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Discussion: H.R. 952, The COMBAT PTSD Act (20 comments ↓ | 7 wiki edits)
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WILLOW
April 13, 2009, 11:40am (report abuse)Why does this bill have an effective date that excludes veterans that have already filed for ptsd compensation and been denied because they could not prove their stressor? What about the Vietnam and Gulf war veterans? My husband was denied because his combat action ribbon was never added to his DD214, an error by the VA. By the time this error was corrected my husband had passed away. He will never receive compensation from the VA and I, as his widow, will never recover from the expenses incurred for his care. ELIMINATE THESE UNJUST EFFECTIVE DATES ON ALL BILLS PERTAINING TO COMPENSATION FOR OUR MEN WHOSE SACRIFICED FOR THIS COUNTRY!
Brett
May 13, 2009, 10:45am (report abuse)Until the Army starts requiring every soldier to document every encounter with the enemy, there is no way to quantify stressors. However, as a combat veteran of 3 differnt theaters, I can tell you the stressors are real. Soldiers should be compensated for ANY disability incurred while on active duty. I am glad to see this getting so much attention. I see PTSD becoming an even larger issue in the future as these wars continue. Future Soldiers of this nation will know nothing but war for many years to come.
Some Soldier's Mom
May 19, 2009, 4:33pm (report abuse)sorry... the VA is becoming an adjunct these days to social security.... people looking for ways to circumvent the system to supplement their income. if you served 40 years ago and you never once ever had a symptom or received treatment for PTSD or any other mental anomaly -- and at age 65 you now want to claim you are disabled by PTSD? not to mention that people can have PTSD for any number of episodes OTHER than combat and the VA should not have to pay for that... it then stresses the VA and causes the problems we have now in getting those with REAL disabilities their treatment and compensation. One serious problem with this whole Combat PTSD Act is that it would require the VA to compensate a veteran just because he/she SAID they had PTSD. enough already.
To Soldiers Mom
May 30, 2009, 9:11am (report abuse)Getting approved for PTSD is not that easy. You MUST have been under the care of a doctor and have a confirmed MILITARY related dignoses. Granted there are those who will try and take advantage of the system but for the sake of those who do have military related PTSD this bill must pass AND IT SHOULD INCLUDE ALL VETERANS WHO WERE DENIED PRIOR BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT PROVE THEIR STRESSOR(S).
Broken
June 7, 2009, 8:26pm (report abuse)If a woman is raped in service by some mothers son and has PTSD, she should be compensated. VA comp is not social security, and is not as easy to obtain as SS. The system is set up to deny the claim in most cases. Maybe after you get to experience your child in a lot of pain and then be told to screw off, your perception might change.
SummerTop
June 9, 2009, 5:47pm (report abuse)I pray this bill passes but must include all veterans who were denied their claims for lack of confirmed stressor. My late husband's DD214 was in error, omitting the combat action ribbon, and it took so long to get the amended 214 that it was too late for him. He died believing the VA didn't care.
Researcher
June 12, 2009, 4:23pm (report abuse)Documenting a combat stressor for PTSD is usually not that difficult. Available historical information (combat unit records)for U.S. conflicts is pretty extensive for research. However, veterans need to take their time in writing up their stressor information, to ensure that they are helping themselves by providing good information to the researchers.
ptsd sufferer
June 18, 2009, 1:40pm (report abuse)This bill was started to help all vetrans. The problem is that to many politians talk about war and have never seen it. Most of them would wet themselves if they did. That is coming from all of the vetrans at the Waco P.T.S.D unit who got this bill moveing
vetwidow
July 13, 2009, 6:23pm (report abuse)FREEDOM isn't FREE
Someone pays for you and me. For those who man the battle line the bugle whispers low,
and freedom has a taste and price the protected never know.
An American soldier may die today protecting our freedom....
It doesn't matter if you think his cause is right or wrong. The ultimate question you must ask yourself is....
"Was I worth his sacrifice?"
"Let me not mourn for the men who have died fighting, but rather let me be glad that such heroes have lived."
Gen George S Patton, 7 Jun
1945
OIF VET
July 18, 2009, 3:32pm (report abuse)The term "combat with the enemy" needs looked at i have had a claim for my PTSD denied basically because my service records did not indicate i was not in a fire fight with an enemy force. There isnt a front line in this war. mortars and IUDs are the means for the enemy, not firefights.
...
