Yup, a twofer.  Thought about this while reading the "Duck, Lobster, Homeless guy" thread.

Sitting in traffic, I watched these two do a drug deal in the middle of an alley next to the homeless shelter.

The "homeless vet" was discharged after two years in the Navy for PTSD in 1983.  (what happened in the Navy in 1983 that a guy would get PTSD from?)  %80 disability, he gets a pretty good check.  Multiple prior arrests on him for crack, assault, theft, the usual Homeless stuff.

The Katrina Refugee was no surprise either.   Interesting how he has arrests locally dating from one WEEK after Katrina, meaning he was one of the original bus loads to arrive.

The vet was trading his VA supplied Vicodin (They give him 200 a MONTH for "back pain") to the Katrina refugee for crack. Tagged them both with Delivery of a Controlled substance, (Felony). Apparently the ratio is one rock to 15 Vicodin.

For an old guy with a back injury the vet can really move when he needs to.

They'll be back on the street within 6 months or less and the VA will go back to supporting this guys drug habit.

Oh well, two down, several thousand to go.

Wow!  

Good job busting the druggies.

Sad to think that this scenario is probably a lot more common than I imagine.

Quoted: Maybe he was a medic in Lebanon?

I was just about to say...

Navy Corpsmen are the Marine Corp's medics.

Quoted: For an old guy with a back injury the vet can really move when he needs to. They'll be back on the street within 6 months or less and the VA will go back to supporting this guys drug habit. Oh well, two down, several thousand to go.

Good work, although nearly pointless.    

Quoted: Maybe he was a medic in Lebanon?

Avionics repair in Pensacola. But good thought.

Quoted: Quoted: Maybe he was a medic in Lebanon? Avionics repair in Pensacola. But good thought.

hey electrons are scary!

Quoted: Quoted: Maybe he was a medic in Lebanon? Avionics repair in Pensacola. But good thought.

Or "black-ops" but they won't tell you that

How in the hell does a douchebag like that get money from the VA, but I can't get shit for a REAL problem?

Probably because I tried once and left it at that.  I don't have time to fight with them over the shit.

Im wonder if you could contact the local VA people and inform them of this.



-K

Two-hundred a month?

If you are not too busy, could you go arrest his doctor?

Thanks.

Quoted: oh well, two down, several thousand to go.

I find your lack of compassion for these poor unfortunate people disturbing, and I hope the ARFCOM compassion brigade is along shortly to give you the comeuppance you so rightly deserve....

VA Pharmacist here.  Call up the MD that wrote the vicodin and express your concerns.  He probably doesn't have a clue, especially after the rapid influx of patients we've had over the past 4 years.  I have several clinic MDs that have patients that do not get narcs anymore from us due to 'mismanagement'.

Quoted: Im wonder if you could contact the local VA people and inform them of this. -K

Been down that road before, not worth the time. The local VA clinic does not like me much.

Quoted: hey electrons are scary!

They are.

I know for every hour I spend on a computer I spend at least two curled up in the fetal position at night crying my eyeballs out.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Maybe he was a medic in Lebanon? Avionics repair in Pensacola. But good thought. hey electrons are scary!

But the holes are even more scary.  (Electrical engineering joke.)

Dave.

Quoted: How in the hell does a douchebag like that get money from the VA, but I can't get shit for a REAL problem?

Because every single douchebag who scams the system has learned the ins and outs of the system like the back of his hand to the point where he could teach public administration classes just on how to commit fraud.

Combine this intricate knowledge of the rules and functions of bureaucracy with ready access to dunderheaded lawyers who are easily manipulated into representing him or who just get their rocks off by representing scumbags and throw in the fact that system scammers are absolutely devoid of moral concepts like decency, shame or remorse....

And VIOLA!!

You can get damn near anything you want.

Probably because I tried once and left it at that.  I don't have time to fight with them over the shit.

...and that's why you can't get it.

See, there are lots of scumbags out there so the government tries to use massive amounts of red tape to weed them out. In reality, however, the red tape just ends up frustrating and discouraging people the programs are actually designed to help while the scumbags patiently wade their way through it and receive the benefits.

