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Veterans Suicide Rate May Be Double Federal Estimates, Study Suggests
The rate of suicide among veterans may be more than double what federal officials report annually because of undercounting related to drug overdose deaths and service record errors, according to a new analysis released Saturday.
Air Force Gen. Anthony Cotton dismissed veiled Russian threats of nuclear war during his Senate confirmation hearing and said the U.S. stockpile of nuclear weapons — the world’s second largest — is serving as an effective deterrent in Russia’s seven-month invasion of Ukraine.
The South Korean Cabinet has approved a measure to designate a day honoring South Korean service members who served abroad, including those sent on United Nations peacekeeping missions.
I mentioned this in my last post, but if you are struggling trying to get disability compensation from the military, never give up! Find some sources who can help you with this like the DVA. They are working with me right now, I have been trying for over ten years. I will not give up, because both of my injuries were real.
Checking in on you. How are you doing? Is everything going OK, or are you fighting back memories?
FEAR NOT!
There are over 15,219 Veterans on this site who have your back.
If you are battling mentally, but you are losing, GET HELP!!
Here is a toll free number that you can call 24/7. There are highlyqualified counselors there to help you, and they will not hang up until they know you are OK. 1-800-273-8255…texting 838255.
+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.
+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.
House lawmakers told officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs this week to halt their launch of the agency’s new electronic health records system at any other facilities until the problems that caused outages at the first two medical centers to use the new system are fixed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is not fit to serve, said Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, and any opportunity to restore ties with Russia will need to be predicated on the next leader of the country.
A Russian spy plane violated NATO airspace in recent days, prompting the Kremlin’s ambassador to Denmark to be summoned over the incident, the top Danish diplomat announced.
The Biden administration has a plan to rob Russian President Vladimir Putin of some of his best innovators by waiving some visa requirements for highly educated Russians who want to come to the U.S., according to people familiar with the strategy.
In a town near the front with Russia in eastern Ukraine, grease-stained Ukrainian soldiers huddled over the engine hatch of a battle-damaged T-64BV battle tank. They had been working for three days straight.
What follows are several combined interviews for my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life. with veterans who are at the Trinka Assisted Living Facility for veterans.
Interviews with Veterans from The Trinka Assisted Living Facility
The following interviews will not have names. I just used the initials of the men who fought mostly in WWII. Others were in Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan. I am honoring their wishes to not name them, but they are still heroes. They are all residents of the Trinka Davis Assisted Living Facility in Carrolton, Georgia. Their stories may make you sad and yet give you hope.
My first interview is with WJ. He passed away recently. He was almost 97.
Tell us why you enlisted since you were married and had a small child?
WJ– I felt it was my duty just like the many other men and women who enlisted. I joined the Navy in 1942. I became a Petty Officer. I served in many navel stations during my career.
Then what happened?
WJ- I became seriously ill in 1945. I was granted total disability, and received an honorable discharge.
What happen in the private sector?
WJ- I worked for a lumber company, and later for a plastic company. I eventually started a lumber company that I operated until I retired.
+WJ and his wife received the coveted, “The Book of Golden Deeds Award,” for consistently serving their fellow man, and for their kindness and compassion for others.
WJ- Had his own garden where he raised tomatoes, and okra. He also fed the local birds with his bird feeder, which he could see right out of his window. The birds really flocked there and he had to reload the feeders several times a day.
WJ- was a heavy supporter of the local Masonic Lodge, which he had been a part of for over 65 years. He also was an avid recruiter for the American Legion Post in Carrollton, Georgia.
+ This kind of interview does not show you the guts and gore that war brings, but it shows you that WWII veterans are just like you and I. They are no different, and deserve equal treatment in all phases of life. I was very honored to write about WJ and his service to his country.
CB- is another member of the same assisted living facility that houses only military veterans. I will be sharing more about this facility here.
CB- At 19 years old CB sat bravely on a halftrack behind a .50 caliber machine gun firing steadily at the attacking German troops. Because of what he did he is almost totally deaf now. He was wounded in the leg with shrapnel and was sent back into the battle again. He was wounded the second time and received two Purple Hearts. (Maybe he should have received some other medals.)
When did you get into the Army?
CB- I was drafted into the Army in June of 1943. I started basic training, but I wasn’t able to finish because of a birth defect in my feet.
So what did they do with you?
CB-They assigned me to a work detail on the base. From there I was transferred to Company A of the 48th infantry Battalion and sent to Europe. I spent my time in Europe manning a .50 caliber machine gun. The noise ruined my hearing, and I have still had a heavy loss today. I am 90 years old. I was discharged and started my own funeral home.
As of this writing CB is still at Trinka Davis Assisted Living in Georgia. He is receiving intensive care for the many wounds and hearing loss he faced while serving our country.
