FIGHT for U.S. VETERANS

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Military families are special. I’m not bragging, it’s just a fact. We go through a lot – things that no one else will ever understand. The lives of military personnel are tough for many reasons, as are the lives of military spouses and the lives of military kids. But that toughness makes us all…well…tough. We keep going, we persevere, we FIGHT.

That tenacious spirit is why FIGHT for U.S. VETERANS now exists. The campaign was created in response to the personal experiences of one military family – mine.

My father, Keith Helfritz, is a Vietnam Veteran who retired after more than 20 years in the United States military, serving throughout his career in both the Air Force and the Navy. My mother, Dianne Helfritz, is a military wife and retired teacher with a master’s degree in education. That is a tidy summary of my parents’ professional lives – but there’s more to the story.

My dad, who will be 84 years old, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease a little over a year ago. My mom, 75, who has health issues of her own, including a spinal condition, is now his full-time caregiver. Every single day she lifts him from the bed, the chair, the toilet – as many times as necessary. She does pretty much everything for him, because he can do pretty much nothing for himself. Again, please keep in mind their ages: dad, 84; mom, 75.

Shortly after Dad’s diagnosis, we filed a disability claim through Veterans Services, which is the first step to getting a disability rating and receiving disability compensation and benefits to assist with his healthcare. What should have been a relatively easy, straight-forward process, has turned into a living nightmare. We made and attended all of the appointments, answered all of the questions, filled out all of the paperwork, did “all the things” we were required and told to do. But after that, we were met with silence; whenever we asked for a status update, we were told to “wait.” We are now in our fourteenth month of “waiting.”

After doing a lot of prodding to find out what was causing the delay, we were eventually told that The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) lost my father’s Vietnam records. Let me say that again: the VA lost my father’s Vietnam records.

(Knowledge Nugget: During the Vietnam War, our troops were exposed to Agent Orange, which is linked to Parkinson’s Disease. Therefore, Parkinson’s is considered a service-connected condition, making proof of Vietnam service vital regarding disability ratings for military personnel with Parkinson’s diagnoses.) 

Following some additional hoop-jumping, we were told there was basically nothing else that could be done. That was simply unacceptable, so we ended up contacting our congressman’s office for help, and together we did the VA’s job for them by tracking down the records from the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and submitting them to the VA. 

At the time of this writing, we have been told that we may hear something back from the VA in 90 days. No explanation as to what we are now waiting for, and no guarantee we will actually receive the disability rating at that point. Another 90 days will make 16 months that we have been waiting for help.

Generally speaking, “hurry up and wait” is common when it comes to government procedures. But when the VA does things this way, it’s not just annoying and inconvenient, it’s potentially deadly. See, my family can no longer “wait.” My father’s condition has drastically and rapidly deteriorated in these now-14 months of waiting. Not only have the physical effects of Parkinson’s worsened for him, but we are now also dealing with the dementia aspect of the disease. My mother’s health has severely declined during this time of endless waiting, too, because through non-stop caregiving she is not only exacerbating her previous health issues, but she is constantly receiving new injuries while trying to help my dad.

My father’s care needs have far surpassed what we can provide or handle at home – he needs to be in a professional facility with proper equipment and full-time assistance by those who are trained in providing the care needed by someone with late-stage Parkinson’s Disease. We can’t do it alone anymore. My mom has done an amazing job and continues to do so – with a smile on her face – but she is worn out. Every day I see both of my parents fading a little bit more. Some days, it’s a lot more.

This should not be the case. My dad EARNED benefits by serving in the military, including fighting in two wars, but because someone didn’t do their job and lost his records, and because the VA process is incredulously slow, my family is now suffering. 

There is a disgraceful history regarding how our Vietnam Veterans were treated when they came home from war. It’s equally disgraceful, as well as absurd, that our country’s Veterans are STILL being treated so poorly. And this time, it’s by a system that supposedly exists to help them. It is also important to note that these problems started long before any recent VA cuts, so that is not the underlying issue.

I know my family is not alone. Like you, I see the stories: suicidal Veterans not getting help in time…homeless Veterans who have no one to advocate for them. I know other Veterans – other military families – are dealing with this same nonsense, and it’s not okay.

So that’s why I created FIGHT for U.S. VETERANS. I am fighting for my dad, my mom, myself…and I am fighting for every other Veteran and military family who is being ignored, mistreated, or told to “wait” by the VA.
 

Whether you are a Veteran or current military personnel, a military family member, or simply someone who loves, respects, and honors our Veterans, I ask you to join this fight. Our Veterans are the reason we are free…they fought for us. It is only right that we fight for them to receive – in a timely manner – the care and benefits they EARNED and deserve. Please join me, and together we will FIGHT for U.S. VETERANS.

Respectfully,    

Dr. Amy Helfritz

FIGHT for U.S. VETERANS