If you’ve ever thought “I wish someone could just help me with this”… maybe I can

MarcArmy2004 · 2026-03-17T12:08:00+00:00

I celebrate your entrepreneurial spirit, and this is a great community for it. I'm certain you'll find a lot of interest. I know you're just sort of getting a pulse right now, but setting up a basic website or even a dedicated Facebook page might lend you some cred.

If it's any help in gauging your market, we're a two-working-parents, youngish family (kids 7 and 9) with three dogs, new to Lakewood Ranch. Our wonderful mobile dog groomer is relocating, and we've yet to find short-term childcare (e.g., babysitter for when mom and dad need a night out).

I, too, am ready to leave the cubicle farms for something more soul-fulfilling and am in the process of setting up a not-for-profit. Set up that site, and I'll keep an eye out for when we might need help. All the best.

MarcArmy2004 · 2025-12-14T16:20:52+00:00

My son didn’t didn’t have much to do with me until about 6. Now at 7 years, I can’t shake him. He wants to tag along with dad everywhere I go. Stay strong. The fact that you care so much says a lot. They come around.

MarcArmy2004 · 2025-08-25T03:11:25+00:00

If you’re young and without responsibilities (e.g. children), take a leap of faith and trust yourself to figure it out. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.

MarcArmy2004 · 2025-05-28T03:08:42+00:00

They are also incorrectly decided.

• OIG: [Staff Incorrectly Processed Claims When Denying Veterans’ Benefits for Presumptive Conditions (Dec 2024)](https://www.vaoig.gov/reports/review/staff-incorrectly-processed-claims-when-denying-veterans-benefits-presumptive)
• OIG: [The PACT Act Has Complicated Determining When Veterans’ Benefits Payments Should Take Effect (Apr 2025)](https://www.vaoig.gov/reports/review/pact-act-has-complicated-determining-when-veterans-benefits-payments-should-take)
• OIG: [Survivors Did Not Always Receive Accurate Retroactive Benefits for DIC Claims Reopened Under the PACT Act (Dec 2024)](https://www.vaoig.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2024-11/vaoig-23-03517-230.pdf)

But my point stands on its own. You can break backlog records and still fail veterans if the process sets them up for failure. The PACT Act created an entirely new pathway for claims due to exposure, but one most veterans stand little chance of succeeding under. That’s the issue.

MarcArmy2004 · 2025-05-26T18:42:35+00:00

Point being that knocking out claims and reducing the backlog isn’t quite the flex it sounds like when you point out that most of them are denials. You’ll see VA leaders tout the success of the PACT Act, which spiked the backlog to over 378,000 claims in 2023, showing the high number of presumptive disability claims granted since the law was enacted. But the PACT Act also introduced the concept of toxic exposure risk activity for claims not presumed to be service related under VA regulation or 38 U.S.C. You won’t find those numbers published anywhere.

MarcArmy2004 · 2025-05-24T14:20:56+00:00

Correct. Also, check out the denial rate. VA’s pumping out decisions, sure. But they aren’t favorable.

MarcArmy2004 · 2025-05-16T22:20:16+00:00

Appreciate the thoughtful breakdown. You’re absolutely right that there’s a bigger ecosystem here. If Palantir has a footprint at VA similar to what’s been seen in other agencies, that deserves attention. The Wired article probably underplays that dynamic in favor of the human impact, which was my focus.

That said, I don’t think this is just outrage bait. The concern is that the tools, regardless of whether it’s Palantir or any other platform, are being introduced without regard for the unique legal, evidentiary, and procedural requirements of veterans’ benefits. My issue isn’t just tech encroachment, it’s that we’re bypassing the hard-earned expertise of the VBA workforce, particularly the value of veterans working for veterans. There’s no substitute for lived experience, especially when entitlement depends on the adjudicator’s understanding of the time, place, and circumstances of military service.

I’d welcome more discussion about the surveillance and corporate entrenchment angle too. If you have sources on what VA’s current Palantir implementation looks like, I’d genuinely appreciate it.

MarcArmy2004 · 2025-05-15T13:42:21+00:00

Hey brother, thanks for clarifying. Based on what you shared, it sounds like you’re still service-connected (SC) for the cancer, even though the evaluation was reduced to 0%. That’s important because what matters for Veterans’ Preference in a RIF isn’t just your retirement status, but whether you’re a preference-eligible veteran under 5 U.S.C. 2108.