CH- is a young thirty something Army veteran who served in Iraq during the war. He cannot tell you his story personally, because his disability has taken away his capacity to verbalize anything much beyond some grunting sounds.
He has to be fed through a tube in his stomach. What ever happened to him also caused a muscular disorder causing him to not be able to use his hands. In order to communicate his needs to others, he has a small letter board letter board and he has to force in his hands to point to one letter at a time.
His condition is irreversible, and the price he paid for his service should never be forgotten.
The “story,” is about HY- He was a highly decorated WWII veteran. He spent eighteen months as a prisoner of war in Germany. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal, and two Purple Hearts.
HY- entered the Air force in 1942. (I was only three years old then.) He was nineteen years old. He attained the rank of Staff Sergeant while serving with the 376th Bomber group, which was a part of the 514th Squadron.
He was a turret gunner on a B-24 Liberator bomber. His plane was shot down over Italy on December 28th 1943. During the war the average life span of a turret gunner was approximately three missions.
HY- was wounded and had to parachute to survive. He was quickly spotted by the Germans and captured. He was taken from Italy to Austria. HY spent eighteen difficult months in Stalag 17 as a prisoner of war.
HY- was tortured, but often treated pretty well. HY went from 160 pounds to 118 pounds. He was liberated three days after the war ended.
HY- was discharged for the Army with 100% disability. He had to live with the memories from Stalag 17.
PA-served in the military from 2008 to 2010. While serving in Iraq PA contracted an airborne virus that went through his nose and into his brain. This caused tremendous irreversible damage. Despite several brain surgeries PA had serious short term memory, and some long term memory problems. This made it extremely hard to function in a normal matter.
PA was a “gentle giant,” to his friends. Because of the many surgeries PA functioned more like a child. He was one of the most gut wrenching cases at Trinka Davis.
+As you can see I didn’t interview many of the veterans at Trinka Davis Assisted Living, but I was able to share their stories of their life in the military, and after. Their privacy is of the utmost importance.
The next veteran is not a WWII veteran, but he served in Korea and Vietnam. He was a Master Sergeant who was in the Air Force. He Enlisted in 1949. He had a top secret clearance as a Flight Engineer on a C-124 Globemaster. He flew out of Warner Robins Air Force Base in Georgia, and several other bases.
Where did you do most of your flying?
FL We did most of our flights over Vietnam. We were exposed to Agent Orange, and we had a few bullets holes in our plane from time to time.
So that is about all I learned personally from FL, but he went on to start his own deli business. He also worked on maintenance for the U.S. Postal Service, and crafted glass. Eventually his health worsened to where he was sent to Trinka Davis Assisted Living along with many other veterans. While there he has become famous for his paintings, and model airplanes that he built. He was 85 years old as of this writing.
JG retired from the Army as a Sergeant First Class on December 21, 1992 after serving twenty-two years.
His training was at Fort Gordon Georgia, where I was trained. He went to the same Signal school I went to. I feel especially close to this hero. He had the usual top secret clearance routine, and even went to the Pentagon to take a polygraph test.
(I didn’t go that far, but my mom was shocked when the FBI came knocking at her door to ask questions.)
JG was then assigned the elite United States Special Security Group. They worked several bases to support the Commanding General, and the Chief of Staff at those bases.
JG Served in many countries like Korea, Germany, South East Asia, Thailand, and Turkey. This was all going on while he was apart from his family. Deployments can be very hard on a family.
Toward the end of his service JG started have some health issues. He was unable to find a job because of it. The VA gave him a 40% disability rating. His condition grew much worse and he was given 100% disability.
+As you can see I didn’t get interviews with many of the veterans at Trinka Davis Assisted Living, but I was able to share their life in the military, and after. Their privacy is of the utmost importance to me.
LB enlisted on the Army at the age of 19 just as the Vietnam war began. He served in the Army for 17 years. Six of those years were in Germany and two years near the dangerous DMZ (Demilitarized Zone,) in Korea. (I was also deployed to Korea. I went to see the DMZ Zone. I was a radio man just like LB. Small world.)
LB Developed high blood pressure and was discharged from the military in 1986. After his discharge he became an eighteen wheeler truck driver. That didn’t last long because of his progressing health problems. He had two strokes, which made it impossible for him to continue working. LB is extremely quiet about his own life. We do know he paid a high price for his dedication to his country.
Some of the interviews and information was very difficult for me. Keep coming back to see more interviews. Better yet…go to the top of this page and click on Subscribe. When you all future posts will come directly to your inbox.
If you are battling mentally, but you are losing, GET HELP!!
Here is a toll free number that you can call 24/7. There are highlyqualified counselors there to help you, and they will not hang up until they know you are OK.
