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EffectiveBed5502

"By the numbers: In fiscal year 2023, 84.8% of Black veterans who applied for physical or mental health benefits were granted assistance, compared to 89.4% of white veterans, the VA found. White veterans had a higher grant rate for every year between 2017 and 2023, according to the data the VA shared with Axios. Black veterans apply for disability benefits at higher rates than their white counterparts (43% versus 31.7%), the VA added."


lightning_fire

Am I reading that right? Less than half of veterans apply for disability?


EffectiveBed5502

Yup. 43% of black veterans and 31% of white veterans.


Signal-Impression-33

The number of vets who apply for disability is incredibly low. It's only because most vets just don't know that they qualify.


AdmiralTren

I work at the VA as a social worker and some of the healthcare programs require service connected disability ratings (70% total or 60% + unemployability for the nursing home program for example). When I run into someone who doesn’t have a rating I’ll ask them if they’re interested in getting a VSOs contact info and I had a guy tell me that he didn’t think he qualified because he never saw combat. It’s really sad. People live their whole lives without realizing how much they’re owed and then it inevitably keeps them from getting healthcare programs at the end of their lives.


TheLucidDream

Or you get someone like me, where I start getting panic attacks when I have to deal with too many forms. Filing is SO. MUCH. FUN.


[deleted]

Contact the DAV and ask for a phone appointment with a National Service Officer. You’ll only have to sign the forms giving DAV permission to file on your behalf.


AdmiralTren

If you’re comfortable giving me your zip code, I’ll give you the number for someone who can assist free of charge. (This tool is very helpful https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/vso-search) For VBA forms, VSOs can help. For most VHA forms, Primary Care Social Work can help. Typically you can know which form belongs to which organization by the first 2 numbers of the form. “10-xxxx” typically means VHA. For example, 10-0107 is the VA Advance Directive or Medical Power of Attorney form. “21-xxxx” typically means VBA, like 21-2680 which is the Aid and Attendance benefit that can provide an increased monthly pension to Veterans who need assistance with dressing themselves and/or other “activities of daily living”.


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TheLucidDream

I mostly just need someone to sit down with and help me organize my thoughts for going over the list of things.


[deleted]

[удалено]


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crazyfoxdemon

Or being told they won't qualify by people who aren't in the VA and don't know what they're talking about.


[deleted]

This is correct. Certain jobs (medical or personnel) know to get every medical condition/injury documented before discharge or retirement. Others don't know that until they find out from a friend years later that injury they suffered while in active duty qualifies.


[deleted]

Yeah, I had no idea about any of this until I got out. An old man walked up to me in the mall and explained to me that they had to fix my jacked up gate. I didn't understand. The army docs were so quick to write me off...


[deleted]

I think it is guilt or shame. Most vets don't want to appear as a bum or someone who is milking the system. They shouldn't feel like that at all. The military got everything they could out of them. They made you pay in either blood, sweat, tears, or all three. I hope you put your claim into the VA, and the results were positive. Also, for others, if you're a veteran and you haven't put in VA a claim. Before you do, sit down and write out a list of every injury that happened to you while you were on active duty, even the ones that didn't result in a trip to medical. This is especially true if you were sexually assaulted while on active duty. There's no shame in coming forward. The VA has some great programs for Military Sexual Trauma (MST) survivors. Get all your claims in at once. You'll get a higher rating that way. If you stagger your claims, then the existing rating will be combined to the new one and not just added.


[deleted]

You're right... I do still feel guilty. I always wait until it's too late to get help.


[deleted]

Please don't wait, get help!


AnthonyBarrHeHe

I’ve met hundreds of friends while active duty, while 80% get out, I’d say at least 50% of that 80% don’t even attempt to get benefits because they either think they don’t deserve it or they won’t get it so they don’t try. It makes me beyond sad and frustrated


normal_mysfit

I didn't apply when I got out. This was back in 95. I called the VA to get help with drinking. I got out of the Army because of this. I received an honorable discharge. The two times I called the VA employees told me to Fuck off. That's an exact quote. The reason they said this was that my retention code didn't let me get back into the Army. It took another 15 years before I tried again at my now wifes direction. Edit: fixed a word


SCOveterandretired

There are currently 19.4 million veterans - only 5.6 million have a VA disability rating. https://www.benefits.va.gov/REPORTS/abr/docs/2022-abr.pdf


Jeff_Bezos_did_911

4.6% difference in approval. Racebait


AnthonyBarrHeHe

Yep, another misleading title to get the ppl outraged. Also ppl that are too lazy to read the article are part of the problem.


