Very kind of you... thanks...
Yeah... that asbestos stuff probably contributed to my father's death as well... along with the stogies he smoked for 70 odd years. Lots of ads on TV and in the Veteran's mags by ambulance chasers soliciting folks to file claims. At least we know NOW how to deal with the stuff.
Reminds me of a recent learning of mind... "If we live in the past, we get depressed, if we live for the future, we just get anxious. We need to live in the NOW."
Schooling... yes! I was working for Cadillac in Hollywood and after a year and a half and the threat of the draft... I enlisted for electronics training and to stay out of that conflict on a great big BATTLESHIP! I loved working on cars, but found I liked it better as a HOBBY rather than a CAREER. Most of the men I worked with had no retirement and URGED me to get into something else. In their way... they were right... even though they yelled at me to "get outta here!"
God has always had a hand in my life... as I look back and see it was actually DIRECTED even though I did not necessarily ask or knew it was happening at the time.
After schooling I landed in Coos Bay Oregon and it was like a scene from a James Bond movie. Boards were used for tracking subs and ships with exclusive equipment using hydrophones to listen. We could track ships and subs 8000 miles away... using 1958 (in 1968) technology developed by your friendly Phone Company... Bell Labs and Western Electric.
The radio equipment there was much of the same stuff I worked on in 'Nam and with just one other tech, we got adept at figuring out stuff for ourselves and everyday was another day at LEARNING.
Getting discharged a bit early was great but I hadn't really prepared myself for civilian life and a job. The short story is I joined the Mailroom at Pacific Bell, went on to Building Maintenance (A/C, boilers, Generators and Power...) and then into the Switchroom.... which was much of the same equipment I worked on in Coos Bay!
I excelled there... went on to computerized and digital switching, went on to further my education with several degrees, was promoted, got sick, all this mis-mashed together as I still worked, and received two more promotions before I retired early at 53. I always say I started at the bottom in the Mailroom and clawed my way to the MIDDLE! HA! Considering everything... It was a fantastic ride over 30 years!
As for the VA... I was first diagnosed in 1984, participated in surveys that I knew nothing about really, and in 1991 when I was supposed to be dead, the VA sent me $20 grand as they formally associated my cancer with service in Vietnam. There were 6 illnesses and diseases at first, now there are literally over 100. The VA said I was 100% disabled for 1 year while undergoing chemo... but was not eligible any more. OK with me... I guess... I was ALIVE!
Within the year after I retired, my Mom died and I had an estate to deal with as I was looking for more work and possibly to double dip into the Phone Companies. I relapsed and went under IMMUNO therapy for 2 1/2 years... which was unlike chemo except I was much older now and it fatigued me greatly. I CALLED the VA and within 9 months I received back pay and 100% disability from them... but they did not tell me of all the other benefits I was eligible for. I also contacted Social Security and that became a 5 year fight and several appeals before they approved my claim. It was just LAST year that I finally received all that I was due! basically a 10 year fight!
Then in January of last year, the VA said I must be cured and was gonna take away my compensation. The short 5 month story there was I actually LOST that appeal, but filed a secondary claim for 11 other issues. Four they accepted and again brought me to 100%, one they service connected but did not compensate for... and then they gave me another 100% for PTSD issues. HA! I contend it was NOT The war that was the REAL problem, but filing these F*&#%$! claims that put me over the top!
Again... I am being cared for greatly... and am appreciative, and do my best to help others with their claims as well. I also DESERVE most of it, but not all. I am truly blessed.
Hope you are doing well... thank you for serving.
