They weren't super clear in the email. I don't have doctors stuff yet, just my military med record - is this basically just a meeting to find out what I need to do next?

Not trying to get political. Please don't make this political. I'm currently medical retiring. On terminal leave. 100% purposed VA ratings. My dumb@$$ got a Master's before enlisting and no loan repayment. Sitting on around $100k student debt. Multiple "barracks lawyers" have told me if getting 100% disability you can get student debt forgiven. I've looked into it and all I've found is suggestions to call your loan servicer and see.

Is student debt forgiveness for 100% disabled veterans a thing? And does anyone have any info on it?

If you need help or are thinking about ending your life, Please reach out to someone in your life or comment on this post. We are here to support you.

Call 988 National Suicide Hotline - Press 1 for VA Crisis Line

Suicide and Mental Health Resources A comprehensive list of resources can be found here.

Veteran's Crisis Information

You can call 1800 273 8255, Press 1 or text 838255

https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/MENTALHEALTH/get-help/index.asp

1-877-927-8387 Open 24/7 VA Vet Centers offer counseling Vet Centers are local, community-based confidential counseling centers that support war Veterans, active-duty Servicemembers, and military family members with post-deployment readjustment services. The goal of every Vet Center is to provide a broad range of counseling, outreach, referral, and assessment services, collectively called readjustment counseling services, to facilitate high-quality post-war readjustment and reintegration. Readjustment counseling services at a Vet Center allow war Veterans a satisfying post-war readjustment to civilian life and provide active-duty Servicemembers a confidential resource for post-war assistance. Military families also receive no-cost marriage and family therapy and supportive services for military-related issues. Vet Centers provide bereavement counseling to surviving parents, spouses, partners, children, and siblings of Servicemembers, which include federally activated Reserve and National Guard personnel, who die of any cause while on military active-duty. Vet Centers provide confidential military sexual trauma counseling to all military Veterans and active-duty Servicemembers, to include federally activated Reserve and National Guard personnel, no matter their duty location, era of service, or whether the trauma incident was reported to authorities.

Veteran Wellness Allegiance can offer Peer Counseling and assistance

Military One Source - 1-800-342-9647

Please seek help if needed...There are behavioral health resources at your disposal both in the Military and out.

non VA treatment program for PTSD:

https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5852

Vets4Warriors 1-855-838-8255

Veterans in acute suicidal crisis are able to go to any VA or non-VA health care facility for emergency health care at no cost – including inpatient or crisis residential care for up to 30 days and outpatient care for up to 90 days. Veterans do not need to be enrolled in the VA system to use this benefit. Literally any veteran can walk into ANY urgent care/ER for thoughts of suicide and they can get free care.

Any veteran experiencing food insecurity can call their primary care (PACT) team and have one of the PACT social workers conduct a food insecurity screen. These are websites veterans can use to find local food pantries, soup kitchens, and food banks. Food Pantries Soup Kitchens Food Banks

Veterans who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless can call or visit their local VA Medical Center where staff are ready to help.

VA Emergency Rooms/Services - VA Urgent Care

VA Health Chat

Free Legal Clinics

Free legal services for veterans

Does anyone know what that means ? I was denied for PTSD but diagnosed with adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood chronic. What do I do now ???

tldr: Spouse suffers from PTSD, I supported him since day 1, Feels like he abandoned me during my own grief.

I don't know what I want from this post, but maybe it's to get it out in the open. This is obviously a throw a way. My (29F) partner (29M) and I have been together for about 4 years. 3 years into knowing each other he was deployed for a year. He's Guard, so it was already hard adjusting to the idea of my person not being there like he usually was.

Fast forward and he comes home and is struggling immediately with PTSD and unresolved family things on top of finding work. I was supportive in every way I could be without pushing him past his limit to understand because I just wanted to him to be healthy and I prayed God would bring him back and he did. Things like ALWAYS being available, reading books on understanding combat PTSD to learn how i could be a better partner and not internalize, stalked reddit threads reading some of yalls experiences and what you wish you would have had in a partner or what a good partner looked like, talking to my grandfather who served about his experience coming home, meal prepped home cooked meals every single day, talking with my grandmother on how she supported him, joining Girlfriend/Wife support groups (which were a hot mess express), left space for him at all times to share with me when he was ready and completely revamped his resume, prepped him for interviews, even applied to some jobs for him as he was mourning the death of one of his battles. He eventually landed one of those jobs make nearly $200K each year. I really tried to be what I could because I had so much love to give at the time and him being better means he's actively choosing life.

