CONUS Timeline (MH)

Just got my first VA payment + DoD after the offset.
Already got the first DFAS thing hit earlier this month for the 27 days in the month of retirement.

Weird feeling. After years of running hard, appointments, paperwork, stress, and trying to stay afloat - now the system says: "here’s your money."

Honestly don’t even know what to do with it.
Would trade the whole situation for good health and a normal life without hesitation.

But it is what it is. Time to keep moving forward somehow.

By the way:
- Tricare Prime experience: a joke...
- VA experience: consistently good

Interesting. HAve you found a good way to get educated on the different healthcare options? How to choose the right one for a family?

Tricare was supposed to be the backup plan. Turns out I already needed it.

Right after retirement I bought Tricare because I was still waiting on the VA final rating. Meanwhile the PCM and the clinic never got back to me despite probably 10 requests and directly talking to their office multiple times.

All that happened while the condition kept getting worse and time kept getting wasted.

That’s probably one of the hardest parts of this whole transition - you finally leave the machine, but you still depend on another machine to function.

zazoo said:

Just got my first VA payment + DoD after the offset.
Already got the first DFAS thing hit earlier this month for the 27 days in the month of retirement.

Weird feeling. After years of running hard, appointments, paperwork, stress, and trying to stay afloat - now the system says: "here’s your money."

Honestly don’t even know what to do with it.
Would trade the whole situation for good health and a normal life without hesitation.

But it is what it is. Time to keep moving forward somehow.

By the way:
- Tricare Prime experience: a joke...
- VA experience: consistently good

Click to expand...

How soon after you did the quicksubmit of your DD 214 did your claim populate in the app/website? Yesterday was my DD 214 day and have all the anxiety about it for some reason. Congrats btw!

Tireeeed said:

How soon after you did the quicksubmit of your DD 214 did your claim populate in the app/website? Yesterday was my DD 214 day and have all the anxiety about it for some reason. Congrats btw!

Click to expand...

That was like. the same day. Literally a few minutes, maybe few hours later. First the limited copy, then - the complete one.

A little update: 2 months later.

I am attending my VA appointments, taking my medications, and continuing the daily effort. It is becoming more difficult. Completing tasks now requires all of my energy, leaving nothing in reserve. This high-functioning depression is rapidly draining my remaining resources. Losing the purpose and going back to a world without structure/discipline has been bad. Could not re-engage w/ my hobbies :/
I got my handicapped and disabled veteran placards. While I am embarrassed to use them, they have become necessary. There have been several instances where I could not carry items to my car or push a shopping cart without significant struggle. No more Costco hauls for me. Only small batches every 2-3 days.
Signed up at a local gym. Went there twice. Too much emotional pressure. But I have to go back there to make life less crappy and possibly to re-ignite the purpose.
That is enough whining.
Take care of yourselves, and always advocate for your cause.
Wishing you all the best!