Today? Sure, I'd believe that. I'll try searching around, this is the first I've heard of it.
edit/ Cursory search seems to suggest this is fairly new -- I'm only seeing hits from news in 2019. Better late than never, but many servicemembers have languished and died in the meantime while the VA administration continues to delay processing.
I'm glad that they're at least not fighting so hard against service-connected illnesses and disability ratings. But, that still doesn't tell the full story, either. I'd be curious to learn what disability % different illnesses and times in service, branches, etc... are receiving. That could get closer to telling the truth.
Many of the Vietnam veterans my father and I know are < 50%, despite being incapable of working due to their service-connected health issues (nevermind the ageism, nevermind the loss of industry where these people live taking decent jobs away from entire regions, nevermind the fact they wouldn't be considered anyway because of their health issues, etc...). If you attempt to get a new rating, you can end up rated lower than where you started. And, so, it disincentivizes otherwise deserving people from pushing their luck, as it were.
My brother hurt his back on a training mission in the army. He was discharged and worked for a few years doing HVAC.
His back was hurting, he kept going to the VA. Eventually they gave him $3000 A month disability.
He was set for life! His own personal UBI. One little problem, they also gave him opioids for the back pain.
With no need for a job too keep him busy, it only took six months for the opioids to kill him.
I wrote this anecdote commend @scruple on taking the time to get his dad fixed up, and so that others in a similar place might recognize the situation and act. I do not think the VA did anything wrong in this case. I had a chance to get my brother to move in with me, but I failed to do so.
edit/ Cursory search seems to suggest this is fairly new -- I'm only seeing hits from news in 2019. Better late than never, but many servicemembers have languished and died in the meantime while the VA administration continues to delay processing.
I'm glad that they're at least not fighting so hard against service-connected illnesses and disability ratings. But, that still doesn't tell the full story, either. I'd be curious to learn what disability % different illnesses and times in service, branches, etc... are receiving. That could get closer to telling the truth.
Many of the Vietnam veterans my father and I know are < 50%, despite being incapable of working due to their service-connected health issues (nevermind the ageism, nevermind the loss of industry where these people live taking decent jobs away from entire regions, nevermind the fact they wouldn't be considered anyway because of their health issues, etc...). If you attempt to get a new rating, you can end up rated lower than where you started. And, so, it disincentivizes otherwise deserving people from pushing their luck, as it were.