Sometimes I Just Feel Screwed...a Newbie

[ExHGSSgt]

First of all, I would like to talk about my merits. I am former Air Force, four years Active Duty and three years Reserves. My service times were both cut short by 1) an early out for school, and 2) for medical reasons. Both were honorable miscellaneous AFR whatever number discharges.

I served on Honor Guard in Florida...was stationed there for two years. I also served in Germany for a year and a half during the Gulf War. I worked in Civil Engineering on Active, and Medical in the Reserves. I have received outstanding unit with two oak leaf clusters, basic training, good conduct, national defense service ribbon, and overseas long tour ribbon. Wanted like Hell to go to Antarctica and float weather balloons as a meteorologist, but AF needs came first.

I worked hard on many construction projects, sweated my butt off in the Florida sun in my BDUs, helped take charge of closing down an airbase in Germany, was certified in Fire Alarms and Security Alarms (JSIIDS). Had some good buddies. I may have found one on classmates.com but I haven't bothered to pay the fee to see who the two guestbook signers were in there. (One name of a guy I served with was in the site, but I'm not sure he signed my guestbook, cuz you gotta pay to get in).

I stayed out of trouble, never had any major medical problems in the Air Force except bronchitis and the occasional respiratory infections (that was always my weak point).

Now, after having got out, I have been in and out of school. I finished my two year degree with a lot of zest after I first got out of the service. Graduated magna cum laude...served on a two-year college honor society.

I was hospitalized for my first time around 1995, just after graduating from college. Since that hospitalization, I have been in and out of hospitals about twelve times as an inpatient, and probably 100 times at outpatient. I lived in a transitional home for awhile that was mainly for veterans, which I found out through the VA hospital.

I started a claim with the VA, which got denied twice. Since a rude person from DAV never returned my call, I had to fill out the three incident reports myself. This was the beginning, I feel, of the screwing over. I tried, in vain, to appeal, and was rejected twice through Chicago I believe. Never saw combat but applied for benefits anyways. Served as security police augmentee during the Gulf War in Germany under ThreatCon Charlie conditions. Carried a machine gun. Had a couple of close calls which were unnerving.

I am currently living overseas in Asia. I have been over here for about three years now. Part of the reason I came over here was that I was sick of the transitional home, which, in my opinion, was mismanaged by a power, money and status hungry CEO. I worked for $100 a month full time for him. I was also receiving Social Security Disability benefits, which started about five years ago. Lived on those and my parents' help for covering the cost of the home, left, told my mother never to give me financial assistance again and that I would figure things out for myself from now on. (She's nearly 70 now). I'm still living on Social Security and have tried to get back to work without much success. The money doesn't take me far. It's enough, but not enough for much else after paying for medicine and anything else I might need.

I'm trying to get some help for reopening my claim. I called a local hospital here and talked with the doctor. He told me in truth that he tried to write two letters for people like me and they were refused. Denied. At least he was honest. Now I'm wondering, as I've let a lawyer back in my home state know about this, is how I can go about getting a diagnosis of PTSD (I know you can get coverage for other disorders, but I've heard it's next to impossible) over here at a hospital that would be significant...or would I have to travel to the Philippines where I know there's a VA hospital with doctors that can probably do this. Has anyone had experience with this? It's been a long, hard time since my first hospitalization after college. A suitable disability income would sure help me out.

My nickname is ExHGSSgt because I am an ex-Honor Guard Staff Sergeant (this was my separation rank).