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GOMER'd...Bums Rush by MOPH VSO

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    GOMER'd...Bums Rush by MOPH VSO

    GOMER'd...Bums Rush by MOPH VSO

    Had my appointment with my VSO (vet service officer that makes the rounds in my town today).

    Worse than a waste?

    -1- As I entered he made fun of my scooter, noting he or ANYONE could go buy one. While his statement was TRUE, I did not consider it very funny. There were NO zero NONE handicap aprking spaces today, had to park in a further from the building parking lot even, plus I had planned doing other things while there afterwards.

    -2- Frivolous? I told him I wanted to make a service connection claim for the MS. He told me directly that he would not do it, that it would be "frivolous" and he does not do that. I have ALWAYS been 100% honest with him. I went over events while in the service that might connect the needed dots.

    -3- He Laughed and joked out loud....... when one item I mention was a sharp pain down my back that I know was documented. I realize some, many people have back pains, I had a jolt when I simply bent over and picked up nothing, just bent over by my tool box. Not quite a typical back pain.... to him it was the funniest thing he had ever heard.

    -4- Hearing Loss..... might as well been another joke to him. It MIGHT be MS connected, his repsonse it could be other things as well. True enough but with proper testing it might be proven as likely if not positively from the MS. His response was go find a doctor that will state to the aforementioned possability........ GOOD luck decades after the fact. The Navy documented I suffered my hearing loss while on active duty, just NEVER told me. I only found out by filling a claim for the hearing loss 4 decades later.

    -5- VISION........ the problem here is I have not been able to find any record of a vision problem I had while stationed in Pensicola. My shop (boss) sent me to the base hospital due to a vision problem I was having, durring the hot Fla summer of course. My vision was a mess for days, even after the hospital visit. Later while stationed in Sanford Fla, my diplopia got worse, had to have my glasses prisms DOUBLED. Since I could not seem to get good vision care from the Navy, I went to an eye doc in Winter Park, not far from Snaford to get proper glasses. I have had the diplopia since I was 18, but it did get MUCH worse while on active duty.

    -6- Helpful? Not hardly! He is aware of my asserting critical items missing from what I ahve been able to get in the way fo Navy medical records so far. He did not even hint that I might be able to get sworn statments from another shipmate supporting my claim, something I learned here at MS world. I do in fact have occasional contact with one still after all these decades. I just called him, he lives in Fla and I left him a message, asking if he remembers. There is a good chance, as we were both in the same new jsut forming shop when this occured.

    GOMER'd again, he even suggested I might try VFW or some OTHER VSO to help me file my FRIVILOUS MS claim. To him the whole thing, from my scooter to MS itself was a real big JOKE! At this point I am inclined to file a complaint to MOPH about his ATTITUDE, which I find insulting to say the least.

    Doc
    Gomer Doctor of, Been There, Done That.





    #2
    It could have gone the other way where he'd promise you the moon and insist everything was a slam dunk. I know guys this happened to, the VSO kept saying "slam dunk" but nothing happened. Its a point-of-contact deal, while I'm convinced the VA tries to do the right thing they're also limited to their reps (who are all too human) who interact with us.
    I'd go ahead and check out the other options like he suggested. At least sound them out and see where you stand. The most you'll have to do is change your power of attorney.

    Comment


      #3
      Almost forgot, check and see if you have an org. called VVA (Viet Nam Vets of America) near by. While they handle all vets, it might be closer to your time frame.
      Either way, ask around and see where you really stand. If they want to know why you're not satisfied with your present VSO, don't be blunt. At least not yet.

      Comment


        #4
        Slam Dunk?.....

        .......since when was anything VA a slam duck?

        I was more incensed by the way I was treated and his attitude than his other actions or inactions. He was much better about things 3 years ago when I first saw him. That was about getting service connection for my hearling loss. I had a lot LESS for that, NOTHING except my word a hearing test was done while stationed in Fla, in the beginning than I now have for the MS issue.

        One thing, from the very beginning today was his attitude about me using a scooter. My mobility is NO LOL matter to me, not by a long shot. I could ignor that, had it ended there, it DID NOT!

        The hearing test failure WAS noted in my 0% hearing loss connection approval letter, but it is NOT in any of the records I got via my request last year. He talks like there is more than what I was given he seems to be aware of, which does apprear to be the case. Per teh decision my hearing was NORMAL when I went in and failed bilaterally while on active duty, I read somewhere that bilateral earing loss usually had a higher percentage than awarded.

        While had had security clearance (needed for my job), I can not imagine anything regarding my medical Hx would have ANY reason to be involved.

