I'm 30 years old and rated at 70% for disability through the VA with 50% for sleep apnea. Like one said in an earlier post, I don't think SA is a disability itself but can lead to other disabilities. If not, then I would be able to hold a job through the civil service. I will take whatever money the government is willing to give me.

Anonymous wrote:

I'm 30 years old and rated at 70% for disability through the VA with 50% for sleep apnea. Like one said in an earlier post, I don't think SA is a disability itself but can lead to other disabilities. If not, then I would be able to hold a job through the civil service. I will take whatever money the government is willing to give me.

Are you saying you could hold a job,  but won't just because the government is willing to give you money just because of a blanket coverage of a Sleep Apnea classification that gives you 50% disability?  Isn't this why our country is in trouble now,  too many people with their hands in the money jar who truly aren't in absolute need of it,  but they're taking advantage of it anyway due to greed alone? I think this is partly what people get upset about,  just a general disability blanket classification that says you're disabled even though, as you openly and almost proudly told us, you could work but why should you when the goverment is willing to give you money for something that hasn't really disabled you, at least not yet.  Wasn't there any shame involved in saying that in front of other adults who have paid into the system to protect their futures? For one I'm amazed at the gall of this persons statement!

Anonymous wrote:

I'm 30 years old and rated at 70% for disability through the VA with 50% for sleep apnea. Like one said in an earlier post, I don't think SA is a disability itself but can lead to other disabilities. If not, then I would be able to hold a job through the civil service. I will take whatever money the government is willing to give me.

Hmmm... it looks like someone else already nailed you for saying this, never the less I'd like to say this much also.  I think it's great to have the backup coverage with your 50% disability rating that will protect you in later years when you honestly do become disabled by your OSA,  but now you make it sound like you're just willing to take advantage of the system and take the money anyway even though you don't truly need it yet just because the military classified you at 50%.  I'm not arguing their classification,  maybe I'm arguing their timing, that just maybe it wasn't really time to just hand out that label when you're not truly to that point yet.  I'm not saying you're not due it because of your service to our country,  but you make it sound like a free ride you can take just because you've decided you don't want to work rather than truly not being able to work because of your disability.

When you say something like, "I will take whatever money the government is willing to give me" and in the same breath state that, "if you didn't have it you could work at a civil service job",  it just makes me feel our country should be better than this.  Where is your pride and integrity that would/should prevent you of misusing and taking advantage of the system?  I'm truly happy that you have coverage to protect you in the future when you honestly do need it, but like the previous poster said, it seems odd you'd come here and brag about taking it now when you're saying you truly don't need it yet in the same breath saying you "really could work if you wanted to."  That's like slapping the tax payers in the face!  Surely something like this should rile up anyone paying into the system and listening to you so flagrantly brag about abusing it!

Sniffles called it a "blanket coverage",  I think it's more of a "blanket classification",  and this is what causes the controversy for so many I feel.  If you can work then work for God's sake,  if you truly can't work then don't.  Sniffles called it,  "too many people with their hands in the money jar who truly aren't in absolute need of it!" After reading your post that sounds incredibly accurate.  Maybe the people in control of handing out these disabilities should work a bit harder at being sure the people they're giving it to are in real need of it at the moment they hand it out instead of just handing it out ahead and guessing they'll need it sometimes in the future.  That seems to leave open the option of it being abused by people deciding not to work before that time actually does come around that prevents them from doing so! When you say, "I will take whatever money the government is willing to give me" it makes me wonder which branch of the service instilled such a degree of disrespect and lack of integrity for your own self.

Last,  but not least,  I just noticed it has "Guest" as your sign in name,  and "Anonymous" when I quoted you,  I missed that when I started replying.  Are you here just to stir the waters, or were you just too ashamed of what you said to use your real sign in here?  I could well imagine I would be after saying all that.


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SnowCajun
I'm old, there's no cure!

Anonymous wrote:

If not, then I would be able to hold a job through the civil service.

Just to clear the confusion on this quote up, I do work civil service. It's just a typo. I also do pay taxes like everyone else. I'm not here to stir the waters or brag, I'm just saying from my own experiences. How am I misusing the system? If I am entitled to something, shouldn't I go for it? If I am eligible for health care, wouldn't I go for it? If I can get the state or VA to pay for me or my kids to go to college, wouldn't I go for it? etc, etc. You get the picture, entitlements and benefits.  Have you ever been to a military base or worked with military retirees or vets? I work with retirees and disabled vets that do get disability through the VA, whether it's for sleep apnea or other things and we hold full time jobs. Yes, we are not disabled "per se" we are just getting what we are entitled. Maybe some people go overboard when they intially file for VA disability and I know that. Some people have been medically discharged or retired from the military for sleep apnea in some cases. Do you frown upon them to? The VA doesn't give out these disabilities like candy. We do get tested and get examinations for disabilities to include sleep apnea and we have to have these abilities while we were in the service. There have been many sleep apnea disability cases run through the VA that have been denied and keep trying. Those are possibly the people trying to take advantage of the system to try to get as much money out of the VA even if its not service connected.  Entitilements entitlements. Did I say entitlements? Apparently everyone that has  VA disability for sleep apnea is taking advantage of the system for something they are entitled in the VA reg. If you have a problem with how the VA handles disabilities, write your congressmen. We are just getting what we are entitled.

