I got a letter from the VA -- I have 30% PTSD -- need advice

[sn-e3]

Excuse me Col Murph but this time you are wrong. PTSD has nothing to do with or about being a coward. I too have been rated at 50% and I would dare you or anyone else to call me a coward to my face. I take your assesment as a personel insult. What happen to me during my years in the service happened I didn't ask them to happen but they did. at the time I did my job and did it well. but after a lot of years things begain to take there toll. I didn't ask to stay awake night after night rehashing events that no-one could change but thats what happens. I don't want to get angery and loose my temper and almost loose my job every few months but thats what happens. No Col this time you are wrong. I still respect your prospective on alot of subjects but this time I cannot and willnot agree with you. It would be different if we caught PTSD in some cheap whore house. but we didn't we got it doing our duty for God and Country. yours respectfully ...chris

[MORTARDUDE]

well Col. murph...lets see how the others on here respond to your comments.... You don't know me or my situation and I don't know yours. I don't know why you have become so ill- tempered lately, and it is none of my business. The fact that you have taken no money from the VA and have a job are good for you, I guess. We have filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and are broke, mostly due to my bi-polar illness. I was drafted and forced to fight against my will. I didn't volunteer for anything. I wasn't a career officer. I thank God I don't have the attitude towards fellow veterans that you do. I wish you well.

Larry

[phuloi]

Fuck you,Col.

[Arrow]

[David]

colmurph, do you know who brought PTSD to the forefront in our modern era? He was a soldier during WW2, you may have heard of him, his name was Audie Murphy. If I remember correctly col. wasn't he the most decorated soldier in WW2?

He received every decoration for valor that America had to offer plus 5 decorations presented to him by France and Belgium. Among his 33 awards and decorations was the Medal of Honor. He was also wounded three times serving in 9 major campaigns.

Are you calling Audie Murphy a coward? After the war he slept with a .45 under his pillow, when he slept, which was not often. He also ended up living in the back room of a gymnasium because he could not get his shit together enough to get a normal job and a house.

James Cagney picked him up out of the gutter and got him acting. Despite the "success" he still almost pulled the trigger on himself on more then one occasion.

Your words have shocked me more then I can relate. I bet they would shock the late Mr. Murphys surviving family too.

They have a guestbook and a forum on the late Mr. Murphys website. Maybe you could go there and tell everyone what a coward Audie Murphy was.




http://www.audiemurphy.com/biograph.htm

[PHO127]

I spent 12 months with RTs in Cambodia and Southern Laos, 12 months with B52 Roadrunners. 8 months with Phoenix. 12 months with the 25th and 23rd IDs. I have 50% PTSD, 40% Diabetes from Agent Orange, 20% because I have Neuropathy in both legs and have lost all feeling in my Feet from Agent Orange, I now stumble when walking down tile floors because I don't know where my feet are. I have a Neurology Appt this morning because the degeneration of nerves is going to my hands. Oh yes, I also have been shot a couple of times. for which there is another 10% and 10% because I had a B40 go off about 10 feet from my left ear and I can barely hear from it and it rings all the time. Now all of that said. Some of the People you just called a coward is Doc Fred and Doc 2/47, Normally I could care less about others opinion(s) but Doc Fred saved my usless ass about 30 years ago at Quan Loi, Almost starting a gun battle in the Aid station doing it because my Khemers would not leave me and Docs Vietnamese aids would not treat me because of my Khemers. Now I figure there is not a lot of stuff that scares me in this world least of all retired LTC's but the last thing in the world I would have done would have been a medic dealing with battle casualties on a day in and day out basis. If you think for one moment you have some tough battle stories you haven't heard shit untill you listen to Doc Fred or Hal. Now I know that you probably had a bad day when you wrote this and I am sure you probably were directing the post at people who take advantage of the system. Larry (Mortardude) is not one of them, He was with the 25th and went into Cambodia and was the Mech Inf on my right when I was with the 1st 27th Inf. Maybe you should reconsider your post and offer an appology, Remember, you are not the only Badass on the block.

[DMZ-LT]

Last time I heard Sid say that he threw a 300 lb. guy across the bar into what seemed like a nice older couple. . What Griz said, we all got opinions and assholes.

[Packo]

Murph,

We go way back and I respect the hell out of you, but your wrong about PTSD and cowardice. I know that there are a bunch of Vets out there with phoney PTSD. Worked with 1,000's of Veterans from WWII-Desert Storm with the VA and saw those that use the system and those that don't. I would say that vets with phoney PTSD aren't cowards.....just bums. But to say that PTSD=COWARDICE, well, what David said about Audie Murphy. I think we all here feel very strongly about freedom of speech and freedom of thought. If that's the way you feel, then so be it, your feelings, your thoughts, but from someone who considers you a friend, your equation is not correct. I have PTSD but have felt strongly that I have been able to live with it and have dedicated my life to helping Veterans and Active Duty. I am rated at 70% for my wounds and choose not to be rated for PTSD, but that's my choice......and I'm certainly not a coward.

My 2 cents,

Packo

[SEATJERKER]

...a long time back, you said I deserved the soldiers medal, a correct assumption although the eq. for the Air Force is the airman's medal,...

... I am rated at 30 % PTSD now for a 3 minute "hand to hand, life or death " battle over some asshole civilian shooting one, and getting ready to shoot countless others after dragging out a woman, and her infant from under the wounded man,...

...I am the "poster boy" for PTSD, as I've never been in a "combat zone, or have I ?????????,...

... If I had done what I did in a "combat zone", I probably, with "proper documentation" would have recieved the "Medal of Honor" for saving lives, and at the same time taking out the "perp",...

...I do respect you for your service, and although you "labeled" me and others "emotionaly challenged" a few years back, that is a title I can accept, however calling one a coward for not being able to handle the "flashbacks, or stressors" is Way out of line, and I won't ask for any apology,...

...besides, If you had ever met Larry, you know he's a crazy as a shit house rat, ( , kidding Larry, you know I love you),...

...

[b3196]

Murphy ( I do have respect for rank but not you)
Im not much for serious postings but after reading yours, and given the opportunity to meet John, Sid, Hal, DocFred, Andy, Curtis and Larry, YOU ARE WRONG!!! and an apology is definitely needed. Your post reminded me of those jerks that popped up on the Veterans Forum trying stir up $hit

Curtis........ Crazier then a $hithouse rat.....I like that
Bob K