Not going to be their job - plenty they could get done at Texas A&M and other Universities. Massively over staffed across the board.

I'm been told by several people who used to be on active duty that if you retire without getting some form of dissability, you are doing it wrong. Unfortunately it is becoming the norm for military to get disability for petty things.

I know 3 vets that are on 100% disability. One served on an aircraft carrier and brags about working the system to get to 100%. Hearing loss, PTSD, sleep apnea and exposure to fire ******ant foam. Another who hurt his neck lifting weights, broke his leg playing soccer while on leave and PTSD from his 2 weeks in Iraq before he hurt his neck and had to be flown back to Germany for treatment and eventually back home where he was discharged early. Last one served in the 90's and somehow still got 100% for hearing loss and PTSD when he never served in an active war zone but probably does have some hearing loss as he was in an artillery unit.

Then you have guys like my dad that did 2 tours in Vietnam. Never claimed for PTSD because he doesn't think he has it although he had nightmares for years afterwards. He did get a little for agent orange exposure after he had prostrate cancer, I think 20% or 30%. He's pissed at all the other vets that are just working the system.

It's a problem but probably not one they should tackle immediately. The optics are too bad. Service members are hero's in volunteering for what they do knowing the dangers that come with the service. I just wish they would take the "honor" portion of their oaths more seriously in regards to working the system after they get out. All the guys I've talked to that have been discharged in the last 20 years know what to say to the doctors/boards to get as much disability as they can.

IDaggie06 said:

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I'm been told by several people who used to be on active duty that if you retire without getting some form of dissability, you are doing it wrong. Unfortunately it is becoming the norm for military to get disability for petty things.

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The problem is that because of how the system is set up, you almost have to get your foot in the door for what at the time, seem like minor issues but continue to get worse as you age. I'm going thru that right now because I waited, so it has been a lot more difficult to say the issues are service connected. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to look at my medical records and see when and where all my issues began to figure out most of them stem from the burn pits we were around everyday. Because I waited the symptoms have become much worse, and tying it back to those burn pits has been a pain because I've been out for years. Same thing happened to my Uncle with exposure to agent orange. The system almost requires you to claim something to cover yourself as you get older and service connected problems get worse.

I served 11b and have had a ringing noise in my ear for 37 years. It doesn't hurt and sometimes it's low and sometimes it's high but I can hear it all the time. I do know I lost some hearing during my service period per the tests when I was honorably discharged. People have said to go to the VA but I always thought that there were people worse off than me.

My army buddies call me stupid for not "taking advantage" of what is there for the taking. I guess I am morally stuck on the words "taking advantage" when so many people come back that need services more than I do.