(1992). The system is overwhelmed with frauds and liars. Both are collecting 100% disability and life is good for them because they have nothing wrong with them, at all, yet veterans like myself get no help at all and are literally forced to continue working in horrendous pain to make ends meet. However, I do not expect my inquiry to go anywhere]. I agree that journalists should vet their stories but editors and publishers have little to gain from stories that paint a negative picture of Veterans. I do neither forms of work anymore. Even so, a crime has been committed and (in fact) is still ongoing to this very day and yet the government is apparently unconcerned. For example. Meanwhile the VA tried to reduce me a couple times and I go there, receive and take meds, tried to kill myself, been in a mental facility but they went after me. Several other military fakers were caught in the same investigation; six of those disabled veterans scammed the VA out of almost $280,000. Its like a car driving by, no reaction. Next thing I know Im handed a form to fill out for PTSD claim. However, the attack they claimed to have witnessed happened years after their war and discharge and involved a different service. This refers to the indirect impact of trauma on those close to the survivor. The betraying partner must take seriously what he or she has done. In addition, the VA is increasingly open to alternative treatments for PTSD, including the use of hyperbaric chambers and yoga, but an Army veteran who went through VA treatment for PTSD. Only those with them with the most honor cleaned up that ship. Well said. (Sidran Press, paperback, ISBN 1886968187). some of us that get it, wish we never had it. Even did all the free college thing, etc. Subject: Fraud Illegal Acquisition of VA Benefits (100%) & Illegal Acquisition of SS Benefits (100%). Cist was removed, no treatments were needed, yet, it was called breast cancer. The same I had in the 80s when I filed my complaint. Reviewed by Lybi Ma. The partners of the Vietnam Veterans with PTSD reported: These effects were not limited to females. So yeah, I know I am a chronic insomniac and yeah, I got PTSD related to all that crap I cant count how many times over the years that I was told by both private and VA clinicians thats whats going on in my head. Its a psychiatric disorder that causes biochemical and neuroanatomical changes in the body. Is the Impact of Trauma on Mental Health Overestimated? Breakups hurt for whatever reason - this is a discussion which gets looped over and over - it's not always PTSD that can be blamed or used as an excuse for the failure of a relationship. Email: ncptsd@va.gov Many of us have reported this. had a wife and two small children. I see the VA doctor for my psyche meds and see a civilian doctor I pay for for PTSD treatment. Tell me who the villains are, TELL ME! The VA doesnt want to acknowledge that thetreatment works, but a huge number of patients are lying., Dr. Frueh discussed that problem in a 2014 Psychology Today article: Another open secret among clinical trial investigators is that veterans often acknowledge to researchers that the treatment has helped them, but ask them not to document in the record for fear of losing disability.. I feel a lot of guilt, a lot of shame. These folks dont have to pay property tax in VA, there are so many in my local area they are ruining the real estate market for locals . Army Veteran Tom Voss on the Importance of Taking Responsibility for The faster I ran, the further they drove away. Each PTSD program offered in a specific Vet Center is different, but they all offer: PTSD treatment for veterans is conducted or overseen by PTSD specialists. After reading Swashplates post, we are all entitled for at least 10% do to cancer. Back from the Front: Combat Trauma, Love, and the Family. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. One possible explanation for their psychological troubles is that -- whether they experience combat or not -- transitioning from the kind of close communal life of a platoon to the alienation of modern society is extremely difficult.". They Said the Rise in Military Suicide Is a Mystery. Give it another decade, and I would be amazed if the cancer wont have killed our military altogether . Since the GWOT started, these laws have become less and less restrictive on what evidence is required to grant certain disabilities, particularly PTSD, to the point where the allowance of free money as you described is largely out of the hands of the VA, as they simply execute the laws are directed by congress. I know other VA claims attorneys who have gotten out of the field for the same reasons. No, we shouldnt be giving out PTSD disability for someone that was scared from a mortar half the FOB away. I work with a young lady that openly brags about working the system. If they are not, they will always be scrutinized for not being representative. They dont want to be seen as shortchanging those combat veterans with those horrible experiences and memories (fake or not) because they, the VA, would once again be in very hot water. Those accusations increase the anguish of the betrayed partner. Dr. Frueh addresses fraudulent PTSD claims at a Mental Health Care for Veterans panel in 2005. It is the careful (often slow) testing and retesting of a hypothesis. One of her friends, Jacquelyn Dutes, had a bad stomach during her short time in the Air Force. trustworthy health, Persistent re-experiencing of events (such as through, Avoidance of anything that reminds the sufferer of the trauma, Negative changes in thoughts, feelings or perceptions related to the trauma (such as a persistent negative mood), Changes in reactivity (such as angry outbursts). I have to call shenanigans on your assertion. I have heard