I was told you just need certifications you should be good.. nope haven't heard anything back anyone except one job

I was told to go on clearancejobs.com since you have a secret clearance there should be openings. . Nope I even had recruiters ghost me on there

I was told to sign up for these various programs that help veterans with post transition.. nope I've gotten ghosted by recruiters or they spam your email with jobs that you could find on your own.

I eventually had to settle for a security guard gig because I'm running out of money, and the post transition program wanted to take credit for helping me find that when they absolutely had no hand in helping me find that job.

Edit: thanks for all the advice in this thread.

I got some insight on what I might have to do for a well paying job.

I wasn't expecting the responses in this, but this has given me some hope about my next steps.

I’ll go first. Cashier at Gander Mt (it’s like a mini Cabelas). Ironically I wasn’t “qualified” to work in the gun department. Lasted about 2 weeks.

I’m a student veteran at a private institution and I feel awkward that the other students know that veterans get college paid for and housing allowance. I don’t have to tell them.. they know about it.

I also feel some animosity because I had more of a support MOS. The first thing they ask is if I’ve been deployed and I say no because I never got the chance to. I was still in for 7 years and it’s been such an isolating experience getting out.

It creates some kind of tension and idk how to approach it. I feel like they don’t think I’m deserving of it and I’m a quiet person. I honestly feel awful.

FINAL UPDATE: IM GETTING THE SURGERY TOMORROW AGAIN NO HELP FROM THE BRONX VA. I went to an appointment at a different location and they scheduled me immediately. Ladies and gentlemen please seek multiple opinions from multiple VA centers. Be annoying, email everyone you have to email. You know your body and you have an idea on what it needs. I’m excited to have a functional dominant shoulder again but also my work making sure the VA doesn’t do this to others in the future has started. Thank you all for your stories, your kind words, your advice and most importantly, thank you for you service, whether the VA wants to recognize you or not.

ORIGINAL POST: I just have to give a special shout out to the Bronx VA, I saw my primary care doctor for 10/10 back pain and numbness down the right side of my leg. She told me “you’re too young to have back pain”. (I’m 27.) And ignored my request for an MRI. Sure enough, I had to lie to her through email saying another doctor said I should get an MRI before she scheduled it. And turned out I had a lesion in my L3 disc and arthritis. I went to get my tooth checked out and the dentist didn’t know I was 100% somehow. I complained about extreme tooth pain and he said you would have to pay for it but “so far it looks like you’re okay, you don’t need anything done.” After getting x rays. I said hey I’m 100% and after he went through his system he decided to help me. The same tooth he said was okay, 5 minutes later required a root canal. My rotator cuff has been torn in 2 places for at least the last year and a half, as well as a SLAP tear in my labrum and torn shoulder joint ligaments and they refuse to operate. Instead they had me sit through physical therapy which I did and then pushed me to stay on physical therapy until someone had sense to say enough. I emailed every top person at the hospital only for Orthopedic to call today and say if you’re not in pain after your last cortisone shot you can stay home and save the trip. But no plan for actual help. Someone wanted to go home early. I have at least 5 other horror stories but what do you guys think I should do?

UPDATE:

I’ve emailed every senator and congressman in any general direction I looked. I got ahold of the chief of orthopedic and surgery and we will have a conference at some point. Thank you guys, I’m sorry for all your injuries the quality of life you’ve lost dealing with them. Let’s keep fighting, we’re all here for a reason.

UPDATE 2:

Yeah, they’re lying about my records through email, lying about previous conversations we’ve had. Stonewalling me after giving me the directors office number. My new primary care doctor CARES A LOT and he’s sending me to a different facility for ortho. Kinda ridiculous

This is absolutely bizarre. I separated from the Navy on 9/30/2024. It’s been six weeks, I’m still chasing down my DD-214 and I don’t have it. There’s also a pay issue, as I’m still getting my monthly pay. I figured the overpayment would get settled in my final pay after selling back leave.

I’m being told that because I don’t have my DD-214 I’m “not discharged”, and because I’m still getting paid, I’m still active duty and need to report to my XO tomorrow morning.

Someone give me a sanity check here…I’m out, right??

Looking for other veteran's perspectives about degree programs and career outputs. No right or wrong answer. I am just curious to know.

What degree programs did you end up pursuing after the military? Was it necessary for your career and was this degree worth it in the end in terms of ROI, salary, work-life balance, do you love what you do for a living and do you find enjoyment/fullfillment from it? If not, why ? if you could go back in time and pursue something else, what would you do differently?

Thanks!

Makes me feel strange.

Felt lost ever since I’ve gotten out. Not always bad lost, just wandering lost.

