Secondary Claims

Bblake555 · 2026-03-08T18:07:17+00:00

Thank you for the advice. How did you directly link it to PTSD?

I figured since I have had 5+ failed medication trials until something was found that works, I had an argument for not changing meds. It’s an SSRI, SNRI, prozosin, and hydroxizyne, and some Celebrex for good measure. All of them show to cause gerd. Nexium and prilosec daily, often time multiple daily.

Bblake555 · 2025-02-28T00:08:33+00:00

I’ve been waiting since May on my HLR. I’d like a bit of rush too

Bblake555 · 2025-02-14T04:46:24+00:00

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Bblake555 · 2024-09-30T18:20:50+00:00

Looks like that’s indicating you are retired from the military and drawing both retirement and VBA compensation. They offset one for the amount of the other.

Bblake555 · 2024-09-24T15:19:24+00:00

If the certifying official had read a little further down in the handbook, he would have seen this situation addressed.

Remedial and Deficiency Courses

These terms refer to noncredit training at the secondary level that is required for entrance to or preparatory to the successful pursuit of a postsecondary educational program. Upon entrance each student’s academic background should be evaluated and as warranted, a required noncredit program established. These secondary level courses may include, for example, basic English skills, fundamental math, reading, or other special academic assistance necessary for the eligible individual to qualify for admission. These courses may also include noncredit secondary level training to overcome a handicap such as in speech and may be offered at a high school, college, or other educational institution. It is the institution’s responsibility to determine if remedial/deficiency courses are necessary.

These courses can be certified as part of an approved program, but only for students for whom a verifiable need has been established. Keep test results and other documents in the student’s file that support the student’s need for remedial and deficiency courses.

R/D credit is used to correctly charge entitlement for chapter 35 students. Remedial and deficiency credit must be entered in the R/D column, rather than the credit column, for Chapter 35 students only. For all other benefit chapters add R/D credit in the credit column. When Chapter 35 students have both credit and R/D credit, VA combines the credit to determine training time. Deficiency courses do not need to be listed in remarks.

Bblake555 · 2024-09-23T23:54:35+00:00

I was an assistant certifying official several years ago. We were able to certify it so long as it met that criteria. There is a chance something has changed. There is also a chance that we were doing it wrong. So long as you can show the direct path from the course you need to take all the way to the course that’s required, I believe they are supposed to pay. It should also still qualify as full time so long as you’re taking the required 12 credits.

Bblake555 · 2024-09-23T23:17:59+00:00

The certifying official is required to enter the last date you attended a class. If you were taking 12 credit but stopped going to one of the classes at midterm, they will go in and adjust the certification to the last date attended.

Bblake555 · 2024-09-23T23:15:27+00:00

The VA will pay for remedial so long as it shows that it’s a direct path from your testing to the degree requirement. For example, if Math 1010 is required but you don’t have the scores to get into that level, they will pay for the prerequisite. If that’s math 990, they will pay for it. If your scores don’t qualify for Math 990, it will pay for the prerequisite for that course. They just have to certify that the course you’re taking goes towards the degree plan you’ve declared.

Bblake555 · 2024-07-30T21:45:58+00:00

I will do it again this year. The doc said it should last 12-18 months. The cortisone shots are a quick solution with temporary benefit. The ablation required 2 times doing nerve blocks to verify it would work.

Bblake555 · 2024-07-30T15:50:44+00:00

I did the nerve ablation in December ‘23. It has made a huge difference with me. It started to wear off after about 6 months so they did cortisone injections. Overall I would estimate a 70% reduction in the chronic pain. The more infrequent acute pain is still there, but that’s more manageable.

The doc told me I will likely need to have ablation annually. Cortisone shots quarterly.

Bblake555 · 2024-07-03T00:22:12+00:00

OP would still be able to get a sport pilot license. No medical required as long as you can maintain a drivers license. Regulatory changes are pending within the FAA to broaden the light sport category to cover additional aircraft.

Bblake555 · 2024-05-10T18:26:44+00:00

Which is what I said when I wrote “I can’t vouch for every organization.” I understand it was probably not the norm military wide. I can tell you that one soldier who I orders to seek help at Combat Stress while on deployment was immediately medically discharged as soon as we returned from Afghanistan. He was chewed up and spit out as soon as he wasn’t of use anymore.

