maparker advised me to head here (to PEBforum) from VBN to find Jason for some help. I'm not really even sure exactly what I'm asking, or where to start, so please forgive me if I sound like an idiot!
When my hubby returned from his last deployment (end of 2006) he was less than 60 days from ETS and just wanted to get the heck out of dodge. He (even though we didn't really want to admit it at the time) was suffering from severe PTSD and TBI as well as some other things but was given the advice that the VA would take care of him on the civilian side and that the Med Board would take forever and it would be easier just to slide out. Of course, now I know it was a stupid, stupid thing for us to do - but hind sight is always 20-20. So, he went on terminal leave an was discharged early in 2007.
We started the VA process almost right away. In that same time period he also went into the Reserves (because someone he was AD with got pulled back in) he only drilled a few times and then was just sort of left alone - didn't drill at all, just called off and on to tell him about all of his VA appointments - while they were supposedly putting him through the med board. But, then his ETS date came again and he just got discharged. That was last January (15 months ago). I know we sound like absolute idiots... and really we're not... but truthfully at that point we were just in over our heads and were not thinking ahead.
He received an initial rating from the VA of 75%. We then appealed. He's now 100% (90% schedule, 10% IU) disabled through the VA for PTSD, TBI, and degenerative issues in his left side that have him walking with a cane and sleeping is a hospital bed. I had just assumed we were screwed on the military benefits side because of the choice we made, but was talking to someone a few weeks ago who said we could go back and ask for those benefits now. Is that true? I ask because my daughter and I are both without health care coverage. I am unable to work since I have to be at home to care for my hubby and we are $180/month over our state's income guidelines for the state-run children's insurance plan. I've unfortunately developed my own brain issues lately and could really, really use health coverage. Anyone know if there's a way to do this? And, if so, how do I do it? Where do I start?
When my hubby returned from his last deployment (end of 2006) he was less than 60 days from ETS and just wanted to get the heck out of dodge. He (even though we didn't really want to admit it at the time) was suffering from severe PTSD and TBI as well as some other things but was given the advice that the VA would take care of him on the civilian side and that the Med Board would take forever and it would be easier just to slide out. Of course, now I know it was a stupid, stupid thing for us to do - but hind sight is always 20-20. So, he went on terminal leave an was discharged early in 2007.
We started the VA process almost right away. In that same time period he also went into the Reserves (because someone he was AD with got pulled back in) he only drilled a few times and then was just sort of left alone - didn't drill at all, just called off and on to tell him about all of his VA appointments - while they were supposedly putting him through the med board. But, then his ETS date came again and he just got discharged. That was last January (15 months ago). I know we sound like absolute idiots... and really we're not... but truthfully at that point we were just in over our heads and were not thinking ahead.
He received an initial rating from the VA of 75%. We then appealed. He's now 100% (90% schedule, 10% IU) disabled through the VA for PTSD, TBI, and degenerative issues in his left side that have him walking with a cane and sleeping is a hospital bed. I had just assumed we were screwed on the military benefits side because of the choice we made, but was talking to someone a few weeks ago who said we could go back and ask for those benefits now. Is that true? I ask because my daughter and I are both without health care coverage. I am unable to work since I have to be at home to care for my hubby and we are $180/month over our state's income guidelines for the state-run children's insurance plan. I've unfortunately developed my own brain issues lately and could really, really use health coverage. Anyone know if there's a way to do this? And, if so, how do I do it? Where do I start?