        Doc Gomer Doctor of, Been There, Done That.

        Comment


          #5
          I'm just telling you what other guys have experienced.
          They go in for one problem and the VSO starts pulling paperwork for all kinds of stuff and starts filling it out. Granted, people tend to hear what they want to hear but the general impression is that suddenly they'll be living on their own private island and burning money when it gets too cold.
          A year later their claims get denied and they wonder what happened. This isn't common but the idea I get is that some VSO's are a little trigger happy when it comes to filing claims and building expectations.
          Not that it has anything to do with your experience. For all we know the guy has burned out with being an SO. I always try to see things from the other person's point of view and at the end of the day these people are just people like you and I. Stress can mess them up.
          Like I wrote earlier, take his suggestion and try some other service orgs. Not because he wants to get rid of you but because its now doubtful he'll do anything to help you. Why is not your concern, at this point you need to look at salvaging the situation. Likewise, hold off (for now) on sending up a flair. Document it but hold back until you see where you stand with DAV or VVA or the Legion. THEY might tell you he burned out. But, its far more important to get someone who will look out for you and represent your claim first.

          Comment


            #6
            To be honest, I had not thought about BURN OUT.

            His main office is in Detroit, but comes to my town 1 day a week, or should i say DID, as he is now only making the rounds every other week.

            The diplopia has been connected to the MS, EVP tests at the VA showed optical nerve damage consistant w/MS.

            With proper testing, IF(??) it shows hearing loss also due t nerve damage (MS) then that s already linked as service connected.

            If the VSO is burnned out, he SHOULD retire and pass the torch.

            Doc Gomer Doctor of, Been There, Done That.

            Comment


              #7
              So sorry

              To hear your bad visit. I used a VFW VSO and had all but two claim come through, including MS. I was denied my left ankle and depression. I was upset, but I didn't appeal it (not yet). They claimed the depression was not in my records and that the ankle is not chronic. Well, the depression is in my NG medical records (from when I was on active duty orders) and the ankle hurts me every morning when I get up and will roll and toss me to the ground with a mere pebble.

              I guess that isn't chronic enough.

              I would definitely try another VSO.

              Comment


                #8
                First.....epona.....
                I also have weak ankles, courtsey of MS and wear AFOs for that. Before I got AFOs I was getting internal bleeding, weak ankle + bone spur, great combo. I just got fitted last week for new AFOs. Maybe I will get them in time for my birthday.

                I DID IT!
                Go see a new VSO today, that is. I joined PVA and they are now my official VA rep as well. She understands MS, as much as a non-MSer can be expected, and realizes its not a JOKE.

                No Bob......she was pie-n-sky, but very helpfull. We have direction, things to gather and ways to get arround missing documentation. She wants me consider issues that we might be able to document durring the post AD 7 years as well as while on active duty. I guess you could call it a game-plan to build the case.

                I stopped by my OLD eye doc office, who took over for the eye doc I first had after the Navy. Going to TRY and get those records, IF I can at least get that glasses Rx, it will show the doubling of prisms for the diplopia, well within the 7 yr window.

                We, or I anyway, had fun trying to explain WHY I wanted to seek testing for MS-hearing loss connection. I was speaking in reverse engeneering fashion, and for a while she was not getting it; Then suddenly she understood and agreed it was a good idea. I expressed my reservation of getting it done at the VA, versus outside doc. She said DR Segal, my MS doc there had been very helpfull in some cases.. Maybe I should take the redundent path and seek both venues????

                Doc Gomer Doctor of, Been There, Done That.

                Comment


                  #9
                  UpDate..........

                  Well today, this afternoon I was able to get thru to a old fellow mate that I still have contact with. Last tiem I visited him he ahd made a passing coment about by Coke-bottle glasses of the era. (they were thincker back then due to be glass instead of todays thinner plastic).

                  He not only remembered my getting new much THINCKER glasses, but remembered I was having vision problems back when we were in the early days fo a new squadron in Sanford.

                  I asked him to put what he said/remembered in writting for me and said he would. Have not gotten his address yet, (via email) so I can send him a return envelope to send me his letter.

                  If I actually get that in my hands, along with an old navy glasses Rx that was missing my prism factor, a worthless Rx I kept/found in some old junk the other day. My enlistment exam included my prism base in my then glasses Rx. Those items should clinch the MS related vision issue and if I can get the audio evoked potential testing, hope it shows my hearing loss is also MS related, it should be a slam ducnk. Note i said SHOULD be, nothing VA or govt is a slam dunk.......

                  Doc Gomer Doctor of, Been There, Done That.

                  Comment

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