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ethical acceptance of VA welfare?
Interested in hearing your opinions on this.
If I served in the military, retired after 20+ years and then applied to the VA for compensation for medical issues that had been active over the years. If I was awarded 60% disability for problems that were now resolved and not affecting my health, would it be ethical for me to take that money?? It is money paid by other tax payers, it is given to me for medical issues that are not affecting my health.
Would you think that those with an entitlement mentality would accept this money, being paid every month, for a non-active medical condition??
As I consider myself a patriot, love my country and served with honor, would this taking of others tax money be an honest thing to do?? I do think that entitlements are a huge drain on this country and accepting money that is not really yours for a non-issue constitutes fraud.
What do you think??
Thank you for your opinions. Michael, I am aware of the offset of retired pay with VA compensation. If a service member did not retire, but served his/her time of enlistment, then seeks a VA rating for conditions either caused or aggravated by service, I have no issue with that.
I see Vets who claim high cholesterol, asthma, depression, anxiety etc.etc.etc for way to get money from the government (tax payers) and this has nothing to do with their service.
I see fully functioning members, working full time but also drawing 100% disability for various non-combat related issues.
It is the VA giving out tax payer's money for minor medical conditions, for the life of the vets, that I find often fits into the entitlement mentality.
How can these vets do that?? Perhaps they do not care, are not ethical or seek to grab at the cash, as so many others do.
I would expect better out of our Vets!! Sad.
Thank you for your crude reply, Marine 5.
As a matter of fact, I am a vietnam era vet, serving 21 years active duty, I am not sure if you stayed in long enough to retire, but your experiences with the VA certainly have slanted your views on government entitlements.
After serving 9 years enlisted, 9 years Warrant Officer and 3 years as an O3, I may have gotten a better view of the military than many others.
Working in the medical field for the past 39 years has also exposed me to many,many Vets, and they have been the basis for the opinions I have. You, sir, have the right to your own opinion, but please leave any name calling out of your comments. Frankly, it is way below the conduct I would expect of a member of the Marine Corp.
4 Answers
- Howard LLv 78 years agoFavorite Answer
It's legal but unethical. One of my pet peeves about the VA is the amount of money they hand out to undeserving people when there are wounded warriors who aren't receiving the best care possible because there isn't enough money.
- Marine5Lv 78 years ago
First of all...
Dept of VA Compensation is "NOT WELFARE" or an "Entitlement"
it is an "EARNED BENEFIT" paid for Service Connected
Wounds/Injuries/Illnesses...
Rest assured that the VA Does Not pay Life Time Payments for MINOR
Injuries/Illnesses...
If a VET has a 60% SC rating you can bet he is
really bad off medically...and he/she had to fight an uphill battle to receive it...
Well since you have never Served or put your Life on the Line
and have a "Very Warped Perception of the Realities" of how the
Service or VA work...Please SHUT THE F**K UP !!!!
Probably a Generational Welfare recipient ???
Source(s): Retired Marine...VSO... - ?Lv 78 years ago
Additional:
Yes, there are folks filing for "disabilities" that truly puzzle me and how they prove service-connection remains a mystery. The Veterans Service Officer at my local VA facility is fighting to get additional disability for her "restless leg syndrome"?!? I see now where some Veterans are including as many as 178 service-connected disabilities in a single application. I started off with a single diagnosed condition and the first C&P Examiner determined a second...and believe me, I would much rather be able to work than collecting disability.
I am still a little puzzled by the negative ratings of my response and can only surmise that the raters are either not familiar with the VA Disability system or just do not believe Veterans as a whole deserve consideration for the documented effects of their service.
I brought out the separation pay and retirement offset issues because a lot of folks who read your question and the answers might not be aware that is how the system works. Take care.
*******
Because of Classified information regarding my military duties I had to wait 35 years to file my claim. My service-connected disability cost me a military career, a first marriage and a civilian career.
When I finally could file in 2010 it then took almost three years, the input of four specialists (two of them VA medical staff treating me) and four Compensation & Pension Examinations (two were found to be misconduct intended to deny rather than fairly evaluate) to get a final award resolved. There are rare cases where benefits are awarded but not deserved.
It is virtually impossible to get disability for a resolved issue unless the Veteran AND his medical providers knowingly engage in willful fraud. It is more likely that a DESERVING Veteran will be denied benefits.
Now to discuss the dollars and cents of your question and your misunderstanding of how it works.
If a retired Veteran is awarded disability then the Veteran must first repay ALL monies he/she received when they separated from service before they can get a penny of disability no matter the purpose of the separation pay. I had to repay $25,060 before I could collect anything even though the separation pay had nothing to do with any disability.
Additionally, a retired Veteran CANNOT receive duplicate pay which means that if a Retiree is awarded 60% Disability then the disability pay is directly deducted from retirement pay. The Veteran receives the disability and retired pay to total only what the Veteran would have received if he/she was receiving retirement pay only.
The Veteran cannot receive a combination of retirement pay and disability pay which equals more than retirement pay alone. The only advantage is that disability pay is tax-exempt, so receiving partial retirement and partial disability pay can mean a few less tax dollars to pay, but certainly not a windfall.
Might be a good idea in the future to have the actual facts at-hand before you post .
I see a negative rating from someone who evidently has not dealt with the VA Disability system and is also unaware of the relationship between retired pay and disability pay. The truth hurts, I suppose.
Source(s): 100% Disabled Navy Vietnam Vet - justaLv 78 years ago
I think if you don't need it and don't qualify for it then you don't take it.
If you were awarded 60% disability for problems, then they examined your records and know that the issues resolved themselves, their decision could be based on past pain and suffering, or possible future problems. But they wouldn't be making that award unaware of your condition.
I suppose if it bothered you to take the money, and you don't anticipate needing it, then you could refuse.
