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Cannon_Cocker
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31#
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Rank:none
Status:enjoying life
Score:58
Posts:58
From: USA 
Registered:08/19/2008
Time spent: 5394 hours
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RE:PTSD AMONG COLD WAR VETRANS
(Date Posted:05/22/2009 03:20:11)
Jerry,
I didn't post the link on these forums as I didn't think that it would have been My place to post such, hence My forwarding it to You, and letting You make that call.
Which I am glad that You did.
Brothers and Sisters just to make you aware, you wont find Cannon Cocker, as a member of that site. I go by another name there.
I wish everyone good health.
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"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."
George Orwell
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Andrew1848
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32#
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Status:120% Disabled Veteran- Navy CTT2
From: USA
Registered:01/27/2009
Time spent: 0 hours
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Re:PTSD AMONG COLD WAR VETRANS
(Date Posted:05/28/2009 02:48:27)
I have been turned on to places called " Vet Centers" they are all over the place. All I have to do is figure out how to get there. The Vet Center in Rohnert Park, is helping me with that through the VA. Not in stone yet but we'll see. The Vet Center is offering me Councelling. I was told that they were all over the country... Do a search and see. I am excited at the possibilities, yet worried that it's just a mirrage.... Yet thats my PTSD talking.... Do the best ya can Saint and hang in there! -Andi-
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120% Disabled Veteran 1975-1983 CTT2
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IHawk
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33#
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Status:40% Service-Connected
From: USA
Registered:05/16/2009
Time spent: 0 hours
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Re:PTSD AMONG COLD WAR VETRANS
(Date Posted:05/28/2009 19:43:51)
Saint, a suggestion. I worked with literally thousands of other Veterans at the New England Center for Homeless Veterans here in Boston, and saw many many of them successfully win PTSD claims without combat service. One real secret is to be diagnosed and treated by civilian specialists. When a claim is filed, the VA finds it much harder to deny, as they don't want to get into a vast pissing match with specialists they do not control and cannot really contradict.
If, at that stage, they still stonewall you, get a lawyer. Every state has a handful that are authorized to conduct suits on a Veterans behalf, and some are notably excellent. This is precisely where I am at, and my suit is now seven months on, and he will most likely win my case for me.
Oh, and never forget the "paper trail." Document the slightest little thing relating to your case - treatment, day-servises, counseling, everything. It all counts in the end.
Luck, Man.
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LebanonGrenadaEraVet
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34#
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Registered:08/22/2005
Time spent: 0 hours
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Re:PTSD AMONG COLD WAR VETRANS
(Date Posted:05/30/2009 08:35:24)
Is PTSD abused? Seems like anyone that served in a combat zone can claim PTSD. Is PTSD sometimes mistaken for normal adjustment problems? I look back at the times I was gone from the states, abroad for years at a time and felt isolated, depressed coming back, like I didn't fit anymore, only, had nobody like the VA to go to for any kind of help. I just had to soldier on and ride it out till things got better. I know a neighbor that went to the VA long after his return from Iraq, but this guy had GIRL problems and his common law wife, is no longer with him, and he was totally depressed, and having other adjustment problems. He was a truck driver, didn't see much action from talking to him. Now he wants to go back to Iraq, and claim he's not depressed anymore, and now doesn't know if they'll let him go back. He says he can always file again when he comes back. He distinctively said he would "Like those benefits."
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"Everybody's talkin 'bout the new kid in town but I don't wanna hear it".
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JIM WELLER
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35#
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Rank:none
Status:Still Serving
Score:385
Posts:385
From: USA
Registered:05/19/2008
Time spent: 13180 hours
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RE:PTSD AMONG COLD WAR VETRANS
(Date Posted:05/31/2009 19:34:01)
Unfortunately, there is a lot of abuse. I know one guy that abuses the system and never forward deployed with us. Maybe he was traumatized at the thought of being forward deployed. There are people that would be traumatized by their own shadow. How these guys make it through basic training, I don't know. There was a lot of abuse from the Vietnam Era because of poor records keeping. Guys claiming Combat stress and Vietnam service that never left the states. Then again there are a lot more claims from POW status in both Desert Storm and Vietnam then DOD says there were POWs in both conflicts. Unfortunately, the abusers stigmatize the guys that went through some real tough times and really need help. Even in Emergency Services (fire, police, EMS, etc) we now have CISM or Critical Incident Stress Management. With early intervention and even training prior, the stress is easier to manage. Of course, there are other problems, too. As you mentioned, there is readjustment problems (both for the vet and his family) and Depression, Survivor's Guilt, etc. The fakers that just want to milk the system for money and benefits really piss me off. The abuse is similar to the fake war heroes. At least they have the STOLEN VALOR ACT that makes that a crime, now. Of course false filing with the VA is a crime, too, but not prosecuted enough.