He'd shut me out, isolate, wouldnt eat, wouldnt sleep. I'd bring it up, and there were very genuine efforts to improve and he was truly trying. Alarms to remind him to reach out to me, scheduled flower delivery for a while... One thing we've never struggled with was communication. We seemed to be on a strong path forward, but then the winter hit and my life was completely upheveled. My grandfather passed with my grandmother passing immediately after. My father had a mental breakdown and overdosed, he passed away while he was laying in my lap (im an only child). My mother said some unforgivable things to me andI had to have my ovaries removed killing all hope of carrying his child only to then find out weeks later that he fathered a 7 year old child that neither of us knew about. It was from a fling from before we met.

I'm now at a point where I feel empty and I need him to be my person but he says he doesnt have the capacity. I need him to help me pick up the pieces, and he's essentially checked out anytime it concerns me discussing my grief. I told him that my way of grieving, I need to be in shared space and physical comfort from my person... his way is isolation.

I'm in therapy and I see a psychiatrist now, he's in therapy (not a trauma therapist though, but one through his job) and we did one session of couples therapy so far which was good. The therapist is paid for through my job, but I intentionally chose someone who did trauma informed therapy and had experience working with or was a veteran. I wanted to make sure the person I chose would not immediately write him off. It almost felt like we had a translator and it was good. I understood more, and he heard me.

Today was my breaking point though, I was feeling extra waves of grief and wanted nothing more than to have my person show up and hold me... but he couldn't. Like he's said many times "I don't want to be perceived by the world, and I don't want what I'm feeling to make you feel like you're anything less".

He's dragging his feet getting to the VA for help getting a therapist who specializes in combat PTSD. I try to be understanding, but it feels like his grief is bigger than mine. His needs are met while mine are not. I feel abandoned. I feel like I want to give up. I'm grieving my family, I'm grieving the life I thought we'd have before he left, im grieving motherhood, I'm grieving so much and I needed him to be what I've been to him. He's always known that I'd be here. By his side. When it's hard. It's where I've been. But I didn't factor this in. I didn't realize it would mean I'd also be expected to put my grief on hold until he finally builds up the necessary capacity to be a better partner. For context, he was the most gentle, kind and loving man I'd ever loved before he left. It's why I fell in love with him.

I'm just so tired. I'm so angry. I hate this. I really tried. Ive tried my best. But this is so much.

My husband just took his life last week. He was an army veteran with PTSD. He fought really hard.

I'm incredibly lost right now. I miss him. I feel like I caused this because I couldn't help. Or maybe I made it worse. Idk.

I need to figure out how to take care of the kids He left behind. (2 stepdaughters. 2 daughters)

I'm lost. I really miss him and I'm so mad at the VA and everyone.

What do I do?

It has been almost a year since I originally sent in my paperwork in order to receive my Certificate of eligibility to give to my school in order to start receiving benefits. They ended up telling me that they never received it when I called to check in, despite me sending it via mail, i suspect someone lost it. .. I sent the paperwork again four months ago, and I still have not received my Certificate of eligibility nor have I received my bah. I'm about to now graduate trade school, and with no BAH I am drowning in credit card debt as I was counting on that money to cover my basic housing needs. Is there any one or any organizations that could help...Please as I am drowning in this debt with no relief in sight, Because I went to school full time expecting to receive my benefits.When I call to check in on the process I'm given no answers.

Any of you hikers out there recommend a day pack that’s perfect for hiking, I’d like to put a 45lbs in it eventually and can be nicley secured.. But also something that can be used for hiking and BOB.

I enrolled in VA health care over a decade ago qualifying as a combat veteran with no service connected injuries. Got classified as priority group 6 or 7 iirc. Had one bad experience with appointment BS and never went back.

I'm still enrolled, I think. The VA still sends me one of those IRS forms every year. But I haven't talked to them in over a decade.

I'm in a unique situation now where I'm trying to find affordable health coverage for the next 6 months and wondering if it's time to come crawling back to the VA. I'm not currently suffering from anything that would be presumptive under PACT. But I did serve in Iraq during GWOT and was definitely exposed to a number of toxins according to their examples.