other anecdotes, like most Veterans dont persue PTSD treatment because they are afraid it would make them look weak. New York: Brunner/Mazel. Or removing a Gunship, hit between the armor plates up into the back of his head, now spattered all over the ship. You know it. Again, this is a bi-partisan shortcoming that unlike other disability compensation issues, such as social security disability compensation fraud and the republicans, does not have a strong voice in the political sector. Whenever I get any chance, even from facebook, I rat out fakers, there are whole groups on facebook full of people faking the system on veteran pages, its sick. VA disability fraud: This veteran received over $200k for not being a SEAL, not being in combat, and not having PTSD. He is vice commander of American Legion Post 14 in Southlake, Texas, and a lead trainer in the Military Veteran Peer Network. Once the promise of easy money is gone, veterans faking disability will stop flooding the system. Many function fine. Perhaps the greatest example I can think of for this is the case of Marcus Hurdle, represented by the Yale veterans legal clinic. He cant speak publicly because he still works at a large VA center, but I verified his identity and work. Vet Centers typically offer the best evidence-based approaches to PTSD treatment. Caregiver burden also includes the emotional strain of caring for someone who is ill. Back Female I live near an air force base and just about every car in my area is DV on the plate and mind you they drive luxury cars and drive drive fast and reckless. Assessing veteran symptom validity. What you need to know to help yourself and your loved one with PTSD. Demand that they fix the problem. The navy didnt break Mr. Hurdle. Sadly, the most common excuse many unfaithful partners give when they stray is that they were unable to get their needs met in the relationship. The researchers concluded that chronic stress may impact the health of blood vesselsa possible explanation for the higher heart disease risk among Veterans with PTSD. I know someone pulling in over $4k untaxed disability plus retirement, GS12 job, no property tax. I feel certain I had PTSD for probably 30 years. They are legitimately on trial for invalidating the worth of their primary relationship, succumbing to a self-serving motivation, and the willingness to risk severely wounding the other partner. Only congress can make that change. One of my civilian co-workers spent about seven years in the Air Force. Maybe our suspicion that the VA PTSD system is corrupt and overrun with liars, scammers, and thieves is off base. Some hyperlinks in this article may contain affiliate links. Sometimes 80 to 100 percenttax payer money. I have been in on conversations of other Guardsmen planning their retirement the same way, it was their goal, while no one gives a damn about veterans like myself who suffer immensly. He applied and received another 40%. Those who never deployed claimed such traumas as basic training accidents or other accidents on base (sometimes car wrecks, broken bones, getting in fights, riot duty), or feeling bullied by drill sergeants or supervisors., Often, their claimed symptoms or suffering are blatantly contradictory. Perhaps this could be an avenue for doing future research. In normal life, we recover from those things. We can see the writing on the wall, PTSD Diag equals no guns, and we love our guns. PTSD may affect how couples get along with each other. No offence intended. Macbeth claimed to have slaughtered dozens of Iraqi civilians and hung them from hooks in mosques; he became a celebrity of the anti-war movement, represented Iraq Veterans Against the War, and his lies were even translated into Arabic and distributed in the Middle East. Because of the public nature of the internet consider the human cost to what you are saying. The system does need to be revamped and quite frankly sought all my personal help outside the VA and it was night and day from what is being offered and delivered in the VA. Now I will challenge on aspect of this article and will call it as it is, complete BS. Its gross, offensive, and par for the course. A VA disability rating for PTSD is based on statutes that outline what symptoms meet which level of disability. When I retired an E6 transition clerk, black female, went on about a 15 minute diatribe about a false MST claim she witnessed that destroyed a very competent male sailors career. MTFU. I would much rather the VA go after these people who are frauds and stop their payments and give more to those who have lost limbs, sight, hearing, etc. While simultaneously feeling the need to strike back, run away, or feel immobilized, they must learn to self-soothe, create resilience, seek outside support, and commit to a renewed faith in a better future. Look, in my book if someone is a sexual predator or harasser they deserve every ounce of punishment the UCMJ affords. Marijuana and PTSD: Is It Helpful or Hurtful? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright All Rights Reserved. Site last updated March 4, 2023, PTSD: A Big Problem for Military Soldiers in War Zones, PTSD From Domestic Violence, Emotional Abuse, Childhood Abuse. Hard to believe the VA allows this. In VA group counseling sessions, "I realized the sad truth about a portion of the veterans there -- they were scammers, seeking a higher rating without a real trauma. