RSteve
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2008
- Messages
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On Sunday it was quasi-veteran's day at the Twins baseball game. My friend, who is Army retired, Command Sergeant Major, was given four tickets and asked me to go with him. One of the four was about my age, a VietVet with an airborne tattoo on his forearm. We passed the V.A. Hospital on the train to the ballpark and the two old VietVets talked a bit about V.A. care and disability compensation. I had never heard of anyone having what happened to this guy. Both his DD214 and military health records were redacted. He'd fought for years to be awarded V.A. compensation. Finally, his lawyers were able to access his unredacted records and he was awarded 100% V.A. compensation backdated to 1994. I asked him why the backdate and retroactive compensation was to 1994. He said the award was in 2019 and the government agreed to 25 years retroactive compensation. I asked why he thought his records had been sealed and redacted. He said that it pertained to his "clearances."
Later, as we chatted casually during the ballgame, it appeared (clearly) to me that he had some severe psychological issues.
As I've noted previously, I spent about 20 years as a volunteer on the Agent Orange task force. Now, I wonder how many vets I spoke to, who were living on the streets, had their records buried.
Later, as we chatted casually during the ballgame, it appeared (clearly) to me that he had some severe psychological issues.
As I've noted previously, I spent about 20 years as a volunteer on the Agent Orange task force. Now, I wonder how many vets I spoke to, who were living on the streets, had their records buried.
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