It was brought to my attention, a great number of civilians believe, unless you were fighting in a war zone, you're not as great a patriot as those that did fight in a war. Unfortunately, this attitude carries over to the department of defense. The Marines I served with, including myself, suffered injuries seen and unseen during training. Any large Corporation in America would compensate their employees for injuries on the job. My question is, "why is the U.S. government the exception to the rule?" Some injuries are mental and other injuries are physical. In either case the government has denied veteran claims by the hundred thousand. In my case, injuries related to Desert storm and arthritis caused by sleeping on ice for twelve weeks in South Korea, including training in sweltering 120 degrees heat in 29 Palms California. During those training I suffered 50% hearing loss in my left ear while shooting artillery cannons for eight years. Carrying 100 lbs. artillery shells and riding in the back of a five-ton truck with artillery shells bouncing in the air, land on top of my legs. During the time I prep for Desert Storm, my unit was taken to camp Atterbury for our final medical treatment. The treatment included a series of injections and pills. Months later I found myself gravely ill from the effects of the medication, including a PD pill, a drug that was supposed to counter the effects of chemical agents. My bones ached, rash covered my chest, shoulders, forehead and caused massive memory loss. I had headaches for six months at a time, I was totally exhausted for months and my muscles ached from head to toe. This course ran its cycle over and over, six months at a time. I went to the VA hospital for a full chem panel, but the medical findings were inconclusive. Not a shot was fired at the enemy during that time, but never the less I was a silent casualty of war. It took ten years before I become eligible to be listed as service connect with the military, therefore; I lived with the pain for years, paying for my health care out of pocket, for something the civilian doctors didn't have a clue how to treat. Even though I had medical proof, documenting my Gulf war symptoms over a course of ten years, the military shoved my fi le deep in the crevices of the records room, until a diligent rep from one of the contracting departments discovered the fi le and fi led for a hearing. Like myself, other military personnel suffer the same injustice, with little hope of ever receiving financial compensation or medical treatment. I am a proud patriot, Peace Time Marines.
