I have been busy lately with something other than card making and house hunting. This is long and has nothing to do with cards so feel free to skip it completely. I will be making a birthday card for my girlfriend Nancy and will post that soon, so come back then. Be kind to one another.
I have spent the better part of each day calling people for help to get my husband's DD 214. Many places have a message that says "Due to the high volume of calls we cannot take your call. Please call back another time". I was dumbfounded that someplace would have a message like that, but I got it several times at different places. I have spoken to people in St. Louis, MO, PA, VA TN, OH, IN and other places that were 800 numbers so I don't know where I called. A lot of places do not answer their phones and it just rings and rings with no chance to leave a message. Other places I have left messages do not return your calls. I thought dealing with Comcast and AT&T was bad. Hah! It was nothing like this. I called the Marine Corp. (who he served for) on Monday. I actually got a real person and she referred me to someone that said they received his records from St. Louis in January. She assured me he was tenacious and would get to the bottom of this. The next morning I received a call from them saying (are you ready?) they could not help me because we are in Indiana. What!? He was in Indiana when he signed up to go to Viet Nam and risk his life and watch them destroy the foilage in one day. He got up one morning and saw the blackened trees and grass and was told not to walk on "that stuff". I could not call them back yesterday. I was too upset and angry that they would even say such an ignorant thing. I've tried calling all morning Wednesday and no one answered. When I finally got an answering machine it said to email them. I want to talk to a real person and find out what they have been doing since January with his record and why do we have to wait six months to get an answer. We are not asking for money or benefits. We only want to get him in the system in case something would happen and we would need help. No one should have to go through this. What do people do that can't hear on the phone or don't understand which number to press? I have spoken to the American Legion (many people there in fact) because that's where the Veterans here told me to call. I have talked to the Dept. of Veteran Affairs in PA. I have called the IN recorder's office, the IN Dept. of Veteran Affairs, and the IN Archives. I have 14, 14 pages of notes of who I have called, their name, number and what they said. We visited the Veteran's Hospital in November, 2013 and we are no farther today than we were then. This is unacceptable and someone who could do something about this should know about it but I don't know who that would be. I'm putting this on my blog in case someone out there knows someone who could help. I am angry and frustrated. I see why the Veterans are in trouble. I see why people die before they are helped. What would we have done if we didn't have the resources to pay for our health care up to this point. I am truly beside myself and I don't know what else to do and no one can help. I will continue to try to get through to the Marine Corp. They are the ones who have his records. Wish me luck. Truly, the people I've spoken to have really tried to be helpful. They all refer me to St. Louis where the records are kept. They want to help but don't know what to do if the number they have doesn't work for me. If hubby hadn't misplaced his DD 214 we wouldn't be having this problem. BUT, I can't believe he is the only person in the military who doesn't have that form.
Thursday. Late yesterday I got a call back from the Veteran's Hospital here. The first gal I talked to said hubby was enrolled in the system. I asked how that could be since they told us we needed the DD 214. Oh. She said someone would call me back. Another gal called. No, he isn't enrolled. She told me to call a Veteran service officer at the Marine Corp League here and gave me a number. She said they may be able to help. I called and left a message. I hope they call today. If not by noon, I will try them again. Also will be calling Quantico, VA again today.
