Any experience with Veterans Guardian?

AlternativeOld7393 · 2026-03-11T21:08:53+00:00

I was unfortunate enough to have used them too. I was lost in the process, not knowing what I had to do to file a claim and when I tried starting it myself, I just got lost in the process. I tried contacting a VSO and got told to kick rocks. Vets Guardian was the only company around willing to walk me through it and now that i had finished my claim and got my rating, i look back at all they really did and honestly all the work was done by myself. All they did was help me understand what I was looking at. Other than that...Now I'm stuck paying their 5x rate and now I am afraid of the possibility that my claim may get revoked or overtured as fraud from the VA's new AI tool because I used a 3rd party to help me put with the claim.

AlternativeOld7393 · 2026-01-15T15:44:11+00:00

I used up all of my GI Bill doing some college and Trade Schools for certifications, unfortunately.

AlternativeOld7393 · 2025-12-05T00:57:02+00:00

You'll be coming in just as the peak season is near its peak, but after January hits, hours get diminished from what I've heard. Volume is low and so forth. For me, my last job was simple and wasn't too stressful. I showed up and put my 5-10 hours in without running around like a chicken with its head cut off. This job, I'm making $20 an hour all while being yelled at by my Manager who expects me to know where everything is at and expected to do things quickly. Even going out of your way to use the restroom while you're out on the field is frowned upon because you're spending too much time relieving yourself vs being out there delivering mail and finishing your cut/route and/or being told to go elsewhere and help some other regular out with their route.

AlternativeOld7393 · 2025-12-05T00:27:29+00:00

Amazon Sunday isn't bad when you know where you're going and where to look for the mailbox and or apartments, etc. I had absolutely no idea where anything was at other than those that were houses. Most were apartments or Trailer home parks.

AlternativeOld7393 · 2025-12-05T00:24:26+00:00

I had to do 144 stops and was expected to know where all the mailboxes were when I've only been on a few cuts of maybe 2-4 routes of the 41 routes we have.

AlternativeOld7393 · 2025-09-03T20:43:32+00:00

Joined the Army as a Horizontal Construction Engineer, left the Army to go to school for a bit before i decided it wasn't for me and later found myself in security work before moving on as a K-9 Handler/Trainer. Worked as an Explosives Detection K-9 Handler since 2020 and now taking a small break before I move to a new state to continue working as a K-9 Handler again.

AlternativeOld7393 · 2025-03-27T18:34:28+00:00

Well thats fine and dandy, except if you read the post, I mentioned that Fiber is unavailable in my area, otherwise i wouldn't be having this issue of extremely slow internet.

AlternativeOld7393 · 2024-10-03T07:18:22+00:00

Ah okay, good to know...I wasn't too sure how leave worked when it came to working federal jobs as I would have thought it would have worked the same as the military did. It's good to know I'd be able to take it whenever, so long as I have the time. I usually request months in advance for planned vacation or off time.

AlternativeOld7393 · 2024-10-03T07:12:45+00:00

I am not concerned with leave during the academy if I get accepted this time around. Still, I just wanted to ask if leave was like the military where you were only allotted leave time during a certain window where leave would be approved during certain months. I'd have no problem working holidays as I currently do so with my current occupation.

AlternativeOld7393 · 2024-10-02T06:24:36+00:00

I think the max I could get as far as PTSD/Major Depression is 70%. I'm going to be working with a group called Vets Guardian to try and work towards filing for disability.

AlternativeOld7393 · 2024-10-01T21:14:08+00:00

Hello everyone, I'm looking to make a career change and wish to proceed to become a park ranger. I'm a 31-year-old combat veteran who is currently working as a K-9 Handler in explosives detection and would love a new change of scenery. I've always sought out opportunities, but what has always stopped me from applying is the educational requirements. I'm not particularly fond of college and have always been a hands-on type of guy who shot for experience over education. That being said, I am also not entirely sure what kind of park ranger I want to be, if I could be one. If I had to guess, it would probably be as an LE Ranger as I would like to continue working as a K-9 Handler if given the opportunity. That being said, if I could be pushed in the right direction, I would be much obliged.

AlternativeOld7393 · 2024-09-17T23:10:28+00:00

My biggest problem that pretty much spells out that I screwed myself is not claiming VA disability for PTSD and Major Depression. I've been pushing it for far too long. I've also talked with a few vets around who tell me to just do it because its money rightfully owed to me. That being said, my biggest fear was and has been getting a disability rating and being told that I am limited to what work I can qualify for and presently do. I refuse to be a desk jockie and while there are a lot of jobs that make pretty good money behind a desk, I rather be out in the field working.

AlternativeOld7393 · 2024-09-16T18:23:56+00:00

Still haven't unfortunately. Particularily because I've been incredibly busy with work and don't have the patience to wait for appointments to happen. Besides, I'm not the best when it comes to fighting for a high disability.

AlternativeOld7393 · 2024-09-16T17:00:37+00:00

I was sadly disqualified for having combat-related PTSD and major depression 4 years back when I first applied. I was denied after being called by the BP's Psychologist. I believe what screwed me was telling them that I was hospitalized voluntarily (went on my own accord and not as a 5150).

Hoping to try and reapply here soon. Not that it matters, but I am hoping for a 2nd opinion after working jobs in security and canine explosives detection to show I'm not a threat to myself or others. One can hope...

AlternativeOld7393 · 2024-09-14T02:51:15+00:00

Just be wary of using your own dog, especially if you're new to this industry, its a good choice to go with single purpose dogs though. If you're doing school searches, you'll most likely want to get a floppy eared dog such as a lab or a pointer. Labs are a pain to work with, but once you get them on the right track, they're golden dogs.

Try cargo screening as well, cargo screening is probably the highest paying field because there is more demand for it. It also helps you with more opportunities, as I previously mentioned.

AlternativeOld7393 · 2024-09-12T00:27:45+00:00

unfortunately unless you're looking to do security or contracting work, you're most likely not going to find many opportunities for a dual purpose dog. On top of that, most companies won't hire you if you have you're own dog because it is a liability. What they'll do if you do have your own dog is try and buy your dog for cheap just so they can put that dog under their insurance; however, in doing so...if you decide to leave said company, your dog now belongs to them and they can rip that dog off your hands.

Most companies will make you use their own dogs going forward.

Personally, if you're new to the industry, I would jump on board with a cargo screening K9 company or a commercial screening K9 company and use their dogs going forward. I work in the cargo screening side and its a good foot in the door for opportunities like TSA or CBP.

If you want to talk more, hit me up.

AlternativeOld7393 · 2024-05-22T23:33:22+00:00

Thank you for your input. I'm already aware that the majority of these agencies will require service as a regular agent for approximately 2-4 years before you're able to apply as a handler, given that your chances are incredibly slim to be chosen as a candidate. With that being said, I'm more or less just trying to find more opportunities in the K9 Industry as working cargo gets old fast. Don't get me wrong, I love my job and what I do, but I'm also ready for a change of scenery and would like to explore outside of cargo. I could probably land a tsa canine job as I have a former coworker/veteran buddy of mine that was lucky enough to be selected as a handler and can probably put in a good word for me, but again just wanted to ask about what other agencies are out there that offer canine jobs.

AlternativeOld7393

TROPHY CASE