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Pennsylvania Keystone State Director ACWV
"History does not entrust the care of freedom to the weak or timid." --Dwight D. Eisenhower
"PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH !!"
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Andrew1848
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36#
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Status:120% Disabled Veteran- Navy CTT2
From: USA
Registered:01/27/2009
Time spent: 0 hours
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Re:PTSD AMONG COLD WAR VETRANS
(Date Posted:06/01/2009 01:10:24)
I personally know of no one who abuses the system. As a matter of fact I know people that served under direct stress related items, like falling overboard into the sea, sexual harrassment both men and women, Getting shot at and hit in a rear zone and all of us have one thing in common. THE VA DOESN"T CARE! I am tired of the no-gooders getting the headlines! Lets focuss on who says they need the help and get it to them, and if there not intiteled, help them too! We all served and donated our bodies and minds to the United States! Those who can't handle it need help too! Why are we talking about cutting our losses, when the creed "Leave no one behind" is so realavent now as ever. We're all brothers and sisters however the cards are delt. I am better then no one before me, in front of me or Beside me!
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120% Disabled Veteran 1975-1983 CTT2
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JIM WELLER
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37#
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Rank:none
Status:Still Serving
Score:385
Posts:385
From: USA
Registered:05/19/2008
Time spent: 13180 hours
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RE:PTSD AMONG COLD WAR VETRANS
(Date Posted:06/01/2009 05:59:07)
We are not talking about people that need help, but those that are looking for a disability paycheck (read Fraud/Theft). The vast majority of military personnel are honorable, but there are still enough out there that are not. We wouldn't have military lockups, UCMJ, drug testing, and law enforcement, if there wasn't. This doesn't detract from my belief that veterans deserve proper health care. The fakers unfortunately stigmatize the guys that need help. I just found out an E-9, that I served with in Baghdad, killed himself. He was a good man and leader. He kept it to himself. The most important thing is to seek help. And if the VA won't give it to you, go somewhere else (church, civilian care, websites, comrades). Don't let it consume you w/o addressing it. Also, don't take my remarks about one case in general. If I was stateside, assigned to treating our wounded, I would have a tough time dealing with that. Those people are heroes, too. That includes many that work in the VA. They don't decide budgets. I'm sure that there are some in the VA that don't belong there, just like the military, there is always a few bad apples. I have a couple of buddies that are National Guardsmen, veterans of operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Cold War that work full time at the VA. Good people.
(Message edited by JIM WELLER On 06/01/2009 09:51:34)
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Pennsylvania Keystone State Director ACWV
"History does not entrust the care of freedom to the weak or timid." --Dwight D. Eisenhower
"PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH !!"
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LebanonGrenadaEraVet
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38#
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Registered:08/22/2005
Time spent: 0 hours
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RE:PTSD AMONG COLD WAR VETRANS
(Date Posted:06/01/2009 13:47:42)
Weller. The thing is, that these people that "Abuse" the VA system are in their minds thinking that they are SMART because you virtually must lie to these people to get them to do something for you. It's the way the system works. Same with workman's compensation these days. They DENY DENY DENY everything and you must end up fighting for it. I was told by a state worker that you virtually must say you hurt yourself at work by falling or some event happening than if you had normal wear and tear by overusing your knees, muscles or back. Even if it didn't happen that way. The system has made lots of LIARS out of perfectly good honest people. I sincerely believe this. I think PTSD is abused because they see others abusing it too and see what they get out of it. Think about it. You come out of combat without a scratch versus someone coming out with DISABILITY. The disabled guy gets a pension. The one without a scratch must work the rest of his life for maybe poverty level wages. Disabled vets seem to get the priority of everything in the VA tier system. Free hunting and fishing license, free parking, free this, free that, all because he may have been smarter in the system in filing for compensation. I remember hearing stories that my grandfather didn't ever fill out for disability. He was a wounded WWI guy with a medal plate on his head and shot up legs. When he died, his wife was told that because of thinking like that, he virtually screwed his wife out of a pension. Apparantly, he believed that if he could still work with his own hands and see, to give a pension to the ones that were REALLY disabled and needed it more. Today, you're being stupid by not taking advantage of the system. Only thing is kids don't know about it. One kid I work with here at work, his father has a disability with the military, and like father and like son, his son has a disability too. How did he become VA disabled? He apparantly had to go in and put out some fire involving batteries, resulting in him having to later get his gall bladder removed? WHAT?????GALL BLADDER? Sounds like he was schooled on how to get a claim through the VA. What a system.
