VAntage Point would like to hear from you about the issues Veterans face.

Whether you’re a Vietnam or Gulf War Veteran, a VA employee, a family member or just have information or a story to share with Veterans, consider submitting an original written piece suitable for our guest post column.

Before submitting your post for consideration, please note the following guidelines:

  • Posts will be edited for style and clarity
  • Submission of your guest post does not guarantee publication
  • Posts should be at least 200 but not longer than 750 words in length, and include a title
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  • Send your submission in Microsoft Word or .txt format
  • Include a photo we can use for a head shot and any other graphics or photos you’d like included in the post
  • Add a short, 2-3 sentence bio at the bottom

These guidelines are intended to streamline our guest posting process. If your post is accepted, it can take up to 2 months to be published because of our editing and scheduling processes. We try to post 2-3 guest posts per week.

To submit your guest post for review, or if you have any questions, email newmedia@va.gov with “Guest Post Submission” in the subject line. Please include your name, your contact information, and your Veteran status or affiliation to Veterans, if any.

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25 Comments

  1. sylvester January 20, 2014 at 14:52

    Why is VA so inefficient in processing re-embursement checks from Champ VA. My wife takes time to highkight NDC codes and physician codes, yet half are kicked back denied. Two hours on the phone with supervisors and she is told the claim should have been paid and a check is mailed. Why can’t they do it right the first time? How many others are having this problem?

  2. Coalition to Salute America's Heroes January 15, 2014 at 21:21

    If you or someone you know is a Disabled OIF or OEF Veteran and is in need of Emergency Financial aid, Holiday gift check’s or interested in education or other great programs go to http://www.saluteheroes.org to find out more. Freedom isn’t Free and at the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes we work hard everyday to serve those that served for us. In the utmost of respect Thank you for your Service!

  3. Robert Ramirez January 14, 2014 at 19:22

    My spousal dependency claim was submitted on 11/04/2009, and is still being reviewed, according to the VA Regional Office in Oakland, CA. The original completion date for my claim was projected to be completed on 11/2012, and is yet unresolved.

  4. lambda5555m January 14, 2014 at 15:32

    The VA desperately tries to computerize medical records. The time would be better spent on training on reviewing medical records and giving us the correct disability ratings. There are serious problems in how records are reviewed and could care less that they were computerized; I care how accurate they are. I have many problems with the way they do it and they have not gotten my issues resolved and may never resolve all of them, much to my detriment. The deny, deny, deny, then deny again attitude I and others get should not be tolerated. Doubt these problems will ever be fixed, but spending money computerizing them won’t make our disability ratings accurate, they will just be able to deny us faster. When combined with the Army Disability Ratings, they only have to deny us once. You have the possibility of a claims reviewer having no medical training, not a medical professional, may only have a high school education, may not have served in the military, may not have been deployed to a combat zone, never had a disability, never slept out in the woods, desert, etc. and cannot read my medical records and understand the serious medical problems that exist and how military service in godforsaken places causes serious medical problems and diseases we contract, then I have a serious problem with how my medical records are reviewed. When my records have been reviewed many, many times and a serious medical condition is overlooked or ignored because they don’t want to give you disability for it, then I have a problem with that, especially if it could be life threatening as mine was. If they see a serious medical condition in your medical records, they don’t tell you and when I ask why not and why they didn’t tell me or treat me, they say if I don’t claim it, I don’t get disability for it, even though they see it there. Why? That is not the right thing to do. If I didn’t know about it, how can I claim it? See the ridiculousness of this kind of problem when you have a system that is broken and examiners who are not qualified? They don’t review our medical records properly and do their best to deny our claims because they don’t read them. And they think that computerization is going to help them better decide (better deny is more like it) our claims for disability? Guess again. It will just make it easier to deny them and do it faster than ever before.

  5. GEM January 13, 2014 at 16:28

    Even thought the VA is going with a more stream line paperless Comp & Pen application form, these forms do not work with the computer programs designed for blind and visually impaired veterans.

