Triple Amputee Gets Clothes
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"A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., has ordered the VA to pay dual clothing allowances to a veteran who lost both his legs and an arm as a result of his military service.
"The precedent-setting decision was the result of DAV's unrelenting pursuit of justice for multiple amputees." says National Service Director Randy Reese. 'The DAV has long sought the elimination of this inequity and fought the VA misapplication of its regulations through the court system.'
"The appeals court decision now allows double or triple amputees to receive dual clothing allowances totaling $1,432 per year under VA regulations, and the court said that bi-lateral amputees would also be eligible for double clothing allowances (DAV Magazine, p. 12, July/August 09)."
This case began in 2003 when the Veterans Administration denied the triple amputee his claim for a dual clothing allowance. It was also denied by the Board of Veterans Appeals in 2005 and the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans' Claims in 2007.
All over a request for a $1,432 annual stipend in clothes for a triple amputee veteran.
Ranger's heard it before: "We Value Our Vets!"
File under, "Thanks from a grateful nation."
Labels: thanks from a grateful nation, triple amputee wins clothing allowance case, U.S. federal court overturns clothing allowance inequity
posted by rangeragainstwar at 7:21 PM
7 Comments:
How to put this without sounding like a horrible person? A person with that level of limb loss would be considered 100% disabled by both the military and the VA. Thus this person could expect (if they added SSD to their VA and military pensions) around $70k in a mixed tax and untaxed package on top of their TSGLI which would have been six figures. So here's my question - do they need a clothing allowance, at what point is enough enough? This is where I realize I come across as harsh and I don't blame you if you dismiss this comment as a rant by an ungrateful civilian (with no military connection). But what I worry about is whether this kind of benefit doesn't encourage learned helplessness? In this instance I realize that I'm discussing a person with triple limb loss so my point is largely blunted by the rare circumstances but my concern is with social integration.
"But what I worry about is whether this kind of benefit doesn't encourage learned helplessness?"
You have no military connection and are not a triple amputee for your country? Yeah, your statement of worry is a bit galling. . . Any helplessness he's learned was at the receiving end of an IED.
The Army doesn't seem to worry too much about the finer points of social integration; just ensuring their costs are minimized.
DAV is a good outfit to have going to bat for you. They know what they're doing and how to navigate the VA playbook. They give a lot of help to new vets coming into the system to fill out the confusing reams of confusing paperwork.
I spent some time in the VA Domiciliary in Prescott AZ. The AZ DAV has vans to transport vets who don't have their own transportation from the outlying areas to the main VA hospitals twice a week.
The subject of military pensions v other pensions is a real sore point with veterans for the last few years. A guy spends 30 years in the military to get a 3/4 pension and then the government subtracts other gov't. pensions or SSD or whatever, from his military retirement pay so as to prevent double-dipping. That sucks.
Anon,
Would you trade 3 limbs and the resultant medical problems for a measly 70k$per/annum?
It's easy for somebody that never shit between 2 combat boots to understand my extreme anger that ANY vet has to fight for legislated benefits.
If your attitude is any indication then vets are in trouble.
jim
Gordon,
I am a life mbr of DAV and frequently donate to their cause. Their SO's are the real deal.
jim
I totally believe he should have a clothing allowance i lost a limb and in england we dont get this you anger me that you think he shouldn't get this its so difficult to find clothes and have them altered when you are in this position i find you are been ignorant to the whole thing clothing allowance with help him buy good clothes that will give him confidence and make him feel better about himself you almost shouldn't have an opinion on it if you dont have a fucking clue what its like i would go off on one if i didn't no what it was like. And your saying enough is enough you have no idea that he would probably give everything to have it back but this money will help him so support you fucking men that go to war how selfish do you have to be.
anon-27sep.
You've lost more than a limb-you must have lost your friggin mind IF YOU THINK THAT I DO NOT SUPPORT THE VETERAN AMPUTEE.
Read what i write and say rather than what you think that i'm saying.
Read the comments and ALL the articles that i've written over the years SUPPORTING veterans.
Thanks for reading.
jim
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