Let me start by saying something directly to you: you’re not alone in feeling discouraged by this process. Numerous veterans have waited years—even decades—to file for their benefits because we were told that we would not qualify or because we fell between the cracks of the system. Your account shows just how painful this can be. Upon serving your country in 2002 as a 13D Field Artillery Computer Systems Specialist, being under heavy fire, and racking up trauma that no person should ever have to endure, you were led to believe, by a VSO, that you’d let it slip.
When you tried to file 20 years later after serving, you talked about the missions you did—about shock and awe, the children and civilians you witnessed getting injured, and the numerous nights that you barely made it back. It’s not something that anyone would wish for. That trauma stuck with you in the sense of PTSD, loneliness, having trouble finding peace in life, and the feeling that you’d crossed a line of no return.
The VSO’s comments that crushed your hopes
It must have been awful when the first VSO you saw seemed to nullify your service and your work. Instead of offering a solution, you were given the remark, “It’s 20 years ago; you probably can’t get it.” Such dismissal is an open sore. You lost trust in your own process meant for helping veterans like you.
Your health struggles—the fight against meth, the avoidance of health care, the avoidance of hospitals—all made perfect sense based on the situations you found yourself in. Your trauma drew you back from the world. It kept you from attending to your physical and emotional well-being. It kept you from applying for benefits when you initially came home. It doesn’t necessarily indicate that you don’t qualify. It simply indicates that you need advocates who will fight on your behalf.
Turning it around: A second VSO and some support
And then something amazing occurred. Once you had opened up truthfully about your difficulty and service, another VSO heard you. They treated you with respect and empathy—not dismissal—and informed you that you could, indeed, seek benefits. They instructed you on how to compose your stressor statement. They informed you that you could be eligible for benefits for tinnitus-type illnesses due to your artillery service. They even made sure your claim would be processed quickly by filing a hardship consideration.
It’s never too late to get what you deserve
Your story makes an excellent point: it’s never too late. Whether you’re 20 years or 40 years past your service, the Department of Veterans Affairs is meant to help you. There are many veterans who were discouraged or uninformed and who went on to win their benefits years later, sometimes at 60% or 100%. Your service and trauma are real, and you’re not powerless against a confusing or flawed system. Some individuals love you and will defend you.
Final thoughts—Hang in there, brother
So wait it out. Your issues don’t cancel out your service, and a condescending VA employee shouldn’t decide your future. Your story serves as a reminder to all of us of something we should never forget: you’re not in this alone, and you’re worth fighting for. There’s a path ahead—you just need the right people on your side.
Read this news later: War veteran and his partner go out for pizza and come back with a $1 million prize: “I think it was $20″