  6. Jennifer Glanton January 13, 2014 at 01:52

    “Honoring our Nation’s Heroes and Those In Service to Them, One VA Medical Center at a Time.” Please see our website and facebook page for more info about our mission and how our mission is making a difference for VA hospitals.

  7. BobM January 12, 2014 at 18:24

    Today, I used the ER at my VA for the very first time. The dreaded ER visit, on a weekend. I anticipated a 4+ hour wait with a room full of other veterans.

    To my surprise, however, there wasn’t many people. I checked in, had a seat, grabbed a magazine and my name was called. Wow!

    The doctor needed a little more personality, but everyone else I encountered was perfect & professional.

    From the time I signed in, got checked over, got x-rays and was released was just a little over an hour.

    I was thoroughly impressed!

    Thanks for the great service!

  8. Matt Enders January 12, 2014 at 05:05

    Dallas VA Hospital…. worst in Nation? Why do 100% p & t service – connected, combat related. Why am I going on with the BS & red – tape that others seem to be immune to? Speaking out? More redacted versions of the lies told to the public? WHY? BECAUSE, our POTUS doesn’t support veterans and the men and women who risk their lives so politics can get worse??? Our freedoms taken from us?

    • Robert Ramirez January 14, 2014 at 19:10

      Dont blame the POTUS for what the GOP has done. They’re the ones that are trying to cut benefits for veterans in the name of deficit reduction. They’re the ass holes.

  9. Matt Enders January 12, 2014 at 04:49

    Why haven’t we been put on or seen the supposed “burn registry” while most of us are dealing with the complications of what we’ve been exposed to in Iraq? 11 BP beginning (January) of ’03-Sep’03.

    • lambda5555m January 14, 2014 at 14:19

      Let’s also not forget the Veterans that were exposed to burn pits in Afghanistan. I got COPD w/emphysema, IBS, an enlarged prostate, severe sinusitis, fast heart rate and a few other problems. Didn’t have them before I went, but had them 9 months later when I got back. How can those kinds of problems manifest in 9 months when I didn’t have them before I deployed in 2003? Obviously, the burn pits caused quite a few serious medical conditions, but the VA will push the burn pits and other serious environmental health issues back into the shadows like they did with Agent Orange and Gulf War Syndrome and wait for years until we die then come out and say, yes, the burn pits caused significant health problems for our Veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. It may be a while before that happens unfortunately.

  10. GunnyG January 10, 2014 at 11:28

    I came to this website in hopes that it would be more productive and helpful, but it appears to be a site where angry veterans come to rant and complain.

    • Marcia Brinkley January 12, 2014 at 00:47

      I’ve learned to read the published stories or reports but skip the angry posts. I retired from the Army more than 20 years ago and have gotten excellent care from every VA clinic and hospital I’ve accessed.

  11. WG9/SGT Lester A Bacclay January 9, 2014 at 23:57

    The veterans that didn’t serve long enough to get Try Care should be allowed to purchase health care from another nation seeing that they fought for freedom of other countries. They should be allowed to do this under NAFTA or GATT international trade agreements. If they above all citizens cannot take advantage of these free trade agreements than why do we have them. Are American Citizen Soldiers now POW’s to the world where their now denied access to free markets they spilled their blood to defend?????? Obama-care is entirely too expensive. Although they have the VA for all line of duty’s injuries what about their families health care. It is entirely unfair that they should be doom to by Obama-care at 4 times the price for their families When they defended free commerce in our world !!!!!!!

  12. ric stuber January 9, 2014 at 23:35

    I would like to see the doctors spend more quality time uwith the veteran each time I go in for appointments its like I am going through a fast food restaurant. Quality care is not happening. And
    When did doctors stop washing there hands before touching the patients. I have written a complaint letter to the secretary of the Va let’s see if changes happen.

  13. william January 9, 2014 at 23:13

    Disconnect !!!!@!!!@@!!!!!!; between federal & state va nursing home ???
    Feds push vets to states…. states are overloaded..? And say they need more federal $$$$$$$$$$$ very very very poor practice at the expense of our ww2 etc vets!

