300,000 troopers were booted from the military with less than Honorable Discharges. Too often theyre stripped of their benefits when what they really need is help. This is their story. The story of charlie fox trot. Surprisingly they dont stop themselves when they happen either. The transition from military service to general absence of all logic. You dont know who the bad guy is. You dont know who the good guy is. Kill or be killed. Youre done. They dont train you how to come home. We just have to do more for them. I love the military. I always knew i was going to go in. I served in brothers. I think it just came to a head and i snapped. Six months went by that i just dont remember much of the physical problems. The headaches and no sleeping. The pain. Passing out. And or blacking out. Thats happening. The va for all these years would tell me, youre not a veteran. Then theyd want to see my actual paper work. They see the hard copies in front of them and then tell you, okay, but my computer says its not, sorry, you cant come in. Disgrace is the biggest under statement ever for that. If someone comes to us who served in the military whos a than Honorable Discharge, were by law not allowed to treat them. Congress sets the terms on who were allowed to treat and what the Eligibility Criteria are. They volunteered to serve. They didnt volunteer to get ptsd. I feel like were doing that. He may look okay. But they dont know what we deal with. I had faith that as an american, our soldiers would be treated. And that their injuries would be compensated for. I was naive. Because i believed in the system. The system doesnt work. Its a broken system. I miss that carefree, happy, intelligent, fun loving son that has been take and i miss that. When you got word that it would be upgraded, how did you find out . By letter. I wanted to call everyone and brag. And then strangle those that retribution. Not quite relief. But awesome. Because i knew from that day that i would get better i guess. You know. I was a sergeant before my 21st birthday. I was really good at taking photos of dead bodies. Thats not like the one thing that gets me with post Traumatic Stress disorder. Hearing explosions in the distance and not knowing if my friends were dead. It was getting shot at from who knows where. With bullets bouncing off the vehicle next to me. Suicide they threatened at one point to charge me with damaging government property, meaning myself, which is ridiculous. A pattern of misconduct generated from ptsd, thats not dishonorable conduct. Thats someone expressing symptoms. Could you imagine missing, you know, the first year of your childs life to serve in youre not a veteran. And a veteran who has an other than Honorable Discharge whos not allowed to get treatment at the va, whos more likely to be without a job. Whos more likely to be homeless. Who cant get a diagnosis from the va, because they dont qualify for health care, how do they prove they have ptsd, if they had an or tow pee difference orthopedist. They just needed a doctor. Why not a dermatologist . Exactly. I was there contending that postTraumatic Stress disorder and depression were the reasons that and an orthopedist decided that wasnt a legitimate case. Next at 7 00, how you can play a role in getting our servicemen and women in getting i served in the United States marine corp. I ed i served. I served. The third annual veterans day parade here in cleveland kicked off this afternoon, participants including representatives of all five branches of the military, the Shaw High School marching band, and several Community Service organizations. They protect our freedom, now they need our help. To battle ptsd, traumatic brain injury, and thoughts of suicide. Our digital docu series explains how to play a role in getting servicemen and women the help they deserve. . [ music ] . . These soldie hell. You dont know who the bad guy is. You dont know who the good guy is. Kill or be killed. The moment you drop your guard, the deployment. But they dont train you how to come home. We just have to do more for them. Brian was 17 when he went in the army. And he signed up as infantry. He just wanted to go in. He got his ged and his dad signed him in. Brian came home with ptsd and truematic brain injury. But i didnt realize i knew he would say he would forget things. And he would say where are we going guys . I got scrambled brains from iraq. At the georgia aquarium. I looked over at him and he goes, we got to go. With the people on the upper that reminded me of being in iraq with snipers on the roof. The last thing i said to him, i love you. He had called me and i said brian, and he said mom, why are we not friends on facebook . I said well, probably because youre 23 and im your mother. I said just hit me up. You know. And i think that was it. And then i said so this is the paper trail. This is the paper trail. This is the first deployment. Being back in iraq in the same areas, seeing the same roads brought up in memories. And i had some panic attacks early on. And it was embarrassing to be waking up screaming and my roommates would hear me. I cant imagine. Anxiety, so they put no go. They circled no go first. And then they crossed it out. That tells me they had hesitations on resending him. Im before you today to share hesitated in their