Vet denied aid for war injury

Willie Ratliffe, who was injured in the Korean War, has been denied medical benefits by the VA on the grounds he makes too much from Social Security -- $14,776.80 a year.

[wonderer]

Typical of the VA. If they can't figure it out, just give the patient a bunch of exercises and send him/her on their merry old way.

[Manny]

Government at its BEST! VFW thank you for being there for our veterans. I am retired military and it is good to know that we do have a place to go if we ever need help. The Government thinks we owe them when it should be the other way around. Again, thanx
Retired Army Sarge

[B-Lady]

Mr. Ratliff I'm glad you found someone to help with your case and I hope you get your benefits as you surely earned them. God Bless Veterans

[Veteran77]

Wonderer --- it clearly states in the story and Ratliff was prescribed exercises by Army doctors when he was stil in the military --- NOT the VA!
I am in no way defending the VA, but let's keep things straight, okay? The VA is known for dropping the ball on lot of our veterans, but in this case, it is clear the ball was first dropped by the Army doctors who came up with a bogus diagnosis. I sincerely hope the VFW will go to bat for Ratliff and get him what he has earned!

[crusty]

The VA will always try to deny benefits to most veterans. Look at agent orange in vietnam. Sometimes you have to go thru senate or congressional members to get help. As for the amount you make. Get real VA!!!!! Adisabiltity is a disability. It does NOT matter what your income is or half the vets I know would not be getting disability or benefits. To Mr Ratliff, good luck with VFW. I am a veteran and I called them and Disabled vets and never recieved any help from either. Maybe newspaper publicity helps. I will try that next time. Again good luck and thanks for your service.

[Gunslinger915]

crusty wrote:

The VA will always try to deny benefits to most veterans. Look at agent orange in vietnam. Sometimes you have to go thru senate or congressional members to get help. As for the amount you make. Get real VA!!!!! Adisabiltity is a disability. It does NOT matter what your income is or half the vets I know would not be getting disability or benefits. To Mr Ratliff, good luck with VFW. I am a veteran and I called them and Disabled vets and never recieved any help from either. Maybe newspaper publicity helps. I will try that next time. Again good luck and thanks for your service.

You are right. Something very wrong here. VA disability has nothing to do with ANYTHING else you get paid. It does effect your military retirement check, IF you are LESS than 60%(I think thats right). Your VA disability is taken from your military retirement (off set), but you don't pay taxes on the VA check. If your disability is MORE than 60%, its not offset, you get full retirement check and the VA check for whatever %. I say this info is wrong, because I get military retirement for over 24 years, VA disability for AO and complications, get a Federal Government retirement for over 14 years with Federal Agency and I get Social Security check. Yes I know, I do pretty good for an old dude thats just not as good as he once was. But the Vet "Brother" having these problems, not sure why. Want to check it out, best place in El Paso, have the Vet Reps at the Hospital. Also think Texas Vets has this guy Ron Holmes, understand he is really good with stuff.

[Vietnam Veteran]

Willie Radcliff,
Don't let the VA bulldoze you. You served your country and shame on Richardson for just walking away from one of his constituants. Listen to what VFW tells you and they will guide you through this BS that the VA hands out.
Remember one thing, when it comes to the Government that we have put our lives on the line for, "THE HUMAN LIFE IS EXPENDABLE, THE DOLLAR ISN'T".
The very best to My Brother

[PANCHO]

I'm sorry, but I agree with the VA on this one. Mr. Ratliffe is a whiner. I would bet that most who served in Korea now have back problems, possibly caused by something they did in Korea, or maybe something else. Most accept this as part of growing older.

[Joey Smith]

What do you want to bet Pancho is a Republican? Pearce and Heather got 'Zero's' year after year for their support of veterans by veterans' groups. Udall, on the other hand, supports veterans. During the Vietnam era, our soldiers got more support, more rehab when they did get hurt than they do now.

[Gunslinger915]

Vietnam Veteran wrote:

Willie Radcliff,
Don't let the VA bulldoze you. You served your country and shame on Richardson for just walking away from one of his constituants. Listen to what VFW tells you and they will guide you through this BS that the VA hands out.
Remember one thing, when it comes to the Government that we have put our lives on the line for, "THE HUMAN LIFE IS EXPENDABLE, THE DOLLAR ISN'T".
The very best to My Brother

Thanks Brother for adding to this. Maybe just something he hasn't done yet that will fix it all.

