Chart showing causes of disability benefits

I work at the VA regional office in St Petersburg Florida. I truly believe if taxpayers knew what veterans received disability pay for that would be appalled. I am sure most people when they hear the term disabled veteran they envision and individual who has lost a limb in combat or someone who has actually engaged in combat. If they only knew that disabilities veterans received compensation don't have to having to do with their military service. A woman who has a hysterectomy in service is automatically 50% disabled buy the VA!!! If an obese veteran has sleep apnea that began in service and has a CPAP machine they are 50% disabled.

What other job can you retire form after years of service, receive retired pay and then start receiving disability pay for age related disabilities?

I had a classic claim recently in which a man who retired from the military in 1970 and went to law school after service on the GI Bill. He became and administrative law judge for social security and worked for Social Security for over 25 years. He submitted a claim, at the age of 72,that he was totally disabled and unable to work due to injuries incurred in a jeep accident in 1961 while he was in the service!!! 1961!! and he was granted 100% disability by VA! This man knew how work the system and had doctor's say that he had injuries from this accident forty years ealier even that caused him to be too disabled to work- though he continued on in the military, went to law school and worked over 25 years as a judge!! the fact was the man was old and had age related arthritis. and now he gets military retired pay, 100 disability compensation pay of over $3000.00 a month tax free is exempt from paying property taxes becuase he is a now a 100% disabled vet, he gets social security and retired pay from his job as a judge!! how do you like where you tax dollars are going!

And the sad thing is this is not that unusal of case..

This is an extremely unfair way to show the public how much money a veteran receives due to disability.
Just to clear it up a little, I am going to break your disability chart down a bit to show a truer calculation.
0-10% disability - 14,750 vets for $12.9 million (that is only $874.58 a year or $72.88 a month)
10-20% disability – 775,854 vets for $1 billion (that is $1288.90 a year or $107.40 a month)
And of course as the disability percentage increases so does the pay per veteran.
And while it is true that 100% disabled veterans receive tax exemptions on some purchases (cars and homes for example), ONLY 100% disabled veterans receive those kinds of benefits. 99.9% or less do not.
I am appalled to see this kind of an article circulating. Our veterans have bravely served this country in war and peacetime. They are willing to sacrifice their lives to this country. The husbands, wives, and children of these brave veterans are left at home for years on end not knowing if they will ever see their loved one again. This is the price of FREEDOM.
Personally, my husband (33 years old) suffered a massive heart attack. If he had been receiving proper medical attention, he probably would not currently have Congestive Heart Failure, a pacemaker, and a defibrillator. His life has been drastically shortened. He will never work another day in his life because of his disabilities, since his heart cannot endure a days’ work. My 33 year old husband has the heart of a 98 year old woman. He can no longer play with our 4 young children the way they expect a young daddy to. He may not be able to give any of our 4 daughters away at their weddings. He will probably not get to hold his grandchildren in his arms. And I will probably be a widow before my last child graduates High School.
There is no reason to try to take benefits from our veterans. Why doesn’t someone push for better medical care for our active duty military members? Perhaps that will decrease the number of veterans who are disabled.
As for the Judge who got his 100%, I agree, that is ridiculous. The VA system is flawed. But the biggest flaw is the time it takes to get benefits to those who TRULY need it.

Are all of these disabilities caused by war or are they simply veterans who have been disabled by any cause? It will be very interesting to hear what the deal is.

The simple answer is "No, not all disabilities are caused by injuries received in combat". The complex answer is "Yes, they are all war related". The changes we have been forced make to the gear we wear in order to defend against modern weapons, to include chemical weapons, has resulted in the average weight of gear worn and carried in combat and training to exceed 75-100 lbs. The mental stress levels have changed considerably as well as we have been forced to fight insurgencies rather than conventional armies like we have trained for throughout our careers. Not being able to differentiate the enemy from the non-combatant local national for instance. So let us discuss a comparison that was shared with me by a VA rep. when I refused to accept compensation after being injured in Iraq. The amount of physical stress that is introduced to a soldier's body, whether during training "for war" or during actual combat, on a regular basis is equal to or greater than that of a professional athlete. A professional football player has an expected average career peak of 4-8 years before those stresses take their toll on the body and end the athlete’s career. The difference is the athlete receives millions during that time frame and the soldier, well we all know how under paid we are. Now add in the mental stresses that the soldier faces and you have someone that is not “100%” the person they would be if they hadn’t, oh, lets say, fought for the freedoms of jerks like the one that wrote the article leading to this discussion. There are rare cases, I’m sure, where the system is abused. But then let’s not forget how much congress abuses the system, and that’s across the board. And there are some who are injured that have desk jobs, but they still put their life on the line when deployed as well, and they don’t have things like “Worker’s Compensation.” The fact of the matter is that military personnel put their lives on the line and die every day to insure all have the rights and freedoms that they enjoy. And inevitably, some will take those freedoms for granted and use them to express their selfish opinions at the expense of those in uniform. The system isn’t perfect; I challenge you to find one that is. But for the most part it is taking care of those who give more than most, and some who give all, for the freedoms that they enjoy. It still amazes me that it’s those who give nothing, with the exception of a few taxes, that abuse and take advantage of our freedoms. God Bless. A Disabled Iraq Veteran, Currently Serving In Afghanistan

