My military enlistment service on a Navy combat ship, honorably discharged, does not exist to the VA! How do I survive?

2016-07-02T19:09:02-04:00

94-02 18-26 yo "SAM" Sea Air Mariner Enlst
I w/lettering VARSITY ATHLT n HS.
94 AWRD Best Rcruit advanc e2 GreatLakes w/ goal to b officer career Navy
94-99 NRF FFG USS Copeland 25/Sides 14 "Deck" only SAM w/USN-TAR
W limited "tru" obligor PT bene's ordered perform/support FT PQS Rate watch standing crew monthly.
Anxiety Illness SSDI/homeless/VA deny SAM Honor n HUDVASH

Response by SGT Tracey "Tra" Cooper-Harris made Jul 2 at 2016 7:51 PM

2016-07-02T19:51:06-04:00

I wish I could provide more information, but your question is a bit confusing because of the Navy specific acronyms and flow of your sentences. It looks like you did time on Active Duty & Reserves, correct? Under current law, VA recognizes the following wartime periods:
» World War I (April 6, 1917 – November 11, 1918)
» World War II (December 7, 1941 – December 31, 1946)
» Korean conflict (June 27, 1950 – January 31, 1955)
» Vietnam era (February 28, 1961 – May 7, 1975 for Veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam
during that period; otherwise August 5, 1964 – May 7, 1975)
» Gulf War (August 2, 1990 – through a future date to be set by law or Presidential Proclamation)

The HUD/VASH guidelines for homelessness, unfortunately, differ from state to state. Each VA is supposed to have a Homeless Veteran contact/center on facility to provide assistance. I don't know if you are enrolled in the VA for healthcare or not, but that would be your 1st step. Bring in a copy of your DD 214 with you & ask if your doc to refer you to a VASH Social Worker. If the VA doesn't come through, you can also try NGOs/Non Profits (US Vets, Salvation Army) to also provide assistance in getting shelter.

http://www.benefits.va.gov/benefits/benefits-summary/summaryofvanationalguardandreserve.pdf

Response by PO1 Tony Holland made Jul 3 at 2016 3:43 AM

2016-07-03T03:43:13-04:00

Per wikipedia the USS Copeland was transferred to a foreign military Sept.1996 after being decommissioned.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Jul 3 at 2016 11:56 AM

2016-07-03T11:56:47-04:00

What is the question you are asking? The details here are a bit incoherent.

Response by SSG Robert White made Jul 6 at 2016 2:32 PM

2016-07-06T14:32:18-04:00

Didn't you keep any records of your time in? Can you still download your LES's? Submit a correction of military records. By having documentation, it will be easier to get a certificate of service.

Response by CMDCM Gene Treants made Jul 7 at 2016 2:41 PM

2016-07-07T14:41:21-04:00

Okay PO3 Aaron Hassay, obviously the VA is NOT going to help without a major kick in the ass from an outside source. it is time to stop working thru channels and start listening to some of the advice that others are giving you here.

1 LEGAL: Seek legal counsel from sources like American Legion, and others recommended here, perhaps even the Legal Aid Society or the ACLU. Think out of the Box.

2. Working with a Congressman on VA issues will NOT work - THE VA DOES NOT WANT TO HELP YOU - you need to get someone to sue or force the VA to accept YOU. You cannot do this alone.

3. So far you have kept good notes. Continue to do so. NOTES AND NAMES of all you contact!

4. Keep bugging the Veterans Center for assistance. Eight years as a Reserve has to count to something. I KNOW you do not have a DD-214, that only comes after active duty discharge, but you have something, right.

I am reposting your story from SGT Tracey "Tra" Cooper-Harris post to here in the hopes that MORE people will read and respond if they have better ideas!! Good Luck SHIPMATE! KEEP WORKING ON THIS ISSUE!

THIS IS AARON'S Story: Please read!

"Everyone.
I did not call it this.

It was termed

the "PERFECT STORM" by another.

I sit here tonight to update.
I just turned 40 in may.
I sit here feeling more similar to an Honorable Vietnam Veteran put under Extreme Military Stress then forgotten.
My only crime is my SAM enlistment that is it.
Due my SAM enlistment placed on an NRF FFG there were no limits to the stress.
I have lived it.
I survived it.