  14. Charles M Lilly January 9, 2014 at 22:27

    Did you know that only 2% of the 330,000,000 Citizens serve in the Military. Frankly, I am proud to have served. I mean looking back 40 years, I never had it so good until I became disabled and was discharged under Honorable Conditions. Yeah I served in a time when Vietnam was going ballistic and I was heartfelt for all of the Men and Women who sacrificed their lives, limbs and psychological balance. As many as 22 Veterans commit suicide every day, that’s 24 / 7 / 52. Once a Warrior, forever wired. I was a CW2 Helicopter Pilot when I got out in 1975. There were no jobs for Pilots or Maintenance Personnel when we got out. So I worked a couple of meaningless jobs until the VA encouraged me to continue College. I was further along as an Adult than my Class Mates, who boo hooed about the War. I had no choice of going to War. A prison term, a trip to Canada or something else disgraceful. I was assigned to a Helicopter Rescue Squadron and training was intense. I won’t go into the details of how I survived, but the other Men and Women in uniform were there to support me and my Crew. I supported downed Pilots, ocasionally flew in gaggles to hot landing zones, picked up wounded and dead. I still fly to this day in sailplanes and single engine land aircraft for pleasure. I go to the VA for PTSD treatment, anger management and one on one with a Staff Psychologist trying to unravel my grey matter. I look at any War as a coiled spring compressed that the energy will have to come out sometime, somewhere. I pray for the Soldiers who don’t go to the VA. They end up using drugs, alcohol or beat their Wives. This is not acceptable, but there is help and hope. You just have to make the first step. The VA was appropriated $540 Billion to help Vets get back on track, be assertive and get what you need, they really do want to help. Saluting you from Martinsburg VAMC West Virginia. Good luck.

  15. Matthew Pierce January 9, 2014 at 20:50

    Greetings,

    I am a former Marine, served one 5 yr. term, and was Hon. separated on September 10, 2001. Because I had to work and was not able to attend school full-time, my G.I. Bill Ed. benefits expired after ten quick years. Would there be a way for veterans, like me, to regain use of the remaining balance of our Ed. benefits?

    Thank you,
    Matthew Pierce, fmr Sgt. USMC

  16. thomas gomez sr January 9, 2014 at 20:04

    i meant turned away. also did you know that in south carolina if you have a veterans tag on your car. you can park for free in charleston. who el’s does that? good luck.

    • Gabriel Ireton January 10, 2014 at 13:00

      I’ve received service from VA hospitals in Pennsylvania and Texas over the years, and each hospital or clinic has its own parking arrangement depending on parking facilities available.
      The best? Pittsburgh VAMC by far! You drive into an attached, multi-story parking garage, show your card at the entrance and take a short walk from your car right into the lobby without getting a drop of rain on your hat!

  17. Will January 9, 2014 at 17:59

    Why don’t viet nam era veterns qualify for any current V. A. benefits?

    • thomas gomez sr January 9, 2014 at 19:59

      any veteran will never be turned by the va. if you don’t have a service connected condition. the va will still help you if you have no health care ins.i have never seen them turn down a vet in need. we are all very lucky to have the va. and you know what i found out over the years? they realy care about us. in the great state of sc where i live. they love all veterans. its nice to know the state you live in cares so much about you as a veteran. as far as other benifits. if you did not go to war in viet nam. you cant expect service connected condision to relate to you. from the battel feald. but thanks you for your service.. you still matter to america.

      • mori fils January 9, 2014 at 22:27

        the battle field extend from the ground, the air, and sea. With out support there would be no troups. How many people share this opion

    • Denny January 10, 2014 at 11:44

      Will. I am a Vietnam Veteran and get great V.A. benefits. Find your county Veterans Service Officer and visit him/her and see about getting an evaluation. I did and I was in. Some times the wait for a disability claim takes a lot of time, but they eventually go thru. Good luck.

  18. Will January 9, 2014 at 17:56

    When will the V.A make the new Pills that shorten treatment term?

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