Finding the right VSO and the right group to work with to get your VA benefits

So you have PTSD from MST who do you go to for help? Let me tell you my story and then you may understand.

As a survivor of MST this is

my story it is a non combat MST that happened to me when I was in The United States Army at Fort Jackson SC in May of 1980. I was a young 18 year old soldier who was in Basic Combat Training. I was hurt in a fall early in training and was not given medical care. I was upset and The Drill Sgts were calling me all types of derogatory names and making do things that were not the normal for a injuryed soldier.

One night I was told to do fire watch and then clean all the bathrooms and common areas of the dorms. I was going to get a new mop head in the duty office when I was jumped by 3 or 4 people who were all Drill Sgts and who tied me up gaged me and gang raped me for hours. I reported this the next day to my company commander who was a young Lt. acting as the company commanded this was his first command. He said that I was just making up stories to go home and that his men would never do anything like that to a soldier and his men were not fags or gay. I ask to go to the IG's office or to see a MP or Mental Health and was told why they would not believe me as I was just a Pvt. and He was a LT. and His men well respect Drill Sgts. Sometime during the next couple days I somehow made it to the Mental Health Clinic where I was told to go back to my company that I was not a good sldier and would not be allowed to stay in the Army. Not long after that I passed out and was put into the Hospital with a high temp and a infection in the lower part of my body. With in 10 days I was home and out of The US Army with a honorable discharge. But when I returned home my doctor said who did this to you and he sent me to the IG's office at Fort Monmouth and to the VSO for the state  after the visit to the VSO I was sent to the hospital at East Orange NJ were I was given treatment and sent home. My family doctor was a former Army doctor and treated me without cost and help me to get help from some of his friends at Fort Monmouth. The IG's office at Fort Monmouth sent my case to the IG's office at Fort Jackson but they never did anything due to no physical evidence for rape and the LT. was right the IG's office closed the case and sent a letter to the Fort Monmouth IG's saying that no physical or writen statement were found at Fort Jackson and that statements from all officers and drill sgts were the same all the soldier did the whole time was act out and complain that is why he was discharged and also due to his Borderline personality disorder. The LT. may have been a bad officer but he knew how to cover up for his men.

When I got my C-file 20 plus years later I started having flash back dreams about the Rape and I then became very depressed and called the Suicide Hotlines: Thats were I started my MST rediscover. So now I had to get help well it was not easy first the rape center I was sent to was for Women who were sexually assault and domestic violence and they said in their info that they worked with women, men and children after 3 visits I was told that the Director said the women did not like a man in the waiting room and I would have to find someone else. I think it was more about no insurance or money. I was talking to my VA  doctor and he said to go to the VA mental health clinic in Brick NJ and to talk to my VSO and file a claim when I went to my VSO who was my VSO for a very long time and was most of the time nice and helpful he did a 180 and started to be very nasty after I told him that I was raped in the service he did not want to file my claim and throw me out of his office I was shocked and hurt and felt like I was raped again. I called his boss and he was made to file my claim "Bet you can guess I was denied and right after they got a copy of the letter from the VA I was terminated from their service and they removed the POA for me from the VA" So here I was with no representative to help you present my appeal to the VA. So I looked for a new veterans service organizations I talk to every organization that I could find and was told it is very hard for a new VSO to file an appeal and they said I should do it myself the VA  rules and procedures are very complicated. It can be frustrating and hazardous to go it alone. Let me tell you it is and I lost because of the time stamp was over the limit by 1 week.
"GET HELP"
It is a good idea to get a representative to help you present your claim to the VA. VA rules and procedures are very complicated. It can be frustrating and hazardous to go it alone.
Many veterans service organizations and state and county veterans service agencies offer free assistance. No matter who you select to represent you, it is important that you be personally involved in your case and make certain that everything that should be done, is done.
Although it can be a difficult task, shop around for the best advocate. Talk to the prospective representative; ask if there are any limits on his service; get a feel for the person who will be working for you before you sign a power of attorney appointing the person as your representative. 
Go to our website www.mendmst.org and go to the help for MST survivors page and to the link page on these pages you will also find groups who can help you file who are made up of people who understand MST and the VA system. Friends you still need to know the laws and what you are a survivor entitled too. Here is a link to my friends blog check out the VA’s MST Policies and Treatment Benefits at http://jayherron.wordpress.com/2009/04/04/vas-policies-and-treatment-benefits/ 
Thanks Jay for all you do.

Sometimes VSO are not able to help you due to personal reasons like they have a hard core value system that says "Don't Tell Just Be A Man/Woman and live with it "Some Gave All All Gave Some" or they may have had something bad happen to them that they do not want to face. I pray for them every day its hard work and sometimes they get burned out and even have PTSD from it. Till next time remember what Winston Churchill said

"IF YOU'RE GOING THROUGH HELL, KEEP GOING"