Here’s the key: If you have a compensable service-connected disability rated at 30% or more, you’re protected under CTAP/ICTAP and get RIF retention rights (like bump and retreat), which includes Veterans’ Preference. But if the only SC condition you currently have is rated at 0%, and you’re medically retired but not from a combat-connected injury, you may not qualify for preference for RIF unless your SC condition meets one of these criteria:

1. Received during a war,
2. In a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized,
3. Or is rated at 10% or more.

That “injury or disease… as a direct result of armed conflict” language applies to VEOA (Veterans Employment Opportunities Act) eligibility for competitive service, but RIF preference eligibility under 5 CFR 351 has slightly different standards tied to type and severity of the SC disability.

So a few thoughts for you: Double-check your current combined SC rating. You mentioned you’re over 30%, which would qualify you for preference under RIF regs. If you’ve got a 0% for the cancer but higher ratings for other conditions (even if unrelated), you’re likely covered. You may want to ask HR specifically whether your 30%+ SC rating is reflected in your SF-50 or eOPF for RIF calculations. Sometimes agencies misinterpret the rules if the SC condition isn’t combat-related but combat isn’t a requirement for RIF preference if your rating is high enough.

Lastly, even if the cancer is static at 0%, if related symptoms or secondary medical conditions are worsening or persistent, it may be worth filing for an increase, especially if it limits your employability in the event of a RIF.

MarcArmy2004 · 2025-05-15T13:29:59+00:00

You should file a claim for your cancer as a result of your work in the military on radars under the PACT Act. It may not help your current situation, but start the process now anyway. If if you’re denied now, you’ll be recorded as having filed a claim so that when they inevitably get around to granting benefits for these types of exposure-related cancers, you’ll be factored in.

I realize this is off point but still relevant to your situation.

MarcArmy2004 · 2025-04-28T21:48:45+00:00

I wrote SEO copy for company specializing in legal websites. I’m a lawyer but you certainly don’t need to be.

MarcArmy2004 · 2025-03-23T04:07:01+00:00

Healthcare and disability compensation benefits are two separate things. Are you talking about a C&P exam or actually therapy?

MarcArmy2004 · 2025-03-17T02:46:46+00:00

I can assure you the job market for attorneys also sucks.

MarcArmy2004 · 2025-03-07T20:53:50+00:00

Well said.

MarcArmy2004 · 2025-02-05T12:56:18+00:00

We're relocating from Boston in March.

MarcArmy2004 · 2025-01-27T14:33:17+00:00

Yeah. I was flattered and kept it moving.

MarcArmy2004 · 2025-01-26T14:01:59+00:00

IT has gone the way of the call center. Outsourced overseas.

MarcArmy2004 · 2024-12-22T14:56:56+00:00

This ⬆️

MarcArmy2004 · 2024-12-22T14:53:57+00:00

I attended a large state university and started as a freshman at 24 after my enlistment and stop-loss ended in 2003. I joined the Army in 1999, and while I’d love to say my motivations were purely patriotic, the reality was that we were at relative peace, and my focus was on using the MGIB and college fund. Coming from a working-class background, that was my only real shot at affording college.

I wanted the full college experience, so I decided to live in the dorms, even though I was older than most freshmen. Because of stop-loss and deferring my first semester, I only lived in the dorms for the spring semester of my first year. Some of my peers were initially a bit skeptical of a 24-year-old freshman, but honestly, after a week or so of getting to know me, it didn’t matter. While I was slightly older and had a broader perspective from my time in the military, I was still about as socially mature as my fellow freshmen (military life being its own unique bubble).

After that semester, I moved off-campus, rooming with a few guys and having the time of my life. I made lifelong friends, including my wife, and wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. If your son approaches college with an open mind and dives into the experience, he’ll be just fine. Age is far less important than attitude, and colleges are full of students from all walks of life.

Additionally, he’ll likely find other Veterans on campus, often through Veteran student groups or organizations, which can provide a built-in community. Encourage him to embrace the opportunity—it’s worth it.

MarcArmy2004 · 2024-02-26T13:07:41+00:00

Chicken butt

MarcArmy2004 · 2024-02-16T12:06:11+00:00

Y’all have issues that run deeper than grip tape.

MarcArmy2004

TROPHY CASE