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 60, 916-926. I had to file a claim as I needed help, all I wanted was treatment. If you wanted to create a perfect way to keep people from getting better, youd invent the VA compensation system., And hes frustrated nearly to the point of disgust with the VAs willingness to turn almost any claimed trauma into a monthly check for life. My neighbor who worked at the VA (I didnt know it at the time) was talking to me in my drive way. Their book is a guide to homecoming for returning Veterans and their families. Over the years I have had many jobs and lost some due to anger issues or anxiety. Specialized outpatient PTSD treatment for veterans is available as is specialized intensive inpatient programs for people who are having trouble functioning due to the PTSD. Maybe the Gov can just take one raytheon contract away and pay all vets but your small mind probably cant wrap around those numbers. In the noble efforts to help veterans and clear the backlog of VA claims, we allowed a lot of fraud into the system, and it is pushing away the veterans with real trauma and real PTSD.". The VA has asked me to file for PTSD several times several years ago. The goal of the VA is to provide quality healthcare to veterans and veterans should not feel shy or ashamed to ask for help with PTSD. Feb 23, 2023. I had 1 of those fakers that found out about my past have the nerve to ask me for advice what she needed to do to make a claim with the VA when she was ready to get out talk about a trigger (I hate that term too)My response was/is not fit for a public forum. 2) The role of the VA: The VA is in the most conflicted position in this mess. Sounds like you are very frustrated. Psychiatry experts interviewed agreed that post-deployment counseling is a field that requires further development. Retrieved The small segment of hard core and true believers, but an overwhelming population of what used to call the welfare recipients wearing a uniform crowd. Faking military disabilities. This right here is apart of the problem, making statements on how long treatment should last as each individual and their treatment is different. Look at the current news reports on VA corruption, people dont get fired for it, they get promotions and bonuses. Subthreshold PTSD also carries risk. Many women find this question, Every woman on earth has fantasized about some explicit sexual fantasy that she may or may not have been too ashamed to talk about. Every single month this individual collects over $4,000 tax free dollars due to a bogus PTSD claim (based on a rape that never happened) after serving only a year in the US Air Force. The Department of Veterans Affairs has greatly expanded its treatment programs for mental health problems overall, and for post-traumatic stress disorder in particular, said Dr. Harold Kudler, acting assistant deputy under secretary for Patient Care Services at the VA. Just seems cherry picked is all and I think in this format it comes across as just standing on a soapbox and shouting to anyone who will agree can have less than optimal consequences for people actually seeking information and not hold hands with a stranger. No, Im not the reason vets dont get help; Im not clogging the system with false claims, or stealing money from the finite resource pool, or convincing the public that combat veterans are unstable lunatics wholl snap at the sound of a bottle rocket. PTSD can be caused by events that occur before, during, or . A C&P psychologist wrote a superb article about the environment at VA, which describes the situation better than anything Ive ever seen: Russo, A. C. (2014). VA Disability Compensation For PTSD | Veterans Affairs (Because no information can withstand that level of scrutiny). Her book aims to help partners and Veterans understand the effects of combat trauma on relationships and family life. And the Yale law clinic wants him released because something something COVID, something something veteran. Psychology Today 2023 Sussex Publishers, LLC. Warrior Lust: Exploring Combat PTSD Infidelity by Leilani Anastasia The men and women who report and document the corruption are the ones fired, in spite of multiple state and Federal whistleblower protection laws. Nobody is willing to stand up to the uproar that would come from both political parties, and from VSOs, if we acknowledged what everyone already knows: a lot of veterans are lying about PTSD to get free money.. On missions, they wouldnt let him out of the Humvee because he was in so much danger. They dont exist to make Veterans better, they just exist to suck and dole out money. It should be the same with those who are faking it. According to the National Center for PTSD, about 8 million adults are affected by PTSD in the United States each year. No, the VA doesnt always verify claims and doesnt always catch liars. It was removed. He is 100% disabled veteran and gets paid the same as my other family member who never left base. In fiscal 2016, the VA provided mental health treatment to 1.6 million veterans, up from 900,000 in 2006, Kudler said. I lost a few jobs as a civilian after the military to my anger and my lack of decorum around civilians. PTSD in veterans is a serious issue, but many former service members and their loved ones do not know how to identify the condition or seek treatment. Rape stories, Particularly when young, some people may ask, "How do I know if I am gay?" My heart goes out to all the men and women who have served our country and truly suffer from PTSD or physical injuries sustained in combat. Many professionals who work with veterans, such as: C&P (compensation and pension) examiners, the VA psychologists and psychiatrists who conduct the PTSD evaluations with vets who have filed a claim for disability compensation due to post traumatic stress disorder; attorneys (its great that the attorney wrote to you); Veterans Benefits Administration adjudicators (the VA employees who make the ultimate decisions regarding service connection and disability ratings), have been concerned about this problem for many years, and have tried to work within the system to achieve the goal you