Waco Veterans Affairs office denies 92% of Gulf War claims

[-Rusty-]

[QUOTE=Psychokitten;52502401]It's more common among combat arms. Airborne guys have it especially bad. Turns out jumping out of a plane and crashing into the ground (albeit in a controlled manner) will actually take an inch or two off your height. Accidents are also something to worry about, my younger brother is friends with a former E-5 whose chute failed to open properly. Took lots of surgery to get him back on his feet, and he ended up getting a medical discharge.

Then there's the fact that Airborne units are notorious for putting their dudes through the wringer, physically. PTing like a motherfucker every day and going through all the training they put infantrymen through will take a toll. One of my Drill Sergeants in basic had fucked up hip-flexors, which gave him an odd walk that looked almost like a drunken swaying.

Oh, and unrelated to airborne. I've got a buddy who was an artilleryman on active duty, he's an NG generator mechanic now. Turns out standing next to a 155mm howitzer when it goes off can rupture eardrums, so I have to stand to his right if I want him to be able to hear what I'm saying. Dude's in his mid 20s and totally deaf in one ear.[/QUOTE]

I was a Corpsman and then an M1 Tank Crewman(but we were just glorified infantry really), I've got that "drunken sway" too when I walk and I hate it. Also got hearing problems, they used to call me "deaf mother fucker" :P and I was told my hearing will gradually get worse as I get older among other more serious issues. A lot of us end up with bad tinnitus as well.

[QUOTE=jgerm529;52502489]Well if you don't want to use it then that's your choice, I'm using mine because it's literally a free education and the BAH is more than enough for me to live off of. I deal with their horrendous medical care too but to me that's not a reason to not use your G.I. Bill, take what you can sort of thing. You do you though, and honestly you should get into contact with DAV or you local Veterans Services counselor. They helped me out a ton dealing with the VA and you should look into them or even the American Legion.[/QUOTE]

I actually went through the DAV too, they are incredibly helpful and seem to give a shit. They try to work in your favor or at least they did for me.