mission to protect serve and sacrifice for our country. Its time for the va to prove their commitment to our soldiers. What are you doing to reduce the wait time . We cant allow any separation from the time the individual leaves the active duty service and they become a full fledged veteran. We want that to be entirely seemless. Thats what were working something. This is from 1978. They say in the study that Service Members with less than Honorable Discharges, it negatively effects them. It says it in here. Its the same thing. A u. S. President saw this was a problem 40 years ago. It was absolutely a warning a Little Health treatment. Not only in veterans hospitals but also let any veteran who cant get almost Immediate Care in a veterans hospital, let them go to private psychiatrists. You shouldnt have to wait days. You shouldnt have to wait weeks. You should get those services the very same day. Theyre not democratic vete a veterans. Theyre american veterans. Americans volunteered and sacrificed their lives. And put their lives on the line for us. Parties should never get in the way of benefits we promised the veterans. We should see to it they get them now. Only congress can modernize the archaic, archaic appeals thousands of vets who are locked out of the va, because they have an other than Honorable Discharge. Frankly its horrifying. Its not just an interest of fairness. Its in the interest of fulfilling americas promise veterans. Its just like charlie fox trot. You can get passed this. You have to work through it. You have to back up. You know you got it. Until you ask them tell me ability your charlie fox trot if another veteran is talking with you, youll open up. Because you can relate. Military people, we like to stick together. My servicemen something. Quit believing theyre broken. For someone to let me know they truly care about me, it meant the world to me. Helping other people gives us hope. Thats what moves us forward. Thats my duty. Thats what i owe you. Next at 7 00, we go along as local veterans are thanked for our nations capitol. Brought to you by the welcome back. Honor flights pay tribute to u. S. Veterans who have served our country. Veterans get an all expense paid trip to washington dc to visit memorials honoring their service. Our general manager recently went along with her dad. This is my dad. 18 years old. Old. On an honor flight cleveland trip to washington dc. It was started in ohio. Now with chapters in 43 states, honor flight takes veteran of the korean war. Each has a history and a story. They all remember their serial number. U. S. Army in tokyo japan. Lci like any military endeavor, the journey started very early. As vets and their guardians got organized, sang the National Anthem and rolled out. The team at Southwest Airlines sent us off brightly. But our folks had no idea what was waiting at the gate in baltimore. From cleveland ohio. The cleveland honor flight. As the veterans were being of soldiers and sailors, it was hard not to cry. And then, special moments between those looking back and those looking forward. As the bus left the airport, a salute of honor. We started at the Navy Memorial then on to what they most wanted to see, the world war ii memorial. It was a beautiful day. And a beautiful place to reflect on those who didnt come home and those who returned to become our greatest generation. The unknowned soldiers, we learned four veterans had been chosen to place the wreaths. We visited the air force, the marines, and a final stop at the korean war memorial. As we waited for the flight back to cleveland. I asked joe benedict why hes led these flights for ten years. My father was a vet and he had 50 years with the navy. He died the week the memorial opened up. It brings joy to me to watch them and be with them. 93yearold Eileen Dasher who still likes a man in uniform. My favorite part in the beginning was the cadets. It was an amazing day. The men and women were led toward home. Channel 3 news. Wow. Joining us now, some of the veterans who were also aboard thank you all for coming today. This is not the last time well say this today. But thank you so much for your service. Joining me now, joe benedict. How do people apply . The best way is online at our website. Honorflightcleveland. Com. Theres an application for guardians, veterans, and volunteers, fill it out and email it in or paper mail it in. How would you describe the years of doing it. Nothing like it. Make sure you know its free for the veterans. Good to know. So important. Admiral jim ryan of the United States coast guard is with us today. Thank you for being here. You brought along a special friend. We were introduced to eileen. The coast guard. Eileen dasher with us tonight. Why is it so important for their service. Theyre part of the living legends. We hear all the stories. Weve read it in the history books. But to hear it from somebody who was really there is awe inspiring. Having eileen and women like her truly changed the face of our service. Without women like her, there wouldnt be women like me. So important for the servicewomen of today. There. We want to thank you so much for watching. Thank you very much for your service. We salute all of you out there watching who have served our country. 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