Looking for a Guest Post

I would love to hear some of your stories about what you are going through so I can post it on here.  The more you can share with me and everybody else the better off we will all be.  Thank you all for reading my blog and thank you to anybody that wants to submit a blog post.

Email it to me at redsoxfandade@yahoo.com

Veterans with Disabilities Deserve More

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The Department of Veterans' Affairs is supposed to take care of our fallen comrades when they exit the military, and according to all accounts I have heard they are failing miserably in this task.  Veterans are struggling to pay their bills as it takes over a year for a disability rating to be approved, they have to suffer from PTSD because of the horrible things they went through, and they have to fight the system to get the benefits they are most deserving of.  I know that the people that work for the VA are not purposely depriving Veterans of their benefits, but the system seems to be set up to slow things down and to keep Veterans upset and annoyed.

Veterans Disability Claims not Being Processed

Back in May, CNN had a story about the VA not processing disability claims.  They found 16,000 unopened pieces of mail at a VA facility, and 132 claims that were shredded and never opened.  This type of news saddens me and frustrates me, as I am one of thousands waiting for my disability claim to go through.  At this point I have been waiting 14 months for my claim to go through, and I cannot find anybody to talk to to find out why.  When I try to call the 800 number either the automated message tells me that my call cannot go through at this point in time, or they tell me that it will be a 15 minute wait to talk with somebody.  When I do talk with somebody, they tell me what I have been told for the past 6 months, which is that I just have to wait for the claim to go through.

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Veterans with Disabilities Struggling

One thing that I have come to realize over the past few years is that it is difficult to get a job as a veteran with a disability.  When I got out of the Army five years ago, I did not have a college degree, and my only work experience was working in the back room of a Best Buy.  I could not go back to that job because of the physical requirements, and it has been very hard to find a job that I could enjoy that I could also physically do.  I have a lot of skills that I can put to good use, but in today's market most jobs require a degree, or are too physically demanding for many with physical disabilities.

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Do Something Nice for Yourself This Memorial Day

Memorial Day can be a difficult day for many veterans.  Some have lost a good friend, some are constantly reminded of something bad that has happened.  For me, I'm reminded of dreams that I was never able to fulfill.  Either way I will be proud to put on my uniform and march in my local Memorial Day parade, and I urge any veteran to do the same.  One thing that I have realized over the past five years is that people are thankful for your service and it will make you feel good to know that people care about what you have been through.

Update on Disability Ratings Taking Too Long

One of my first posts was about disability ratings taking too long, and it has been by far the most popular post I have written so far.  I have had a lot of people writing to me telling me of their stories of the VA delaying their cases and their disability ratings taking two years or more.  To me, the fact that people have to wait for any more than a few months disgusts me, and we need to do something to change the system.  If you are reading this, whether or not you have had to wait a long time for a disability rating, please take the time to write a letter to your congressman or senator asking them to be proactive to try to change the way disability ratings are going through the system.  This small action can go a long way toward helping those who put their lives on the line to protect you and your family.

My Thoughts on People from WWII and Today

I have been doing a lot of reading about World War II recently, and the citizens of that time really should be admired for the sacrifices they were willing to make.  People had limits on amounts of milk, gasoline, and other items we take for granted today in order to help with the war effort.  As I read in "Flags of Our Fathers", during a Northeastern Women's basketball game, they stopped the game so all of the players, referees, and fans could look for one lost bobby pin that could be used for scrap metal to help in the war effort.  People were lining up to sign up to serve to protect their country, and people that couldn't sign up were willing to work long days in factories to build essential equipment for the war.  The amount of effort the average citizen was willing to put in is something that everybody should respect, and should be something that we should strive for today.