the right place, I also think they relied far too much on anecdotal and outmoded information. The problem is, just as medical doctors, they often failed to keep up with current trends and were locked into misunderstood and incorrect data. Also, all too often they were too "politically correct" to argue against higher command.
I remember when General Kevin Kiley failed to address serious issues at Walter Reed and he let George Weightman take the fall. Weightman was/is a damned fine and honorable soldier. I have ZERO respect for Kiley. The truth was finally revealed and Kiley was forced into retirement, losing a star. That was FAR too good for him!! Kiley didn't give flying shit about his soldiers. This is just my opinion but I think Kiley was a lazy ignorant spoon-fed arrogant SOB.
BTW, thank you (and the other mods) for allowing open and honest conversation.
Not my intention saying its insignificant, but by and large this is a agree to disagree topic I suppose. My experience is that of a lowly NCO in an infantry battalion in a non infantry MOS. I do not receive any disability and honestly never even applied for it. I'm also coming from the perspective of someone who has lost a close friend to his own hand a month after he separated from the Marine Corps, the VA had him on a cocktail of about 8 different medications (started before his separation) I do not see that as the easy way out or cowardly. It does not sit well with me that we lose so many but neither does saying people have it worse off so your struggles don't matter. No that is not an attack towards you but a general observation.
There are a lot of people who fabricate for the benefits, there are a lot of Dr's both in and outside the VA and military health system that misdiagnose and/or mistreat by throwing pills at a problem, however there are a lot of guys out there who do need the help and won't pursue reaching out for it until the stigma is gone. From my personal experience and the experiences of guys I've served with I'd say it's about a 75% against the VA and a 25% positive split. Personally I can't say I've ever been mistreated or had any kind of overall negative experience with the VA, there have been uncomfortable moments at the San Antonio clinic I went to when I got out and frustration with scheduling issues but as I said overall positive.
There's an underlying mentally in the VA system.....that's makes it difficult to navigate. It's a borderline circus.