You just have to learn to play the game.

I was speaking with a "homeless vet" last night about a dispute over a cell phone. I'm holding this guys ID card and he is telling me how he got disabled in combat during Vietnam. As he spoke, I checked his date of birth and noticed he would have been 10 years old when the war ended.  He told me he was injured in Nagasaki, Vietnam. I'm somewhat skeptical.

Quoted: Yup, a twofer.  Thought about this while reading the "Duck, Lobster, Homeless guy" thread. Sitting in traffic, I watched these two do a drug deal in the middle of an alley next to the homeless shelter. The "homeless vet" was discharged after two years in the Navy for PTSD in 1983.  (what happened in the Navy in 1983 that a guy would get PTSD from?)  %80 disability, he gets a pretty good check.  Multiple prior arrests on him for crack, assault, theft, the usual Homeless stuff. The Katrina Refugee was no surprise either.   Interesting how he has arrests locally dating from one WEEK after Katrina, meaning he was one of the original bus loads to arrive. The vet was trading his VA supplied Vicodin (They give him 200 a MONTH for "back pain") to the Katrina refugee for crack. Tagged them both with Delivery of a Controlled substance, (Felony). Apparently the ratio is one rock to 15 Vicodin. For an old guy with a back injury the vet can really move when he needs to. They'll be back on the street within 6 months or less and the VA will go back to supporting this guys drug habit. Oh well, two down, several thousand to go.

We had a saying during the katrina rescue ops: "the guy you save today will be robbing you next week. "

Quoted: I was speaking with a "homeless vet" last night about a dispute over a cell phone. I'm holding this guys ID card and he is telling me how he got disabled in combat during Vietnam. As he spoke, I checked his date of birth and noticed he would have been 10 years old when the war ended.  He told me he was injured he was injured in Nagasaki, Vietnam. I'm somewhat skeptical.

Ah....here we have another heartless JBT who has hit upon a bit of bourgeois propoganda....namely that homeless people lie about all sorts of stuff to avoid arrest and/or prosecution, or to profit from the charitable impulses of their fellow man.

We all know homeless people don't lie and don't have drug problems....and they most CERTAINLY wouldn't ever lie about being a veteran to try and get out of a jam or to scam somebody.

In early 2002 I ran into a guy who claimed to have lost most of his hearing in Vietnam.

The guy was in his early 30s.

Such is life.  

Quoted: He told me he was injured in Nagasaki, Vietnam.

Next time act like you believe them and ask if they ever served in Bukkake.

Quoted: Wow!   Good job busting the druggies. Sad to think that this scenario is probably a lot more common than I imagine.

Yeah he did good.  Irrespective of whether the guy was a vet or not.

I sat in as juror for a a trial of a accused crack cocaine distributor in Los Angeles.  The prosecution introduced pics of people that was long term crack cocaine addicts and it was not a pretty sight.  Some woman that was in her early-20s, looked like she was in her late 40s.  Coke etc is really nasty stuff.

Quoted: Maybe he was a medic in Lebanon?

Not an excuse for his behavior, but I was going to suggest "Beirut" for the 1983 PTSD.

Quoted: Compassion for Dopers? Sounds like duck loving, tree huging  liberal time but I know that can't be.

I have been chastised numerous times on this site for not being more compassionate for the plight of homeless people.

Apparently despite having worked with the homeless and the "needy" for much of my adult life in various charitable endeavors I remain heartless and cruel and insensitive to their plight, and I'm a bad Christian to boot.

After spending lots of my own time and money attempting to help homeless people I incorrectly came to the conclusion that a great many of them are in such despicable circumstances because they CHOOSE them and I incorrectly assumed that when someone chooses to lie down with dogs you can't do much about their flea problem.

Having been thoroughly castigated for being such a horrible person, I now realize the error of my ways and I am going to actually become homeless myself so that I too can attain the status of unassailable moral purity where all my actions and statements are free of rational judgment or common sense.

I will, of course, accept donations....