Hey VA Representative,

How dare you? You pompus ass. Give me your name and I will have your job tomorrow! Maybe this evening. This is why we get such poor care because of stupid people jealous over broken bodies. Hey, I know the name of a good recruiter. Want to join? You can bust up your back, knees, hearing, vision or any other organ the military wants to abuse.

Get your facts straight soldiers do not get 50% for a hysterectomy, its 30% unless you all your female organs are removed. So, try to read a little closer. Oh by the way, us lucky military people get seen by the lowest bidder. It's our way. Sacrifice. Sacrifice. BTW. My surgery didn't go so hot. I can tell you that no one walks into the VA Medical Examiner Office and walks out with your imagined 3,000 monthly VA disability. The doctor isn't giving out those ratings easily so he has to force your body into a position that leaves you gritting your teeth in pain so he can get the desired results (o%) he does it. My body is beat to crap. I've got 30 plus years of service spent lugging equipment to heavy to imagine, running in combat boots for miles through shin splint, blister, pulled muscles, etc, forced marches, experimental vacinations for countries most people wouldn't put on their vacation list, and did I mention the lowest bidder health care? How about the PT test? Everyone loves a good PT test with forced timed standard situps known best for...pulling out BACKS!!!! WOW, can you believe military personnel who do the forced test as well as forced training for years on end have bad backs. Color me surprised. First, I get to see a different doctor every visit one who doesn't know me and on several occassions this has been an issue. I can't just be referred to a specialist for services like a civilian; I get to wait patiently sometimes for months as Tricare determines whether I can see someone on the outside. Then most of them won't except our insurance cuase he doesn't pay will or on time. Low Bidder. How about my heart problem which the military kept saying "was my wonderful runners heart". God, I wouldn't want a young Capt (one of several) with maybe a whole year in the military right out of medical school with no experience to ask anyone or refer me to someone with experience. Better they say "Wow you must run alot!" They forget to check my records and see my ruined back which clearly precludes long runs or even walks with my grandchildren in my future. So much to say so little time.

Besides my carpal tunnel is acting up. Go ahead and send me your name. You a crummy federal employee. You are breaking many, many rules. I'm gonna send this e-mail blog to St Pete VA so they find you.

Have a nice life.

I agree with the gentleman about you being a crappy federal empolyee. No one has the nerve to judge a veteran on issues that my impact his or her life. I'm a proud veteran who recieves disability. This is a just small token to make up for the pay difference most military member suffer throughout their career. You should be severely repremanded for your comment and fired. Unless your in somone elses shoes, do not pass judgement on something you know little about.

My husband suffered the same exact fate (heart trouble)while serving a tour. You wouldn't believe how terribly he's been treated and how delayed his treatment has been. This has been very recent and I've not so much as HEARD from my husband or his doctors for nearly a week. i don't even have a clue where they are. I honestly couldn't tell you whether or not he's alive or dead. One thing was made very clear to me however. Because I live in military housing, there is a very good chance that I will have to pay out of pocket to move my family, my sick husband and my belongings across country with no money housing or job prospects. All because he's no longer an able-bodied Soldier. We will no longer be welcome to live in our home even though we pay for it monthly. When my family is living on the street I'll take the words of the critics on this forum to heart. God Bless America.

The sad thing is that you and people like you create the hate and discontent that disabled Vets feel for the VA system in general. You are obviously part of the problem that is always associated with veteran's medical care. After 20 years in the Navy, I would gladly trade the measely $230 dollars (which is taken out of my retirement pay, by the way), that I get each month for joints that don't hurt every minute of every day. I would love to be able to pick up my son or work in my back yard. You might just want to think about the sacrifice that this country's Vets have made before you make yourself look like an ass in a public forum.

