Who Should Get A ... "Purple Heart" VOTE FOR TWO

I've been going to the VA Hospital here in wichita for about 2 years now for PTSD/TBI and other stuff (neck and shoulder injury, fragmentation) and I can honestly say that I've never recieved a better level of care. The staff over there is phoenominal and bend backwards to take care of people and work to resolve even the smallest stuff. I know that any issues I might have I can go and be seen without any hassle or worry. The VA here has active outreach to help those vets who need it. I tend to get a little defensive when ihear people slam the VA, They have had thier laundry exposed, but I truly believe that they are turning that around.
My .02

 

I agree, slowly but surely theyre making headway. You can tell a lot of the VA staff love their job and go out of their way to assist vets. What is probably their biggest problem is their bureacracy.

Of course things like this dont help much.

What makes life hardest for the VA is the sympathy an injured vet brings in the media and federal budget cuts. All it takes is 1 vet or a family member to go in front of the cameras, cry, and say what a horrible job the VA is doing. With budgetary issues and the sheer amount of wounded it's unfortunate that these issues occur. However that doesnt excuse the VA from taking as long as they do to process claims and make determinations as well as appropriate referrals.

 

I have a coworker that just received PH status for injuries stemming from Agent Orange in Vietnam he has full blown Parkinson’s the Gov is just now fessing up to the effects of Agent Orange interestingly it was not him that requested it, it was suggested by the VA. An injury is an injury if sustained in combat even if you can’t see it. And yes in belongs to the military alone.

 

I firmly believe that the PH should be military only. I do think that PTSD and traumatic brain injuries should rate the PH but only if the person qualified for a CAR. I don't care how rough or brutal the chow line was - it wasn't that bad.

 

^ I was reading the other day that a lot of people who are fobbits are getting PTSD'd because they cannot deal with getting mortared, or attacked and return fire.

 

I understand that not everyone can be frontline - but unless you actually have a job where you have to gear up and man a post/position then wtf?

 

I agree, but maybe better stress management or range days for the fob guys. something to blow off steam.

 

They get regular hours and all the gym time, xbox, and internet access they can handle... almost takes the deployment out of war. Either way boredom has always been the biggest problem over there.

 

AGREED!!! Though not all "front line" jobs are combat mos's. Especially on a 360 deg battlefield. Although I'm willing to put a HUGE bet on the fact that a large majority of PTSD cases are from "fobbits", or "TOC roaches". And IME most of those cases aren't PTSD at all, they are a "way out" for someone that goes home, gets trashed, does something really stupid...and is looking for a way out of the trouble. Or a way for some quack to just PROVE that "ANYONE CAN GET PTSD". I've seen it. And I've read the FB posts about TOC guys and the "terrible missions" they go on and "all the guys they kill". I've been in a support batt. for my whole time in, I'm a 92F...fueler. Never touched a DROP of fuel. All I've done is PSD and CET, and that's all I've trained for. A lot of guys get this "inferior" complex about being support and stayin' on a fob. I don't, I go out on the road daily. And not just the MSR's. Thing is, all these guys SHOULDN'T get a PTSD PH just cause their girl left them, or they are addicted to something, or they just don't think they're "special" without one. And in turn the PH would be degraded. I don't think the risk of degrading the medal is worth the small % of people to get it trade off. So would we need to "categorize" PTSD...it would have to be accompanied by a CAB/CIB/CMB I would agree.
I also read an interesting report in a book on PTSD that showed physical fitness levels affected the amount of PTSD cases in a unit. The more fit you are, the better you are able to handle the stress/trauma. And one HUGE advantage to being a fobbit is the regular hours and the gym schedule. So they should be a lot less likely to succumb to PTSD.

 

This is going off-track for a moment, but I wonder if the Fobbits that claim it actually have a point in some respects. Let's face it, over here, they have 88M's (truck drivers) manning OP's, as one example. It's not necessarily a job they're trained for, right?

One could make the assumption, then, that they probably don't have adequate training on how to handle combat stress and the like. Does that make them more likely (proportionally) to have issues afterward?

"I planned on running convoys, but instead I was shooting up jingle trucks" might really get to someone.

 

There is no "how to handle death and destruction" training. We are ALL soldiers, we go to the same basic trainings and come from the same posts. We learn different skill sets, and we keep our selves around different people. Sure 11B's get more range time, and some different equipment. Who isn't trained for guard duty??? I've never had a class on it and sat in MANY towers. It's not the job that makes the man basically. We all have the same quarterly training in the Army. If you go out the wire, you go out, and if you don't you don't.

 

I understand and agree w/ most of your post.

However, the above sentence... .I'm pretty sure the mortuary affairs MOS gets training in this - at least according to the few I've run across. Just saying.

Back on topic...