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"Everybody's talkin 'bout the new kid in town but I don't wanna hear it".
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JIM WELLER
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39#
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Rank:none
Status:Still Serving
Score:385
Posts:385
From: USA
Registered:05/19/2008
Time spent: 13180 hours
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RE:PTSD AMONG COLD WAR VETRANS
(Date Posted:06/01/2009 17:37:46)
Uncle Sam or Uncle Sugar...we are doooomed!!
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Pennsylvania Keystone State Director ACWV
"History does not entrust the care of freedom to the weak or timid." --Dwight D. Eisenhower
"PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH !!"
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LebanonGrenadaEraVet
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40#
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Registered:08/22/2005
Time spent: 0 hours
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Re:PTSD AMONG COLD WAR VETRANS
(Date Posted:06/01/2009 20:20:51)
Sounds like Uncle Sugar for some and for the rest of us, its "SAY UNCLE".
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"Everybody's talkin 'bout the new kid in town but I don't wanna hear it".
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Rick_in_Yelm
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41#
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From: USA
Registered:09/06/2009
Time spent: 0 hours
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RE:PTSD AMONG COLD WAR VETRANS
(Date Posted:09/06/2009 17:06:57)
PTSD
In the Nuclear age.
I served in the Army from Feb 14th 1980 to Feb 14th 1984. It was not until my second duty station that things got strange for me. I was in a unit that no longer exists and by military records never had. I was station in Neu Ulm Germany from about Nov of 1980 until we went combat heavy and moved up to Stuttgart. That was about Aug of 1981 until Feb. of 1984.
To be exact my company was Delta Company 1st Infantry Division 1st Engineer Battalion Forward “The Big Red One” From day one we were under attack from terrorists with bombs in out barracks and in our POV in the parking lot. So we had to go to code red and mount up with 50 caliber at each gate and 155 howitzers at each corner of our concern Willy Barracks. And life went on, what had failed to “EVER” sink into my head is that we were attached to the 1st of the 81st field artillery Pershing I’s Okay no kidding we used 15 kilo ton nuclear warheads for frick’in field artillery. Shoot I was just 21 years old at the time I though everyone in the Army ran around with mobile nuclear missiles.
We were always told we had 13 minutes to live because that is how long it took the Russians SS-20’s to reach us. To top things off my GDP was Fulda Gap and we had alerts any ware from 4 to 12 times a month. Get a phone call at 2AM the guy say “Lariat advance” click that meant beet feet back to the concern go to the war vault grab our target folders and do a full ammo upload run out to the GDP set up parameter and get the Pershing I ready to fire. Now that was not my job that was the button pusher’s job to get them ready.
Things got worse when we went combat heavy and got moved to Stuttgart NATO’s Headquarters for USERA. At that time we were getting in the Pershing II nuclear missiles and this is where me and the rest of the people who got there information off the internet disagree!!! We received the fist Pershing II a full year before it was published to the media. It is written that the first Pershing II got the Germany back in November of 1983 B.S.!!!! We had them (we being us….me…the men I was with …US!) and they were not 55 kiloton warheads they were frick’in 55 Megaton warheads! And each rocket carried from 3 to 5 warheads each! How do I know? I read the intelligent reports when we got the missiles. We always were called in to update our wills, even to this day when a phone rings I feel like I get electrical shocks through my body that has never gone away. How does that affect me? I don’t answer the phone I only answer about 5% of the phone calls I get. I am totally unable to make friends with anybody and I stay in my house like a recluse ass I have for the past two years.
I have tried through the VA to get counseling but they set me up with Marry Pippins who wants to make goal lists and strive to meet the goals.
Hey lady how about first asking me what I’m thinking about and how I am handling life? Every time I hear an air plane I just know it is a nuke, I still have nightmares of nuclear wars when I wake up my bed is so wet I have to change all of the bedding and flip the mattress. Just imagine living for three years 13 minutes at a time! What does that to do my head? Rick Needless to say I have not been able to find help so I just hide out in my house.
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Rick_in_Yelm
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42#
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From: USA
Registered:09/06/2009
Time spent: 0 hours
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RE:PTSD AMONG COLD WAR VETRANS
(Date Posted:09/06/2009 17:18:24)
I forgot to add if you follow this link http://www.myspace.com/richard_butler_camaross it will take you to one of my web pages. Go down about 3/4 and you will see a video
It is called 1983 the brink of apocalypse it is talking about a field maneuver I was on and halfway through the video a man speaks about 500 men in West Germany know where all of the Pershing Missiles are. Well I am one of those 500 men.
