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1. Rony says:

   May 1, 2013 at 9:17 am

   From 1969 to about 1989, I did not know what was wrong with me other than I was upset and sometimes dpneosdent that we left so many guys behind in Laos (about 600) and in Vietnam and other countries (about another 2000) as well as those who were taken to Communist Bloch Countries!In 1989, I went to an All Vets reunion near Scott AFB and it was called Tribute 89!I toured the various booths and on this display was several brochures! One of them was a Civilian Brochure with the title Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ! It showed some pictures on the front of Combat Soldiers so I picked it up with others to see what it was about!As I opened it and read the info, I was shocked, it described everything that was going on with me. I was married at the time and called my wife over to show her the brochure! She looked and said, That’s you! to the points!That was the first time that I had to face the fact that I had PTSD!We went from there to Jefferson Barracks to the All Vets reunion and a few days later back to Hannibal Mo!I called the VA either July 3rd or July 5th to ask what I needed to do to get help!I had my orders sending me to Vietnam as well as a letter awarding my with the Combat Air Crew Badge but my major information is classified and will likely always be classified!The woman on the phone said I did not have enough proof that I was in Combat and as such forget trying to get help!In 1995, I visited the VA in Omaha and they determined that I had PTSD, but they would not help me since I could not prove that I was in Combat! I even got told that I was never wounded and that PTSD was only for those who were wounded!In 2001 and 2002 after 9-11, I had access to the internet and found the FAS web site and found out the the EC-47 and the RC-130BII and the RC-135 had been downgraded for what we did (overt classifications only) so I could finally discuss the basic flights!I asked Rep Steve King’s office for help and they got me in touch with the AIA and they wrote a letter to the VA and others stating that I was indeed in a Combat role (an yes they even sent another copy of my orders and the Combat Air Crew Badge letter!I was finally awarded 30% disabled for PTSD which I appealed and got 50%!I have been able to chase down more info in the time after this and found out more details!I have found out that we were awarded 2 Outstanding Unit Citations as well as a Presidential Unit Citation! You do not get these unless you are a Combat Unit!I am not going into all the things I experienced, but suffice it to say that even coming