Retired Air Force MSgt

[msgt46270]

Ed here, I enlisted into the Air Force in 1976 and retired in 1997. MY AFSC was 46270 and later that changed to 2W170. I was a weapons loader on the fighters. I spent 15 years on the F4-C/G/E and then moved to Alaska where I worked on the F15C/D. In a lot of ways I still miss it.
Here some pictures.

Live heat seeking missles

Training Nuke

Laser guided 2000lb bomb

M-904 nose fuze. This what screws into a 500lb bomb

Inflight refueling

M61A1 gun site. I turned on the gun system in an F4 and took the picture.

 

[DrunkFatguy]

Hmm, you seem familiar.. Do I know you from ModFords and do you work over at the Garage on NAB? great pics btw

 

[msgt46270]

Hmm, you seem familiar.. Do I know you from ModFords and do you work over at the Garage on NAB? great pics btw

Modfords no, I'm also on Modularfords web site and a few others too. Never worked in a garage.

Here's a picture of me with Ernest Borgnine.

 

[HisPony]

Nice to see I ain't the only Retired dude on the board!!

 

[msgt46270]

Nice to see I ain't the only Retired dude on the board!!

How long have you been retired? Also do you have a VA rating? I'm at 60%.

 

[HisPony]

How long have you been retired? Also do you have a VA rating? I'm at 60%.

4 1/2 years Retired. Currently at 0% VA Rating

 

[msgt46270]

4 1/2 years Retired. Currently at 0% VA Rating

You need to work on that. When I retired I was at 40%. Then I went in for my shoulders and it went up to 60%. Since then I've had surgery on both shoulders, so I need to go in again.

You goal is to hit 50% or higher. Right now your only getting a retirement check. Myself, I'm getting my retirement check and my VA disability, but you have to be at 50% or higher. As you should know the VA disability is non taxed.

 

[HisPony]

You need to work on that. When I retired I was at 40%. Then I went in for my shoulders and it went up to 60%. Since then I've had surgery on both shoulders, so I need to go in again.

You goal is to hit 50% or higher. Right now your only getting a retirement check. Myself, I'm getting my retirement check and my VA disability, but you have to be at 50% or higher. As you should know the VA disability is non taxed.

My goal is to stay healthy and not milk the system just because I can.

 

[msgt46270]

My goal is to stay healthy and not milk the system just because I can.

Not even trying to milk the system, just getting what you should get. If you hurt from what you put in a rating for, then you get checked out and if it brings your rating up, then a person should do it.

My father started at 30% when he retired from the Army. Now he at 100%, but he has agent orange and other health problems.

I wasn't saying you should milk the system, just that if a person deserve a higher rating, then they should put in for it. That's the way the system is made to work.

Your goal to stay health is fine, but with age your problems will most likely get worst, depending what it is. Take my shoulders, having to load weapons and on the F15 putting the AIM-9 missles on the rail I had to lift the missles over my head with the help of two other guys on the crew. Doing that for a few years will get to your body. Now with my current job I have to do a lot of over head work and plus my age (52), it takes a tow on the body.

So by no means am I saying to milk the system.

 

[HisPony]

Not even trying to milk the system, just getting what you should get. If you hurt from what you put in a rating for, then you get checked out and if it brings your rating up, then a person should do it.

My father started at 30% when he retired from the Army. Now he at 100%, but he has agent orange and other health problems.

I wasn't saying you should milk the system, just that if a person deserve a higher rating, then they should put in for it. That's the way the system is made to work.

Your goal to stay health is fine, but with age your problems will most likely get worst, depending what it is. Take my shoulders, having to load weapons and on the F15 putting the AIM-9 missles on the rail I had to lift the missles over my head with the help of two other guys on the crew. Doing that for a few years will get to your body. Now with my current job I have to do a lot of over head work and plus my age (52), it takes a tow on the body.

So by no means am I saying to milk the system.