Problem is my last job (I'm now "between jobs") paid very well. So according to their rubric I'd probably grade out as a priority group 7 or 8. But that rubric doesn't say anything about PACT.

So does anyone know if PACT upgrades priority group level for eligible vets with no service connection? Or is that "expanded health coverage" just about getting faster treatment to vets who haven't enrolled but suffer from a likely presumptive?

I'm moving soon and I am willing to drive to keep my time from getting wasted. My needs are primarily ortho.

What job can I do that requires a bachlors in criminal Justice that I could work as and that would help me get accepted for VRE with a mental health rating like anxiety and depression

Article at Stars & Stripes: https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2024-03-13/veterans-firearms-american-legion-safety-boxes-13309026.html

Archive link: https://archive.is/PXO7a

Maine Sen. Angus King (I) wants the American Legion to provide lock-and-key storage at thousands of the organization’s posts across the U.S. for veterans to store their firearms safely during times of mental health crisis.

Legion national commander Daniel Seehafer commented during a hearing of the Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs committees that a veteran reached out to a fellow vet and Legionnaire and asked them to take his guns for a short time. The local post apparently secured the guns, though the article didn't give any specifics.

Seehafer seems to be all for it, and on one level, I can see some benefits. The Legion and the VFW are supposed to be safer places for veterans; groups of like-minded and -experienced people. They understand what you're going through because they've gone through some version of it.

But we've all heard about the personal fiefdoms that can happen at posts, where a small group of members takes things over and runs them their way and if you don't like it, there's the door. I can see some post commander deciding that no one who surrenders their guns is going to get them back, ever, no matter what.

I think the cons outweigh the pros here.

• Too much risk of post leadership being assholes and deciding the vet isn't getting their guns back, no way, no how.
• State transfer laws are going to be a pain. Some vets are prohibited persons. Can they run the storage point? Can they be members of the post that has a storage point? Does this require an FFL?
• If the guns are lost or stolen or damaged, who's responsible? Is it the post? The person who signed for the guns? Post leadership? All of the above?

Served in Korea with this dude. When it came time for him to pcs, he got an award... After he left. Fast forward a few years and a DD-214 later, I still have his award. Now I'm wondering what channels to go through to find out his address so I can mail it to him. Tried social media's. Do yall think I should call the recruiters in my town and go from there?

So have been a rolled in VA health care for 5 years. (70% rating) I had private insurance, but switching jobs and decided to set up for a primary Doctor through the VA. 6 months ago, scheduled an appointment that was a month out. Showed up and the Doctor had forgotten he had an appointment scheduled for a Saturday…. So they sent me to fast med, and no primary doctor was established.

Fast Forward to Feb this year, and I request an appointment online. They call me and I miss the call, so I call back and use the extension given… and someone else answers and I explain that I am trying to set an appointment for a primary Doctor. The guy ask who Called me and I tell him “Anna”. He then names everyone that works there, very condescendingly say “no Anna work here”. It clearly the name in the voicemail, but I replay “okay, well I am just trying to set up an appointment can I do that?” He said he needs to know who called me, and I respond “surely more then 1 person can make the appointment for me” and his smart ass said “No they are the ONLY person who has my information, and without knowing who called he can’t help me”

At this point I lose my shit, as none of this makes sense to me. I can’t sleep for more than 2 hours at a time and I am on empty and just at a loss right now. No clue what my next step should be, as this has been a nightmare.

I am in the navy and have about a year and a half left of my initial 6 year contract. I have had a pretty miserable experience and want to get out to pursue college but keep getting told that the benefits of staying in our way the downsides. I’ll only be 24 when I get out and feel I have a lot more I can do but I’m wondering if anyone has any advice.

Can anyone provide some assistance please. I received a severance package once I left the military. i AM 100 PERCENT PERMANENT AND TOTAL. I received a compensation letter stating that i would recieve my full disability on Feb 2024. I have the letter. Now in Jan they sent me another letter stating that they are going to take out 600.00 and that I would receive my full compensation in August 2024.

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Question is why wouldn't they stop taking the full amount and attempt to extend it until August?