I was so glad when the hotels here kicked out all the Katrina "refugees".  I got so tired of all the fights and domestics.

I'd ask where they were from (like I didn't know already), they'd say "New Orleans". All I could see was red.

Quoted: I was so glad when the hotels here kicked out all the Katrina "refugees".  I got so tired of all the fights and domestics. I'd ask where they were from (like I didn't know already), they'd say "New Orleans". All I could see was red.

Still have them here, FEMA gave a lot of them extensions. the extended stay motels are nothing but.

Heck, even the illegals won't stay in the same motels.

Quoted: Two-hundred a month? If you are not too busy, could you go arrest his doctor other dealer? Thanks.

Seriously though, aren't there a great many veterans in serious need who are getting shafted because of stuff like this?  There's gotta be some way to put the brakes on that.

Trading $75 in pain meds for a $20 rock?

Quoted: Seriously though, aren't there a great many veterans in serious need who are getting shafted because of stuff like this?  There's gotta be some way to put the brakes on that.

And here you identify the catch-22....

Resources are being wasted on people who are scamming the system. But any attempt at prosecuting the fraud OR at making it harder to scam the system will inevitably hurt someone who will make a dandy poster boy for an easy news story about how the cruel and insensitive bureaucrats are denying help to people who need it which will prompt congressional hearings where idiot politicians will chastise you for not doing more to combat fraud one second and then the next second will demand you get rid of the red tape (much of which THEY installed) and be more responsive to the "needs" of "the people".

Quoted: Trading $75 in pain meds for a $20 rock?

No, trading free (to him) meds for a $20 dollar rock.

And besides...crackheads aren't all that good at math.

They will steal an 1800 dollar laptop and sell it for 300 bucks or trade it straight out for just a few hits. It depends on how bad they need a fix when the time comes to negotiate.

[rickjames]
Cocaine is a hell of a drug!
[/rickjames]

Quoted: Trading $75 in pain meds for a $20 rock?

He does not need the pain meds, but he certainly wants the rock.

Quoted: How in the hell does a douchebag like that get money from the VA, but I can't get shit for a REAL problem? Probably because I tried once and left it at that.  I don't have time to fight with them over the shit.

No shit.

I have been BEGGING for them to amputate my leg for 2 years.  Every three months, a new doc.  Same old tests, over and over again.  Poke, prod, x-ray, cat scan, density scan, shoot me up with radiation, tell me I'll be sick for a week, make new appointment, see new doctor because mine rotated out.

Rinse and repeat.  Stuff me with Vicoden until the next appointment (I quit taking them).  

Jesus, I tell you what.  Maybe I should have sold the fucking things.  Then I could claim PTSD (which they say I have even though I never deployed to the box ) and sell pills for a living instead of living penny to penny, begging people to cut my leg off.  

FUCK THE VA!!!!!!!!!!!  

Quoted: Quoted: How in the hell does a douchebag like that get money from the VA, but I can't get shit for a REAL problem? Probably because I tried once and left it at that.  I don't have time to fight with them over the shit. No shit. I have been BEGGING for them to amputate my leg for 2 years.  Every three months, a new doc.  Same old tests, over and over again.  Poke, prod, x-ray, cat scan, density scan, shoot me up with radiation, tell me I'll be sick for a week, make new appointment, see new doctor because mine rotated out. Rinse and repeat.  Stuff me with Vicoden until the next appointment (I quit taking them).   Jesus, I tell you what.  Maybe I should have sold the fucking things.  Then I could claim PTSD (which they say I have even though I never deployed to the box ) and sell pills for a living instead of living penny to penny, begging people to cut my leg off.   FUCK THE VA!!!!!!!!!!!

Sounds exactly like what my Uncle went thru over his hip and shoulder from falling down a ship's ladder.

We finally said "Screw the VA" and made him a dependant on my health insurance so he could FINALLY have surgery after being dicked around for SEVEN years.

