Troops & Vets: "I am disabled by my service to my nation."

[Adelante]

From the Clark Community Network Series Blog: Troops & Vets

No one gets left behind

I am disabled by my service to my nation.

To contemplate losing part of my family's budget, with no option to go to work and replace it, is just plain wrong. How could this happen?

On Thursday, May 18, the Veterans Disability Benefits Commission (VDBC) will meet to decide whether to combine my disability payments with social security -- thus reducing the amount me and my family have to live on to bare subsistence levels. The veterans community is up in arms, as they feel the VDBC is out to off set VA compensation against Social Security Disability benefits, which are granted and earned in two entirely different ways.

Before I became disabled, I was a letter carrier for the US Postal Service making $70,000.00 a year, working a lot of overtime. Then I became ill and had to go on SSD. From $70,000 to $14,000 a year was a drastic change. The next four years were spent fighting with the VA before they awarded my service-connected disability. I am just now back to middle class status. I learned where all the food kitchens were, which was not an education I wanted. If the proposed changes become law, I may very well have to learn where they are all over again, We don't over-live our budget, unlike the Republican party, and to lose even 1/3 of our income, would probably force us to lose our home and file bankruptcy -- again.

My Social Security Disability (SSD) check was earned by my paying my SS taxes every payday for 37 years, SSD is insurance, not welfare. All Americans pay into it, and all Americans that become totally disabled get it, even if they can collect large lump sum payments from their jobs, or from auto accidents that caused their disability.

These are options, however, that no military service member has.

-more

[billybob537]

1. All ? Americans that get a pay check

Pay in to social security. Well healed millionaires do nothing to support social security. 6% payroll tax is for workers not investers. Investors and Millionaires get capital gains tax cuts and lots of other tax breaks so that Middle class people like me can pay tax burdon of 30% total tax. Did you know that last year Mr. Haliburton DEADEYE Dick paid 12%. WHY

[Canuckistanian]

5. What? The rich don't pay the 6% payroll tax?

I thought it was a universal tax.

[billybob537]

6. No it pays for social security

If you don't draw a weekly pay check you don't pay it.

[jojo54]

2. Thx for posting this WesDem.

There is an email address, phone number and they're urging people to write to their legislators to stop this: [phone] or [e-mail] or please also call your elected officials.

This is horrendous what they're doing to our vets, one of them which is my hubby.

[Adelante]

3. Awful, just awful

I can't stand it.

[Jai4WKC08]

4. Please call!

And/or write your Rep/Senator and ask them to look into it.

When I e-mailed my letter to the Vets Commission (address above), I got an auto-reply that said:
"Emails containing opinions or comments
are compiled and presented to the
Commission members on a monthly basis.
Typically, no additional contact should
be expected for these types of emails."

"A monthly basis" will probably be too late!