Reporting for ROLL CALL 8/21/13 8:16AM
Hey Captain!
Per your questions, getting a Veteran Advocate is almost past tense at this point. You are a Veteran Advocate and any one reading this can take your advice here and your thoughts as 'advocacy'. Same goes for me. In California, we have CalVet which is an outreach segment of the VA that is State oriented. Every State has such a service to its Veterans. Then there are the Veteran 'drinking clubs' like the American Legion, VFW, DAV, AMVETS, etc. They have advocates, too. And actually, inside the VA itself is a Veteran Advocate. The long and short of it is that the Cherry Troop needs a Veteran Advocate first thing to give him advice and guidance.
And now I'm going to 'cut it to the chase'. Many Veterans who make their first meeting with their 'shrink' at the VA's Mental Hygiene Clinic are met by a doctor who asks him first off, "Are you here for the money?" This often times causes the Cherry Troop to respond with 'anger'. Fact of the matter, that's exactly what the VA system wants. And if the anger means that the Cherry Troop tells that 'shrink' to "Go To Hell!" and then walks out the door, that's what the VA wants, too. Truth of the matter is there are a lot of so-called combat Veterans that are 'playing the game' and cause great iniquity within the system. These 'fakes' burden the system because if one of them does succeed in getting a large claim, and he is found out, then this brings 'heat' to the whole VA procedure. One needs to look at this YouTube presentation to get what I am saying:
http://www.upworthy.com/whats-the-worst-thing-you-could-say-to-a-congresswoman-who-lost-her-legs-in-battle-found-it?g=2
After watching this video, then you will see more clearly why the VA today is backlogged with nearly a million claims.
LT
Reporting for Roll Call – 15-55Hrs – 8-22-13
ReplyDeleteHi LT:
Re: Your Post No.6
1) Choosing an advocate _That’s quite a lineup of sources to choose from; but, the way you’ve described it, it resembles a lot like going on a blind date…You have no way of knowing how it will turn out. Given the way the VA claims system operates, an advocate’s “compatibility” index isn’t enough. You really need someone who knows how to work through that labyrinth. Nope, what Cherry Troop needs to know is how to find a real hammerhead who will be much like his old DI in boot camp…leading him by the hand, or booting his ass, as needed as he goes through the process (in some ways the process probably resembles going through boot camp anyway). As for me being an advocate…since my knowledge of the process is minimal, to say the least (which is why I ask so many question about it), beyond providing some hand holding, I’d be as useful as tits on a boar!
2) Yes, there are those who’re just playing the system for what they can scam from it, which probably explains the VA’s attitudes about anyone who files a claim, assuming they’re a scam artist…until they prove otherwise. So much for having served a “grateful” nation.
3) Don’t know about Cherry Troop, but if a shrink asked me such a question …about being there just for the money…I’d just smile and ask:”So…why are you here, sir?” A better response might be:”Are you kidding? My minimum wage check is probably bigger!” or some such…As you say…Cherry Troop needs to keep his cool, smile, and turn every such question right back into that shrink’s face, firmly, but with as polite ridicule as possible. The old Socratic method in reverse…answer a question with a question (in my experience, including a few so-called shrinks…that drives them nuts). They quickly drop the fun and games, and get serious.
CENTURION