 

Sadly I hate to say the biggest disservice the Army is doing to its soldiers is the 18 month deployments. I am willing to bet that is probably one of the highest contributors to PTSD among anything. The mind can handle that level of stress for just so long. Six months isn't bad, 8 months can get pretty dang old... but 18 months and I would of lost my mind.

 

There are no 18 month deployments. Maybe a Nat Guard or Reserve guy gets mobilized for 18 months but not in theater. We did do 15 month deployments during the surge, but that was a brief time and we all sucked it up.

But to comment on the topic;
As long as it is verified "combat related" and none of this new generation talking about hurt feelings and using PTSD (non combat) as an excuse to get out of shit. Yes if you've seen your classmates or family gunned down in civilian life that is a real cause for PTSD but it seems to be the new ADHD for a lot of our younger troops.

I mean the Army had to start a whole new program (Master Resiliency Training) just to help newer LT's and Soldiers deal with "normal" everyday stress.

 

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Dealing with the VA (VAMCs & VAROs) has gotten a lot better ... but is still the "luck of the draw" ... and your location and who you get as a doctor & etc.

But it is a much better VA than 20 or 30 years ago and during RVN (about 1970) the VA was really bad in some parts of the country. Again, it was the "luck of the draw" in your location and who you got as a doctor.
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BIG time changes in PTSD rules now ... so, based on those very new VA rules ... I would vote no for a PH for PTSD as of the new rule change ... but would continue to vote yes for a PH due to a TBI.

Basically, the new VA rules are ... you do not have to have the "PTSD combat stressor event(s)" listed in your military records anymore.

It is on the "honor system" now and the VA staff therapist just has to believe you and list you as a veteran with PTSD in your VA medical records.

This downside to a VA PTSD diagnosis is starting though ... private sector companies are starting to not hire PTSD veterans due to their company's liability & health insurance carriers.

And some want to look more closely at gun permits & etc. for anyone with an official PTSD diagnosis.
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BINGO!

 

no to PTSD

The thing about PTSD also is that its easy to fake. if you check off enough of the boxs on the test. trouble sleeping- check, nightmares- check ect ect. Then you get your 30-50% disablity and a monthly check. its far to easy to fake for the fobbits.

im not saying its not real ive lost buddies to suicide and some who still struggle with it, myself included. but to a certain extent it simply the price we (combat arms) know we will pay (along with fucked up knees and back).

 

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Here is a different wrinkle for you all to think about on ... Purple Heart vs Disability vs PTSD . . . This happened last week at the VAMC (VA Medical Center)

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Early in the AM at the VAMC ... I am talking to a guy (OIF Veteran #1) who did not have a PH ... his armored vehicles hit IEDs 3 times and he had a TBI, hearing loss and mega PTSD and no PH. I am no shrink, but his PTSD was very obvious.

Veteran #1 was also having difficulty getting his disability rating above 10% because he had no PH to push through his PTSD claim faster & higher (yes, with no PH, this does unofficially happen).

. . . . . . . . . . .

About noon ... I am talking to another guy (OIF Veteran #2) who "calls the VA a good racket" and I am wondering why and ask him.

Veteran #2 got a PH from a minor injury and with that PH ... he also claimed PTSD.

Now, with a PH the VA tends to push your rating for PTSD through faster and to a higher level.

IMHO ... Veteran #2 (with a PH) did not deserve the TDIU 70% rating paid at the 100% rate ... and the Veteran #1 (without a PH) deserved a much higher rating than 10%.

Both these situations made me even more confused on this issue.
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Here are my thoughts...and a little background. I am the son of a career Special Operations guy...he served 35 years in the military and has a ton of ribbons / medals / etc. most of the reasons surrounding which are classified. So, I know the US military and I know what results from combat both physically and emotionally.

I have never served in the military due to a genetic bone disease making me ineligible for service. However, I was a private military contractor supporting various United States government efforts through the Department of Defense, Department of State, and other government agencies. I spent significant time in Iraq all over the country with some very talented and patriotic contractors. I have tons of contractor friends (all ex-military - 90% ex-special operations) who have been injured and / or killed while serving in various combat zones as contractors. Many of whom were very highly decorated while in the US military. The injuries / deaths resulted from everything from IED's to hand-to-hand combat.

So, my thoughts are that I think Purple Hearts should be reserved for those who are either military or civilian contractors directly serving on a US government contract with a US government agency (DOD, DOS, CIA, NSA, etc.) and are physically injured in direct combat activities with "enemy" forces or the implements of "enemy" forces (i.e. IED's). This should include Traumatic Brain Injuries but, should exclude PTSD.

Just my $.02. I have the utmost respect for everyone that has served and I certainly have admiration for those that are impacted by PTSD (including family and friends) but, I don't think it quantifies as a true physical wound from combat and that is what the Purple Heart was originally intended for. I also know that PTSD can be more damaging than a physical wound...but, these are just my thoughts on the subject.

- Mark