- David Moore USN(ret)

This comment goes to the sorry individual who claims to work for the VA in St Petersburg, FL; It's pretty clear that you're an uneducated ignoramous; probably a Democrat. You can't spell, your grammar sucks, and your biased demeanor makes it intuitively obvious you NEVER served in the military! You're one of those gutless ice-heads that contributes nothing above the minimum but bitches the loudest when it looks like someone might get more than you. You enjoy getting people worked up by embelishing the truth and exagerating insignificant factoids. Personally, I don't believe your "Disabled Judge story" to be true. If it is, it's probably inaccurate. So he retired in 1970 (a minimum of 20 years active duty), went to lawschool ( at least 3 years of hard study) on the GI bill... WHICH HE EARNED! Then worked for another 25 years. Sounds like he was a very productive individual ALL his life. You attempt to make it out like he coerced some VA Doc into Santa Clausing him 100% disability in a half hour visit to the clinic. Let's be clear about this - NOBODY does this - it can't be done. ALL Vets who've endured the VA disability claims process know this to be true. You are poked, proded, and tortured physically, mentally and every other way. Because the Government/VA is dead set on proving that YOU ARE NOT ELIGIBLE for what little pitence you might get when it's over. The VA disability process takes months, sometimes years to run it's course and in the end, you get less than what you hope for and more often than not; it's nothing. It's easier to qualify for Welfare and much less hassle. It's assholes like you in the VA system that make Vets feel cheap, like we are trying to get something for nothing. You ever been shot at by an enemy you can't see? You ever been woke up at 2 am so you could run in terror in the dark to try to find a bunker because your compound is under mortar attack? You ever had to sit pondering how long it might take you to die if the enemy actually uses a Chemical or Biological Weapon? You ever lost 6 brothers in one day? Someone should kick your ass and I'm pretty sure that 72 year old "disabled" Vet would be happy to do it. You whining little bastard! You're just pissed because you feel like someone other than you got a good deal. It probably never occurs to you they deserve it because they EARNED IT!!!

Randy Koontz, SMSgt USAF
WMD Specialist, Crew Chief, Flight Engineer
Iranian Crisis/Persian Gulf Vet, 1980
Gulf War/Iraqi Campaign Vet, 1990
Iraq War/Kirkuk/Balad Vet, 2003
Afghanistan/Baghram Vet, 2005
Proud US MILITARY VETERAN, 31 years, 3 months and still serving.

I SERVED IN THE MILITARY AND VETERANS DESERVE ALL THE BENEFITS AVAILABLE AND MORE.
THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS IS DOING ITS BEST BUT IT IS NOT ENOUGH.

JUST A LITTLE SOMETHING ON ALL RETIRED VETS.....YOU DESERVE THE BEST AND EVERYTHING IN THIS WORLD SHOULD BE AT YOUR FEET.....SERVING YOUR COUNTRY GOING TO WAR....FIGHTING FOR YOUR LIFE....I AM SO THANKFUL TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU WHO STILL STAND PROUD!!!....WOOAHH!
MY EX HUSBAND WHO I AM STILL WITH RECENTLY RETIRED 1ST FEB 2008 SERVED HIS COUNTRY FOR 22 YRS WITH 2 TOUR IN IRAQ....WAS TOLD HE HAD COLON CANCER AT THE AGE OF 39....IT WASNT FUN TO WATCH HIM GO THROUGH CHEMO,RADIANTION,2 SURGERY,THEN MORE CHEMO....AND STILL
WE FOUGHT TO GET HIM 100% VA....AND HE DID AFTER 6 MONTHS OF BEING RETIRED.....SO PLEASE FIGHT FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE AND DONT GIVE UP...NOT ALL VA WORKER LIKE LIKE SHIT HEAD IS F-UP!!!!1

NOT BEING AMERICAN MYSELF (CANADIAN)I WISH I COULD TAKE ALL SOLDIERS BACK HOME AND SAVE THEM.....I PRAY FOR YOU AND ALWAYS....

YOU ARE MY HERO EACH AND EVERYONE WHO SERVED AND STILL SERVE THIS MESS-UP COUNTRY!