[SandDollar]

PANCHO wrote:

I'm sorry, but I agree with the VA on this one. Mr. Ratliffe is a whiner. I would bet that most who served in Korea now have back problems, possibly caused by something they did in Korea, or maybe something else. Most accept this as part of growing older.

Thanks for your simple. My husband is 100% VA disabled. Not permanent. The problems we ran into with VA were not personal. In fact VA personnel were extremely helpful once the proper forms were in the system. It was just the same as all government though. You have to fill out the right forms and wait. If it came back denied, you appeal. It's not something that you can take for granted. If you're healthy, you thank God and don't look for VA compensation. If you have a condition, it's up to you to connect the dots to make it service related or combat related. Sometimes it takes a few tries. Sometimes you don't win. Just because you served does not make a disability automatic. My Dad served in WWII and Korea. Four Purple Hearts. Silver Star. He dragged his leg his whole life because he took six hits from the ground when he was parachuting in. I encouraged him to file for disability a couple of years ago because his limp was horrible. He was denied by VA after a panel of VA doctors looked at his case. Turned out he was limping from a undiagnosed diabetic condition, not the six bullet wounds in his leg. He died in diabetic induced coma. I hope Mr. Ratliffe is awarded a VA disability if it is deserved. It's not much if not combat-related. It's only an offset and the service member doesn't pay taxes on the offset. The offset comes right out of your own retirement pay. It's not extra....unless it's combat related.

[High Rolls Resident]

thanks Pancho. you are probably not a veteran. and are commenting on something with all the humanity of Rush Limbaugh. thanks for sharing. not.

PANCHO wrote:

I'm sorry, but I agree with the VA on this one. Mr. Ratliffe is a whiner. I would bet that most who served in Korea now have back problems, possibly caused by something they did in Korea, or maybe something else. Most accept this as part of growing older.

[SandDollar]

High Rolls Resident wrote:

thanks Pancho. you are probably not a veteran. and are commenting on something with all the humanity of Rush Limbaugh. thanks for sharing. not.
<quoted text>

Thank you for sharing. Not. Rush Limbaugh has more humanity in one eye than most people in their whole bodies. You clearly have no idea what you're talking about. Why does every single problem out there end up being political to you guys?(That lousy VA...it must be Rush Limbaugh's fault. That lousy Poncho. I bet he's a Limbaugh fan. Or I bet he's a Republican.) Good grief. Some things are just some things. VA is government. Why must you hit somebody in right field who has nothing to do with the problem? And what makes your opinion more legitimate than someone else's? Everything we think in life is based on own experiences. With the knowledge we've gained with our experiences with VA, we help people all the time when they need forms or language. We always find one veteran more than happy to help another. It's too easy to whine and complain and point. I'm a Republican and Rush Limbaugh fan.......and a patriot.

[misstee]

Why should our veterans have to deal with anyone to fight for benefits? Benefits should be automatic to all US soldiers! Our young men and women defend our country and most often are injured.They are medically discharged and denied medical benefits, what has our country come to? Why do so many veterans have this problem with benefits when they earned them in my opinion.

[Sam I AM]

SandDollar wrote:

<quoted text>
Thank you for sharing. Not. Rush Limbaugh has more humanity in one eye than most people in their whole bodies. You clearly have no idea what you're talking about. Why does every single problem out there end up being political to you guys?(That lousy VA...it must be Rush Limbaugh's fault. That lousy Poncho. I bet he's a Limbaugh fan. Or I bet he's a Republican.) Good grief. Some things are just some things. VA is government. Why must you hit somebody in right field who has nothing to do with the problem? And what makes your opinion more legitimate than someone else's? Everything we think in life is based on own experiences. With the knowledge we've gained with our experiences with VA, we help people all the time when they need forms or language. We always find one veteran more than happy to help another. It's too easy to whine and complain and point. I'm a Republican and Rush Limbaugh fan.......and a patriot.

Its called the "HATE BUSH and REPUBLICAN" syndrome. Any thing that goes wrong, Blame Bush and the Republicans for it. Too FUnny, because of that syndrome and their hatred of Bush for getting rid of Hussien, they will put another Hussien in the WHITE HOUSE, Barack HUSSIEN Obama.