I know the sytem, thanks for the advice

 

[0ne_sik_notch]

Modfords no, I'm also on Modularfords web site and a few others too. Never worked in a garage.

Here's a picture of me with .

which one is Ernest Borgnine

 

[wickedstangs]

Not even trying to milk the system, just getting what you should get. If you hurt from what you put in a rating for, then you get checked out and if it brings your rating up, then a person should do it.

My father started at 30% when he retired from the Army. Now he at 100%, but he has agent orange and other health problems.

I wasn't saying you should milk the system, just that if a person deserve a higher rating, then they should put in for it. That's the way the system is made to work.

Your goal to stay health is fine, but with age your problems will most likely get worst, depending what it is. Take my shoulders, having to load weapons and on the F15 putting the AIM-9 missles on the rail I had to lift the missles over my head with the help of two other guys on the crew. Doing that for a few years will get to your body. Now with my current job I have to do a lot of over head work and plus my age (52), it takes a tow on the body.

So by no means am I saying to milk the system.

You are absolutely correct just went to the training about VA and I will be retiring in a couple of years with a small percentage... Welcome to the site...

 

[msgt46270]

which one is Ernest Borgnine

LOL. the one on the right.

 

[msgt46270]

You are absolutely correct just went to the training about VA and I will be retiring in a couple of years with a small percentage... Welcome to the site...

I'll be the first to say I don't know everything about the VA. When I needed help I went to the DAV (Disabled American Veterans) when I had questions. They helped me so I became a life member. If you didn't know the service they provide is free.

Here's another site where you can get a lot of information from also Veterans Benefits Network.

How do you know that you going to get a small rating?

 

[wickedstangs]

I'll be the first to say I don't know everything about the VA. When I needed help I went to the DAV (Disabled American Veterans) when I had questions. They helped me so I became a life member. If you didn't know the service they provide is free.

Here's another site where you can get a lot of information from also Veterans Benefits Network.

How do you know that you going to get a small rating?

two things, loss of hearing and I was injured on the job and it still affects me to this day and all in my record...:ear:

 

[msgt46270]

Lose of hearing is the biggest claim, I was turned down for it, but I have ringing in both ears which is rated at zero percent. But I still have a hearing problem and I should go talk to the DAV about it. The only thing I haven't seen a doctor about it to show a pattern over the years since I retired. That's a mistake on my part.

When I took the hearing test for the VA, they put me in a room with headsets on and a lady said a few words and I had to repeat the words and I passed 100%. The problem with that test it was quiet in the room, my problem is with other back ground noises makes it harder for me to hear what a person says. My wife always tells me I need hearing aids.

Also make sure you have copies of your medical records, which most people do, but are they certified copies. In the Air Force they stamped them certified copy except for the labs slips. I got all mine stamped certifies copy plus my lab slips.

 

[0ne_sik_notch]

i have my originals

 

[msgt46270]

i have my originals

Make a copy. They will want them to put in storage (micro-fish).

What ever you do don't let anyone barrow your (your copy) records (VA, hospital). If they lose it your screwed, them you have to do paper work and order the copies you need. My dad had to do that and it's a PITA.

 

[sdsubzero4]

I'm rated at 20%. But I still have problems with my feet (in my medical record). How do I go about getting rechecked to possibly up my rating?

 

[msgt46270]

I'm rated at 20%. But I still have problems with my feet (in my medical record). How do I go about getting rechecked to possibly up my rating?

That's good that it's in your records. Since you retired (guessing) have you seen any doctors for your feet? If you did get a copy of those records. If you didn't, visit the DAV and they can help you in the right direction and they are there to help you. They give you the forms and tell you what to do, they are the experts.

You will more likely have to see a VA doctor and get checked out. Once thats done you wait and wait and wait.

When I first retired I waited almost a year for a rating on my eye. I got tired of waiting and wrote my Congressman (Bob Filner) and two weeks later I got my rating. So also know who your elected officials are. The DAV web site can help with that also.

Like I said I'm no expert, so make an appointment with the DAV.

Ed