That Crazy Veteran’s Story

My Story
I struggled for years after leaving the military with constant pain and depression. At my lowest points, I even considered ending my life. What saved me was finding a new mission: to share my story, to help other veterans avoid the same suffering, and to fight for laws that restore the rights and due process that veterans deserve.

Like many veterans, I call myself “that crazy veteran” — because far too many of us have been left to feel abandoned, silenced, and dismissed. But today, my voice has a purpose.

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The Fight for Benefits
Throughout my service and after, I went to multiple doctors. In 2005, when I finally obtained my full military records before two formal Navy hearings, I discovered that my medical files had been altered. Key information was missing — information that showed I was formally diagnosed with Relapsing Polychondritis, a painful autoimmune disease with a 20% mortality rate in the first five years.

Despite a condition you could see with your own eyes — my fingers could double in size in two minutes — I still lost my disability case. That made me wonder: if someone with a visible disease can be denied, what chance does a veteran with PTSD or another invisible illness have?

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The Missing Piece: Due Process
After years of research, consultations with doctors, lawyers, and experts, I came to a troubling conclusion: what veterans are denied is not just benefits, but due process.

Due process — protected under the Fifth Amendment — ensures that no one is deprived of life, liberty, or property without fair legal procedure. But when you’re in the military, your rights are replaced by “military due process” under the UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice). While necessary for discipline and service, this system does not guarantee the civilian protections you regain after discharge.

That means veterans often face hearings without:

• Independent civilian lawyers trained in civil rights.
• Court motions of discovery that would reveal complete medical records.
• The right to independent medical opinions.

Instead, we are left with incomplete “administrative summary reports” created by the VA — reports that purge critical medical history with each version. These summaries are often relied on more than full medical files, leaving doctors, examiners, and boards with a distorted picture of a veteran’s condition.

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What This Means for Veterans
Without full due process, suppressed records and incomplete summaries become the norm. Veterans are left frustrated, depressed, or even suicidal when their struggles are not recognized. Many blame doctors, but in truth, the doctors are following VA guidelines — guidelines that too often fail to protect veterans.

I personally proved this when I cross-tested labs at an independent hospital and uncovered additional diagnoses, including Systemic Scleroderma, that were absent from my VA reports. Yet, even then, evidence was redacted in my official hearings.

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Why This Matters
The system we have today is not just broken — it denies veterans the same civil rights they defended in uniform. Most veterans don’t even realize they regain those civilian rights after service, and so they accept incomplete hearings or depositions as if they were full and fair legal processes.

This lack of awareness and legal protection leaves too many veterans without the benefits and care they need. It has even cost lives.

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My Mission Today
I was fortunate — after years of persistence, I eventually secured the benefits I was entitled to. But I know many others never make it that far. Too many die by suicide before their cases are resolved. Haven’t our veterans already given enough?

That’s why I share my story. To shine a light on how the system denies veterans due process. To help others recognize what’s missing. And to push for change so no more veterans fall through the cracks.

I speak out not just for myself, but for every veteran who deserves dignity, justice, and the full rights they fought to defend.path. This space exists to remind you: your story matters, and together, we can create a stronger, more supportive community.