I am the caregiver for my husband, SPC David Poole. He was Active duty Army for seven years, three years Reserves and the last four years as Georgia Army National Guard. He has served sixteen years for our country. He served tours in Bosnia and Afghanistan. He returned from a tour when he was injured stateside at his unit on October 4, 2009, as he helped load a 250lb tarp into a military vehicle. The tarp gouged into my husband’s left side of his neck and shoulder.
A week later he suffered two major strokes, which were medically diagnosed as a traumatic injury to the neck and shoulder which caused a left internal carotid artery dissection. The two ischemic strokes caused major brain damage and completely changed his personality. He started displaying severe PTSD, no impulse control, communication deficits, and has lost his ability to regulate blood pressure and body temperature. He also suffers from major depression. All of this had been extremely devastating to our family including our four children.
On numerous occasions he has left our home in a suicidal fit with his gun. The latest event caused him to actually put the gun in his mouth. Adding to his depression is the fact that he has received on incapacitation pay, no disability.
He is very educated; he was in the process of going to Physician Assistant School at Fort Sam Houston, now he cannot read, write or do math. He also needs constant assistance with ADL's (Activities of Daily Living).Not surprisingly, he feels worthless to his family, his country, and himself. He has lost so many “adult” abilities and he has lost his most dear identity of soldier.
We have to continue to wrestle the system. Two years have elapsed since his injury. His orders remain unchanged. We have an approved Line of Duty (LOD) form. Now we are waiting on the Army Physical Disability Evaluation Process (MEB/PEB Process). We are waiting on the NARSUM (narrative summary) now. He had lost his civilian job as a nurse (due to his new cognitive deficits and that he now cannot read or write.) We have been denied for SGLI three separate times stating that it does not pay against illness or disease, despite this was a traumatic injury to the neck that caused the blood clots that consequently caused the strokes.
I lost my job due to his need for constant care and because I must transport him to the rehabilitation facility for treatment. Additionally, we lost our home in foreclosure due to our significant income reduction. We are so behind on our bills and have sold most of our belongings to try to make ends meet. We will probably soon lose the rental because the military is always behind on INCAP pay. INCAP pay is a program that is designed for a maximum payout period of six months so every month it has to go through a long approval process. It has been a long process and I am tired, but I will not give up on getting my husband his fair compensation. We need an advocate on our side, helping us figure out the right way to get benefits that he deserves and earned. I am asking for assistance in getting help with these unresolved issues.
1. Why he was not placed onto ADME orders and placed at the Wounded Warrior Transition Unit. According to the website for the AW2 he is eligible. I have been told that since SPC Poole was at his Unit during a required weekend drill and he was injured that he should have been automatically placed on Full- time active status with full medical benefits. He was not and we have to pay out of pocket for Tricare insurance, which is over $197.00, a month, plus co-pays.
2. I want them to look into why since Nov of 2010 we still do not have an answer on reimbursement for the out of pocket cost we have to pay and also the $197.00 a month we pay to keep insurance on SPC Poole so he can be seen by his numerous doctors for care of life changing disabilities he has to now deal with since the injury from 10/4/2009 at his Unit.
3. I want to investigate why the Unit did not do one thing for SPC Poole from 10/4/2009 to 11/1/2010. They did not start any insurance, money to cover medical cost, INCAP or any type of Line of Duty investigation. Even though the Unit was aware of the injury and SPC Poole being in ICU three hours after his second massive stroke.
4. Why SPC Poole does not have any orders? We have a permanent physical profile but no change in orders? He has the same orders he had the day before his injury on 10/4/2009.
5. I want an answer on why we have never been appointed a liaison or an attorney or someone who could have facilitate the procedure? I have asked since SGT Patrick Kelly came to the hospital and saw my husband in ICU and I have asked more than once every month for the last two years. I still have never been given a contact of someone who can help me through the paperwork and benefits protocol and procedure. I am a mother of four and now a caregiver to a 41 year old man who I have to help brush his teeth and dress him and take care of daily. Why would there not be a person who could have helped with the paperwork and procedures of the military. My husband was an outstanding solider and I never had to be involved in Military protocol. This seems like a way to wear a caregiver of the injured solider down so that way they get tired and give up.
6. Why I am not entitled to caregiver benefits, we cannot receive any VA benefits because we are still going through the process with the Army. He is not eligible for the SCAADL caregiver benefits because he is not on active duty orders.