[I_Thaw_A_Puddy_T at]

Sam I AM wrote:

<quoted text>
Its called the "HATE BUSH and REPUBLICAN" syndrome. Any thing that goes wrong, Blame Bush and the Republicans for it. Too FUnny, because of that syndrome and their hatred of Bush for getting rid of Hussien, they will put another Hussien in the WHITE HOUSE, Barack HUSSIEN Obama.

Sometimes, a statement is so dumb, that it should stand alone and be admired for its purity of dumb. Congrats!

[High Rolls Resident]

maybe 'Rush' has more hyrdocodone in one eye than most people have in their whole bodies, but not compassion. that fat draft dodger should be remembered on Memorial Day for what he is a fat draft dodging windbag. good icon for you though.

SandDollar wrote:

<quoted text>
Thank you for sharing. Not. Rush Limbaugh has more humanity in one eye than most people in their whole bodies. You clearly have no idea what you're talking about. I'm a Republican and Rush Limbaugh fan.......and a patriot.

[SandDollar]

High Rolls Resident wrote:

maybe 'Rush' has more hyrdocodone in one eye than most people have in their whole bodies, but not compassion. that fat draft dodger should be remembered on Memorial Day for what he is a fat draft dodging windbag. good icon for you though.
<quoted text>

Thanks. I don't need icons. I recognize compassion and the ability to do something most people cannot do. I'm grateful for all Rush does to support the families of troops by just letting them hear everyday how proud we are of them. With Murtha, Pelosi, and Durbin in the spotlight all the time, it's good to hear someone else. What he gives to foundations that help military kids would blow your mind. What he does each year for kids with lueukemia is amazing. Not everyone went to Vietnam. Everyone we knew did because we were IN the military. It was the life we chose. Our family has no regrets. Rush shouldn't be remembered for anything on Memorial Day. The day is not for him.

[The Truth]

SandDollar wrote:

<quoted text>
Thank you for sharing. Not. Rush Limbaugh has more humanity in one eye than most people in their whole bodies. You clearly have no idea what you're talking about. Why does every single problem out there end up being political to you guys?

LOL! You listen to a drug addicted man who broke numerous laws to illegally obtain diverted pharmaceuticals including having an undocumented immigrant obtain them for him. He was caught with all kinds of pills that weren't his, then he lied about it.
Now normally I wouldn't even say anything because drug addiction is a disease and he can be cured. But when he is on air advocating the death penalty for other drug users and then gets caught obtaining ILLEGAL (yes, they are ILLEGAL and scheduled AT THE SAME LEVEL AS HEROIN) drugs without a prescription.

The hypocrisy of the neo-Republican party knows no bounds.

BTW - I hope this veteran gets the VA to cover his expenses, depending on how much money he has tucked away other than the paltry sum he gets annually from SS.

[CornOnTheCob]

The Truth wrote:

<quoted text>
LOL! You listen to a drug addicted man who broke numerous laws to illegally obtain diverted pharmaceuticals including having an undocumented immigrant obtain them for him. He was caught with all kinds of pills that weren't his, then he lied about it.
Now normally I wouldn't even say anything because drug addiction is a disease and he can be cured. But when he is on air advocating the death penalty for other drug users and then gets caught obtaining ILLEGAL (yes, they are ILLEGAL and scheduled AT THE SAME LEVEL AS HEROIN) drugs without a prescription.
The hypocrisy of the neo-Republican party knows no bounds.
BTW - I hope this veteran gets the VA to cover his expenses, depending on how much money he has tucked away other than the paltry sum he gets annually from SS.

You should get your story right. I'm no Limbaugh fan. Don't have the time. The pills were all his...different doctors. While all you guys point at each other for various associations, it's only people who have actually used drugs who claim that it's a disease. It's no disease. Just weakness. Professional opinion. While you point at Limbaugh who is not an elected member of the government, you might be electing a person who sold drugs in the hood. Also, the Kennedys have had how many family members in rehab who are elected for using the same drugs Limbaugh used? You just can't go around knocking people who like somebody. Back on point, this Veteran will get the help he needs once it is reviewed and approved by a board.