Forty yrs after my service in Viet nam I was diagnosed with ptsd. The V.A diagnosed me. If they would have diagnosed me when I came back I probably would have been given a 100% rating. There was no help for the returning vet. In the meantime I went into the National Guard and full filled my 20 yrs for retirement. Since I was diagnosed I got a 40% rating which they deducted from my retirement pay. If I had got a 50% rating I would get both retirement and disabilty pay. Instead I just get a few tax free dollars that I earned anyway from the National Guard retirement. I had to wait 20 yrs to receive my retirement pay. I know I am not the only veteran in this situation. It seems to me that the people running the V. A. are more interested in getting their bonuse's than doing what's right for the vet. Remember back in the 60's an 18 yr old kid had a few choice's it was join the service get drafted or run to Canada. Hard choice's for an 18 yr od kid. Thank you for reading this.