[quote="Anonymous"]

Anonymous wrote:

If not, then I would be able to hold a job through the civil service.

It's not a matter of frowning on anyone,  or telling you that you're not entitled to anything.  Maybe it's the fault of the military for not clarifying what they call it.  I guess to those of us not in the military who listen to someone who is bringing us information stating they're 50% disabled due to OSA,  or some form of it,  then states, as you did at first, about how you'd work at civil service if the Government didn't give you the disability,  but then in the same breath state why not take what you can from the government because they're willing to give it to you.  Surely you can imagine how that sounded???

Anonymous wrote:

How am I misusing the system?

The way you made it sound was the problem I think,  it's like anyone who claims to be disabled with back injuries like I am,  people who can't lift 10 lbs, or bend over even 10 degrees,  yet are out mowing their lawns,  or cultivating their gardens,  or playing football with their kids,  or putting a new roof on their home. That is what I'd consider misusing the system,  and that's what you made it sound like to us saying "if you didn't get it then you'd work for civil service" .. okay so it was a typo and I have no reason to disbelieve your word!  Still so many people do that very thing and personally it sounds a lot like robbing the system that others truly need for the future.  I don't begrudge anyone getting disability who truly needs it,  but if someone is able to work and just riding disability for the money train and won't work,  then that's hurting everyone,  including our own country and our children still to come in the future.  Can't you see that side of it??

Anonymous wrote:

If I am entitled to something, shouldn't I go for it? If I am eligible for health care, wouldn't I go for it? If I can get the state or VA to pay for me or my kids to go to college, wouldn't I go for it? etc, etc. You get the picture, entitlements and benefits.

I wouldn't even begin to try and tell you that you don't deserve your just earnings from having served our country,  but you have to admit you rather flagrantly stated "why not take it if they're willing to give it,  and if they don't then I could always work at civil service" .. you made yourself look like you were abusing the system virtually bragging that you could work but why not take what they're willing to give.  Isn't that right you said it that way?  We could only react to what you wrote,  we couldn't read your mind, or guess at what you intended to put there instead.  I agree,  if you've earned it then use it,  if you're not disabled then work until such time you're unable work due to your health issues then you have the disability rating to fall back upon and personally I'm glad you have that?  Isn't that only right,  isn't that how it should be done?

Anonymous wrote:

If you have a problem with how the VA handles disabilities, write your congressmen. We are just getting what we are entitled.

The last time the Government listened or responded to anything I had to say was when I wrote to JFK in the early 60's and asked for a photograph for my school classroom.  Other than that they don't respond,  no one does,  especially Bush!  I'm not picking on the military or the VA,  though I do have some issues with them.  One issue being that my best friend who died in 1975 from a massive heart attack had been injured by a Japanese hand grenade in WW2,  he developed vertigo because the grenade blinded him,  it was so bad that he was unable to get out of bed because the dizziness from the vertigo made him fall over.  Because he was bedridden he never was able to get up and exercise  so he gained way too much weight and the VA did nothing for him.  When he passed away from the heart attack the VA instantly denied his wife any future benefits stating his injuries were not combat related,  yet had he not been blinded by that Japanese grenade he'd not have had the vertigo issues and not been stuck in bed unable to exercise.  He gave his all for his country and they cheated his wife after he passed away.  That angers me still to this day.  

If you've earned what you've got then I respect that,  and I also appreciate your service,  you have my thanks for doing so.  If you're going to come tell me you have an injury but are still able to work if you want to, but would rather ride out payments from a disability classification instead of working,  then I'm probably not going to have a great deal of respect for you.  You are what you make of yourself, if you can look in the mirror and be proud of who's looking back at you then that's the main thing.  That reminds me of a poem actually, it's a great poem and I'll share it with you ..

   The Guy in the Glass

    When you get what you want in your struggle for pelf,
   And the world makes you King for a day,
   Then go to the mirror and look at yourself,
   And see what the guy has to say.
    For it isn't your Father, or Mother, or Wife
   Who judgment upon you must pass,
   The feller whose verdict counts most in your life,
   Is the guy staring back from the glass.
    He's the feller to please, never mind all the rest,
   For he's with you clear up to the end,
   And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test,
   If the guy in the glass is your friend.      
   You may be like Jack Horner and "chisel" a plum,
   And think you're a wonderful guy,
   But the man in the glass says you're only bum,
   If you can't look him straight in the eye.
   You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years,
   And get pats on the back as you pass,
   But your final reward will be heartache and tears
   If you've cheated the man in the glass.

   by: Dale Wimbrow (1934)

Our country is a great place even if now and then we don't like our leaders.  We can either support it by being honest and decent citizens,  or take advantage of it and steal from it by misusing it to the n'th degree by jumping through every loophole possible to drain our country of money we're not really due yet.  I'm not saying you're not due anything personally,  but if something is set aside for you in regards to your disability,  yet you're able to work,  why would that make you eligible for before such time that you truly are unable to work? I don't know you and this last paragraph is just a generalization,  but many people do misuse the system,  we all know that! It was designed to help those who truly are in need of the help, not as a free ride for loafers who don't want to exert any effort in life to work during their time here on earth.  That is what I find objectional.


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SnowCajun
I'm old, there's no cure!