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Discussion: S. 161, The Veterans' Disability Compensation Automatic COLA Act (24 comments ↓)
- This item is from the 110th Congress (2007-2008) and is no longer current. Comments, voting, and wiki editing have been disabled, and the cost/savings estimate has been frozen.
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Visitor Comments
Russ
August 31, 2007, 6:48am (report abuse)I would like to see those show support to those who have served and became disabled in the line of duty by introducing a bill that would link the Disabled Veterans COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) to the active and retired military COLA and not to the Social Security COLA.
Most who receive disability pay feel we should be linked to the active and retired military. To have us linked to anything else is a dishonor and an insult. I would hope you agree and would support this request and move quickly to have it passed into law.
Active Air Force
September 7, 2007, 12:12pm (report abuse)This was originally intended to go to legitimate disabled vets. You know, those people injured in combat. They deserve disability payouts. Now Vets with so-called "disabilities" work the system to get the most benefits/highest monthly check they can get. Here's what's happening. Sergeant Smith has sleep apnea: bingo - 50% disability/nice check. Sergeant Jones gets in a vehicle accident on his own personal off-duty time and messes up a leg. Bingo - another hefty disability check, ON TOP OF HIS RETIREMENT CHECK. Active duty people actually sit around trying to figure out how they can get a doctor to document them as disabled so they can collect more moeny. It's discusting. A program meant to reimburse veterans injured in the line of duty is being fleeced. The law needs to be changed to exclude those disabilities that aren't attributable to military duties. Just because you're injured, on duty or not, doesn't entitle you to a payout.
Active Air Force Idiot
September 24, 2007, 4:55pm (report abuse)That last comment was clearly a fake, but then again they did claime to be in the Air Force, who would claim to be that who is not? You cannot get a disability rating for non-service connected injuries, got back to the Heritage foundation buddy. I can tell the value you place on the military, go fight the wars of empire, just don't expect to the fruits of the labor. Have you even seen the rate tables? NONE is getting rich, and the process of getting your rating is getting even more difficult with all the injuries suffered down range. Give me a break.
judge bill
October 17, 2007, 6:06pm (report abuse)On an Active Duty Air force could come up with an idiot statement that an off duty accident allows him to draw disability pay from the VA. Apparently he has never tried to obtain Veterans disability. The system is hard to beat, and there are penalities for those that try.
Retired Air Force
October 29, 2007, 10:51am (report abuse)I haved been retired from my beloved USAF in 1986 with 30% service connected disability. A year later, in 1987, I was awarded 100% by the VA. As a total and permanent disabled vet, I still am having one hell of the time trying to get any medical services from my beloved VA. So to my "Active Air Force -- A complete 'MORON'", don't get sick and hurt while you are....what goes around come around. By the way, thanks for your services with my beloved USAF.
Joe King
October 29, 2007, 1:16pm (report abuse)How do you get hurt in the Air Force? Fall out of your chair?
Just kidding. I'm Former USMC disabled. Retired AF, VA medical care is different from hospital to hospital. It's pretty good here in St Louis, MO. Think about a move.
Active Air Force... I hope you never get the reality check that you so badly need.
Thank you both for your service and Semper Fi.
Steve Hudson
November 7, 2007, 3:44pm (report abuse)As a veterans counselor, I feel there should be a difference between getting hurt in a combat zone vrs falling off a bar stool (off duty) or getting hurt any other way not in a combat situation. In the 18 years I have been counseling, I have seen my share of weasels getting a service connected disability who should not be. I'm not saying its easy but it happens, more than it should.
incomplete cuadriplegic vet
November 11, 2007, 7:04pm (report abuse)if you are a counselor you should know that there is a special monthly compensation over whatever ting you get to take care of such things. like combat related..
Barry
November 20, 2007, 5:01pm (report abuse)As a Viet Nam Veteran, I am well aware of how hard it is to get disability from the V.A. They make you feel like a weasel, sorry to hear that a counselor feels the same way. I was a helicopter gunship gunner. Seems like I saw a little combat.
Rancid Badger
November 28, 2007, 11:11pm (report abuse)Active AF acts as if he knows the score. He would be better served taking English courses. His lack of proper grammar, punctuation or spelling suggests that his resentment lies in ignorance. I had a small disability coming out of the service. After school I spent 25 years making 100+K a year in Cardiac Surgery. With time and age my military injuries caught up with me. The pain meds make my life palatable but I would much rather be back in surgery. Oh, and the VA takes years to grind out a claim, they are hoping you will die before your claim is approved. So without resources you will spend years in poverty, while your claim is pending.
The Vets coming out of Iraqi are running into the VA bs. The longer it takes to secure a claim the more money is saved, so what if you are blind. A quick read of the Bonus Army and how the Government crushed the movement will inform you to the origins of the VA. Douglas MacArthur ever the self serving a******; broke the heads of fellow WW1 vets.
Rancid Badger
November 28, 2007, 11:13pm (report abuse)A couple of bad apples is seen by the public as a reason for the wholesale condemnation of all Vets. This defamation of character against all Vets really pisses me off. I know of no one who went into the service to make money, including officers. “I command a $1 billion sub and I make 75K a year” hearing this and you know he is only in it for the money. Maybe there is more to being in the service; answering to God and Country maybe...that's too Mayberry, Andy! For the large part the people in the service were outstanding, straight up, salt of the earth, good people.
Rancid Badger
November 28, 2007, 11:16pm (report abuse)As for combat vs. non, it is my understanding that the country has to be at War to claim any injury incurred as a result of service. What about those who were drafted as opposed to those who volunteer; should there be equal treatment? Having a missile fall off the plane you are trying to load, resulting in the loss of a leg; disables you just as much as the same scenario in the Persian Gulf. Everyone and Vets in particular; should learn and adopt the USMC esprit de cour. I am a real loony; I think national service should be mandatory for all citizens. Send those Bush girls to the Suck!
