[Filling25]

I read in the "Marine Times" about the piece done about the Traumatic Brain Injuries. It states how Soldiers/Marines overall have been blown up and then years later, are developing problems. I am a active duty Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton currently. I have been to OIF and OEF numerous times. I was blown up by an artillery round from friendly fire, and like many others, decided to stay with my fellow Marines instead. Ever since that day, March 23rd 2003, I have had problems with my back. I had one spine surgery in November of 2006, after years of trying to tell them I had debilitating chronic pain, and now am preparing for my second one being how my back did not take to the first fusion. Because I did not have direct medical evidence stating I was hurt at that exact moment and it took our "Qualified" medical officers in the USN/USMC 3 years to get me a CT, I am now being told that I cannot receive the Traumatic Group Life Insurance money that is do to me. The stipulation says it must have happened within 720 of the happenings, and that mine was over three years and I have no "DIRECT" link from the accident to my problems. I have medical evidence showing my concerns two months after I was blown up, all the way to current day. I will be getting discharged from the Marine Corps before my intended end of active service because of my chronic back problems, which make me unfit for military service. I just found it ironic that people suffering from TBI are going through some of the same things that people with back problems are going through and no one is giving it a second look. The TSGLI would be giving me 100,000 for my change of lifestyle, and reimbursment costs, but I keep getting denied on my claims because of enough "Supporting" documentation. I have talked with numerous Marines who have been blown up, and a major percentage of them are getting medically discharged 3 and 4 years down the road. I am wondering the Marines still struggling with their appeals process, and how we military are pushed aside because we actually stayed in the fight and sucked up the pain, is not on peoples priority list? I am on my 5th appeal now and I am still getting denied for the same reasons. I even have a paper from neurosurgeon stating how he feels that it probably was from my accident in 2003. For Gods sake we even have a book about it. You might of heard of it. "GOD Saw them through" Pages 70-71 list about the mortar and artillery barrages that we went through. I just do not understand how us fellow marines, because we choose not to get treated when our comrades needed us most, get looked upon like we should have said something then. We are taught in boot camp to get back in the fight as soon as possible, and it disgusts me to now realize that it would hurt me in the future. Now I am learning to adapt my lifestyle change on my own, with loss of EVERY last one of my old hobbies...Surfing, golf, dirt bikes, mountain biking etc.....it is crazy. I think that someone needs to come to attention about the "Forgotten" warriors and what they were brought up in the Marine Corps to try and do. To the higher ups, and people it pertains too, the ones that will never see my paperwork, that have no idea this is going on, and they are the ones who make the difference. They get this Marine Times edition every week on their desks, and myself and many other Marines would appreciate it being brought to the open. I am taking this as far as I can go. The war is still going on yes I know, but there is also another war, the war of battling the TSGLI company, and regaining my confidence in the wounded warrior treatment.

If anyone else has had any problems, or can guide me in any way...PLEASE, help me.

SGT/0311

[Duseshoug]

Thank you for reading, if you are awaiting a response it will be with 24 hours. Thank you and Semper Fidelis

[JMLot]

Weezy - TSGLI is very difficult to get. My husband was injured by an IED in 2006 and suffers from TBI amongst other numerous injuries. He 'applied' for TSGLI, denied due to not enough supporting evidence. He gave up. It is crazy the things that are offered but you have to go thru hell and back to receive..didnt he already go thru hell and back when he was injured? Good Luck to you.

[SasV7ReJ]

yes...to hell and back is what already happened, and now we must fight again. It is very sad and disturbing. I hope all goes well.

[Thifiadardivy]

As with the MEB/PEB/PDA process, the treatment of PTSD, and the various Wounded Warrior Programs that appear non-profit but are actually run by the government, another falsehood is being perpetrated against soldiers through this TSGLI. Prior to its re-write all you needed was one doctor to review your medical records and confirm what was in them. Now, if you look at the form you have to have physician verification for every condition where an activity of daily living was affected. If anything, the broad coverage, meant more stringent requirements, and more denials as soldiers try and get certifications back through 2001.

