Do you think that the Veteran Community has a sense of entitlement?

2015-10-27T23:20:19-04:00

It seems to me that many in the Veteran community have a growing sense of entitlement. Examples would be using the VA for services that are not related to their service, Exaggerated or completely false VA claims such as PTSD or exposed to agent orange when the details or their service do not support such a claim. The idea that just because they served for a few years that the US as a whole owes them.

I ask this because I am seeing it more and more. I have spoken with several people over the last few months that served for a few years and are now in their later years that honestly believe that they should be supported for no other reason than they are a Vet. They are told to make a VA claim such as PTSD or agent orange or some other impossible to prove claim.

Your thoughts?

Edit, I in no way intended this to be pointed at retired Service Members. You Guys put in the time and and like any company you had an agreement as to what you would receive for putting in your time. What Iam talking about are the people who did a few years and got out.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2015 11:21 PM

2015-10-27T23:21:36-04:00

I know I do: A sense of entitlement to my retired pay, and that is all.

As regards medical care, if the medical condition is service related, then the VA should deal with it, for free (IMHO).

I tend to agree with you: I've seen some flagrant abuses on the part of veterans who take advantage of the system. That's unfortunate, but on the whole, I think people (vets) are honest about it.

Response by CPO Joseph Grant made Oct 27 at 2015 11:42 PM

2015-10-27T23:42:34-04:00

When I joined there was an unwritten understanding that if you retired that you'd have your medical taken care of for life. Maybe that fuels the sense of entitlement.

As for PTSD I wish I didn't have it. I just got a 4 day vacation, all expenses paid in a mental ward. I'm thankful the 10 cops who responded to my home didn't just shoot my dumb monkey ass.

Important safety note, never hold off a herd of cops saying you have a pistol (especially when you don't) and say you aren't going to surrender.

Response by SGT Jerrold Pesz made Oct 27 at 2015 11:45 PM

2015-10-27T23:45:36-04:00

Unfortunately I have known some people like that.

Response by SSG Robert Webster made Oct 27 at 2015 11:50 PM

2015-10-27T23:50:26-04:00

What this reminds me of, is an earlier statement/question about having lifetime PX privileges, after only serving four years of service. So I think that you may be on to something.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Oct 28 at 2015 7:30 AM

2015-10-28T07:30:35-04:00

I don't believe it's a sense of entitlement. The government has made certain promises to all of us who have served and we are certainly within our rights to ask that those promises be upheld.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 28 at 2015 9:32 AM

2015-10-28T09:32:09-04:00

This is how I see it - and I must disclaim that there are fakers that claim all sorts of illnesses unjust, and milk the system of perks and goodwill.

That being said, the rest in not a sense of entitlement, it is entitlement. Again, some abuse it shamelessly, while many take advantage of the resources that are there for them to take advantage of. I am a veteran, I didn't come back the same person. I came back unhealthier, as did many.

The Veteran Community has a sense of duty to still protect this nation. Warranted or not. The Veteran Community has a sense of entitlement of having their opinions heard, and I feel that is just. Alot of people were lucky to be born here, and has taken advantage of the system since then. Veterans put in a great deal, so entitled - I would think so.

Response by SGT Patrick Reno made Oct 28 at 2015 9:45 AM

2015-10-28T09:45:35-04:00

You are always going to have people who try to take advantage of the system. No matter how small the percentage is they will always make the rest of us look bad. A thousand of us can do great things in the community and all it takes is one asshole to do something stupid and all veterans are bad. The news doesn't report about the good being done only the bad.

Response by PV2 Scott Goodpasture made Oct 28 at 2015 9:51 AM

2015-10-28T09:51:56-04:00

Nope

Response by Sgt Tom Cunnally made Oct 28 at 2015 10:17 AM

2015-10-28T10:17:45-04:00

Far from it .. I remember when it was not considered being Politically Correct to tell anyone that you served in the military when I lived in California. I saw the Blue Angels, Fleet Week and Veterans Day parades all canceled in San Francisco by the Progressives ..We also had to run a gauntlet of hecklers from Code Pink when we left the Marine Corps Birthday Celebration at the Marines Memorial Club on Sutter Street in San Francisco in 1987. We also had cars vandalized in the Bay Area if you had any military stickers or military license plates . And the USMC Recruiting Office was firebombed in Oakland by Anti-Military Activists. But I think after Desert Storm some of this hatred and vitriol aimed at the military seemed to subside somewhat in California.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Oct 28 at 2015 10:37 AM

2015-10-28T10:37:52-04:00

In general no, however there are certain concepts which cross the line.

When we signed on the dotted line, "commitments were made." It wasn't a singular obligation. We wrote a check, and so did the Government. Unfortunately, "we" (the vet community) sometimes forget that the Government and the People are NOT the same thing.

The People have NO obligation to us. I repeat, the American People have ZERO obligation to us. The US Government does.

It's a hard concept to wrap our heads around sometimes. Because we inadvertently place our obligation on the wrong "entity" this can create a sense of entitlement regarding the existing obligations.

Now, as for "false claims," repeated studies have shown them to be around 5%, right in line with normal "fraud." Neither growing nor shrinking. But the growing ability to communicate globally does make it more easy to spot.

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Oct 28 at 2015 10:40 AM

2015-10-28T10:40:33-04:00

I filed claims for a lot of veterans, and I never saw one faking PTSD (and I'm a trained PTSD counselor) or Agent Orange conditions.

For AO, the area of service is much larger than just Vietnam, and there are many vets who were exposed who don't get benefits, because of poor combat documentation, classified operations and other issues.

For all combat vets, many if not most injuries and illnesses experienced in the combat zone go undocumented because of the issues of combat.

This leaves these vets high and dry, far too often, for very real problems...

Response by SGT Mark Stevens made Oct 28 at 2015 3:19 PM

2015-10-28T15:19:15-04:00

So that few years. Does it go in the same "retired" category if you were drafted? Or what if you only did a few years and got out due to medical reasons not related to combat? This seems ambiguous on your part to lump these together with no thought on circumstances.