Now how about we start catching up on the C&P evaluations & maybe compensate a few more of them for their disabilities before they die off. Or is that too much to ask? I guess all the delayed Agent Orange cardiac cases from Vietnam will be much cheaper to deal with if they can just delay the payments until the geezers croak from heart disease.

Had a double coronary bypass in 1992. Got a 10% disability rating in 2010 and should have appealed it but didn't. Went through a hospitalization for congestive heart failure last February & submitted all my hospital records. No word as yet, but according to their published criteria & information in the records, I should be rated at 60%.

After many years of psychological pain, I finally acknowledged to myself that I have PTSD. I filed in 2011. I've been through 2 evaluations since then & the final resolution is still hanging.

I turn 70 next week. If I die before any of this stuff is resolved, they will save a bundle on me, particularly on back payments.

My 3 bullet holes & hearing loss were deemed insufficiently debilitating to merit compensation.

But hey, wow, now I got a memorial. I can hardly contain my excitement.

I guess I should just be grateful I don't warrant inclusion with a lot of my buddies on the other one--that black one with all the names on it.

Every dime was raised from individuals. I don't know if that's better or worse.

I am so sorry you're going through so much. It is beyond wrong that they are putting you through this.

We finally had to put my dad in a nursing home. As far as nursing homes go, the VA home in Manteo Illinois is a pretty good one. He was eligible for the extra disability and we hoped he would be approved so we could hire a private nurse to be with him. He went in February 2013, fell and broke his hip in August, died on November 3rd. The disability came through the next week.

It kills me he lay on that floor for god knows how long, broken and alone.

I am so sorry Jack. My point wasn't to upset you or anyone with the post. I wanted to show appreciation. I will delete it if it is wrong

anything you posted; you most certainly did nothing wrong. The rant was just triggered by my sense of the contrast between the sentiments of the memorial and the reality of what is happening to so many vets. Sort of like all those little yellow "Support the Troops" magnets.

Thank you for telling me about your father. It's tragic that this country is so willing to create disabled veterans but so unwilling to take responsibility for what they have done.

I can imagine Republican Congresscritters (and not a few Democrats) walking past that memorial and saying to themselves, "Oh--That reminds me. We have to figure out some way to cut the VA budget."

I often meet with a group of friends, 3 of whom happen to be disabled vets (that's just coincidence; the group is just a coffee klatsch of guys who enjoy each other's company.) One of the three recently got a satisfactory resolution to his disability claim after several years of fighting with the VA. The other 2 of us are still pending, after about the same number of years.

Would a letter writing campaign help? I would be more than willing to send something to as many people as necessary.

Thank you for your reply. I'm sorry you're going through so much

Especially that way. He deserved better. And so did you.

I'm not going to lie, it has hit me really hard. I still cry every time I think of him, which is often.

My niece came in from California to spend some time with him three weeks before he died. We knew he was declining fast after the fall. He looked at me and said, "why do I have to die this way?" It still breaks my heart. He was such a good man. He was the President of our Village, he was the President of the Mayors and Managers Association for the south suburbs of Chicago. Both Daley and Gov Walker had asked him to run for Senator. My parents decided they didn't want to give up so much of their lives. Well, my mom decided and my dad went along. Otherwise, he would have been the Democratic Senator from Illinois back in the late 70s.

Thank you, sincerely.

Off topic, but when I was little my family lived at 76th & State.

but that was a million years ago. I grew up in Homewood. Where did you go to high school?

After Southside we moved to Hometown (not Homewood) for a few years before the CA move in the mid-'50s.

My dad worked for Milton Reynolds, who is credited with bringing the ballpoint pen to the U.S. (He wasn't the first, but he did it in vast quantities.) Dad worked in another Reynolds business, as foreman of a plant that made printing machines. He was sent to CA to open a new plant and move the printing machine operation there.

Dad died when I was in high school, but I recently discovered that Reynolds Printasign is still thriving in the San Fernando Valley.

It sucks.

Cool information about the rest though. Sorry you moved to Hometown. Homewood was a much better place, my dad being President and all

Very cool about the pens and stuff. That's certainly something great to be able to share. Thanks for sharing here!!

gone through 2 back surgeries and more to come and according to the VA nothing is wrong. The memorial is a well deserved thank you to all the disabled vets. The VA doesn't seem to see it that way.

How can they do this to Veterans?

I am sorry for him and your family

was set up that way when it was created because it was assumed that vets would understand. I often wonder if the vets from WWI and WWII had the same problems as those today? They lose vital records. Misplace some records in someone else's file and deny the evidence of surgeons in their own facility. All of this has happened to my son-in-law.

It sucks. It makes no sense.

DU. Thank you and all here on DU for being there for those in need.

I just don't know what.

Peace

sure who to go to. I have ask him if there is anyone I can call about this but he does not know either. He does have an advocate who goes with him to meetings etc. but that does not seem to have worked so far.

Done account the country, at one time. Each person contact their reps and tell a story about someone they know that isn't being treated for something they should be. Tell how long that person has been waiting to be approved.

Shit. A veteran shouldn't have to be approved. They're a Veteran, they're covered. WTF!

Just got crazy angry for a moment. Too tired I guess

I am going to think about this. See if I can think of anything.

Sleep well

From what I have read from the Veterans that have commented publicly, it's beautiful

Here are a couple more...

Last edited Mon Oct 6, 2014, 08:19 PM - Edit history (1)

And I wanted to have some pictures of the disabled Veterans that were there. But there are a ton. Looks like a beautiful memorial. Thanks for putting those up.

Last edited Tue Oct 7, 2014, 08:02 AM - Edit history (1)

The project is in the advanced stages, with enabling legislation already passed and a site approved.

The monument would be based on a bronze sculpture by Andrew Chernak that was dedicated at the Putnam County Veterans Memorial Park in Kent, New York, in 2006.


Sculptor Andrew Chernak's monument to Gold Star Mothers at Kent, New York.

The current issue of The Veteran, the national publication of Vietnam Veterans of America, features a detailed story about the project and the sculptor:

I like the idea. From what I just read, there's a push for individual memorials be erected at cemeteries and parks.

I like the Gold Star Family memorial idea at parks and cemeteries done by the individual municipalities. I mean no disrespect but I think a monument or memorial in DC is too much.

As I said, I mean no disrespect, but if you do this, then what about the dads, the spouses, the kids? And what about the families of permanently disabled Veterans?

I think the Disabled Veterans Memorial is long overdue. I love the fact it is paid for entirely with private donations. What the government needs to do to honor disabled Veterans is take care of them. Now.

I do not understand why a Veteran has to qualify. To be a certain percentage disabled. Screw that. A Vet needs health care, then give it to him/her. Period