Quoted: Quoted: How in the hell does a douchebag like that get money from the VA, but I can't get shit for a REAL problem? Probably because I tried once and left it at that.  I don't have time to fight with them over the shit. No shit. I have been BEGGING for them to amputate my leg for 2 years.  Every three months, a new doc.  Same old tests, over and over again.  Poke, prod, x-ray, cat scan, density scan, shoot me up with radiation, tell me I'll be sick for a week, make new appointment, see new doctor because mine rotated out. Rinse and repeat.  Stuff me with Vicoden until the next appointment (I quit taking them).   Jesus, I tell you what.  Maybe I should have sold the fucking things.  Then I could claim PTSD (which they say I have even though I never deployed to the box ) and sell pills for a living instead of living penny to penny, begging people to cut my leg off.   FUCK THE VA!!!!!!!!!!!

You serious?!!!!

 I'm so sorry about the legs.

My knees aren't very good, but you just made me gratefull that they're still working.

Quoted: Quoted: Compassion for Dopers? Sounds like duck loving, tree huging  liberal time but I know that can't be. I have been chastised numerous times on this site for not being more compassionate for the plight of homeless people. Apparently despite having worked with the homeless and the "needy" for much of my adult life in various charitable endeavors I remain heartless and cruel and insensitive to their plight, and I'm a bad Christian to boot. After spending lots of my own time and money attempting to help homeless people I incorrectly came to the conclusion that a great many of them are in such despicable circumstances because they CHOOSE them and I incorrectly assumed that when someone chooses to lie down with dogs you can't do much about their flea problem. Having been thoroughly castigated for being such a horrible person, I now realize the error of my ways and I am going to actually become homeless myself so that I too can attain the status of unassailable moral purity where all my actions and statements are free of rational judgment or common sense. I will, of course, accept donations....

Ouch.  

I thought you didn't hold a grudge?  And, FWIW, I did apologize and relent with an admission of jumping the gun.

I don't know how many different ways you wish for me to apologize, bro.  

I never argued that 90% or better were not using scumbags.  I only brought up that the other 10% should not be lumped into that same category simply because of circumstances.  

Personally, to stay on track, I think the VA makes more addicts than all the crack dealers combined.  

But J_W, I've always respected your opinion.  I was both right and wrong last time, and we need to set it behind us.  

Quoted: Quoted: Two-hundred a month? If you are not too busy, could you go arrest his doctor other dealer? Thanks. Seriously though, aren't there a great many veterans in serious need who are getting shafted because of stuff like this?  There's gotta be some way to put the brakes on that.

More than you'll ever know.  

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: How in the hell does a douchebag like that get money from the VA, but I can't get shit for a REAL problem? Probably because I tried once and left it at that.  I don't have time to fight with them over the shit. No shit. I have been BEGGING for them to amputate my leg for 2 years.  Every three months, a new doc.  Same old tests, over and over again.  Poke, prod, x-ray, cat scan, density scan, shoot me up with radiation, tell me I'll be sick for a week, make new appointment, see new doctor because mine rotated out. Rinse and repeat.  Stuff me with Vicoden until the next appointment (I quit taking them).   Jesus, I tell you what.  Maybe I should have sold the fucking things.  Then I could claim PTSD (which they say I have even though I never deployed to the box ) and sell pills for a living instead of living penny to penny, begging people to cut my leg off.   FUCK THE VA!!!!!!!!!!!   You serious?!!!!  I'm so sorry about the legs. My knees aren't very good, but you just made me gratefull that they're still working.

I am dead fucking serious.  There's nothing to be joked about when a man begs for an amputation.  

My leg will never heal, never CAN heal.  No matter who does what, where, when, or how, I will never have full use of my right leg again.  You can't fix a marrow infection that is terminal.  There are two ways to handle it:

You cut the useless piece of shit off and affix a prosthetic so you can once again be mobile;

Or you treat it with "pain management" which is doctor vomit for addiction and lazy ass practice because no one wants to fund the after care.  

Prosthetics are incredibly expensive.  ~$80,000 (yes, EIGHTY), give or take.  There's the aftercare.  The rehabilitation.  The physical therapy and counseling.  The chance for the stump to be infected.  Long-term pain management (which they can just do now).  Lifelong refits and check ups.  Mental rehab for loss of a limb.  