Sorry about the music just click the paus button to the player and scroll down untill you see the mushroom cloud and click play.
Rick
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kolzion
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43#
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From: USA
Registered:09/09/2009
Time spent: 0 hours
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Reply To 91BRAVO123
(Date Posted:09/09/2009 17:59:59)
Reply to 91BRAVO123 (11/05/2007 20:44:59)
I WAS A COMBAT MEDIC AND WITTNESED MANY TRAUMAS AND DEATHS.I SUFFER WITH PTSD AND PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENTS DAILY.I KNOW CIVILIANS DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW MANY SERVICEMEMBERS WERE KILLED DURING COLD WAR PERIOD.THEY SEEM TO THINK THAT IF IT WAS NOT IN THE PAPER OR ON TV IT DID NOT HAPPEN.I KNOW FOR A FACT IT DID AND I WILL ALWAYS REMEBER THEIR FACES AS THAT OF A HERO REGARDLESS OF WHEN OR WHERE IT HAPPENED.FOR THOSE WHO LAY DOWN THEIR LIFE FOR ANOTHER ,FOR THEY ARE THE TRUE HEROS AND THE UTMOST RESPECT SHOULD BE BESTOWED ON THEM! SORRY TO SEEM SO GRIM IN MY FIRST POST BUT IT IS HARD TO FIND SOMEONE TO RELATE TO.AFTER MY HONORABLE DISCHARGE I WAS GIVEN A LIFETIME OF ZANEX (ANTI-DEPPRESANTS) WITH NO PHYCLOGICAL AFTERCARE.THEY DID NOT CARE ABOUT IT THEN LIKE THEY DO NOW.. ANYBODY OUT THERE WITH SAME PROBLEMS MAY GOD HELP AND KEEP YOU FROM HARM. I am sorry to hear what your going through. I am not a medic but I did see several folks die and even was able to do CPR and save one. (what we all were trained for). Towards the end of my tour over there I became pregnant (I was engaged). I developed Placenta Previa-- as you know that is life threatening. We had had several woman have miscarriages on site already. I had made it to 4 months and was in maternity uniform when they ordered my out of it and back into fatigues. I had to borrow some pants to fit and they ordered me against my profile to run to site (1 1/2 miles away) I started hemorraging and they refused to let me go back until several hours later. At that time I was blood soaked and passing out. I went by ambulance to the hospital and was admitted until my delivery 4 weeks later when the placenta totally abrupted. My son lived 9 days until they tried to force a feeding tube through his umbelical and they ruptured his intestine. He bled to death. I tried to sue but congress said that I had free medical treatment and I was property of the US govt. as was my son. I was depressed for quite a while and lost faith in the US. Later on I went into the NMAGR (active) I thought they wouldn't be as bad as the feds. They were worse! But I did my time in addition to being hurt and everything else. I was down at Bliss coordinating for GreenFlag between the Patriot and Hawk missile systems when one of their SGTs recognized me. He came up and thanked me for filing the IG Complaint because as soon as his wife became pregnant they took her off site and put in the office. We have to remember everything happens for a reason. No it won't bring my only son back or heal the wounds I received. I had to come to terms with what happened, everything. Not just what happened to me but also what I had experienced and seen. I forgave alot of folks and prayed for others and their families. I don't know if this will help but hon, life is too short. There are so many autrocities happening everyday in this world, if we let them get to us then they win. I hope you will get better and I will pray for you!
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There is only one America, stand ready to defend her always. If not us, who?
SGT Army 1981-1993
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kolzion
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44#
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From: USA
Registered:09/09/2009
Time spent: 0 hours
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RE:PTSD AMONG COLD WAR VETRANS
(Date Posted:09/09/2009 18:12:02)
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There is only one America, stand ready to defend her always. If not us, who?
SGT Army 1981-1993
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Jerald Terwilliger
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45#
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Rank:none
Score:582
Posts:582
From: USA
Registered:11/29/2006
Time spent: 17408 hours
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RE:PTSD AMONG COLD WAR VETRANS
(Date Posted:09/10/2009 12:10:10)
Colleen,
First let me say welcome to our group, we are proud to have you with us. Thank you for your service to our country.
I am very sorry to hear about your problems, it is unjust and an outrage that you were treated in that manner.
To forgive is a very hard thing and I admire you for what you have done with your problems.
Please feel free to post away with any thoughts and comments you might have on any of the threads, we
always could use a new point of view.
Jerry
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Illegitimi Non Carborundum
US Navy 1960-1970
-./--.-/-.-./.
