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Some military discharges mean no benefits after service ends
Associated Press ^ | Dec. 24, 2015 11:58 AM EST | Jim Salter

Posted on 12/24/2015 9:54:03 AM PST by Olog-hai

No medical or mental health care. No subsidized college or work training. For many who leave the U.S. military with less-than-honorable discharges, including thousands who suffered injuries and anguish in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, standard veterans benefits are off limits.

The discharge serves as a scarlet letter of dishonor, and the effects can be severe: Ex-military members with mental health problems or post-traumatic stress disorder can't turn to Veterans Affairs hospitals or clinics; those who want to go to college aren't eligible for the GI Bill; the jobless get no assistance for career training; the homeless are excluded from vouchers. ...

(Excerpt) Read more at bigstory.ap.org ...


TOPICS: Health/Medicine; Military/Veterans; Society
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To: Olog-hai

I’m one of them. Vietnam vet, honorable discharge. Filled out the form at the VA office 7 months ago, signed it, was told I’d likely qualify and heard absolutely nothing since. The VA rep acted like he did not care at all.

My point is the place is corrupt beyond belief. No one cares. I will not file a formal complaint, for if they are this bad I really don’t want them to touch me.


21 posted on 12/24/2015 10:55:23 AM PST by redfreedom (q)
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To: Lonesome in Massachussets

Service related injuries are covered for other than dishonorable. For dishonorable you are covered by the Docs at Leavenworth.


22 posted on 12/24/2015 11:08:24 AM PST by jwalsh07
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To: jwalsh07

Should have said generally covered.


23 posted on 12/24/2015 11:09:22 AM PST by jwalsh07
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To: 17th Miss Regt

Dittos.


24 posted on 12/24/2015 11:11:10 AM PST by jimt (Fear is the darkroom where negatives are developed.)
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To: Mariner

Unless they vote Democrat,


25 posted on 12/24/2015 11:12:47 AM PST by sport
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To: Ace the Biker

You served in a completely different era.

Up until a few years ago, it was normal to have an alcohol related incident. When I came in, almost every SNCO had at least one. Now, almost any alcohol related incident is a career killer. A DUI now is a general under honorable under best conditions. You also didn’t serve in an era where you practically have to get a consent form notarized before it’s considered rape. I mean, let’s be honest...current active duty live in a service where an E-8 was disciplined for having Chick Fil A at his promotion ceremony, because it offended his homosexual Major. Yes, you can get fired for liking Chick Fil A.

This isn’t even getting into the fact that it’s a scientific fact that TBIs change the neurological makeup of the brain, or anything like that.

People like you are the reason active duty military and recently separated military are blowing their brains out at an astonishingly high rate due to an unwillingness to get help or talk to people. So why don’t you shut your yap about something you obviously don’t know what you’re talking about.


26 posted on 12/24/2015 11:19:13 AM PST by The Black Knight (The hate keeps me warm at night)
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To: Olog-hai

The rules of military service are pretty clear.


27 posted on 12/24/2015 11:26:47 AM PST by dangerdoc ((this space for rent))
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To: redfreedom

The VA is just one huge AA program.


28 posted on 12/24/2015 11:36:31 AM PST by ex91B10 (We've tried the Soap Box,the Ballot Box and the Jury Box; ONE BOX LEFT!)
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To: Olog-hai

Well, there’s generally a reason a person is discharged as “less than honorable.” It often has something to do with them being less than honorable.

I don’t see why such a person should be accorded the same bebefits as one who served honorably.


29 posted on 12/24/2015 11:53:00 AM PST by IronJack
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To: Olog-hai

If a man or woman gets anything other than an honorable discharge, they don’t deserve anything else from the government as they didn’t fulfill their part of the contract that they swore to uphold. F”em.


30 posted on 12/24/2015 11:57:05 AM PST by vetvetdoug
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To: redfreedom
I have had the exact opposite experience here in the NorCal region.

From the time I filed my first claim until the first check arrived was 7 weeks.

I made a appointment via VA to get my ears checked, got my appointment within 3 weeks.

Another 10% showed up in my check 6 weeks later.

That's timely and efficient in my book.

31 posted on 12/24/2015 12:11:57 PM PST by Mariner (War Criminal #18 - Be The Leaderless Resistance)
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To: Gay State Conservative

You suffer from typo-space anemia, a non-combat affliction wherein anal-retention manifests itself as hoarding cyberspace by jamming words together. I’ve left you a supply of spaces at the end of this comment. Feel free to use them as intended.


32 posted on 12/24/2015 12:13:51 PM PST by sparklite2 (Islam = all bathwater, no baby.)
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To: Mariner
Oh, one other IMPORTANT note: I had American Legion and DAV handle my claim submission and tracking.

I can't say enough good about those guys.

33 posted on 12/24/2015 12:14:05 PM PST by Mariner (War Criminal #18 - Be The Leaderless Resistance)
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To: redfreedom
I'm one of them. Vietnam vet, honorable discharge. Filled out the form at the VA office 7 months ago, signed it, was told I'd likely qualify and heard absolutely nothing since.
I went to the VA last January claiming my tinnitus was the result of 3 years in Marine Corps artillery, specifically, 13 months on an 8" howitzer in 'Nam.
Filled out paper work and was told it would take 6-18 months to be evaluated. Was 6 months before I was told to go in and get a hearing test.
Then nothing for 3 more months. Finally got approval in November. Hang in there.
34 posted on 12/24/2015 12:15:45 PM PST by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: centurion316

I’m thinking the Big Chicken Dinner racial profile points to gang members who, having learned some military tactics, have no further use for the military service, and are would not have used any of the GI Bill benefits they lost. Plus, the stigma of a BCD on a job application means little when applying for a job itself is highly unlikely.


35 posted on 12/24/2015 12:19:36 PM PST by sparklite2 (Islam = all bathwater, no baby.)
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To: Olog-hai

Everyone knows this going in.


36 posted on 12/24/2015 1:00:43 PM PST by gundog (Help us, Nairobi-Wan Kenobi...you're our only hope.)
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To: vetvetdoug

Welllll.....there are some politics and personalities involved. I was told that I was going to be allowed to make a graceful exit, which implies that they could do otherwise. And I saw them do otherwise to people...giving them multiple appointments at once and hitting them with missing formations...stuff like that. Not that they were sterling GI’s to begin with, but still.


37 posted on 12/24/2015 1:04:11 PM PST by gundog (Help us, Nairobi-Wan Kenobi...you're our only hope.)
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To: The Black Knight

be glad to give my address so you can shut it for me. Seems to me it’s an all volunteer Army so if they can’t take the heat why the hell are they in there?


38 posted on 12/24/2015 1:27:05 PM PST by Ace the Biker (I wasn't born in Texas but I got here as fast as I could.)
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To: Olog-hai

My wife served 6 years in the reserved and sprained her back on duty. They gave her a medical discharge, then denied her medical and then the IRS took back her GI Bill money while she was in school. When we questioned them on it they said due to the privacy act they could not tell if her discharge was due to injury or drug abuse.

One thing the government does well is screw the Vets.


39 posted on 12/24/2015 1:32:35 PM PST by American in Israel (A wise man's heart directs him to the right, but the foolish mans heart directs him toward the left.)
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To: oh8eleven; windcliff

I’ve been having trouble with my hearing for a few years now, but can’t tell if it’s from Vietnam, or not.

I was in many firefights, the absolute LOUDEST of which was Hill 10 outside Tam Ky in Tet 69.

Then again, I’m 65 1/2, and it could just be age.

I wonder if I should give the VA a try.


40 posted on 12/24/2015 1:35:34 PM PST by onedoug
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