Served in the military? Record your DD-214 before you lose proof of service

Ever wonder why you hear of so many veterans being denied treatment at their local VA? Or why there are so many homeless veterans? Certainly if you fight for your country, put your life in danger multiple times for their freedom, you should automatically be set the rest of your life.

Well, in a way that’s true. When I got separated from the Army one of the last things my platoon sergeant told me to do was to bring all my medical records and DD-214 to the local courthouse when I get back home. He informed me on how important all the information was.

“If you lose those records, it’ll be like you were never in the military,” My sergeant said, ” You’ll have no record of going to war, no record of fighting on the front lines. So when you get out you go there immediately, its in your best interest”

I thanked him for the advice. I never knew that there was such a gap between the military and civilian world. I always thought everything I did was recorded somewhere in a computer, filed away forever for whenever I wanted to request them. I thought I just had copies. No one else had said a word to me about it, I guess my sergeant was the only one that cared.

I listened to him and filed my records with the county and I brought my medical files to the local VA Hospital where, still this day, I receive free treatment for the multitude of problems that keep popping up physically and mentally from the war. If I didn’t have those files when my chronic pain and flashbacks started, I would have never been seen at the hospital.

To take it even further, I would have never been able to receive compensation from the VA and I would for sure be homeless. I have been medically retired from work about three years now and I’m living off my compensation. I’m the backbone of my family now, my wife and daughter depend on me for food and shelter and I wouldn’t be able to provide for them if I didn’t have record of being a medic in Iraq.

So if you didn’t know how important it was, now you do. Spread the word to your friends and family to let them know to go file their records with their local veteran service office and VA hospital because they never know what could happen to them down the road. They just might lose out on the benefits that are due to them and slip through the cracks like many veterans do.

Record

Served in the military? Record your DD-214

Ever wonder why you hear of so many veterans being denied treatment at their local VA? Or why there are so many homeless veterans? Certainly if you fight for your country, put your life in danger multiple times for their freedom, you should automatically be set the rest of your life.

Well, in a way that’s true. When I got separated from the Army one of the last things my platoon sergeant told me to do was to bring all my medical records and DD-214 to the local courthouse when I get back home. He informed me on how important all the information was.

“If you lose those records, it’ll be like you were never in the military,” My sergeant said, ” You’ll have no record of going to war, no record of fighting on the front lines. So when you get out you go there immediately, its in your best interest”

I thanked him for the advice. I never knew that there was such a gap between the military and civilian world. I always thought everything I did was recorded somewhere in a computer, filed away forever for whenever I wanted to request them. I thought I just had copies. No one else had said a word to me about it, I guess my sergeant was the only one that cared.

I listened to him and filed my records with the county and I brought my medical files to the local VA Hospital where, still this day, I receive free treatment for the multitude of problems that keep popping up physically and mentally from the war. If I didn’t have those files when my chronic pain and flashbacks started, I would have never been seen at the hospital.

To take it even further, I would have never been able to receive compensation from the VA and I would for sure be homeless. I have been medically retired from work about three years now and I’m living off my compensation. I’m the backbone of my family now, my wife and daughter depend on me for food and shelter and I wouldn’t be able to provide for them if I didn’t have record of being a medic in Iraq.

So if you didn’t know how important it was, now you do. Spread the word to your friends and family to let them know to go file their records with their local veteran service office and VA hospital because they never know what could happen to them down the road. They just might lose out on the benefits that are due to them and slip through the cracks like many veterans do.

Record

Hero of the Pack (Video Enhanced)

I have to say I’m so grateful with everything that God is doing with my life right now. It hasn’t been a year since I’ve published my book Combat Medic and I’ve already started making an impact within my community. It is my goal to inform the nation on the signs and symptoms of PTSD to hopefully cut the rate of veteran suicide, which is at an all time high of over 22 a day.

I was honored at the Timberwolves on Valentines day for my work with the non-profit organization Pain Free Patriots. I’ve had chronic pain for the last twelve years since leaving the military, over 44% of veterans develop chronic pain after they leave the military. While I was promoting my book I ran into a representative from Pain Free Patriots, he told me he would give me a free grant to their program to get pain-free. I hadn’t had a day for twelve years without extreme back pain, so I kind of laughed in his face.

I gave it a try though. The program was 5 months long, but in the first two weeks my pain was reduced by 80%. It felt like my prayers were answered. I must be doing something right for it to happen to me.Ever since then I’ve helped them with whatever they needed from me to represent the organization in order to get more donations so the program grow.

I guess it’s been paying off because I got a call from them saying that the Timberwolves wanted to honor me for the work I’ve been doing within the community. The stadium was packed full of people because they were playing against the 2016 champs the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was an incredible experience that would have never happened if I hadn’t listened to God and wrote my book. I know if this happened within a year there is no telling how far my voice will go in 5 years.

Hero of the Pack (Video)

I’m so grateful with everything that God is doing with my life right now. It hasn’t been a year since I’ve published my book Combat Medic and I’ve already started making an impact within my community. It is my goal to inform the nation on the signs and symptoms of PTSD to hopefully cut the rate of veteran suicide, which is at an all time high of over 22 a day.

 

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A soldier’s story of the Iraq war and PTSD

Military Dogs Receive Top Honor

This is what I love to see. This is one of the reasons why I think dogs are the best pets to own. They’re super intelligent and help us in the best possible ways. There would possibly be twice as many soldiers killed in action  from IED’s if we didn’t use dogs to sniff them out.

WASHINGTON — During a routine perimeter check in the desert of Afghanistan, Isky found a roadside bomb. He had come to a complete stop, sitting near the explosive device, patiently waiting for orders from his best friend, Army Sgt. Wess Brown. The IED – buried two feet deep – was a 120-pound bomb. Isky, a […]

via Working Dogs honored for their service — Pacific Paratrooper