GOD BLESS
FROM A LOVING NURSE WHO RECEIVED 2 MOLLY PITCHER AWARDS!
FOR THOSE WHO KNOW MOLLY PITCHER WILL KNOW WHAT IM TALKING BOUT.

KEEP YOUR HEAD UP AND NEVER GIVE UP

Tax payers should be appalled that the VA has provided a job for you to service our veterans. You obviously don't get it. Go to a third world country and work thier VA system and see if you get better results....and don't bother coming back! You talk like you have all the facts and make this broad generalization. Sounds like a Democrat to me.
Maybe you'll get your wish and the President to be will cut your job out and you can go to work for planned parenthood. Do us all a favor and leave the VA.
For all fellow vets God bless and keep fighting these idots.

Hey, you guy's have already set this f--l straight! However, I am a democrat and tax payer and even I can see that this person is an a-hole of large proportion. He and everyone like him should be fired. We are tax payers! May God bless all of our veterans and current service members especically those in harms way and ther families.I pray that God will also bless President Bush and president (elect)Obama. To our confussed friend. Freedom isn't free and the price isn't cheap and its those veterans and their families that you disgace by your remarks, that pay a large part of that price!

There are always those fakers who suck up tax dollars. but there are those in the civilian world too. Look at the welfare rate. You dont hear anyone harping about too much welfare being doled out to nonworking people who have 17 kids living in a slum with their kids starving and not attending school, but the mother is driving a brand new Cadillac...noo....we hear about, 'horrible soldiers sucking up tax dollars'...im a retired but unemployed service member who is waiting on his disability claim to come through. i am still seeking work because im no lazy goldbrick. however in this economy, work is hard to find and i have been denied unemployment. sad to say this but im broke. the VA has also denied me the travel pay to drive the 50 some odd miles to the nearest VA hospital, because, according to them, ' my income is too high'. i am broke. past due on many bills, waiting for the system i fought for to help me...i have no income, but i cant even get a little help for gas money. these are examples of how us ' money sucking vets' are leeching off the system, you st petersburg VA boob!

The Oath with Pride for the United States of America

The Oath of Enlistment (for enlistees):

"I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

The Oath of Office (for officers):

"I, _____ (SSAN), having been appointed an officer in the Army of the United States, as indicated above in the grade of _____ do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance tot he same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter; So help me God."

you only get paid for disabilities that are service connected

age related disabilities also have to show just cause that a condition was either caused or agrivated on active duty

I do not recall him saying anything about veterans should not get appropriate medical care or paid for "actual injuries related to the job" but seriously, are you going to all sit there and try to say sleep apnea and hemmoroids are job related or were aggravated by serving in the military? Same with pre-existing conditions? Get real! If it is a legitimate injury directly job related, it should be covered exactly the same as the rest of us here in the real world, a one time payment for the injury, not money for life. Go ahead with your speech about serving the country, but many people serve this country every day as school teachers, nurses, etc. etc. that may have a health problem with their knees later on from being on their feet all day and they do not get benefits for life due to normal human being wear and tear! I know several vets that are getting substantial benefits every month that are jamming up the system with their B.S. claims when other vets with actual duty involved injuries can not even get seen.

You sound a little jealous, have you served your country? Who are you to judge these people's "disabilities"? I was jerked around by the military for 11 years regarding my medical problems after several deployments to remote locations where I was routinely exposed to parasites, infectious diseases, radiation and other environmental contaminants simply for doing my job. Even here at home, I was exposed to highly toxic chemicals as part of a normal duty day. I have been rated at 70% disabled and I'm a 32 year old female. It's nice to get that rating, but I can't live off of that money and I'm having a hard time finding work because of my problems. No I didn't lose a limb, but I suffer incapacitating neurological problems due to my exposures. So, before you get people all riled up, maybe you should look at it from both sides. People like you shouldn't work for the VA, it's probably the reason that the VA is in such a shambles...You can hardly put an intelligent sentence together, yet you're working on service members' cases? Nice. You're an ignorant, poorly-educated civilian and should have NOTHING to do with the VA. Disgusting.

