For nine years I proudly served my country. In 1959 I was diagnosed as having PTSD at Fort Ord. Unfortunately, my records were destroyed in the fire of 1973 at the V.A. Records Center in St. Louis. I did not know that I should have kept documents myself proving this.
After my years of military service I saw civilian doctors and psychiatrists for many, many years until the 1980s.
In the 1980s I filed a claim with the V.A. for my PTSD. I have not received any benefits because they do not have my records. I have been fighting this for more than 30 years.
The V.A. finally re-recognized my PTSD in 1996 but still I have received no monthly benefits, but they did give me medical benefits.
In 1996 I had hip replacement surgery on my right hip at Fort Miley in San Francisco. That surgery worked well. In 1997 I had a hip replacement surgery on my left hip also at Fort Miley. Since that surgery I have had constant pain.
I have had nine surgeries to correct it. I have chronic pain and cannot walk unassisted. The pain is so bad I have to use a wheelchair.
In 2004 my hip dislocated for the last time, I had to have emergency surgery to remove the hip hardware and have it replaced.
After emergency surgery I filed another claim with the V.A. I have been fighting this all the way to the V.A. Court in Washington D.C. to no avail.
I will not stop with my pleas until they pay me for my PTSD and for all the extra surgeries I had to go through.
I went through a horrible trauma during my military time. I am unable to purge the images from my mind.
To this day I have horrible dreams every night. I cannot sleep. I am so depressed. No one understands except for the V.A. doctors. I do not understand this. I am only asking for service connected 100 percent disability monthly benefits. This has to end. I need the V.A. to help me.
John Alotta
Upper Lake