July 30, 2009, 9:53am (report abuse)So just how is an intrauterine device going to cause PTSD?
OIF Vet
August 14, 2009, 2:33pm (report abuse)You know he meant IED. Why be that way?
to some soldiers mom
August 18, 2009, 2:58pm (report abuse)YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING? DO YOU THINK THE VA JUST HANDS OUT MONEY? IF A VET IS NOT PROVEN TO HAVE MILITARY RELATED PTSD THEN HE DOESN'T GET COMP, PERIOD.
AS FOR GETTING IT YEARS LATER, THEY DON'T! THEY ALWAYS HAVE IT, SOMETIMES IT JUST TAKES YEARS FOR IT TO PEAK THUS RENDERING THEM DISABLED.
YOU ARE AN IDIOT!
vet widow
August 24, 2009, 11:20am (report abuse)Fw: Secretary Shinseki Moves to Simplify PTSD Compensation Rules - Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
YEA!
http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1751
potangent
August 25, 2009, 5:42pm (report abuse)I was in combat and had numerous documented stressors back in the late 60's. I had "PTSD" but did not want anything on my record that would make me appear to be mentally ill. I had a trade before being drafted and needed to feed four kids and a wife. I continued to work just like when I continued to fight. There were legal interuptions from some jail and prison terms yet my income remained higher than had I chosen service connected disability as a way to survive financially. When my kids grew up, I no longer needed as large an income. I had paid into SS for 35 years just like everyone else. I finally decided to claim what was legally mine. I now draw 100% VA disability and 100% SS disability[that I paid cash money into from age 14.
I like drawing $60,000 tax free dollars every year for fishing and earned every penny of it and more.
The Army starved my wife and first child when I was drafted.THEY CAN'T OVERPAY ME!
1962superfly
August 30, 2009, 8:26pm (report abuse)Potangent, AMEN brother what I say is pass the God Damn Bill, and take care of our troops. Our Government wanted you there to fight loose your life or get crippled or even PTSD this is all PDST in my eyes so the way I see it is the Government owes you every penny they promised you when you signed up. as for the spouse of a fallen vet. she/he needs to be paid in full and then some.
aj rodriguez
September 27, 2009, 4:20pm (report abuse)my husband suffers from PTSD, the nightmares have put a strain on our marriage. He takes 3 different types of pills just to be able to sleep at night. He has changed into someone I do not know. He goes to counseling once a week. He has been diagnosed with Diabetes and hearing loss dating back to Nam.
We as veterans, yes i consider myself among the vets as I stayed beside him for the 20 years he served his county, need to stand up for what is right. How can a country that gives people money when they have never worked in their lives deny someone who has fought for this country. Do away with the so called social programs that reward people for doing nothing and give that money to the people who are living with this nightmare called PTSD. Congress needs to pass H.R. 952 soon and stop playing around with people's lives. It is not enough that our soldier fought for this country and now they have to fight the VA to get what they are entitled too. Shame on this government.
sewboard
October 21, 2009, 11:03am (report abuse)As a divorced/abused person from a "combat vet" I also am a vet. I was counseled as a spouse of a "PTSD VET" at a vet center and found to have my own PTSD by three other events all connected to service time. Sent for VA treatment and by the time someone offered that I apply for sc PTSD it was over 20 years after the event. I fought over 10 years for a sc and ended up with a two year back dated effected date not even back to the first filed date! There was a document asking to date back to date of trauma that was filled out send in and vanished. I filed for wrong effective date, as well as diagnosis vrs extreme depression as my PTSD is not combat related. HR 952 is long overdue, as is my effective date and proper sc termage of disability. The horror I live with due to my event in service keeps me from addressing my health, and fighting for my benifits. Where are the advocates, for us who are unable to stand up and fight for ourselves?
The Corky
November 26, 2009, 6:46pm (report abuse)Poor thing. Why don't you see if you can find someone who cares? Just another scammer looking to screw someone out of some free money.
Jason B
November 27, 2009, 1:27am (report abuse)Over my lifetime I have worked with a lot of folks who have reason to complain – the unemployed, the homeless, folks on welfare, terminally ill patients in a hospice. And not one of these groups has the intensity of whining that a bunch of veterans can generate. I really suspect that the veterans whine can be heard in outer space. It is that loud. Why don’t all of you moaning assholes take a break and go crawl in a hole someplace. Give the rest of us some time to recuperate from your constant pissing and moaning.