Jealous, no! Realistic, yes! As far as serving this country, not that it really matters in the comment, but yes I have served it for many years. The whole point of the comment was, if you have an injury or disability directly related to your "Job" in the military, you and everybody else should be compensated the same amount and the same way as everyone else in this country is for a "Job" related injury. After all, it is still voluntary service isn't it? Many of us are exposed to dangerous things daily depending on our jobs. If that job directly causes you harm, you should be compensated the same way as anyone else. The current system of compensation and what qualifies for the VA and the rest of this country are not even close to the same. If you do not believe me look at the percentages of vets versus civilians that are collecting disability pay for sleep apnea or hemorhoids. Your saying look at it from both sides, well, if it was an equal system how much more could you want? Being in the military does not make you "entitled" to special treatment. As I said before, many people serve this country in all types of different ways daily and not just in the military. As far as your comments about me working for the VA, lack of education, and all that other wonderful stuff, you could not be more incorrect. I do, however, hope the best for you!

I guess I dont have to say anything now since everyone else found better words than me but this typical type of liberal trash still pisses me off. I just want you to know that I'm keepin you in my prayers for something really rotten to happen to you.

14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America

Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Section 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

Section 3. No one shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

Section 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

My uncle served in WWII as a gunner on a battleship. He does have sleep apnea thanks to a ENT(ear,nose and throat) Doc that left so much scar tissue from a surgury to help him hear after repeated exposure to 8 inch gunfire. My dad was a Korean War vet and he had hemorhoids from sitting on a cold steel seat in a tank for days at a time, God rest his soul. A tank he happened to get blown out of after it ran over an anitank mine. Im a vet too. A disabled vet thats had 3 reconstructions of the same knee. The first reconstruction was done at the Navy Hospital on Guam by the way. A vet that cant run and play with my 9 year old son like I always dreamed of doing. I still try and play with him as much as I can. At 37 years old Im going to have to have total knee replacement. One last thing..........for the record, my uncle, father, and I myself would do it all over again. WE are vets.

Everyone deserves their opinion.........many of us fought and served to keep it that way. No matter how misguided that opinion may be.

As Americans we are all supposed to be guaranteed the same protection of the laws, and yes that includes the disability laws. It appears that many people seem to think that service in the military is much more important to this country than the man or woman who works in a coal mine and has lifelong medical problems from it, or the firefighter that is injured on the job, or the nurse that has to see people dying on the terminal floor from terrible diseases every day then becomes terminal herself from an accidental needle stick. I could give examples forever, but the simple fact of the matter is that we are all Americans and according to our own laws we are all entitled to the same protections. What that simply means is we should have the same set of rules (eligibility, payments, everything) for everybody whether they are veterans or not. A directly job related injury should be covered exactly the same whether it was in the military or in a civilian job. Currently that is not even close to the reality in this country. Everyone serves this country one way or the other by doing their job. If that person wasn't working in that coal mine you probably would not have power, if that firefighter wasn't there who would you call for help, if the nurse wasn't there who would take care of the sick and injured? Again, I could go on forever, but everyone who works in this country is serving it one way or the other. As far as everyone fighting and serving so people can have their own opinions (even if some think they are misguided), does that mean you and your family were not also fighting for the American Constitution and equal treatment of all Americans? I know myself and many others have fought for that over the years and would again, because we are not just "VETS", we are Americans. We all have many bad stories of terrible things that have happened to us, our families, or our friends and dreams that unfortunately do not come true. But remember, without a country and all those citizens, you wouldn't have any military. Many countries have survived without militaries, but not without their citizens. I do, however, also hope the best for you.

You sound like a bleading heart Liberal that failed to realized that with every career field or occupation you mentioned above............If you dont like your job "YOU CAN QUIT" and a G.I. provided this protection you speak of. A G.I. doesnt have that luxury........try to quit and you get a nice long vacation at Fort Leavenworth, on top of letting your brothers and sisters next to you down. Which would be worse than the prison sentence.

Look you have your point of view.......but if you work for the Vetrans Administration, I and many others would feel much better if you would persue another career path. Ive met people like you.....you feel like you have been slighted in some way, for whatever reason. You shout your beliefs from the rooftops because you believe you are "right". Those that shout the loudest are normally the first to p*ss their pants when it hits the fan.

Have you ever heard a bullet go by your head when you dont know the direction it came from? Ever had a woman and a child beg for something to eat, or a safe place to sleep, or invite you into their home because they dont have to live in fear anymore? For that matter have you ever even been off U.S. soil?! Im not buyin what your sellin.