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Jerald Terwilliger
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46#
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Rank:none
Score:582
Posts:582
From: USA
Registered:11/29/2006
Time spent: 17408 hours
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RE:PTSD AMONG COLD WAR VETRANS
(Date Posted:09/10/2009 12:10:29)
Colleen,
First let me say welcome to our group, we are proud to have you with us. Thank you for your service to our country.
I am very sorry to hear about your problems, it is unjust and an outrage that you were treated in that manner.
To forgive is a very hard thing and I admire you for what you have done with your problems.
Please feel free to post away with any thoughts and comments you might have on any of the threads, we
always could use a new point of view.
Jerry
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Illegitimi Non Carborundum
US Navy 1960-1970
-./--.-/-.-./.
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kolzion
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47#
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From: USA
Registered:09/09/2009
Time spent: 0 hours
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RE:PTSD AMONG COLD WAR VETRANS
(Date Posted:09/10/2009 16:37:42)
Thank-you for your service. I can't imagine the hardships you are facing with us being the "forgotten" veterans. I was awake last night thinking back on alot of that stuff. I hadn't really thought about it in quite awhile. Seems no one wants to even hear about what happened in the cold war. My youngest last night replied to me, "the cold war wasn't nothing". I quickley educated her. She changed her opinion very quickly. Its too bad our "Association" doesn't have more places they can meet and talk or anything. Too bad we couldn't start up our own "elite" organization. We have a whole generation of forgotten veterans, including alot of folks that served "after" the wars. I do hope you get better, and wish you all the best. Feel free to contact me anytime, kolzion@yahoo.comBlessings Always, Colleen
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There is only one America, stand ready to defend her always. If not us, who?
SGT Army 1981-1993
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kolzion
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48#
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From: USA
Registered:09/09/2009
Time spent: 0 hours
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Re:PTSD AMONG COLD WAR VETRANS
(Date Posted:09/13/2009 14:28:13)
Can you believe I have an actual document of their IG investigation that finds all of my allegations as true. I keep that in a safe with my DD 214's and other important docutments. 8o)
I do hope the Armed Services Committee would see that recognizing us would help them and all those "organizations" that won't acknowlege us just because we don't have a "campaign" medal.
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There is only one America, stand ready to defend her always. If not us, who?
SGT Army 1981-1993
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PastNikeVet
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49#
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Rank:none
Score:499
Posts:499
From: USA
Registered:11/21/2006
Time spent: 8278 hours
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Re:PTSD AMONG COLD WAR VETRANS
(Date Posted:09/14/2009 11:20:33)
Welcome to the fray kolzion we also have a { newsvine group } and thanks for your service an welcome home : )
PNV
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http://acwv.newsvine.com[/URL]
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kolzion
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50#
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From: USA
Registered:09/09/2009
Time spent: 0 hours
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Re:PTSD AMONG COLD WAR VETRANS
(Date Posted:09/14/2009 17:55:51)
thanks for the welcome! it actually does feel good to know their are others out there who feel a little neglected or ignored for their service. Thank-you to all of you who have started this project!
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There is only one America, stand ready to defend her always. If not us, who?
SGT Army 1981-1993
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BGRH21052
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51#
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Rank:none
Score:53
Posts:53
From: USA
Registered:01/21/2004
Time spent: 9606 hours
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RE:PTSD AMONG COLD WAR VETRANS
(Date Posted:09/16/2009 11:55:38)
B.G. Burkett, in Stolen Valor speaks of some of the abuse in the VA system.
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jpeters
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52#
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Rank:none
Score:35
Posts:35
From: USA
Registered:07/24/2008
Time spent: 0 hours
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Re:PTSD AMONG COLD WAR VETRANS
(Date Posted:09/16/2009 18:56:33)
I spent 9 years in the U.S. Army and served in the Gulf War. I saw some nasty stuff while I was in especially the incident of having to bandage an Iraqi officer who had just been shot through the femoral artery in his leg while being sprayed with blood.
Nothing really bothered me except for my 2 year nightmare as a detailed Army Recruiter. I can honestly say that I've never been treated so horribly than when I was on recruiting duty and not making my quota (which was most of the time). The constant harassment, belittling, 12 hour work days (6 days a week), and threats of physical violence finally got to the point where I couldn't take it anymore. On the verge of a divorce I finally requested a discharge. I had made SFC / E-7 in 8 years and was considered a "fast-tracker"! My fellow recruiters thought I was nuts to throw it all away but my mind was made up. It took 6 months to get my honorable discharge but it was well worth the wait.
I've never filed a claim for PTSD since it hasn't affected me to the point that it hinders my quality of life. Unfortunately I do suffer from nightmares and other issues related to that degrading assignment as a field recruiter.
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