I have spent the better part of each day calling people for help to get my husband's DD 214. Many places have a message that says "Due to the high volume of calls we cannot take your call. Please call back another time". I was dumbfounded that someplace would have a message like that, but I got it several times at different places. I have spoken to people in St. Louis, MO, PA, VA TN, OH, IN and other places that were 800 numbers so I don't know where I called. A lot of places do not answer their phones and it just rings and rings with no chance to leave a message. Other places I have left messages do not return your calls. I thought dealing with Comcast and AT&T was bad. Hah! It was nothing like this. I called the Marine Corp. (who he served for) on Monday. I actually got a real person and she referred me to someone that said they received his records from St. Louis in January. She assured me he was tenacious and would get to the bottom of this. The next morning I received a call from them saying (are you ready?) they could not help me because we are in Indiana. What!? He was in Indiana when he signed up to go to Viet Nam and risk his life and watch them destroy the foilage in one day. He got up one morning and saw the blackened trees and grass and was told not to walk on "that stuff". I could not call them back yesterday. I was too upset and angry that they would even say such an ignorant thing. I've tried calling all morning Wednesday and no one answered. When I finally got an answering machine it said to email them. I want to talk to a real person and find out what they have been doing since January with his record and why do we have to wait six months to get an answer. We are not asking for money or benefits. We only want to get him in the system in case something would happen and we would need help. No one should have to go through this. What do people do that can't hear on the phone or don't understand which number to press? I have spoken to the American Legion (many people there in fact) because that's where the Veterans here told me to call. I have talked to the Dept. of Veteran Affairs in PA. I have called the IN recorder's office, the IN Dept. of Veteran Affairs, and the IN Archives. I have 14, 14 pages of notes of who I have called, their name, number and what they said. We visited the Veteran's Hospital in November, 2013 and we are no farther today than we were then. This is unacceptable and someone who could do something about this should know about it but I don't know who that would be. I'm putting this on my blog in case someone out there knows someone who could help. I am angry and frustrated. I see why the Veterans are in trouble. I see why people die before they are helped. What would we have done if we didn't have the resources to pay for our health care up to this point. I am truly beside myself and I don't know what else to do and no one can help. I will continue to try to get through to the Marine Corp. They are the ones who have his records. Wish me luck. Truly, the people I've spoken to have really tried to be helpful. They all refer me to St. Louis where the records are kept. They want to help but don't know what to do if the number they have doesn't work for me. If hubby hadn't misplaced his DD 214 we wouldn't be having this problem. BUT, I can't believe he is the only person in the military who doesn't have that form.
Thursday. Late yesterday I got a call back from the Veteran's Hospital here. The first gal I talked to said hubby was enrolled in the system. I asked how that could be since they told us we needed the DD 214. Oh. She said someone would call me back. Another gal called. No, he isn't enrolled. She told me to call a Veteran service officer at the Marine Corp League here and gave me a number. She said they may be able to help. I called and left a message. I hope they call today. If not by noon, I will try them again. Also will be calling Quantico, VA again today.
5 comments:
Sorry to hear about your problems with the VA. Maybe call your congressman or senator from your state. It was a shame the way the Viet Nam Vets were treated. They not only paid with their lives back then but they are still paying now with their lives.
It's a good thing Hubby has you to fight for him. I do blame this administration for most of the problems though. Our freedoms are slowly being eroded, this isn't the same country it was five years ago. I am really sad to see what it will look like in a few more years. Will all those that fought and died for our freedom just be all in vain??? I don't know....we need God to intervene in all these terrible situations. Don't we. through all this just remember "Keep Calm ~ God's Got It".....and He will fight your battles!!
I hear your frustration Brenda - I hate these big systems where no-one knows what people in other departments are doing. Sending hugs and hope you get it sorted. Vicky x
Chin up Brenda, keep persevering and I hope you get things sorted soon, Cathy x
Hi Brenda, I am trying to catch up. I am so very sorry for all of this crap you have to go through. I have much to say to you about the help our service men and women get but I will keep it out of this comment. I am truly sorry and NO American should have to go through this. Guess we know how the health care system will be run. Please thank your husband for his service.
Have to agree wholeheartedly with cards4ubylouise...yep current administration is shameful, but in their behalf, this problem didn't just start with them (but it did get worse!) Again, agree with maybe calling your Congressman for your district. I saw where you've contacted the VFW folks, maybe if they can help more???We had a similar problem - no record that DH had ever been to VNam.(he served TWO tours!) He happened to find some paper that showed all his duty stations (while looking for something else! He'd forgotten he had this). We've always kept very good track of that DD214 and I made copies of it (not useable officially, but proves info!). He finally did get into the system because he was exposed to Agent Orange, but we had to prove that too! It's really a crime because these guys offered their lives for the country & Americans, and get treated (or NOT!) so shabbily. I feel your pain, and if I can think of something helpful, I will be in touch. Can you contact your local tv & newspapers to see if somebody there can bump this up to someone 'important' who can help? It's beyond disgraceful. Hugs. I know you need one!
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