A Manitowoc County veteran is asking for help after having claims repeatedly denied by the VA.
Tyler Pantzlaff joined the U.S. Air Force in 2009, deploying to basic training just one month after graduating high school.
During his time in the service, Tyler suffered several injuries to his knees and back, eventually causing his medical discharge in June of 2015.
His issues really began upon his discharge.
“I did not get very much disability when I got out because they weren’t very good at their ratings,” he explained. “(They) said, ‘Well, there’s evidence, but there’s no evidence of this or there’s this, but not enough to rate or we think this could be prior,’ and so I got out at 40% disability.”
Since he is single with no dependents, this means Tyler is getting $774.16 per month, according to the VA’s Disability Compensation Rates chart, but due to the extent of his injuries, he has had issues holding onto a job.
“I’ve had multiple knee surgeries from the military,” he revealed. “I had procedures on my spine in the military, my hips, I have fibromyalgia from the military, I have nerve damage in my jaw, nerve damage in my spine, nerve damage in my hip, degenerate arthritis, spinal stenosis…It just keeps getting worse.”
Tyler did continue to receive treatment for these various ailments, but one specifically had a severe impact on his life.
“Eventually, I had a spinal procedure that actually had adverse effects,” he noted. “For six months, I was laid up completely. I couldn’t even physically move. Now I’m to a point where I can kind of walk around, but I can’t sit for more than 30 minutes, and I can’t stand for more than 30 minutes.”
Being unable to work has led to Tyler suffering from financial issues, such as going through bankruptcy, and trying to find a place to live, with his only income being the disability payment.
This eventually landed him in his father’s basement.
Like many veterans, he went to the VA to get his medical issues addressed, but again, like many veterans, he has hit a wall.
“The VA is so terrible that everyone’s basically hiring these what they call ‘rating snipers’ because they’re going to take a percentage of your back pay, but they’re going to be able to help you fight the VA,” Tyler exposed. “I tried hiring a group called Vet Com. You had to pay $1,000 upfront. Unfortunately, it was kind of a scam. They basically sent you a couple of YouTube videos and that was it.”
Tyler tells SeehaferNews.com that the medical care given by the VA is top-notch, but the people hired to handle the claims are an issue.
“They have no problem denying our claims because they don’t care,” he claimed. “We got the wrong people in there that are supposed to be helping veterans, and veterans are just stuck. That’s why a lot of them end up homeless, or a lot of them end up taking the ‘final step’ (suicide), which I’ll admit I’ve been close, especially after this last VA denial about three weeks ago.”
Tyler says a part of the reason he is struggling with his claim is the training all military members receive.
“You feel so helpless, so hopeless, so alone, because you’re told to be strong, adapt and overcome, handle things on your own, work well under pressure,” he admitted. “To have to lay yourself down and say, ‘I can’t do this anymore.’ I have two options get help or become one of the 22 statistic for the veterans that unfortunately take their own lives. It’s very difficult. You don’t want to ask, and when you do ask, you don’t feel like it’s worth it because you feel like, who is going to really care.”
But the issue goes beyond the local VA clinics and call centers.
Tyler says he is sick and tired of being a talking point for government officials running for office who end up doing very little to fix the issue.
“Every time there’s an election, we’re always used for a talking point,” he said, frustrated. “They might help two veterans, and they’ll use them for their campaign, but then once they’re in office, it’s like we don’t exist again. I’ve seen presidents do great for the VA side, but screw over our active duty. And then I’ve seen presidents that do great for active duty but leave us veterans out on the streets to perish.”
Tyler has a simple message for those with the power to make a change.
“Stop talking about how there’s homeless veterans and all these other things and start actually doing something.”
Tyler has received some local help, specifically from the Patriot Riders of America, WI Chapter 2, who gave him a donation to help with his vehicle issues.
Those who would like to help support Tyler in his financial struggles are encouraged to visit his GoFundMe page, where you can also learn more about his plight.