+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.
+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.
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Military news…
Earlier this month, a Marine Corps recruiter kicked through a car windshield with his bare foot to rescue a man trapped in an overturned vehicle.
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If you see metal fillings and other dental work that uses Civil War technology in someone’s mouth, you know they’ve been treated by a military dentist.
(Ouch!)
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I am going through the process I posted below. It is a long and tedious process. The important things is, if you truly have something you think you should have compensation for… never, ever, give up. That is what they want you to do.
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VA disability compensation benefits are a monthly, tax-free payment to Veterans who were injured, sustained a long-term illness or experienced a worsening medical condition during their military service.
In addition to compensating Veterans whose disabilities incurred while serving in the military, Veterans may also be granted compensation for specific post-service medical conditions that arose because of their military service. Known as presumptive disabilities, these conditions may not have arisen in service but may be granted as service-connected because its occurrence can been linked directly to military service.
VA recently added new medical conditions to a growing list of presumptive disabilities, which you can view here. These conditions can be presumed to have occurred because of an exposure to Agent Orange, ionizing radiation, and service in the Gulf War.
How to file a claim for disability compensation
The COVID-19 pandemic has not halted the claims process. Veterans can still file claims, and VA is still processing them. VA recommends filing a claim online, but it can still be done in person or through the mail. To get started, visit the VA disability compensation webpage and follow the steps listed below.
Step One: Prepare documents before starting your application
Gather any evidence, documentation and/or required forms that support your claim before beginning your application. This might include:
Private medical records related to your condition, and/or
Military personnel records
You must include both the required and (if necessary) supplementary documents or your application will be voided. In some cases, you may need to turn in one or more forms to support your claim.
Step Two: File your claim
There are three ways to file a claim: online, in person (with a VA representative, or with a Veterans Service Organization) or through the mail. Online applications are simple and easy to complete. You can access the application by visiting the Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits webpage, then sign into your VA.gov account (or create a new account at the ID.me website). You can save your progress online for up to one year before the application expires.
If you do not have access to a computer or internet device, VA also accepts printed disability claim applications that can be filed either in person or through the mail. In person applications can be submitted to your local VA regional office. Visit VA.gov/find-locations to find a VA regional office in your state. If you wish to mail your application, please do so by sending it to the following address:
Department of Veterans Affairs
Claims Intake Center
PO Box 4444
Janesville, WI 53547-4444
Step Three: VA will review your claim and notify you of its decision
VA may require a few months to make a decision on claim applications. The time it takes to review your application depends on three factors:
The type of claim filed
How many injuries or disabilities claimed and how complex they are, and/or
Once your disability claim application has been reviewed and all required documentation has been received, VA will decide on your claim and send you a notification letter of its decision. The notification letter will include specific details regarding the decisions made on your claim. You can expect to receive your notification letter 7 to 10 business days after a decision is made. Please contact a VA call center if it does not arrive within this period.
Step Four: After you receive a decision
You may ask for a second review if you are not satisfied with VA’s decision. Veterans who filed a claim on or after February 19, 2019, may choose from three application review options. The first, a Supplemental Claim, allows you to add new and relevant evidence (that VA doesn’t already have). The second, a Higher-Level Review, asks for a senior reviewer to examine your case. This option does not allow you to edit or add to your current application. And lastly, a Board Appeal requests a Veterans Law Judge with the Board of Veterans’ Appeals to review your application.
If you have any questions or concerns before, during or after submitting a request to have your decision reviewed, please visit the VA Decision Reviews and Appeals website.
For more information
Life comes with plenty of challenges, but ensuring the wellbeing of you and your family should not be one of them. Visit VA.gov to learn more about VA benefits and services.
If you wish to learn more about the claims process, visit the VAntage Point blog platform to keep up to date on disability claims and benefit eligibility requirements. You can also watch this video series produced by the Office of Information and Technology (OIT).
To request additional help filing a disability claim, learn more about accredited representatives or contact a VA regional office near you to speak with a counselor by calling 800-827-1000.
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I am not sharing an excerpt today from my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the trenches of Life. I will on Monday. Keep coming back to see future excerpts. Better yet…go to the top of this page and click on “Subscribe.” When you do a future posts will go directly to your inbox.
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Checking in on you…How are you doing? Do you deserve compensation?
FEAR NOT!
There are over 13,610 fellow veterans here who have your back.
If you are battling mentally, because of your need for compensation, GET HELP!!
Here is a toll free number that you can call 24/7. There are highlyqualified counselors there to help you, and they will no hang up until they know you are OK.
1-800-273-8255…texting 838255.
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Remember:
You are never alone.
You are never forsaken.
You are never unloved.
And above all…never, ever, give up!
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+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know
