Posted by Nimlock on September 11, 1998 at 08:30:26:
Hi there - I wonder what you think about this:
quick history -
I was in the Marine Corps for 10 years, trained as
an Aircraft Mechanic & developed two medical problems.
one was these cluster headaches.the other was a NASTY
skin problem with my hands (all the pores fill with
fluid & then crack open making my hands look like
"raw meat" as my Captain had put it).
My enlistment was almost up for review & I was supposed
to receive a "re-enlistment interview" as all Staff Sergeants
do but instead I was directed to go over to "sick bay"
The doctor gave me a VA medical card, honorable discharge,
& told me to go home where I would be taken care of with
compensation & re-training in a different field.
well, the compensation board determined that my hands
were less than 10% disabling & they did not even consider
my cluster headaches. Once I stopped working as an aircraft
mechanic, my hands cleared up & have been good ever since.
I guess my question is, If I was not good enough medically
to stay in the service, then why am I not good enough to
qualify for some type of compensation? either a check or
retraining in a field I might be able to deal with.
I am going to attempt to go through my local DAV office
again to see if anything can be done.
Is it wrong of me to try & do this? these cluster headaches
have made me a bit meaner & I think they should have been
considered as well. I can't work in the field I was trained
in either because the problems with my hands will return.
I have been working as a file clerk for the past five years
but these clusters are getting worse & I don't know what to
do.My current job will end soon with the plant closing & I
will have to start at the bottom all over again if I can find
a job.
or am I just being a "non-hacker/sickbay commando" as I was branded
by my last command?
I really don't expect to get anything from the government
except for the standard "nope" but thought I should try.
ok, I'm done now. Thanks for letting me whine a little.
maybe it doesn't even make sense.
Glen aka Nimlock