Why The VA Frustrates Veterans

Claims are being denied unfairly, Rosinski says, because VA employees don't have the time to read the files thoroughly. "When you get a denial, and it says, 'We didn't see,' that's right. I mean, they're not lying, but if you don't look, you don't see. And even if you're looking, it's hard to find out what's in there," he told Pitts.

Michael Walcoff told Pitts there is no incentive to deny claims. "And there's no pressure from anybody to deny a claim. And I can't say it any simpler than that."

David Pitts is an Air Force veteran and one of Rosinski's clients; he served for 18 years.

"Is your country serving you now?" Byron Pitts asked.

"It's not my country that's doing this, it's the VA. You know, there is no prouder American than I am," David Pitts replied.

In 1968, David Pitts was on temporary duty in Korea when the Tet Offensive in Vietnam caught American forces off guard. Pitts says he was quickly dispatched to deliver communication codes across Vietnam when his helicopter made a hard landing.

"When we hit, we hit hard, got out of that and I didn't have any problem for that for about a year. But this was what I started receiving the VA disability for it," he said.

David Pitts receives $644 a month for back and leg injuries that he says are related to the crash. He also believes he is eligible for additional benefits because Vietnam War vets with illnesses that could have been caused by exposure to Agent Orange are given automatic compensation.

The problem for David Pitts is he can't prove he was even in Vietnam. He says his two brief assignments were under verbal orders, and he was told there are no records of his having been in the country.

"You had people and equipment just flooding into Korea and suddenly Tet happens," he explained. "And it was just - it was a period of mass confusion."

He said recordkeeping wasn't a priority at the time. "Recordkeeping was not any type of priority at the time."

In recent years, David Pitts says he tried to find his former commanding officer from Korea, plus a hometown friend he says he ran into while in Vietnam, but both had died. Without corroboration or records, Pitts never applied for the benefit. Then in November of 2008, out of the blue, the VA sent him this letter.

"It says, 'According to records with the Department of Veterans Affairs, you were stationed in the Republic of Vietnam during your military service,'" Byron Pitts read. "And you got this letter, you thought what?"

"Well, somebody has found something," David Pitts replied.

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[jsfeeman]

I am a retired disabled veteran who is finally tired of the insanity of the way we are being treated by Congress and VA (at least the Atlanta Regional Office where my claims are being handled (more aptly put as mishandled). As a retiree and disabled veteran like all of us, I have always paid my own disability payments to myself each month. That is right, Congress requires all retired disabled veterans to have their full disability pay taken out of their retirement checks. There is so much waste in the way VA processes all claims that we could avoid tax hikes and program reductions just by eliminating or reducing this waste that each tax payer is forced to pay for. And when you have two or more approved and rated disabilities they do not add them together but devised yet another way to award us one thing and then immediately take it back. My two approved and rated disabilities (30% since 1988 and 20% recently awarded should equal 50% but was awarded 40%. However, in this case it not only saves them paying me 10% more but since 50% is the level that stops the requirement for me to pay myself and they would have to really pay me my approved and rated disability payment.I am sure that the majority of the public is not aware of this absurdity.
The last point I want to make is that unless we stand up and let each of our Congress Representatives know we will hold them individually accountable for the treatment of our vets (by their laws and by their regulation of VA) at the polls. Our vote is very, very powerful and yet for some reason we refuse to exercise our constitutional right to vote. Please, the next time you thank a veteran for his/her service, also let your Congressperson know that you will be watching how our vets are treated and vote accordingly! Thanks on behalf of our disabled veterans (retired and not). Jack

[rweddle]

my dad went to iraq, got injured in the spine and got a TBI and the VA has been waiting almost 3 YEARS for to get all the paperwork and all the signatures to get him is disability but they still havent paid him and it is really ticking me off,

[rweddle]

sorry i screwed up on my writing on this a little bit.

[tired_and_frustrated]

It will have been 6 years in October 2010 that my husband applied for total disablility and we are still waiting. He was recently told by his VA doctor that no doctor in the hospital will touch him because there is nothing they can do for him except give him pain meds to help ease the pain. Being medicated on morphine plus some all day is no way for a 39 year old to live. He will not stop fighting for what he deserves until he gets it.

[rweddle]

what injury does he have?

[cdog8888]

Another thing that I don't like about the VA is when they service connect a veteran who has not even served in combat. There are combat vets who don't get service connected. Why is the VA out service connecting non-combat vets over combat vets?

[cdog8888]

Another horror story. I went to the optometrist and told her that I can not see very well at far distances. She did all the eye tests on me and told me that I did not need glasses. I know that I could not see 30 feet in front of me so I decided to go to a civilan eye doctor. They said that I did need glasses and fitted me with the right glasses. No more VA eye doctors for me!!

[toid1960]

I wonder how many of these negative comments are really true.
A friend of mine who was sent to Vietnam just when the pullout started and he never set foot in battle.
30 years later after smoking 3-4 packs of cigarettes his whole life he was diagnosed with emphysema. He filed a claim for agent orange compensation and was awarded 100% disability and the $2500 or so tax exempt status that comes with it.
I got 100% for losing my kidneys and other other injuries after a grenade exploded near my dug in location. I am not sure of how many people are scamming the VA over the agent orange situation but a bunch of those awards are just hogwash.
I have never had any problems with the VA....I need something I get it. Of course your prioity rating has to do with that and 50-100% get the quickest attention.

[The_Burden_of_proof]

Hello,

I am a disabled Veteran and former U.S. Marine. I served for five years and I loved every single day even those days that some might say were tough times. I served proudly in several countries around the world as a 6073 and then went on to MSG Duty at a few American Embassies. Everywhere I went the Marine Corps was not my job but was the equivalent to my religion, it was our duty to endure the hardships and the pain of several injuries that as a team we would almost absorb or ?suck it up? so that we might continue to carry this title. Personally I have several injuries that I have approached V.A. nurses and doctors with and I have had such a difficult time getting the proper treatment. I have had one male nurse go as far to tell me statements such as ?we do not treat that here? and to find a year or two later that they actually do. I have found that there are a few dedicated nurses and doctors but they are taken down by the few that pass on the wrong information. I just want to be treated my health is not a game, I have a few serious issues with my health and would like to see some change for the current Veterans and the future Veterans. I am currently seeking assistance outside the VA.
Respectfully
GMOROS

[cdog8888]

Here is another horror story. The last time I went to the VA dentist was over two years ago. I am sitting in the chair and the hygenist says I need to numb you up to do the cleaning. I thought she would inject novicain into my gums. She did inject it into my gums. She also injected it into the ROOF OF MY MOUTH!!! Who trained her? She has no job compentency whatsoever. I will never go to another VA dentist again!!!

[cdog8888]

I got married in January of 2009. The VA says that I had untill January of 2010 to file a change of dependency form. I should be backpaid around $1,200. This is not right!! The culture and VA need to change. You have one year to file an appeal with the VA. Who do I talk to in order to get this policy changed? Why was I not told to file a change of dependency form? I have interacted with the VA numerous times. I have read many of their documents. Nowhere did it say to file a claim once one gets married.

[DePaul_NatalieSorrello]

We are conducting a survey through DePaul University of Returning Post-War Military Veterans who have used the VA and other veterans services. For those who are willing to take a brief survey you would help us determine the needs of returning military veterans. All information entered in the survey is confidential and anonymous, please forward your email address to [e-mail] until March 22, 2010 and the link will be sent to you. Thank you for your participation.