Posted on Feb 21, 2015
Ask a Veteran “What can I do to help you meaningfully today?”
3.68K
9
5
2
2
0
Colby Buzzell’s piece in the @NYTimes with concern to the Veteran’s Administration this morning was spot on and reflected my own experience.
I will add that many of the practitioners at the VA are great folks but the administrators are the ones that kill it.
After I was stabilized at the VA after my suicide attempt in 2012 the doctor wanted to transfer me to a 7 week in residence PTSD program . The administrators turned me down for the program because I was not a drug user, alcohol abuser, had not given up on looking for a job,, still married and had not committed a crime.
I was bad not bad enough it seemed.
I think the doctor’s and I jaw both dropped together. That afternoon I was back at home with medication but with no real roadmap for treatment.
One other thing my doctor used to be able to answer the phone now she can’t. The phone just rings and rings with no voicemail.
I wanted to discuss dropping 2 of the 3 meds I take and how I could use yoga, organic food and physical activity to replace it. Can’t discuss it with her until July 1.
I had to make that decision without her.
Which brings me to what folks can do directly for veterans.
We appreciate being told thanks for our service but it can be awkward.
I encourage everybody to follow up with “What can I do to help you meaningfully?”
Mentor or speak at tech programs like Techstars Patriot Boot Camp like Fred did last week.
Donate to IAVA, Team Rubicon and The Mission Continues so vets can bring their skills to bear on the community.
Answers you might hear are help me get a job. So ask them if they need help with resumes, introduction at companies they are interested and qualified for or advice on career options.
Other times the needs are more day to day. Pay a bill directly (electric,rent car insurance etc) or help me with groceries.
Others would help me get a loan for a micro business ie to be a Hailo, Uber or Lyft driver. The accelerator i work out of The Garage invested about $1300 so I could use Uber’s Lease to Own program to get a car that I did not have. Through Lyft I have made over $500 the last 4 nights and am on the way to getting caught up on my bills. It’s also allowing me to have room to get DelivrToMe off the ground.
I hope this helps.
I will add that many of the practitioners at the VA are great folks but the administrators are the ones that kill it.
After I was stabilized at the VA after my suicide attempt in 2012 the doctor wanted to transfer me to a 7 week in residence PTSD program . The administrators turned me down for the program because I was not a drug user, alcohol abuser, had not given up on looking for a job,, still married and had not committed a crime.
I was bad not bad enough it seemed.
I think the doctor’s and I jaw both dropped together. That afternoon I was back at home with medication but with no real roadmap for treatment.
One other thing my doctor used to be able to answer the phone now she can’t. The phone just rings and rings with no voicemail.
I wanted to discuss dropping 2 of the 3 meds I take and how I could use yoga, organic food and physical activity to replace it. Can’t discuss it with her until July 1.
I had to make that decision without her.
Which brings me to what folks can do directly for veterans.
We appreciate being told thanks for our service but it can be awkward.
I encourage everybody to follow up with “What can I do to help you meaningfully?”
Mentor or speak at tech programs like Techstars Patriot Boot Camp like Fred did last week.
Donate to IAVA, Team Rubicon and The Mission Continues so vets can bring their skills to bear on the community.
Answers you might hear are help me get a job. So ask them if they need help with resumes, introduction at companies they are interested and qualified for or advice on career options.
Other times the needs are more day to day. Pay a bill directly (electric,rent car insurance etc) or help me with groceries.
Others would help me get a loan for a micro business ie to be a Hailo, Uber or Lyft driver. The accelerator i work out of The Garage invested about $1300 so I could use Uber’s Lease to Own program to get a car that I did not have. Through Lyft I have made over $500 the last 4 nights and am on the way to getting caught up on my bills. It’s also allowing me to have room to get DelivrToMe off the ground.
I hope this helps.
Posted in these groups: 
PTSD
Transition
PTSD Transition
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 3
Suspended Profile
CPT Bill McNeely
I too am appalled by what you experienced there. A suicide attempt should have landed you in an inpatient program.
Regarding your inability to contact your provider, I'm also shocked by that. I am able to call my Psychiatrist's nurse directly, and she gets the doctor in touch with me within one day. This is the new model they use at VAMC American Lake (Tacoma WA). They used to have patients contact the doctor directly. This is actually more efficient, because there are many issues that the nurse can resolve quickly, even if the doc is swamped with patients.
Call your clinic's main number and ask for the number for your doctor's nurse.
Also, what's this business about not getting an appointment until July? That is completely unacceptable.
The Veteran's Choice program will allow you to see a civilian doc if one of two conditions are met:
a) You live more than 40 miles from a VAMC, CBOC, etc.
b) They can't get you in within 30 days of your desired appointment time.
I'd say condition b is met.
If you did not get the Veteran's Choice card, or if you did but misplaced it, or whatever, call them at [login to see] for assistance and authorization, then get seen right away. This situation is unacceptable...
I too am appalled by what you experienced there. A suicide attempt should have landed you in an inpatient program.
Regarding your inability to contact your provider, I'm also shocked by that. I am able to call my Psychiatrist's nurse directly, and she gets the doctor in touch with me within one day. This is the new model they use at VAMC American Lake (Tacoma WA). They used to have patients contact the doctor directly. This is actually more efficient, because there are many issues that the nurse can resolve quickly, even if the doc is swamped with patients.
Call your clinic's main number and ask for the number for your doctor's nurse.
Also, what's this business about not getting an appointment until July? That is completely unacceptable.
The Veteran's Choice program will allow you to see a civilian doc if one of two conditions are met:
a) You live more than 40 miles from a VAMC, CBOC, etc.
b) They can't get you in within 30 days of your desired appointment time.
I'd say condition b is met.
If you did not get the Veteran's Choice card, or if you did but misplaced it, or whatever, call them at [login to see] for assistance and authorization, then get seen right away. This situation is unacceptable...
1
1
0
CPT Bill McNeely, my jaw kinda dropped reading your history with the VA! No wonder our brothers and sisters are suffering so. When is this all going to end? When are we going to actually take care of those who stood up and fought for others? I just don't know...I just don't know.
Is there anything that we can do for you now Cpt?
Is there anything that we can do for you now Cpt?
(1)
(0)
(1)
(0)
PO2 Jonathan Scharff
I will keep my fingers crossed Sir. Please know that there are many of us here on RP who are willing to do what we can to help out another Vet. What jobs are you applying for?
(0)
(0)
1
1
0
That is a GREAT question, CPT Bill McNeely, and not just for VA practitioners or medical professionals. It's a great question for all of us! Especially if we are in contact with veterans professionally, but not just those folks. Everybody could ask that question of a vet they know who might be going through a tough stretch.
(1)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google