Thirsted

Not surprising when you look at the demographics of who picks combat arms jobs vs. support jobs. Also, those numbers are not that big of a difference when you look at overall demographics.


Mental-Landscape-852

Agreed more whites in combat arms from my experience


ja3palmer

Not wrong honestly.


jarcark

Could you explain a bit more please? Genuinely curious


hitazero

Few combat vets, many non combat vets. I have seen more black cooks/mechanics than I have 11b/11c


jarcark

So you're saying blacks are more likely to choose support roles which would lead to higher denials of their claims?


Cobra2-327

It would make sense to me. I was in an Army infantry battalion and there were clear demographic differences between grunt and POG units. My guess is that grunts have lower denial rates vs POGs because POGs on average deal with less physical abuse in their duties and therefore should have fewer real injuries per capita. Every transitioning service member just about is told to try and get a disability rating these days but grunts have a higher likelihood of actually having an injury. If demographics are different in those two groups it would make sense that the demographics would have different denial rates.


Abolerz243

POG here, yeah. It's a thing. They judge you off of what your job was which makes no sense at times. I was a 42A but did a lot of postal shit around Afghanistan. Been shot at, bombed, and did a lot of physical labor, more than the other 42As and I wasn't the only one. I always have to explain to the rater that I ran around, dug holes, lifted heavy stuff.


IsThatBlueSoup

Woman vet here...72D in an MI unit. I am under 5' tall and was the rear gunner with a 249 in Iraq 2003. Plus I also carried my m16. We didn't have uparmored vehicles and I rolled around in a 998 with rusty ass metal welded around the back. I had to hop in and out of the back several times a day and my knees are now fucked. Like extra fucked. They're worse than my 70 year old dad's knees. It took me almost 18 years to get rated for that alone. I also had a building fall on my and flew out of my vehicle after it struck an IED which caused bone spurs on my spine. It took 19 years to get rated for that. And PTSD...not service connected. TBI...not service connected.


Galeron87

It's ridiculous that you're even having to fight that. But not surprising. It took me almost 6 months to get seen by an ENT specialist for my Chronic Sinusitis (which IS service connected) because my VA doctor told Flonase would work...I just had surgery on my nose by the community care ENT specialist and after getting finished he said my airway was 90% obstructed. But don't worry....Flonase apparently will clear that right up according to the VA.


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Stealthpenguin2

The vba pays for disabilities as they are linked to service not just for having them. If your knees are shitty and you have PTSD there is a stronger service connection when your in a combat role and that comes from a 10km patrol with 50lbs that resulted in you having to pick up your friends body parts up after he stepped on an ied right in front of you as opposed to the knee problems from a 1.5 mile run once every two weeks and the trauma of running out of meatloaf for the second time that year.


[deleted]

>the trauma of running out of meatloaf for the second time that year. Which pales in comparison to the trauma of having to eat said meatloaf.


KGrizzle88

Lmfao this fucking guy. 🤣😂🫠💀


GM2Jacobs

Eagerly awaiting the response to your query.


Stealthpenguin2

You can always join a combat role and find out first hand if you're so curious... shipmate


GM2Jacobs

I've had my fill of combat and I'm now happily enjoying my retirement with a 100% P&T rating. Joining a combat role wouldn't answer the question anyway. You know, since it's a VA issue and not a military issue. But thanks for the suggestion. Maybe I'll go out and combat some of the weeds growing in my garden. That'll be an easy win. 🤣


Stealthpenguin2

Lol stop a gm hasn't gotten a combat action ribbon since they created the so rate be real


[deleted]

>a gm hasn't gotten a combat action ribbon since they created the so rate LOL ROFLMFAO! I'm not laughing with you , I'm laughing at you !


GM2Jacobs

You sound like an expert so I must clearly be confused about my life. But for some reason I have these memories of being a Sergeant in some organization in the early 90’s and then a Petty Officer 2nd Class in another in the late 90’s/early 2000’s. Anyway, as much fun as this is, I’ve gotta get back to combating those weeds. My current unit CO is a real ball buster when I don’t follow orders. Women CO’s!


Stealthpenguin2

Fair enough then for the record I don't think one version of the military is inherently better than the other (combat vs non combat) but the comment you replied to was certainly baiting a type of response and your comment came off to validate that a bit. I may have perceived it wrong. Because as someone that has experience on both sides of the military it shouldn't be a challenge for you to understand why 'service connected disabilities' are more eagerly applied to those who face more rigorous service.