It is odd to me that several people posting on here want to tell personal stories and ask about what one particular person has experienced versus another, but not address the real issue of equality for all Americans. Comments like, "Have you ever heard a bullet go by your head when you dont know the direction it came from? Ever had a woman and a child beg for something to eat, or a safe place to sleep, or invite you into their home because they dont have to live in fear anymore? For that matter have you ever even been off U.S. soil?" First of all, the largest majority of American service men and women have never had most of those things happen to them either. The majority do not work in areas where they are exposed to things like those regularly and we all know it. Just like most American citizens are not exposed to those type surroundings either. Unfortunately, some people like law enforcement personnel and child protection workers, for example, are exposed to many of the same things you mentioned on a regular basis right here in the good old U.S.A. and they do not have to be off U.S. soil to see those things. I suppose I could ask if you have ever ran into a burning building to try to save someone's life or spent any time working at a homeless shelter, but that is not the point. Personally, I know the U.S. military has lots of hero's, but so does the United States country as a whole. Just look at the citizen response at the World Trade Center on 9-11. That has never been the focus of this thread from the start though, the focus has been "DISABILITY." My point is and always has been, that every U.S. citizen should be entitled to the same protections when it comes to disability whether they are a veteran or not. Are you saying that all those citizen hero's that responded to the World Trade Center and are having all types of health problems from it should not be given the same protection of the disability laws as a veteran? Then we have the whole issue of, "YOU CAN QUIT!" Well, so can you, just don't re-enlist. It is still voluntary service and has been for many years now. Are you trying to tell me you thought you were just going to hang around a base all the time and never see anything possibly dangerous or bad when you enlisted? That is like me taking a job as a cook, but never thinking I am going to have to be in the kitchen. Did you voluntarily sign up with your eyes open or your eyes shut? If you are just into serving your country, their are several different ways you can do that right here in this country. You also act as if the average American is so wealthy that if they have a dangerous job or a job they do not like, they can just quit at any time. Most people can not, until they find something else to pay the bills and it is not nearly as easy as you portray it to be either. Now that we have all those issues addressed, the answer to ALL of your questions is "YES!" I have seen much more than most and never "p*ssed my pants" as you phrased it, but again, that is not the point. Finally, your comment that a G.I. provided the protections that I speak of. Yes, many veterans have sacrificed and so have many every day Americans. I appreciate them all and every American who have served this country whether as a construction worker building a hydro-electric plant,an infantry soldier, or any other job in this country. It is not just veterans that have provided those freedoms, we all have. If you didn't have the citizens and the infrastructure, you would not have or need the military. All Americans should be given equal treatment when it comes to disability laws like the Constitution states, it is that simple. I guess if I sound like a bleeding heart liberal then so be it, but I happen to think I sound like someone who believes in what America is supposed to stand for.

this is crap...go put your life on the line for your fellowmen then be qualified to say when will yu va people understand who is being served and shud be serving now!!!!!!!!! yes i hav anger issues etc. etc. if yu only knew. better yet, give up yor pay and work in a nursing home for 5 an hr! or end up with poisoning from shots dental materials, uranium, elecronic radiation, in chemical warfare, and nuclear activity and god knows what losing yor only pregnancy having an emergency hysterectomy age 23. yah. judge on.

Again, everyone seems to keep going back to personal stories, but nobody seems to want to address the issue of why it is not equal protection of the laws for everyone like the Constitution states. Why is that? They either need to change the disability system for the U.S. as a whole to be equal with the V/A disability system or they need to change the V/A system to be equal with the rest of the country. If the injuries can be directly related or proven to be job related, then they should be paid the same. It is also odd that nobody on here seems to want to say that a cop, a nurse, a teacher, the hero's from 9-11, and others should not be entitled to the same benefits as a veteran is when it comes to disability pay. Why is that? Because everyone knows that would not be a popular thing to say and nobody likes to address the unpopular issues. That is why V/A disability is always an unpopular issue to address. I do not see where anyone has said veterans should not get benefits for proven injuries, most of the comments are based on having equality for all American citizens. What is wrong with that? Isn't that one of the principles this country stands for?

Answer this now...HAVE YOU EVER SERVED IN THE ARMED FORCES? That doesnt include washing out of basic training.

You dont want to admit this but what vets see in the field and are injured from, IS NOT EQUAL to what a cop, fireman, nurse (my wifes a nurse) or teacher see, or are put in harms way because of.

Also, families of 9/11 victims (which I 100% agree with) received million dollar settlements from the government along with pensions and grants for dependants higher education needs. Notice I said GRANTS. By your way of thinking they shouldnt get any of this unless you get something for free too. However, dont think for a second that there wasnt a price for what they get, and dont think they wouldnt rather have their loved ones rather than the settlement.

