Glens Homepage for Disabled Veterans Benefits

Let me start by telling you a little about myself.
I am a 38 year old disabled veteran of the U.S. Air Force (1981-92).
I first encountered severe low back pain in 1990 after doing some jogging.
After several months of the typical military medical red tape I finally got an appointment with a specialist.
He examined me and ordered an MRI which helped him diagnose accelerated degenerative disk disease in my lower back, L3/4 through L5/S1.

I was discharged in July 1992 as part of the military drawdown. I received a separation pay as a result of being discharged. Prior to discharge I applied for disability compensation with the VA.

Once out of the military the VA scheduled me for a compensation exam. After nearly a year of more red tape, exams, etc. I was found to be only 10% service-connected disabled.
Along with the rating was a letter explaining that due to receiving the separation pay I was not entitled to disability compensation.
I immediately appealed this decision.

In August 1995 I was increased to 40% disabled due to an aggravation of my condition.
As a result, I have been unable to work at any occupation since December 1995.

I applied for and was eventually recently approved for Social Security Disability.
Social Security found that there is no occupation in the national workforce that I am able to perform due to my disability.

I again appealed my current VA rating and also added an application for 100% disability due to unemployability. This was done in December 1996.
After nearly a year I have heard nothing from the VA.
Recently they told me that there is NO time limit in deciding appealed cases which tells me they can work on it, or not work on it, whenever they want.

With what the VA has put me through is the main purpose for me creating this page.
I would like to try to help other disabled veterans to hopefully avoid some of the beauracratic nonsense I have been subjected to.
If you are in a similar situation as I, or know someone in a similar situation, please feel free to write me at the address below or put a note in my guestbook.
I check both daily.

Also, if you know of other disabled veterans sites, I would love to have the address so I can visit.

I plan to update this site as time permits.
Any suggestions on how to improve this page, or questions in general, can be directed to the address below or to my guestbook.