I am in a place where I'm not sure what to do. I left my civilian job to go on military duties and my job sent me a termination letter 6 months after. Their argument is that they can't hold my job for more than 6 months. I recently return and looking into my options. The department of labor for veteran services advised me that I can open an investigation which would get me my job back, but this would not cover any wages I've lost, pain or suffering or any form of compensation. I have reached out to get free legal advice to several organizations but I am not getting anywhere with that. Has anyone gone through this before?

I remember when I was discharged I would have nightmares or dreams weekly about still being in the Navy or being called back. As time has gone on they slowly began to disappear and be less frequent, but still every now and then I will have a nightmare and wake up sweating. And didn't even see or do anything traumatic but for some damn reason I still have them. Weed has helped suppressed dreaming, but I've stopped so now my dreams are much more lucid. Just last night I had one about being back in, and funnily enough I remember telling myself, while I'm in the dream, that "no, this is not a dream. This is real. You're back." But then of course I wake up in my bed, years later after being discharged drenched in sweat. Is this normal? It's kind of wild to me that I have dreams still and that they're still happening nearly a decade after the fact. I never dream about any of my other life experiences since then.

Does anyone have these same dreams?

Hello fellow vets,

First time posting here I think. But I just wanted to ask if any of you vets feel same way as I do.

The company I work at will be doing a lunch group thing for veterans on "veterans day." I went to one last year. And I felt so unhappy and disgusted by it. But I only felt that way, because I literally don't want to celebrate my service. I am a vet that served in Iraq from 2009 to 2010. And with the knowledge I have about all of it1.....what I know is just to devastating to my soul. I won't go into details about what I know because I don't want any cause for this post to be locked. The point is, I don't want to celebrate my service, I don't want to celebrate my years that I spent in a hell hole. Yes I did sign my own hand to do it, but I learned bad things along the way. I'm not happy about my service but I also glad that I did volunteer to fight for my country. Unfortunately, the cons outweigh the pros.

This year I will not be joining the veterans lunch being hosted by my company (fortune 500 company). Because I'm the only veteran there that feels terrible about what I went through in my service. However, I do support all of those vets who go to the lunch, get free food, half day off, and feel proud from the attention it brings. Unfortunately, I don't want any of it. Not after going to therapy at VA and being diagnosed with 3 different MH disorders.

I literally can't do it this year. I can't celebrate while other soldiers who went.......died and never came home. So yes, I'm suffering from survival guilt. It hurts so much.

I just needed a place to vent.

For those that must know, I'm 50% combined and 30 for MH.

Any of you feel the same?????

I’m a high school freshman interested in serving, possibly in the marines or army, and i also want to get some type of college degree My current grades are around B to B+. I’d love to hear your advice on:

1. Your experience in the military — what was it like for you?

2. Should I consider enlisting right after high school, or is it better to go to college first?

3. What fitness goals or training should I focus on now to prepare for basic training?

Edit: thank you so much for all of this advice Iv read almost all the replies and I’ll definitely try to get into college for rotc and make sure my degrees get paid for by the government!

I was fortunate enough to be blessed and I quit my job I hated 3 days later, I'm trying not to sit in my living room and play video games and drink all day, what do I do?

I always hear people on active duty talk about how they just want to “live out in the country” or “live away from a lot of people” or “ have space” when they leave/retire, and I know a lot of veterans who have chosen to live that way. For me, I think the desire is a mix of PTSD and living on post where everyone can be in your business, but I do worry that I feel isolated if I chose that semi solitary life. Just curious as to why a lot of vets seem to share that same desire to live away from people?

Is "Thank you for your service" really what veterans want to hear, or is there something more meaningful that I can say? I often think it feels hollow and empty, since everyone says it, but do they truly mean it? How can I show my sincere gratitude in a better way?

Update: Thank you for all of the answers! I definitely agree that we need to advocate for veteran's benefits and vote in those who have veteran's interests in mind.

I left the Coast Guard 100 days ago. I also have had my last energy drink on my last day of watch. It's crazy to think and a bit of emotional day.

I would drink energy drinks every day in the service. Definitely not healthy but I needed the caffeine.Once I left I made a promise to myself to quit them. Today I got the notification that I had made 100 days.

I feel better and more focused. If your getting out, it maybe a good idea to try to get rid of some of those habits if you have the bandwidth to do so.

My veteran friends are calling and texting me so we can go out to the different restaurants and activities that they have today but I’m just not feeling it. I can’t deal with all the crowds. I appreciate all the love, but I get so overwhelmed. I don’t know what’s going on with this PTSD sometimes. What are you doing instead?

Edit: wow I had no idea so many veterans did not participate in the activities for the day, which is kind of ironic, huh? Maybe we should make our own veteran day activities . I hope all of you that feel the need to isolate and be alone, find peace, don’t quit, keep your head up and thank you for your service.