articulated: Save the money for the real veterans, with real problems, who need real help., Unfortunately, when the Department of Veterans Affairs, the President, Senators, or Congressional Representatives propose changes to improve the system, the veterans service organizations and a very vocal group of self-appointed veterans advocates quickly assail them with accusations of being anti-veteran, unpatriotic, and uncaring. Save the money for the real veterans, with real problems, who need real help. With the help of advocacy groups he got the VA to diagnose him with PTSD at 100% and change his status to honorable for VA purposes which he fraudulently represents as an Honorable upgrade. Dr. Frueh was a VA psychologist for fifteen years, from 1991 to 2006. They feel they are doing everything right, that their love is intact, and that trust will never be broken. Dr. at the Ann Arbor VA (after waiting in a long line in the hall) asked how I was doing and when I said great, he about took my head off. After the War Zone: A Practical Guide for Returning Troops and Their Families. The results of Dr. Fruehs study closely mirrored Johns experiences a decade later. your baseless claims only add to the issues vets are facing today. I would like to comment on the fact some highly valued forum members cannot get a clue why the PTSD is so efficiently treated in the outside civilian world. A VA doctor recently asked a great question on my blog: When will realistic reform occur within the VA disability benefits system?. I contacted the IG, not just any IG, THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, and showed him a paper trail of millions behind defrauded by VA affiliates and all he cared about was getting me to stfu so he could go to lunch. John answered, The number of veterans so emotionally disabled by combat they cant work is minuscule compared to the number of veterans with treatable trauma-related conditions who dont need disability compensation. Miranda Escobar Most of their PTSD is either non-existant, or curable. What I am seeking is a telephone conversation with one of your assistants in order to present the background information related to this fraud and the person whos committing it: my ex-wife of 17 years. Regarding PTSD being treated quickly- nope! My answer: We will see meaningful improvements only when enough veterans push the veterans service organizations (VSOs) to advocate for reform. Thieves and Liars: PTSD Fakers and VA Disability Fraud - Breach Bang Clear Got jobs with health care insurance. This guy even tricked Iraq Veterans Against the War. After four years, he was given a 70-percent disability rating for PTSD and was immediately advised by administrators and other veterans to push for 100 percent to boost his check, O'Byrne said. But todays GI Bill is not a deliberate attempt to cripple our military. On vacation all the time. I could go on but this isnt something easily if at all cured for the authentic. She suspected the same thing but didnt feel right saying so. One-to-one mental health assessment and testing, One-to-one psychotherapy and family therapy. When Macbeth was arrested he was in the process of using doctored documents to apply for PTSD disability. Cant help but feel rage and disgust every time I see the more and more common DV license plates. The fact is that there are enough people with enough power in the places that matter, that this thing is simply not going to end any time soon. I am a Marine veteran poisoned for 3.5 years at Camp Lejeune and now suffer from multiple auto immune disorders. I ended up working for the VA in this capacity and what you wrote about was the reason I left. The majority who deployed to combat zones didnt experience combat but were stressed from being near it, fighting with other GIs during deployments, knowing someone who was killed, or being on a base when a mortar round or rocket hit somewhere on or near the base, John said. About 14 of the 20 daily suicides involve veterans who never deployed and experienced combat trauma, he said. For help with talking to a Veteran about getting needed care, you can contact VA's Coaching Into Care program: 1-888-823-7458. Caregiver burden is one idea used to describe how hard it is caring for someone with an illness such as PTSD. Among Veterans who use VA health care, about: pretty gory scene in the cockpit. I know it. He tells me exactly the same thing that Chris has written here. Thank you for writing this article and I feel a majority of this is spot on. What disorder does PTSD fall under? Similarly, carrying mistrust, anger, and pain forever will eventually destroy any hope of true healing. I met one gentleman who was a postmaster and in the National guard getting ready to retire with federal retirement and 100% disability and once again he was extremely happy at having struck it rich while there was nothing, I repeat, NOTHING wrong with him. visit VeteransCrisisLine.net for more resources. Superficializing a true betrayal can create unresolvable pain. When I interviewed him he talked about how important the GI Bill was to his fathers generation, and his belief that todays veterans deserve the same opportunities. If the system isnt flooded with thousands upon thousands of liars and scammers, the notorious VA backlog for PTSD patients will disappear, which will make it easier for real patients to get treatment. It can also affect the mental health of partners. I know of people that I think should not be getting disability they mainly use it as an early retirement. "For the sake of our military personnel -- if not for the sake of our democracy -- such statements should be quickly and forcefully repudiated by the offending political party.". Id randomly just get angry as shit at nothing, and had a superbly short fuse.