Warren Weldon
December 3, 2007, 2:38pm (report abuse)Don't call the Air FOrce when you are in a pinned down situation to get your PHONY ***es out of it. I think most of you are just a bunch of loser Anti-war f**s commenting on things you don't understand and I DOUBT ANY of you that are dissing the VA has ever even walked into one. THe VA has SAVED my life three times , that is 3 for those of you that can not read. I am a 100% disabled veteran , an AIR FORCE veteran. YOU f**gots. How many pilots spent the rest of the VN war in a hell camp after they were shot down doing even one of you knew what you were talking about then you would thank every USAF PJ for risking thier life to get you injured *ss out of, including dieing themsleves. IF YOU ARE REAL MEN AND NOT THE PHONY BASTARDS YOU ARE THEN YOU WOULD HAVE THE OWN NAME AND NOT SOME PHONY MADE UP INTERNET F*G HANDLE TO HIDE BEHIND. FU
Warren Weldon
December 3, 2007, 2:41pm (report abuse)Active Air Force . You are a p**sy . I will stomp your *ss any where, anytime. You name it queer bait. FU
webmaster
December 3, 2007, 3:35pm (report abuse)A reminder: Comments that are impolite, off-topic, violations of others' rights, or advertisements are likely to be removed. Please refrain from personal attacks and foul language, which do not help site visitors form opinions of this legislation.
Sid Helmer
April 14, 2008, 12:52pm (report abuse)I was in the armored cav in Vietnam, 67 -68 . In the Tet offensive .
Me and and friends owe our lives to you crazy pilots and the whole Air Force for the times when the crazy and courageous gooks {Yeah , I said that } were doing their human wave thing etc. Thank you !
Kenny Anderson
July 18, 2008, 3:09am (report abuse)I am a 100% DAV and it took 14 Years, I was released from the service because of my disability. I dont understand why people say these things about us, we all work as one and when the shooting starts we cover each others butt to stay alive! Why are so many people caught up in this false idea of COMBAT-Zone? If you work 16 hours a day in say the Azores,Islands supporting the mission, was unable to take leave for three years because of undermaning and because of fatigue you fall from the tail of a C-5 during maintenance whats the difference? The mission is the mission regardless of were you are, its takes everyone to accomplish this! The word COMBAT - ZONE is a crock of bull when it comes to a disability!
Tony
July 21, 2008, 8:42am (report abuse)To Rancid Badger. You where a little off when you said "The Vets coming out of Iraqi are running into the VA bs. The longer it takes to secure a claim the more money is saved, so what if you are blind."
All disability payments are retroactive to your EAS, so they aren't saving anything if it's a year or 10.
Charlie
August 18, 2008, 8:20am (report abuse)So as soon as all you "heroes" get through deciding who has the biggest d***, how about getting back on track.
No one gives a rat's *ss about your status here. The question is whether a person drawing VA compensation should be forced to wait for the Congress to vote on his or her COLA each year or, like the Social Security folks, it should be automatic.
Get over yourselves.
M Hudson
August 25, 2008, 12:05am (report abuse)I am a desert storm veteran. While on active duty I became very ill, just after Desert Storm. I ended up with Narcolepsy.
To look at me I am perfectly normal. I'm not. I lost three marriages and was forced to adopt my youngest daughter to my parents becuase I was unable to take care of her.
I filed for disability in 1002, 1993, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2005 and got it in 1007. While waiting I was homeless, could not hold a job, and failed at everything I did.
Mr. Steven Hudson, we may not look like there is anything wrong with us. But you walk around sometime knowing that no matter how talented, how qualifies you are, no one will hire you.
Cost of living increases are out lifeblood. It takes 12 years to get disability - and there is 12 years worth of bills to pay off. I am lucky now, I now own a house and a couple of very old cars. Sometimes I look at you, those that work and make a living and wish.
BIG DAVE
August 25, 2008, 1:08pm (report abuse)I'M 100% SERVICE-CONNECTED PERMANT & TOTALLY DISABLED FOR WHAT EVER LIFE TIME I HAVE. I WOULDN'T MIND A HIGHER COLA THAN A 2.5 OR A 3% LIKE FROM SSDI.MINE WAS COMBAT RELATED BUT YOU ALL DON'T REALLY NEED TO KNOW THAT. THAT LITTLE BIT OF A COLA IS ENOUGH TO GET THE BOYS GAS TO CUT GRASS. IT'S A JOKE.
SGT Kickass
November 1, 2008, 3:24pm (report abuse)If I have a 50% service connected disability rating from the VA, with two children, do I receive COLA? How do I get COLA?
Thank you -
Tim
Dan Fockler
November 23, 2008, 11:41pm (report abuse)I am not a veteran but I was looking on line for info for my brother who is. I was trying to find out about service-connected disability and SSI compensation. My brother served in the USMC and he fought on the frontlines in the battle of Fallujah Iraq. He was shot seven times and lived to show us the scares. He has PTSD really bad and has lost everything in his life because of it. His home, his children, his wife. I do my best to take care of him but I have a family of my own. I am trying to find out if the VA is going to deduct from his service-connected disability pay if I help him apply for SSI or SSID. I don't want to do something that is going to make his life any worse than it already is. Does anyone if this is a good idea.
Dan
December 5, 2008, 3:23pm (report abuse)If your brother can get approved for SSI do it now,...It will not effect his va Comp...It is in addition... Do it now, but...the SS office rates disability differently than the VA. So they may say he is eligible and ok to work regardless of his PTSD. They denied me... Good luck !
Florida tom