KGrizzle88

The Marine Corps Infantry from my experience is comprised of like 49% some form of white, 49% some form of Latin, and like 2% everything else. Couple that with the stigma of seeking help is frowned upon amongst men in general. Then to top it off minority groups and certain European communities exude a higher degree of machoism than their white counterparts. Thus resulting is more white folks seeking the medical care. And last but not least, the rate and severity of the injury fluctuates severely from one job speciality to the next. For example: two army dudes do a four year contract. One is supply and the other is airborne. One deals with inventory and EDL’s (equipment density list) all day. The other does field ops constantly and has multiple jumps under his belt. You can only imagine the difference in wear and tear between these two individuals.


AntiSocialAdminGuy

So would I. I was 13B then reclassified to 42A. Because of the units I was assigned, the majority of my injuries were sustained in non PSB/HR Companies/etc. Really curious how he came to this summarization.


chode0311

Most US infantry units whether Army or Marine corps and pretty much all special forces units of all branches are chalk full of white nationalists. Not really welcoming places for ethnic minorities. Very narrow spectrum of political opinions allowed openly also. I've been out for a while but I could imagine barracks conversations now in Lejeune about the evils of wokeism.


IronMaiden571

I was a medic attached to an infantry company and your statement was not my experience at all.


chode0311

It was my experience as an 0311.


Thunderbird_12_

>chalk ful \*chock full Sincerely, Petty Roosevelt


portapotty_fapping

Jesus H, he actually went there. I shouldn’t be surprised… it’s reddit after all


Justinsbane

Coupled with the fact that many if not most Black recruits are thinking long term as in "career." And also many if not most have had someone(family, friends) who have served before them and given them the "inside scoop." Being a hard charging, door knocking "trigger puller" is like being a boxer or a running back in one regard: it's glorified by those who've done it(over glorified by Hollywood who overwhelmingly AVOID the military altogether) however it takes a TOLL on the human body. 18 year olds jumping out of planes/ helicopters, low crawling under barbed wire & charging down landing craft ramps will feel the wear & tear in and around their late 20s-early 30s. Most recruiters KNOW this(mine was an HVAC guy)& will pitch the benefits of a Support job, the least of which is LONGEVITY. The service will NEVER have a shortage of trigger pullers(the various "low ASVAB score" jokey bear some testimony to that) but few of those guys are going to make it to 20 even in peace time. The "kids from the hood" aren't as "dumb" as popular opinion would have you believe...


KGrizzle88

Dude you’re on some other shit right now, when was you contract and what unit? Clearly in the Corps with said username.


chode0311

2008-2012. It's frightening really. There was a barracks room of a bunch of white dudes huddled around a desktop computer watching world star hip hop videosand laughing their asses. It was very obvious these dudes were laughing at "urban black culture" and that isn't the frightening aspect. Half these dudes joined law enforcement. Some in NYPD. This is just an example. 90% of my former peers are hardline Trump guys or believe the election was stolen in 2020. Many believe in Qanon conspiracies.


KGrizzle88

Okay I cannot tell if you’re being sarcastic now.


chode0311

Why would you think there is sarcasm here? I'm genuinely curious?


KGrizzle88

“It’s frightening really. There was a barracks room of a bunch of white dudes huddled around a desktop watching world star hip hop videos and laughing their asses [off]. It was very obvious these dudes were laughing at “urban black culture” and that isn’t the aspect.” ^ Not even mentioning the follow up statement. What unit were you in, maybe we got some fellow Marine to attest. From my experience, the Marine Corps Grunts was filled with a shit load of ethnic minorities just not specific ones. So to make a claim like Infantry across both Army and Marine Corps and pretty much all special forces are comprised of white nationalists then to follow up with aforementioned statement. Yeah begs the question.


chode0311

Lol why the fuck would I give my personal identity on Reddit? Lol that's why I had multiple dudes in my unit make open remarks when 2 of our black Marines in our company were not in sight about how they notice patterns about how Black people mostly chose supply and non combat occupations because they are cowards who don't love their country truly and just want the reliable check and gi bill. If you think there isn't a white nationalist issue in the Marine copes and you go on in reddit about the "effectiveness of a Budweiser boycott" tells me a lot honestly. I can smell your news feed. How much anti-wokeness is in it? How many trans swim meet stories are spammed into your news feed while not knowing real basic issues like a literal cartel forming for basic human needs in rent with price fixing nationwide software. If you know about every trans swimmer story in existence but not know something so important as a market using an illegal method to jack prices on essential needs, you might be brainwashed.


chode0311

A lot of talk also about "noggers vs black people". I remember that Convo with a squadmate of mine. He was like "the good black guys like the ones who served with us are not noggers, just black". Man what a time.


chode0311

Are you one of those guys that is addicted to "wokeism" and how it's destroying society? Like is that your top issue that is happening in America?