The VA chooses pain management and a little sum of pathetic money to replace my $27/hr job.  I do not find that acceptable.  I was completely addicted to Vicoden, to the point I still crave it.  200 pills of that stuff a month is NOTHING to addicts.  NOTHING.  I ate it like candy.  Got rid of all my guns, quit cold turkey, and I think I'd rather withdraw from heroin than that shit again.  I STILL, to this day, have weird sensations like I'm wasted again.  The VA said it was "normal" and I should stay quiet, or they would have to have to have me arrested and committed as a suicidal threat to myself.  I stayed quiet and sweated it out - with the help of some true friends here.

The VA sucks.  They are a bunch of fucking hacks that shouldn't be tattooing watermellons, much less sticking needles into people.  Their administration sucks, their docs suck, their staff sucks, and their principles suck.  

Not that I'm bitter or anything, LOL.  

John Austin:

Is this the shelter off of 8th in Austin?  If so I work in the Omni and have to deal w/ getting asked for 'Fiddy Tents' or 'Got a cig mahhn?' ever effing day.

Thanks for what you do.

Quoted: The VA has treated me just as well or even better than the private sector.  Over the past 16 months, I've visited three of their hospitals and countless clinics - well over 100 visits in all.  Grade A, top notch care.  I have nothing but praiseful things to say about my experiences with the VA healthcare system.

Coming from an entire family of veterans, and myself disabled, I can honestly say you got damn, damn lucky.  

The rest of us are rugs on the doorstep of their medical careers.  You had a specialist assigned, but that's pretty rare these days.

No matter, I was praying for you the whole time, and I'm very glad they treated you right.  God knows you deserved it!  

I just wish they treated everyone the way your experiences panned out.  

Quoted: Quoted: Maybe he was a medic in Lebanon? Avionics repair in Pensacola. But good thought.

[dumbtinfoilhatguy]"So he's the guy that spray-paints them hellycopters black! Gummint coverup- they bribed him into silence!"[/dumbtinfoilhatguy]

Quoted: John Austin: Is this the shelter off of 8th in Austin?  If so I work in the Omni and have to deal w/ getting asked for 'Fiddy Tents' or 'Got a cig mahhn?' ever effing day. Thanks for what you do.

Yup, the Salvation Army.  Or "Sally" to the locals.  If you work nights keep an eye out.  It will get worse when the weather warms up.  

Quoted: Quoted: He told me he was injured in Nagasaki, Vietnam. Next time act like you believe them and ask if they ever served in Bukkake.

Ewww....that's hard time, bro. Have some compassion. He has Post Traumatic Shit Disease....

Quoted: Quoted: How in the hell does a douchebag like that get money from the VA, but I can't get shit for a REAL problem? Probably because I tried once and left it at that.  I don't have time to fight with them over the shit. No shit. I have been BEGGING for them to amputate my leg for 2 years.  Every three months, a new doc.  Same old tests, over and over again.  Poke, prod, x-ray, cat scan, density scan, shoot me up with radiation, tell me I'll be sick for a week, make new appointment, see new doctor because mine rotated out. Rinse and repeat.  Stuff me with Vicoden until the next appointment (I quit taking them).   Jesus, I tell you what.  Maybe I should have sold the fucking things.  Then I could claim PTSD (which they say I have even though I never deployed to the box ) and sell pills for a living instead of living penny to penny, begging people to cut my leg off.   FUCK THE VA!!!!!!!!!!!

Damn!  Which VA hospital is this?  I know a veteran that lives in AZ, I'd like to warn him about which one(s) to avoid!

Quoted: I believe you all when you say you've had less than expected care from the VAMC.  I do. However, everytime I go to the hospital (about 120-130 visits so far) I ALWAYS talk with other vets.  One popular topic is how they've been treated.  Most have no complaints.  A minority say they haven't gotten everything they hoped for, but the totality of their care is just fine.  I have never - not once - in all those trips, spoken to someone who told me they've been royally screwed over by the VA.  Not one veteran. I don't think I've had great luck, I think the few of you have had very bad luck. Keep going up the chain until you get what you need.  Don't stop at an obstacle.  I wish the best for you all.