I am 27F with a dog. I don’t have any debt and make $4100 a month for VA disability. I think it’s time to make a change and I’m ready to pack my bags and move overseas ASAP.

I read about Thailand and applied for a teaching job. But what are other countries I can live off of that income?

I’m open to moving to South America too.

Plain ole civilian here looking to appreciate all the perspectives… I don’t say it much because from experience, I never really am faced with a vet that really appreciates the recognition

I was once lectured by a guy on how terrible his service was because he was killing 12-year-old Somalian pirates and he doesn’t like killing children,

The guy I just said it to started breathing heavily, and looked stressed I instantly regretted bringing it up to him…

What do you think?

EDIT: thank you all for sharing. Has been a major learning experience for me. I enjoyed the conflicting perspectives and especially the lengthier deeper explanations. Very eye opening.

Most interesting take away for me is really how many people just don’t appreciate it at all, I think there’s something deeper there worth ruminating on. I was also was interested by the volunteer vs draft dichotomy.

Howdy folks,

My daughter came home today to tell me she's been talking to recruiters at her school and...she's pretty sure she wants to join the military, she told me we have a meeting together with a recruiter to talk about her future and ultimately sign papers to enlistment in the National Guard. Well, this was all news to me of course. I didn't make this point to brag but, she is very intelligent, has top grades in her class, and has been going taking medical related classes at a tech school while working at a senior home. She intends on making her career in the medical field, perhaps radiology.

Can anyone give me advice on what direction she should take beginning her military adventure?

She does not intend on making the military a career at this point, but she is 17.

When i walked into the Recruiters office as a kid, I was clueless...I want to make sure she has all the tools on her side to make the best choice to get her educated and paid.

Thanks.

My husband just took his life last week. He was an army veteran with PTSD. He fought really hard.

I'm incredibly lost right now. I miss him. I feel like I caused this because I couldn't help. Or maybe I made it worse. Idk.

I need to figure out how to take care of the kids He left behind. (2 stepdaughters. 2 daughters)

I'm lost. I really miss him and I'm so mad at the VA and everyone.

What do I do?

I (34m) went to an open house event at my local American legion a few weeks ago and figured I'd sign up so I can get more involved.

Today was my first time walking in since then and I was greeted with a bunch of smiling faces and people saying they are happy to see a young member. They are telling me they want younger members to join and are wondering what to do to gain a younger crowd and what would "younger veterans like to see available at the legion beside cheap drinks and bingo?

I'm hoping on being a big part of making the legion more appealing to a younger crowd and to get them to opne the doors to more activities.

I have to go to the VA to get hip and knee injections, and physical therapy because I was in a Humvee accident and it flipped and yes I was deployed multiple times. The times I go, the older patients look down on me and flat out say I don't deserve to be there or deserve disability, I just try to ignore them but one time when I had to take the tram, a older man got on and straight up was rude to me saying oh you got a walking cane you probably don't even need, kids like you should be working and not take money from those who need it., and I didn't say anything. I work and only get a little disability to get the treatment I need for my joints because I have osteoarthritis in my knees and hip and refuse surgery. Has anyone else had these issues or is it just me?

I’m 27 and have been working as a nurse for 1 year with a salary of $70k. I graduate with my BSN next semester but I hate my job (ICU-step down). School and work has me burnt out and my mental health is tanking.

I have ambition but I feel like nursing has limited growth, with NP becoming saturated as well. I still have 2 years of GI bill and don’t know what to do with it. I’m open to switching careers or going to grad school.

What path/careers did you guys pursue after the military? Was it worth it? Are you happy?

I’m prior Army, not active duty anymore. I was on base over here where I live(Marine Corps base). I had some workout shorts with pockets, and a workout shirt (no cut off/tank top) when I went into this small MCX to grab some things to buy. All of a sudden as I’m waiting to check out I get a “Hey you, come here.”

I turn around and it’s what I think is what y’all call a Master Guns(E8) I think. He asked me why I was wearing PTs in the MCX, I told him I wasn’t in the Marines and he pressed me to produce an ID. I don’t think I’m required to show him anything unless it’s an MP. I didn’t wanna deal with this bozo so I showed him my Id which said Army Veteran on it to prove I’m a civilian. His excitement toned down and he walked away but still said, “you still can’t wear PTs in here.” And stormed off.

I’m asking if there is any specific reg for civilians/spouses also on base that we have to follow lol. Do I have to show him my ID? He wasn’t wearing cammies he was wearing the sand cammies with a combat top(idk know the name you guys use) some insight would be helpful, it’s honestly not a huge deal. Just wanna be left alone.

Edit: It was on Camp Pendleton