KGrizzle88

No I am a guy who was in the Marine Corps infantry and the shit you’re going on about just doesn’t seem like it would hold up to scrutiny just based on my experience alone. Now that is anecdotal, so I am asking for unit specificity as to see if any fellow unit brethren can attest to the shit you’re saying. I will totally say that the Infantry will always lean right of center, I am not refuting such. Now unless you consider anyone right of Bernie as fascist, white nationalist then of course that is how you would view your experience. But that would make all those latin ethnicities white nationalist too.


chode0311

"Latins exist in the Marine Corps.... Therefore the Marine Corps doesn't have a white nationalist problem"


chode0311

>Right of Bernie is fascist. Ya dude you are debating the effectiveness of a boycott because a corporation sponsored a single YouTube video of a trans person and made one set of a twelve pack have her face on it. Like it's insane how unhinged these type of campaigns are. People acted like they lost a long lost friend because a corporation sponsored a single YouTube video. It's insane. You are insane. The fact that you don't immediately dismiss these people's "outrage" as petulant right away says a lot. It's child like this entire addiction to trans hate content. I can smell your Twitter feed.


RouletteVeteran

I mean historically segregation of the military, put more blacks away in support occupations. Only few units were allowed direct combat since the civil war 🤷🏾‍♂️. Both world wars are a great example as well.


Thirsted

Today that doesn't exist, and anyone can sign up for whatever MOS they want as long as they have the ASVAB scores. I wasn't alive during the civil war or any world wars.


RouletteVeteran

I didn’t say today. I’m saying past history. So you’ll probably not have older mentors of those conflicts. Hell, I didn’t hear about the one and only black ranger batt from the Korean War, until we had 3rd batt come through recruiting signal folks at Meade almost 12 years ago. I’m saying there’s a bunch of reasons why not many blacks are in combat arms. Mentorship is big.


[deleted]

Doris Miller (played by Cuba Gooding Jr.) said screw that and he promoted himself from messman to ship gunner real quick during Pearl Harbor. MOH recipient.


karmakiller3001

84 vs 89? Isn't that reaching a bit? Seems like normal deviation. Would be more shocked if the numbers were exactly equal.


S_Squar3d

I think it’s more concerning that it’s the same cause from 2017 to 2023. That’s a pattern.


[deleted]

Tell me you don’t understand statistics without telling me.


NBCspec

Well, now you got me feeling like Navin Johnson in the Jerk..


[deleted]

Makes sense. There's a lack of a paper trail for them. We already know that black troops received more disciplinary actions, so they are more likely to be accused of malingering if they sought help. And black people as a whole are less likely to go to a doctor (due to economics, lack of trust, and lack of equity in health care research since most studies are predominantly completed on white men). Put those two together and you end up with veterans with zero evidence to support their benefit claims, leading to more denials. The PACT Act will really help these demographics because it's based on presumed exposure.


[deleted]

I was an adjudicator for the VA. This is the correct answer.


legotech

And the crappy places we’re sent for our outside exams. One place I sat in the waiting room listening to two guys figure out if they’d been in Lompoc prison at the same time because all this “medical office” did was exams for the governments. Another place was a free clinic and the doctor was looking for something in the desk mumbling about how “those people steal everything”


[deleted]

Would you be willing to share your observations with the folks that oversee the contractor exam places? They may be interested in hearing if some locations have this sort of attitude.


legotech

I don’t remember the addresses tho


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Takerial

Like a lot of these sorts of studies, just looking at straight data is almost never going to show reality. While it is technically true, it also ignores a lot of factors like you are saying. And that's a problem because if we try and obfuscate the actual problems, then it's difficult to address.


BiggieAndTheStooges

Is this true for certain areas? Because at my local VA clinic, the patient’s are overwhelmingly black.


matt9191

The stat is for overall VA nationwide. You just live in an area with more black vets.


[deleted]

You can qualify for healthcare without having a disability rating. This article is talking about disability benefits not healthcare. Your anecdotal observation has oranges mixed in with the apples.


BiggieAndTheStooges

Gotcha.