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My only answer is that I have another claim for AID AND ATTENDANCE that was submitted in November. Now lets just say it gets approved, well they would have to pay me from the time I submitted the claim. Now since they have extended my full benefits until August, if they do come back and say Yes were going to award you Aid and Attendance, my back pay would be eatten up by what i still owe.

​

Can someone please put me in contact with someone that can help me?

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If I walk in and say I’m very depressed and having panic attacks but I don’t want to unalive myself, what will they do? I don’t have 3-30 days to be locked in a psych ward. I just need somewhere to go to get out of my house and my compulsive thoughts and the vfw ain’t it because I will drink myself into a worse condition. If by going to the va hospital for help is going to jeopardize my life and responsibilities by getting me potentially locked in psych, any other recommendations on where I can go where that won’t happen?

Hello I banked on the fact that I would get my money from the GI bill relatively soon after applying, without realizing it would be this much of an issue. I decided not to work while I was in school since I had some savings I thought I would be fine. I jumped through more hoops then I should have and it is now March and have yet to have any money coming in. I am now waiting on the VA's approval for my individual program and no one has given information on how long it should or will take. I'm getting very worried as I only have about 1 month of rent left before I am completely out of money. Does anyone know how long the approval of a program should take. My OP has been no help, He was suppose to have submitted the paperwork for me 3 weeks ago and I finally got word back from the Federal Approvals email that they had received the paperwork yesterday and are reviewing it now. I am also a foreign student so this makes this process even more stressful. Next Semester I am definitely getting a job on top of my classes to prevent any of this stress. If you have any tips on how I should handle this please let me know.

Hi, I’m looking for any information about correcting a separation code on DD 214 paperwork. I’m specifically trying to change my separation code which is currently JFV. I had signed my second contract with a 5K bonus. Unfortunately, due to several traumatic events that happened RIGHT AFTER, I was eventually discharged with an honorable characterization. Four years passed, and the Department of treasury has garnished my wages to get back the 5K that I was given. My understanding is that the separation code dictates what happens to bonuses if discharged early within the contract. I am also currently looking at the DD form 293 and I am wondering if appearing before the board gives a higher approval rate.

FYI, I had been officially diagnosed with PTSD and migraines that both add to 90%.

Thank in advance for any tips, advice, links, or personal testimony’s!

Hello,

I am a veteran in my final semester of law school. VRE has covered the cost of my legal education. Now that I have almost completed law school, I am preparing to study for and take the bar exam. In doing so, I have seleceted a bar prep course to prepare for the exam.

My counselor initially asked that I research bar prep companies and provide them with an estimate. After I provided my counselor with an estimate, I was advised that VRE does not pay for a bar prep course.

Are there any veterans that have had the VA cover the cost of their bar prep course? I'd imagine with the vocational goal of becoming an attorney, taking a bar review course is the standard part of the process to pass the bar exam and to achieve that vocational goal under Chapter 31.

So I’ve been paying property taxes for the last 4 years, but was unaware that since I’m 100% disabled, that I’m exempt from taxes. Once I apply this year, can they back date? Or does it only do justice for this upcoming tax year? Thank you in advance! Edit: in North Carolina!

I scheduled my first mental health appointment, and the doctor never logged on or called. I waited 20 minutes and just left. Is this the type of care I have to look forward to or has everyone had pretty good care with them?

I'm a TPU in the Reserves, had one of my Soldier's text me today to ask when his VA disability rating was going to become 100%.

A confused phone call later, and as near as I can tell, he got a 30% rating for PTSD from the VA five years and a couple of months ago.

He believes, based on "something someone" told him, that after five years the VA automatically makes all PTSD ratings 100%, and when you turn 50 (he's a long way off from that) it becomes 100% P&T.

I told him to reach out to his VSO. But now I'm genuinely curious, is this even remotely accurate?

Googling tells me that after 5 years its harder for the VA to reduce your rating, after 10 it can't be terminated, but I'm not finding anything about automatic increases or 100% P&T at 50.

I'm going through an Army mental health MEB and was wondering if there was any way to estimate my VA percentage with reasonable accuracy. I have no idea what the average percentages are and was hoping someone with some knowledge/experience could give me any information.

According to my NARSUM, the three claims that don't meet retention standards are as follows:

Major Depression, PTSD, and Bulimia.