This is no accident and was deliberately set up by military leadership and sanctioned by the so called watch dog congressional committees. The same entities that put forth legislation that VA and military disability standards were to be applied equally. The same entities who were going to make sure every soldier with PTSD would receive treatment with respect. The result has been the military has ignored the VA/military disability equal standards, and all the hype about PTSD has been nothing but hype and the congressional committees let the military down grade PTSD to an anxiety disorder that can get a soldier discharged without care or benefits.

When our leaders both military and civilian send us off to war they want us to give all even to the sacrifice of our lives. When we come home damaged, they avoid taking responsibility and accountability for what we have been through and set up road blocks. What is even worse is when the care and treatment of wounded soldiers is so politicized that they are allowed to get away with promises and even legislation that they have no intent on implementing or enforcing.

We soldiers are responsible as well, for letting the leadership both military and civilian gets away with this. We have voting power, but even more importantly we have voices that if every soldier wrote one letter a week, in protest, there would be action. If soldiers would stop joining these so called active duty and veterans organizations that say they help (and the government run Wounded Warrior type), maybe they would get up off their rears and do something other than acknowledge there are problems. I exclude those organizations with the guts to sue the government on behalf of veterans being denied benefits and the failure of the government to enforce the highly publicized laws that were to help. Amazingly, even with that strong recognition that the laws of congress are being ignored, congress still will not act.

The tragedy is that the treatment of soldiers during this era may go down as the worse in our history. It is not just the fault of a leadership that does not care, it is our fault for letting them treat us and our fellow soldiers this way. It is our fault for letting them tell us that to protest this abuse is being a bad soldier and have to face retaliation when the military, government and so called support organizations should be shown in their true light.

We only have ourselves to blame from this day forward.

Drealt

[Almolfuncomma]

I am currently involved in a PEB review by the Air Force disability section due to a spinal injury. I have had my PCM (Primary Care manager), patient advocate, Surgeon General of my home unit and the Board President and members of my final appeal board disregard where the law is not being followed. The law I refer to is the NDAA of 2008, Section 1642, Wounded warrior Transition section. The law in this section states where range of motion measurements are to be conducted according to the VA standards. This is not being done in my case and I can prove it. My point is I have shown this information to the some members of the medical community in the U.S. Air Force and they choose to blatantly disregard the law and not propery rate me. I have been told that they are not here to help me and I need to go away to the VA. It has been very frustrating to know that the law is being disregarded, that I have shown where the law is being disregarded and that I repeatedly have had the door shut in my face when I point it out. Fortunately I have an excellent paper trail and a Good Lawyer out of Connecticut. I will prevail but it will be a long and hard process that is totally unnecessary. I firmly believe that this is all about money and that the USAF medical community has an underlying theme to rate all service members as low as possible and send them to the VA. I can prove where the law is not being followed in my case and I believe there are a lot more service members being treated in this fashion by the DOD overall.

[teewHettive]

Your right .....the TSGLI And Appeals Board Are working together in making it very difficult for Soldiers of all branches to recieve their rightful benefits. They encourage us to pay them for the benefit. But use political issues to evade the process.
This makes our military leadership look very bad. Were good ole boys for doing our duty and fighting for our country. However, they will make it very difficult for any Soldier who becomes injured while in a Combat situation to obtain those rightful benefits.

Im also in an appeals process for a second event injury. I had to file a congressional. Maybe, if everyone would file a congressional, it would open the eyes of the Media and start waking some officials up.
I feel that the Secretary of Defense needs a letter from all Soldiers or Spouses and to keep record of these letters. Lets see what kind of response you get.
I can assure you this, they will "Check the Box" by assuring you its being processed. However, its only sitting on a shelf and one day it might get looked at. Use your Senator...........and use them all you can. If that doesnt work then use the media. Were Soldiers who fought hard.............and should "Never" be shoved on a shelf and forgotten.
SGT. T.

[Qnpqbpac]

Drealt, read my response.............and forward to all Soldiers if you can.

SGT T.

[TinaDaniel]

There's a lot of content here, but it's not very well structured, and I'd like to see that happen. You can ask the top 5 best paper writing services for some advice, and I am sure they will be more than happy to give you help you need.