The following words came to me by email-from ONE MORE – MST survivor seeking justice: “It is always great to hear from you, more so knowing that your support is genuine and from the heart. The Attorney didn’t take my case because the VA changed the entire scenario concerning claims, he said that unless the claim was denied the Attorneys can’t take cases, therefore I would have to wait until then in order to get legal advice,…go figure! My life hasn’t been easy, alone, scared most of the time, can’t sleep cause of nightmares, anxiety, etc…..more so not having a close friend to take to makes it even worse…..that’s why I appreciate your friendship, your support and kindness means a lot to me, even if it’s through the Internet”.
This is another veteran-who enlisted in the United States Military to PROTECT and SERVE his fellow countryman-and to defend the Constitution of the United States.
Read what he is telling us! He has been wronged-criminally abused by fellow military personell…and is being told there is a rule that says he cannot seek his own representation against the Veterans Administration? What is WRONG with this picture America?
I too have been told this-I have in my hand a letter sent last year-it came from the Veterans Administration…it says the attorney that I selected to represent me was not approved by the VA and therefore disqualified to represent me in my disability claim for PTSD. So-I am supposed o trust the system to provide me with unbiased legal counsel…the same system I an any of us are going against-and yet forced to use their attorney lists? I don’t get it-please…someone explain this to me.
We were proud to serve our country-in my generation we were taught we were defending democracy….but what is democratic if we cannot find a person who we trust to defend our rights?
I said this the other day….how can we sit back and let this happen? I DID NOT enlist to suffer the way I do because of MST…I would be more proud to have been wounded in combat than to be wounded in the way we survivors have been wounded-and our wounds are unlike those received in combat…they are wounds of shame as much as they are wounds in our physical being and souls.
I did nothing wrong-why should I be treated as if I did? Why should we be isolated into a line of insensitive rules that do nothing to ease the pain-instead multiply it?
We need to stand up-fight those who attacked us and strike back…or we can just sit back and take it!
This is wrong…read the fear and pain in this mans words-and also see how his rights are also gone.
Tags: civil rights of veterans, democracy, FREEDOM, life in the United States, Living FREEDOM in the United States of America, MST, SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE MILITARY, Veterans Administration, veterans rights for military rape incidents
a males life after rape 
March 20, 2010 at 5:15 pm |
Jay,
There is an old Hebrew Proverb, “He who saves one life, saves the world entire.”
I don’t think I am your only reader who can equate this saying with the power that your words have on other survivors.
I can’t help but tear up when I read the quotes from the fellow Brother veteran whom you quoted in your post. Like you, if my wounds were from combat I would be proud to suffer on behalf of my country. I was prepared to be maimed or killed by the enemy while fighting to support the ideals of democracy and freedom. Instead, I was held “captive” in a little tiny office by the very man that was supposed to be my protector.
There has to be a better way! I continue to blog in relative anonymity because I fear the shame that I feel would follow if anyone besides a few trusted friends even knew the smallest details.
Our government has the perfect “victims” in so many of us survivors of MST. We are too ashamed to stand by ourselves because we have been conditioned that when we stand up, we will be punished.
“The character of a nation can be measured by the way that nation treats it’s veterans.” Author unknown.
Well, for many of us it has become crystal clear that there are serious problems with the character of our nation. Thank God that the character of the victims of Military Sexual Trauma is a whole lot stronger than the character of those who write the orders and make the complaints and vicitims disappear.
Thank you, Jay, for being one of those brave souls to reach that hand out in the darkness.
Joan
May 27, 2015 at 9:30 am |
I can relate with what has been said. I was denied by VA week after my claim hit over year old. I had face them everyday till I ETS. I hid it as long as I could but now wheel chair bound and regretfully one them made sure I am HIV positive, lost my family and kids because PTSD. Now being told two plus years decide my Appeal. I lost friends because they couldn’t deal knowing what happened, plus someone I was told to trust and believe in stabbed me lefy me like discarded trash in the woods. I def. can relate. How many times will my country rape me?
May 27, 2015 at 11:56 am |
My friend and brother; trust me-your country will rape you every day because of the way PTSD effects us and our way of thinking!
My strongest advice is this-keep fighting; never be quiet about it-the war against the VA for YOUR JUSTICE! NEVER give up the appeal process-ALWAYS keep the true facts in your disability claim and NEVER embellish any thing at all; your life-your truth-are the most valuable thing you possess in this process of justice!
I do hope you have an attorney?? Since your claim has been denied and is in appeal-you now have the legal right to an attorney! If you are not represented-by legal counsel experienced in the VA process-hurry and find the support you need. Forget money….never is there money up front!
I look at it this way….some where in your life some one – or more – violently ruined your life; the military you agreed to serve failed you; you suffer-and they should compensate, and-help you. As you inquired “when will my country stop raping me”?….you earn the right to satisfaction; then-when trauma struck-you were unable to fight your attackers; now-you are in a position to fight back one more time!
The fight is long-but if you stay the course no matter what-the validation and success in having YOUR TRUTH acknowledged is powerful. Please-never sop your claim process! Please-know there are others-many others-who can completely relate to you-for real-you are not alone Bobby! Peace
On Wed, May 27, 2015 at 5:30 AM, a males life after rape wrote:
>