I joined in June of 2020 and have been hospitalized twice for suicidal ideation since then. I've been regularly seeing therapists and psychiatrists since January of 2021.

I have zero expectations for my percentage but a general idea would help me plan my path once I'm out. Believe it or not I have anxiety about that.

I just finished my 2nd appointment with this therapist and she is recommending Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and some type of trauma therapy. She mentioned I didn't have PTSD, due to what I can only imagine as answering that I wasn't suicidal and I wasn't having nightmares.

My initial appointment with accessor mentioned I scored extremely high for depression, anxiety, and possibly PTSD, but PTSD requires more assessment.

Everything Ive read about PTSD is that I'm a dead ringer with the exception of self destructive behavior and nightmares.

A bit of background on me:

I was a Combat Medic from 1999-2005, deployed at kickoff for OIF1 for 12 months 2003-2004. Saw and experienced things I never want to again. We were in a constant defensive posture for the entire 12 months as we were in a FOB we built and defended ourselves. To this day, and most recently I'm remembering things I have blocked out while in Iraq. When we redeployed I was in a fog for about 5 months, and thank God I didn't have much responsibility. After that 5 months, my clarity was better, but I was only operating at about 50%. I have never got back to my prewar self. My first experience with VA Mental Health was in Houston when I got out, but the therapist convinced me I should be grateful that I came home with all my body parts, so I thought I was okay and didn't need therapy.

So my question to those that have been through this type of therapy - Was it successful, and did it make you better?

So I’ll try to put enough detail because I don’t think this is a normal situation, but one I currently found myself in and is causing me a great deal of stress.

In January I was approved by the VA to stay at a rehab center located in Georgia for 45 days. The rehab center also has an IOP (intensive outpatient program) for 3 to 6 months, with some vets being allowed to extend longer case-by-case basis.

The VA was approving these requests and I was told I would be able to do the IOP/Sober Living, which also covers housing availability.

My plan was to do the 45 days of rehab initially, but then I was allowed to stay IOP/sober living so I’d have a home to live in for the next six months while attending AA meetings and regular rehab programming until 4PM every day.

Unfortunately very recently the VA has decided to begin denying IOP for veterans at this rehab, likely all of us although some of us are waiting to be informed.

Multiple vets have been notified that they no longer can stay for IOP and are being given timelines to leave, although their counselors are at least trying to setup a plan so they aren’t entirely homeless as many of these guys don’t have a place to stay.

I’m waiting to hear about my situation. I did 45 days in rehab and have been attending IOP and living in a home provided by the rehab for a month now. My initial plan was to do the program for six months and then find an apartment and part-time job (100% VA disability P&T).

I’m now terrified that I will have nowhere to go and might get informed that I’ll have to leave 5 months sooner than expected. What resources do I have to find temporary housing until I can get an apartment? I’ve been heavily thinking about just going to a hotel, drinking and just hanging myself. I’ve been very depressed lately and hearing that I may have to leave is terrifying. I don’t have a family support system and don’t want to burden my friends by asking to stay with them.

I think the VA did this because some people have abused the sober living program in order to stay longer and save money. I truly needed this because I don’t trust myself to be alone nor do I have a place to stay.

I just wanted to get sober, find a job and an apartment. I put too much faith in this and now the VA is denying/canceling IOP. I don’t know what to do.

1. being old
2. being overweight
3. being out of shape
4. don't sleep
5. ringing in my ears
6. I hate my job
7. I'm worried having enough in retirement
8. I'm worried about my toddler
9. ruminating about all sorts of things
10. always being a square peg in a round hole (i.e. never fitting in)
11. continuing to fall behind professionally
12. my graduate degree didn't elevate my career
13. numerous certifications didn't elevate my career
14. generally not knowing how to respond until 15 mins later
15. trusting folks too easily only to be betrayed
16. etc
17. etc
18. etc

Had my c&p exam for an increase for GERD.

The examiner did not have any of my medical records. Told me my claim “most likely” will not be approved bc he had nothing to go off other than my word. Very annoyed, the VA website states to not bring any medical records.

He said “ you vets need to start bringing your records, this happens everyday”. lol

He said to bring and he would scan into the system next time.

I called the VA right after, they confirmed all my records were in the system and not sure what the examiner was talking about.

Anyone experience this? I guess going forward I’m bringing my records.