Your showing your own ignorance. Educate yourself.

Teachers, cops, nurses, and firemen dont recieve experimental medications and vaccines. They arent exposed to radiation, drug dealers do not deploy NBC weapons on police, and they most certainly are not fired upon like combat VETs have been. BTW....if you dont know what NBC stands for look it up.

IT IS NOT EQUAL, civilian citizens no matter the career, DO NOT face anywhere near the same level of peril that the armed forces face. Again "IF" you have been in the armed forces tell us all what branch of service and unit(s)you were with. Thats normally something to be proud of. If you havent, quit showing your ignorance, and admit that because of brave men and women of the armed forces you get to squawk and crow from the tallest tree about what you believe. Beliefs which it seems you have never made a single sacrifice to keep or get.

Myself.......USAF, SSgt,
Andersen AFB Guam, 644th Combat Communications Squadron
WPAFB OH, 88th ABW, 88th CG
Kunsan AB Korea
Incirlik AB, Turkey "THE LICK"
Keesler AFB MS
Hickam AFB HI
Shepperd AFB TX
Basrah, Iraq
How bout you?

Wow, I am certainly glad that you think you know what cops, firefighters, teachers, and apparently everyone else in this country is exposed to in their jobs on a daily basis and all the dangers associated with them. You must be really busy! Again, many of the same old arguments, but we will go over it again. Your statement: "You dont want to admit this but what vets see in the field and are injured from, IS NOT EQUAL to what a cop, fireman, nurse (my wifes a nurse) or teacher see, or are put in harms way because of." How do you know that and what are you basing that opinion on? Are you trying to tell us that all vets are exposed to the same things? Does a seamen working in the kitchen of a ship see the same thing as a Marine on the ground in Iraq? Should they be entitled to the same disability benefits if they both get injured? According to what your saying people should be given disability benefits according to what you see and are injured from. What is worse? Maybe that Marine gets hit by some shrapnel but not significant injuries, but that seamen gets 3rd degree burns over 50% of his body from a grease fire. Obviously the Marine has probably "seen" more, but the cook has way more serious injuries. So who decides what is more important and what disability rating they get? You, because you think your that smart? Similar scenario, Army medics rushing to treat a wounded soldier in Iraq and an ambulance crew rushing to help a mother smashed in a car accident, they both wreck and are seriously injured. Were they not both serving the good of this country? So again, please educate me and make me understand why the system should be any different for the citizens of this country than the service men and women. Your statement does not hold water. Your statement again: "They arent exposed to radiation, drug dealers do not deploy NBC weapons on police, and they most certainly are not fired upon like combat VETs have been. BTW....if you dont know what NBC stands for look it up." Thanks for the advice on if I do not know what NBC stands for to look it up, because at first I thought maybe you meant a television station, whew you saved me. So have you ever unexpectedly walked into a "crack house" or a "meth lab?" Try it some time and let us all know if "drug dealers do not deploy NBC weapons on police." That is if you make it out alive. Oh, and by the way, don't forget all the booby traps they often like to set either. I could just as easily ask if you have ever been exposed to coal dust, insecticides, spraying for mosquitos, a chemical leak from a train, etc. etc. Everyone encounters dangers in different ways and at different times. Many vaccinations and medications have been and are still considered experimental. I thought for you being so educated you may have noticed all the drug recalls. Regarding your comment about the "9/11 victims." I don't even know how to respond, because I have never even addressed anything regarding the 9/11 victims. I have only addressed the 9/11 hero's. Of course all the victims and families of that day are heroes and entitled to everything that can be done for them. However, the hero's I have referred to and that you obviously did not understand are all the citizens that responded during the attack to help out any way they could at the crash sites. Many citizens responded and have had significant health problems since that day. They may have been stock brokers, construction workers, truck drivers, or anything else but they did what they could. I thought since you were educating me you would have known that? So, according to your theory they should not be entitled to equal protection of the laws and an equal disability system either right? I mean, heck, how much could they have seen in life, right? My favorite: "Your showing your own ignorance. Educate yourself." Thanks for that advice and good luck with it. As for my resume, it has been said before, I am an American and that is all I need to say. When your an American you are supposed to fight for what is right. You may want to check your history, but it was actually citizen armies that gave us that right. Equality does not come easy!