I have tried everything to date (1)Congressional VA Aid who I just confirmed by calling the central office he reports to, never even registered an official Congressional Inquiry to the database in Washington DC. The VA disability has denied my service connection going on 3 years now even with evidence I attempted Navy to Army transfer through USMEPCOM and was medically Disqualified, for PSYCH and SPINE 1998, with a 3P which is a dd214 medical discharge code I just discovered, but never given any follow up medical care or clearance, because the branches did not share the medical records, as evidenced there is no medical reference to the transfer physical in my Navy Records. Both the spine and psych conditions without treatment have become chronic and disabling ending me up on SSDI under the poverty line for over a decade, with chronic homelessness and suicidal hospitalization self injury 5150. But, I stand empty feeling pain of emptiness wondering why? June 2015, I just sat through a "VA Eligibility Department" Atlanta Georgia, Hearing held through video feed, in the conference room at Local VA regional Hospital Fort Miley San Fransico. I just found out I was denied. They took all services away. They reference a rule that says that if I did not do 2 years active service then I do not get VA support. I can not even get a waiver for a homeless housing voucher, which most vets with a honorable discharge can access, but not a SAM enlisted 8 years. Problem was, 2013 VA PHD MD etc, originally accepted me diagnosed me with PTSD Due service about 3 years ago and started treatment nearly weekly, while I was chronically homeless already and on SSDI for Anxiety and Mood Disorder, affective age 29 years old, below the povertly line. Just so we have dates correct, I was a very very rare SAM enlisted in the Navy 1994 18 year old to 2002 26 years old honorably discharged. I was sold the SAM enlistment as a way to become an officer. But of course the recruiter never told me what units I might be put in. I went to bootcamp 1994 18 yo, where I was awarded best recruit advanced e2 meritorious thinking career Navy white picket fence AMERICAN DREAM my own family here we come. I was engaged by 19 to a beautiful girl. My advocates at the recent VA meeting were 3 Vets led by Marine Colonel Wong Vietnam Vet Chairman of Veteran Support Groups, a Marine OIF OEF service connected about my age, and Army Chaplain Vietnam Vet Mr. Mapp suffering Agent Orange with Parkinsons. Mr Wong did his homework, interviewed a sailor of these rare long ago forgotten units, and verified these unique experiment NRF FFG units and my rare SAM enlistment would create as he called it the "PERFECT STORM" for illness, hardship, but no Medical Care because I was a SAM enlisted. I am officially DOD archived, crew member, 18 yo, just part time, $150 month compensation, on a full time operational combat ship, full of full time sailors, some of whom despised my SAM status. I got stressed out every month. I got tired of being called a Reservist in a bad way by the Active duty and would defend myself against some 15 Active Duty e3 attached the ship. I was outnumbered and bullied by some of these guys. I went into darkness. I was the only SAM in my unit. I eventually got physically attacked, MST, death threats, altercations hidden and intimidated and humiliated without military medical access off the ship. There was no medical officer on the ship either, being it was a small surface combat ship. This went on for nearly 5 years even beyond my failed attempted Army transfer out of this unit. I dropped out of college that year. My fiance left me. I had PTSD already but was not being treated. I was entering a mind numbing dog fight with guys my age who were supposed to be my friends, but because we had different enlistments, hence different experiences, then we did not jell, and some of them did not like me at all. And I did not like that at all. That FFG was their home and I was just a unwanted visitor every month they were taking to sea where I would not sleep a lick with my eyes wide open. Beyond that a Navy Combat Ship an FFG is a highly technical weapons system that requires full time duty to feel comfortable on and proficient and safe on. Beyond the crew member crap I was dealing with from the active guys, I was getting sea sick every month, and scared and intimidated by the overwhelming amount of crap that was put on my plate, that is normally learned and digested over full time duty. But they just let me fry for 48 hours a month, then set me home, to think about it every month till I was not myself any longer, and no medical military care to access off the ship.

This SAM enlisted thing on an Navy Combat ship has never before been attempted before or after.

If you do any google search verification, you will see how many SAMs there were in 1994 in the Navy and how many NRF FFGs there were. It was the rarest of occurrences."

Response by SSG Robert White made Mar 31 at 2017 5:11 PM

2017-03-31T17:11:44-04:00

Send in a SF 180 and request a copy of your DD214. They will send you one or a certificate of service.