Then allow me to be the first.

I am a veteran, US Army Infantry 1989 - 1993, my 214 faxed to you upon request.

I want my fucking leg and life back.  I am a fucking cripple.  I lost my job and my life because some asshole doctor wanted to fix the unrepairable, and it didn't work.  Now it is all about money and pain management.  Not being able to work full time cost me Camy and my family, too.  I'm 36, and from 1 month after I turned 31 I am a useless piece of shit to society.  All I ever worked for...  G O N E.  Everything.  My money, my credit, my reputation, my hobbies, my family, my pride, my self-esteem, my appreciation of life...  everyfuckingthing.  

All they have to do is cut it off.  1 doctor, 3 nurses, a hack saw, and a fucking stick shoved in my mouth.  Put a prosthetic on me and let me go back to work.  That's all I want.  Keep your welfare, the sympathy, the pain killers, the constant treatments, the false hopes, and the condescending bullshit for someone with ears dumber than mine (not you, bro, the VA, of course).  Just fix it up so I can go back to work.

There is a Goddamn college puke playing football RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK on a prosthetic.  How does he warrant one and I get shoved aside to be placed on meds for the rest of my life for $900 a month?  Because I don't have Nike as a sponsor and served my country instead of mommy and daddy paying for me to go to college?  

I'm white, Christian, middle aged, and a veteran.  I'm useless, a minority in the crowd of celebrity acheivers because I gave my 4 years and happened to get hurt later on in life.  I can't afford health inurance, and especially not for a pre-existing condition.  

All I can do now is sit here and type here, encouraging others not to give up - when I don't even believe it myself.  Yeah, wonderful treatment, that VA.  Thanks ever so much.  

I respect the hell out of you, Chuck, and I believe you 100% that you got the finest of care.  Unfortunately, whatever facility(ies) you've been privilaged to have not been my experience.  I've been tossed aside as useless garbage, written literally hundreds of letters, and gotten no where.  

I haven't had bad luck.  Luck is what you make of it.  This state and our VA sucks.  Point, clear, and simple.  Maybe I'd see things differently if I got treated like a fucking human being like you did.  But I didn't, and scar tissue runs deep.

All I have EVER asked for is the chance to return to work.  I've fucking begged like a homeless bitch hooker for that chance.  I've been cast aside for 5 years.  Sorry, but fuck you, VA.  

I pray you continue to get the level of care they have thus far provided you - I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you, but I will keep the prayers pouring in.  

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: How in the hell does a douchebag like that get money from the VA, but I can't get shit for a REAL problem? Probably because I tried once and left it at that.  I don't have time to fight with them over the shit. No shit. I have been BEGGING for them to amputate my leg for 2 years.  Every three months, a new doc.  Same old tests, over and over again.  Poke, prod, x-ray, cat scan, density scan, shoot me up with radiation, tell me I'll be sick for a week, make new appointment, see new doctor because mine rotated out. Rinse and repeat.  Stuff me with Vicoden until the next appointment (I quit taking them).   Jesus, I tell you what.  Maybe I should have sold the fucking things.  Then I could claim PTSD (which they say I have even though I never deployed to the box ) and sell pills for a living instead of living penny to penny, begging people to cut my leg off.   FUCK THE VA!!!!!!!!!!!   Damn!  Which VA hospital is this?  I know a veteran that lives in AZ, I'd like to warn him about which one(s) to avoid!

Carl T. Hayden, 7th St. and Indian School.

Be especially leary of Dr. Carol Deegan in the Gold Clinic.  

The fleecing of the VA by fakes is well documented in this book:

Stolen Valor

Written by B.G.Burkett, a decorated veteran.

He explains how scammers have stolen so much from the VA that actual vets, who truly deserve help, are often denied what they need.  In the mean time, guys like the one Johninaustin spoke of in his first post, are continually scamming the system.

I heartily recommend the book.  Our honest vets deserve better.