7. SPC Poole was told that he was the next to get promoted to Sergeant at his Unit prior to the injury. He was qualified and next on the list to receive SGT. He is still currently a Specialist. We are now being told since he is NOW not MOS certified that he would not be entitled to the extra pay grade that he was going to receive once a new SGT position opened at the Unit. They were at SGT capacity at the time of injury.
A week later he suffered two major strokes, which were medically diagnosed as a traumatic injury to the neck and shoulder which caused a left internal carotid artery dissection. The two ischemic strokes caused major brain damage and completely changed his personality. He started displaying severe PTSD, no impulse control, communication deficits, and has lost his ability to regulate blood pressure and body temperature. He also suffers from major depression. All of this had been extremely devastating to our family including our four children.
On numerous occasions he has left our home in a suicidal fit with his gun. The latest event caused him to actually put the gun in his mouth. Adding to his depression is the fact that he has received on incapacitation pay, no disability.
He is very educated; he was in the process of going to Physician Assistant School at Fort Sam Houston, now he cannot read, write or do math. He also needs constant assistance with ADL's (Activities of Daily Living).Not surprisingly, he feels worthless to his family, his country, and himself. He has lost so many “adult” abilities and he has lost his most dear identity of soldier.
We have to continue to wrestle the system. Two years have elapsed since his injury. His orders remain unchanged. We have an approved Line of Duty (LOD) form. Now we are waiting on the Army Physical Disability Evaluation Process (MEB/PEB Process). We are waiting on the NARSUM (narrative summary) now. He had lost his civilian job as a nurse (due to his new cognitive deficits and that he now cannot read or write.) We have been denied for SGLI three separate times stating that it does not pay against illness or disease, despite this was a traumatic injury to the neck that caused the blood clots that consequently caused the strokes.
I lost my job due to his need for constant care and because I must transport him to the rehabilitation facility for treatment. Additionally, we lost our home in foreclosure due to our significant income reduction. We are so behind on our bills and have sold most of our belongings to try to make ends meet. We will probably soon lose the rental because the military is always behind on INCAP pay. INCAP pay is a program that is designed for a maximum payout period of six months so every month it has to go through a long approval process. It has been a long process and I am tired, but I will not give up on getting my husband his fair compensation. We need an advocate on our side, helping us figure out the right way to get benefits that he deserves and earned. I am asking for assistance in getting help with these unresolved issues.
1. Why he was not placed onto ADME orders and placed at the Wounded Warrior Transition Unit. According to the website for the AW2 he is eligible. I have been told that since SPC Poole was at his Unit during a required weekend drill and he was injured that he should have been automatically placed on Full- time active status with full medical benefits. He was not and we have to pay out of pocket for Tricare insurance, which is over $197.00, a month, plus co-pays.
2. I want them to look into why since Nov of 2010 we still do not have an answer on reimbursement for the out of pocket cost we have to pay and also the $197.00 a month we pay to keep insurance on SPC Poole so he can be seen by his numerous doctors for care of life changing disabilities he has to now deal with since the injury from 10/4/2009 at his Unit.
3. I want to investigate why the Unit did not do one thing for SPC Poole from 10/4/2009 to 11/1/2010. They did not start any insurance, money to cover medical cost, INCAP or any type of Line of Duty investigation. Even though the Unit was aware of the injury and SPC Poole being in ICU three hours after his second massive stroke.
4. Why SPC Poole does not have any orders? We have a permanent physical profile but no change in orders? He has the same orders he had the day before his injury on 10/4/2009.
5. I want an answer on why we have never been appointed a liaison or an attorney or someone who could have facilitate the procedure? I have asked since SGT Patrick Kelly came to the hospital and saw my husband in ICU and I have asked more than once every month for the last two years. I still have never been given a contact of someone who can help me through the paperwork and benefits protocol and procedure. I am a mother of four and now a caregiver to a 41 year old man who I have to help brush his teeth and dress him and take care of daily. Why would there not be a person who could have helped with the paperwork and procedures of the military. My husband was an outstanding solider and I never had to be involved in Military protocol. This seems like a way to wear a caregiver of the injured solider down so that way they get tired and give up.
6. Why I am not entitled to caregiver benefits, we cannot receive any VA benefits because we are still going through the process with the Army. He is not eligible for the SCAADL caregiver benefits because he is not on active duty orders.
7. SPC Poole was told that he was the next to get promoted to Sergeant at his Unit prior to the injury. He was qualified and next on the list to receive SGT. He is still currently a Specialist. We are now being told since he is NOW not MOS certified that he would not be entitled to the extra pay grade that he was going to receive once a new SGT position opened at the Unit. They were at SGT capacity at the time of injury.
