About the Author
I can help you
I come from a very military family. My father was in the US Navy during the Korean War, my brother was a United States Marine who paid the ultimate price during the Vietnam war, my daughter and son-in-law both served multiple deployments in the US Navy, my mother was a proud Gold Star Mother, and as you can see in the photos, I was Marine as well. I grew up around veterans. Even after I got out, I still had vets in my circle, and now... wow. Almost everyone I meet is a vet, and I meet a lot of people!
This background makes me see all veterans as family, and I protect and help my family. This feeling is especially strong when I speak to Vietnam veterans, as I imagine my brother sitting there looking for help.
I've been a dedicated supervisory Service Officer since 2018, and I love my job! I love helping fellow vets take on the VA, but there are too many of you out there that I can't reach. These books put my knowledge into your hands, just as if I was sitting there explaining it to you. I'm sure this will help you get better results with your claim.
My Story
I found myself homeless at the end of 1988. I was 20 years old. After many months of living in a car, I knew that my life was starting to head down a road that I did not want to travel.
I walked into the Marine Corps Recruiter and said, "I'm ready to leave today!" I shipped out in October of 1989 and was sent to Parris Island where I was a 3rd Battalion Marine recruit!
I first injured my knees and back by taking a hard fall with another recruit during the helicopter deplaning exercise on that burned out CH46 hull rotting away on the old runways of Parris Island.
My MOS was 4321 - Print Journalist. I'll be honest, this was a fantastic job! Every week, I got to do something different. I got to ride on all manner of helicopters and aircraft out of MCAS Futenma. I hitched a ride on the USS Trenton, I was an observer on a couple of really cool exercises where I got to take photos and write about what I saw, and I even met a few famous folks along the way.
I then injured my knees and left ankle further on a fast-rope exercise. I landed pretty hard, and probably shound have been treated, but as every Marine out there knows, we do not go to sick call, so I "sucked it up" or "walked it off" for years. When I got to New Orleans, the CG there was a running fanatic. SIX miles, on the levy, in New Orleans heat, every Friday. It was just too much for my knees and ankles. I couldn't finish the runs, and that caused all kinds of problems.
I remember "humping" 10+ miles on a severely sprained ankle because I actually thought I would be in trouble for injuring myself. In all honesty, I probably would have. Marines don't like "hump drops."
We military think this way. Civilians generally do not. It often sticks with us well after discharge, too. Do YOU like to go to the doctor? I don't.
Over the next year or so, my injuries compunded and worsened until finally I could no longer run.
So, I found myself discharged, alone, and broken.
I did ok for a short time, but I actually almost became homeless again and found myself sleeping on friends' couches. I couldn't hold a job, my wife left me, and my friends were undoubtedly sick of my crap too. Mostly because no one understood what I was going through. I barely understood it myself.
I felt very alone.
If it were not for the support of a few close friends, I most likely would not be here writing this today. I put them through a little hell, too.
If I had known then what I know now, my life would have been vastly different. I would have had access to healthcare, counseling, and enough money to live. That would have certainly changed my life for the better.
Now I have that knowledge. I want to help you change yours!