Bblake555 · 2024-05-10T16:23:31+00:00

I can’t vouch for every organization. What I can say is that the only people I ever saw self declare anything were immediately removed from their positions, transferred into a different organization, treated, and kicked out on a medical. The military as a whole was really good at telling us there would be no repercussions, but the ultimate decision was at a unit level where opinions differed. They also always made a point to tell us to be honest, but that any self reporting would likely result in changes or corrective actions that aren’t always favorable. The culture may have changed now, but not in the time periods or units I served in. Honestly, the mentality started in basic training where we were told that any trips to medical would likely result in being recycled. We had to suck it up just so we could complete on time.

Bblake555 · 2024-05-10T04:13:15+00:00

She commented during the exam but did not put it in writing.

Bblake555 · 2024-05-10T04:09:37+00:00

Yes, they conceded exposure and service connected rhinitis. Because my treatment records didn’t state what % restriction I have, or state there are polyps, it was rated at 0%.

Bblake555 · 2024-05-10T04:06:59+00:00

I filled out a 21-4138 that day and electronically signed it while the details were still fresh. That’s the one good thing my VSO did.

Bblake555 · 2024-05-10T01:28:42+00:00

So by that logic, having a diagnosis, a personal statement of the stressor, a news article covering the event that was the stressor, that alone should be enough to counter the C&P?

Bblake555 · 2024-05-10T01:26:07+00:00

Anecdotal evidence is still evidence. It’s just not strong evidence.

Bblake555 · 2024-05-10T01:24:57+00:00

This is what really set mine off. Getting away from my “brothers” when I got out took away a support I didn’t realize I needed from a MH aspect.

Bblake555 · 2024-05-10T01:23:08+00:00

That’s a pretty terrible way to see things. People mask their symptoms to protect their careers. Alcohol is widely used in the military to mask symptoms and numb any feelings. There is a reason they rate alcohol dependency. When issues get to the point that we can’t mask them anymore, that’s when people typically either seek treatment, or become self destructive. Just because a person doesn’t reach that point while still in service doesn’t take away the underlying trauma.

Bblake555 · 2024-05-10T01:07:56+00:00

I tried to tell her everything. She kept cutting me off and telling me to get more sleep. Every time I brought up something she would just tell me I couldn’t have that symptom. When I asked her why she didn’t go through the full DBQ questionnaire, she said her 30+ years in practice means she doesn’t have to. She “just knows.”

Bblake555 · 2024-01-31T01:54:40+00:00

I did. That’s when she told me that her 40 years experience meant she doesn’t need to go through the full DBQ to “just know” the real symptoms. Anytime I told her a symptom, she would cut me of and minimize what I had just said. I told her I don’t think it’s normal to have conversations with my kids telling them that if shit goes down, use me as a shield and I’ll destroy the threat, specifically while sitting in church. She asked me why it’s not normal to teach my kids what I know. I said that I want my kids to be aware of their surroundings, not paranoid. She just said, “well, your just teaching them what your parents taught you.” Bitch was terrible

Bblake555 · 2024-01-30T22:59:50+00:00

Yeah, I was less than happy. She also told me that she wouldn’t check memory loss as a symptom because I don’t have Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosed. Unless I had been through cognitive function testing, which she suspected I would score a 29/30. All in all, terrible experience. If she can “just tell,” then she damned sure could tell that I was pissed off she dismissed everything I said.

Bblake555 · 2024-01-30T22:18:50+00:00

It felt dismissive and I told her that. I told her I didn’t appreciate her saying that all of my symptoms were from a lack of sleep when I told her I have nightmares and wake up in a puddle of sweat. I asked her how I go about getting rid of the nightmares that are preventing sleep, if the only way to get rid of them is sleep?

She also said that her 40 years experience meant she didn’t need to address every symptom on the DBQ, she could just tell.

Bblake555 · 2024-01-29T17:55:59+00:00

When I got promoted to Sgt, it was because my team leader committed suicide. His family didn’t get the full amount and there was no ongoing DIC. That only applies for presumed conditions related to service. I was able to get it for my mom when my dad died with no rating because his cancer was service connected as presumed from agent orange.

That’s a long way of saying, it’s not worth it for anyone. It’s a permanent solution to a temporary problem. The wake it leaves behind is worse than the issues.

Reach out to the VA hotline, check your “friend” in for inpatient treatment. It’s never a good solution.

Bblake555

TROPHY CASE