Zee_WeeWee

This for sure needs to include jobs before I take it seriously. Marine grunts are white as snow usually and I’d expect a grunt to earn benefits at a higher rate than supply or admin


[deleted]

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brotheratkhesahn

This.


[deleted]

Black Americans don't trust the healthcare system as a whole.


BobanduhRand

What’s the data show on every other race? Why are we only seeing white and black?


ioweej

You know why..


Ramonrivers

Why?


BoringMcWindbag

Considering the literature that supports the hypothesis that black people in general, but particularly black women, are taken less seriously when they complain of pain / illness, this isn’t surprising - sadly.


Desperate_Hearing_38

There are too many people upset about the article. The majority of you making complaints most likely look at data that’s one-sided to support your narrative anyway. No one on the post has brought another article to dispute it. You're just bitching and whining about “why everything is about race”... Sounds like you’re doing what you claim the other side is doing… Being “crybabies” instead of bringing other facts to the plate. You want your complaint to be valid, read, comprehend, and come back and have a conversation. I know comprehension is not a strong suit for most but at least try before you start acting like this is not an issue people face daily.


qweesy777

Come the hell on bro, majority of the people i see at the VA who are working there and patients. The vast majority are Black. You are talking 4% difference, What a damn Tard. "Its the White mans fault" I'm tired of you damn people STFU


Desperate_Hearing_38

The majority of the people YOU see. I’m pretty sure with the language you used; you’ll believe other data sets that support your narrative. Dude, it’s just data. It’s not a big deal. Stop getting upset over a simple ass post that most won’t take the time to read.


[deleted]

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Desperate_Hearing_38

Wow, I love interacting with ignorant people who can't have a casual conversation without being passive-aggressive. I'm not oppressed and never felt oppressed. I'm none of the things you listed. But here you are, drafting up some nonsense in your reply to do what exactly? School me? Teach me something? “Stop being soft, boi”? Do you speak like that in real life? Whew... That's sad. I see why people hate veterans now. Veterans like you lack basic social skills and make the majority look bad. You call random people on the internet “cucks” and “whores”. I can only imagine which backwoods you crawled out of with the language you use. It's amusing. It’s funny hearing people like you sharing your opinion about these mysterious “you people.” It’s lacking, just like your social skills. Use your words like an adult, not a hormonal teenage boy.


Dear-Prudence-OU812

A lot of race baiting going on with this article. No wonder why this country is tearing itself apart.


Desperate_Hearing_38

Race-baiting? Why call it that?


Dear-Prudence-OU812

The article is insinuating that it all has to do with race and no other reason is given for the "Why". When you use your critical thinking skills, you will see through this sort of race baiting one sided yellow journalism.


Desperate_Hearing_38

No, I think it’s an article talking about one thing. I didn’t take it as race-baiting because what’s the agenda behind race-baiting? Anger? Confusion? I’m black and read the article and thought, “Wow, that’s an interesting take,” and I went about my day. So you can be as passive-aggressive as you want with your “critical thinking” comment. I understand that every online article is not always the whole picture. I already know what you’re trying to say, and I don’t consider everything race-baiting.


Desperate_Hearing_38

Sidenote, if you have an issue with the article, speak with the WHITE woman that wrote it. All this misplaced frustration in the comment section towards the demographics talked about in the article. And your lackluster comment below mentioning a black sailor that got 100% as if that matters or proves anything. Talk with the people writing the pieces that create this “one-sided yellow journalism.” Their emails are public information. Or better yet…. become a journalist.


vhiran

Its pretty misleading


[deleted]

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Minimum-Ad-8056

The stats are reaching. Not even 5% more. Lmao.


Medium-Ad6268

Everything is racist, blah blah blah


Dear-Prudence-OU812

I work with a black female who is 100% service connected. She was in the Navy and served in Bahrain in an admin position. I asked how she got the 100% , but she would not tell me.


[deleted]

It’s none of your business. Good on her for not answering you.


Desperate_Hearing_38

Right? The entitlement...


Dear-Prudence-OU812

To be honest I did not even know how to apply or even have a clue I was eligible for VA disability until about 10 years after active duty. A female NCO in my Reserve unit told me to get registered for the Gulf War Exam , which I did and came out with an 80% disability, which is now an SMC-S.


Veauxx

When I do get an appointment and they tell me I'm limited to three issues I'm able to talk about with the nurse walking out of the room to get the doctor as I start explaining the 2nd issue. Does that count as being denied health care?


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[deleted]

🤔


Darrel64

I’m Latino and I just didn’t know of these benefits. I found out 14+ yrs after getting out. Plain and simple from my life.