SAN ANTONIO OR BUST!!!

nwlivewire

nwlivewire

PEB Forum Regular Member
PEB Forum Veteran
I'm looking for any information about the VA medical services, Veteran serevices, and higher education systems serving San Antonio, TX.

Apartment rentals and Brokers, too - if I need one.

Will be 100% VA - 70% Army - PDRL. SSDI, too.

Planning to move from Oregon to San Antonio, TX, late Summer or Fall 2012.

I am aware of the ZERO property tax for 100% VA Vet on their primary residence in TX.

Looking for resources for Vets in this city of San Antonio.

Anyone know of something? Or website to Vet Orgs in San Antonio that are any good?

Also, do you know of a good/safe area of town to live in for a mature woman - looking to rent an apartment - single level - not too many stairs. Could use a good lead or two on Apartment Broker?

Thanks!

v/r,
nwlivewire
 
When I was at flight school there, it seemed that most of the nicer areas were North and North West of town up off of the loop between Randolph AFB and points West. I lived in a nice gated condo complex on North Nacodoches and it was affordable, safe and spacious. That was a while ago, though, so it may be different now...but worth a look up there. If you're a country fan, George Strait has a home on the Northwest side.:)
 
nwlivewire said:
I'm looking for any information about the VA medical services, Veteran serevices, and higher education systems serving San Antonio, TX.

Apartment rentals and Brokers, too - if I need one.

Will be 100% VA - 70% Army - PDRL. SSDI, too.

Planning to move from Oregon to San Antonio, TX, late Summer or Fall 2012.

I am aware of the ZERO property tax for 100% VA Vet on their primary residence in TX.

Looking for resources for Vets in this city of San Antonio.

Anyone know of something? Or website to Vet Orgs in San Antonio that are any good?

Also, do you know of a good/safe area of town to live in for a mature woman - looking to rent an apartment - single level - not too many stairs. Could use a good lead or two on Apartment Broker?

Thanks!

v/r,
nwlivewire
Click to expand...
San Antonio ='s BUST!!!!!!!! Just kidding livewire. Look at USAA's realtor program. They hooked me up with a great one. They have strict requirements so I would highly recommend their referral. I am not saying use USAA for a mortgage, but the other services were great for me.
 
Have not lived in San Antonio for years and to be honest, I would never voluntarily live there again. But if I had too, north side outside the second loop or west out past helotes. If job market is not a concern then id go for Dallas Ft. worth area if i wanted big city living. or Sherman and Denton if i just needed a big enough city to get by on. Now for education/arts/technology Austin area near the old texas instruments compound ( now TI, Ultra, L3 and other defense contractors). San Antonio is nothing but drought followed by floods with high crime. You do have a University of Texas Campus there as well as all your regular military groupie colleges ( wayland bapbtist, park, embry riddle, UoM, Phoenix etc.). Also in comparrison keep in mind, Oklahoma has the no property taxes for 100% vets and no Sales Tax, and includes all the other benefits like texas such as hunting fishing for free, free parks/museums etc. And the property is cheaper closer to the cities vs Texas.

Now San Antonio does have several major military medical centers Brooks army medical center(BAMC) and Wilford hall on lackland. But I know in 2004-2007 when I/family lived there the resources were still strained due to the high number of retirees. You have at least 3 military retirement homes plus all the active personnel from Lackland, Robins, Kelley USA, BAMC, FT Bliss, Brooks city base, etc.
 
TSgt Twitch said:
Have not lived in San Antonio for years and to be honest, I would never voluntarily live there again. But if I had too, north side outside the second loop or west out past helotes. If job market is not a concern then id go for Dallas Ft. worth area if i wanted big city living. or Sherman and Denton if i just needed a big enough city to get by on. Now for education/arts/technology Austin area near the old texas instruments compound ( now TI, Ultra, L3 and other defense contractors). San Antonio is nothing but drought followed by floods with high crime. You do have a University of Texas Campus there as well as all your regular military groupie colleges ( wayland bapbtist, park, embry riddle, UoM, Phoenix etc.). Also in comparrison keep in mind, Oklahoma has the no property taxes for 100% vets and no Sales Tax, and includes all the other benefits like texas such as hunting fishing for free, free parks/museums etc. And the property is cheaper closer to the cities vs Texas.

Now San Antonio does have several major military medical centers Brooks army medical center(BAMC) and Wilford hall on lackland. But I know in 2004-2007 when I/family lived there the resources were still strained due to the high number of retirees. You have at least 3 military retirement homes plus all the active personnel from Lackland, Robins, Kelley USA, BAMC, FT Bliss, Brooks city base, etc.
Click to expand...


WOW!

THANK-YOU ONE-AND-ALL for your candid responses!

Very much appreciated!

I was DoD retired with PDRL mid-APR 2012, and just recently rec'd my official VA post-IDES ratings/determinations - the post-retirement ones that count for the initial post-IDES/DoD retirement with the VA monthly compensation, off-sets, and all the rest. And so it appears, at least for the moment and for the immediate future, that my post-retirement income has stabilized and congealed into a known and predictable structure - however modest.

WHEW!

Financially, all I'm needing now - besides the foreclosure - is to get through these next three months with Social Security (SSDI just notified me that they made a computation error and are wanting me to repay them several thousand for their mistake that they say goes back five years), AND, the IRS tax issues that go back to my initial receipt of SSDI.

HOLY COW!

All I can write is that this phase is becoming a real, pain in the rear-end, three-ring financial circus. But at least I know the DoD/VA piece finanally came together (for awhile anyway).

**********

I originally started this thread thinking I would be able to relocate from Portland (PDX), Oregon, to San Antonio, Texas late this year.

But I am still stuck here in PDX, waiting on the bank to foreclose on my house (long story, and NO thanks to the Army for their "help" during my time in the Army Wounded Warrior CB/WTU - EPIC FAIL).

So while I'm in another phase of this "hold pattern", I'm continueing to find and pick up as many cards from my "Deck of Life" that seem to have been randomly scattered in this curious life game of "52 Card Pick-Up" that got played on me. I'm in the process of uncovering, recovering, AND discovering, life cards I can gather up with the hope of being able to restucture a new hand - albeit a different hand of cards to play from before. And to reconstitute some sembalance of a deck of playable cards I can draw from to strengthen this new hand in my "Game of Life" - cards/options that can afford me more elements of game control and strategic placement - the placement and timing of my life cards that will allow me to achieve a modicum of sensable life with balance and purposeful meaning.

Not sure where this next phase will lead me, but I'm opening up to the ideas of embracing both the knowns and unknowns.

So I thank you all for your references, observations, and inputs to this thread - and to so many more you all have posted.

Looking forward to getting through this current phase of my transition, and hoping the financial pieces that will be coming together soon will leave me enough to afford the move from Portland, Oregon, to San Antonio, Texas.

Stay tuned! Gotta love the Gov't bureaucracies....

SAN ANTONIO OR BUST!!!!

HAHAHA

V/r,
nwlivewire
 
I too lived in San Antonio for 5 years. I was not looking forward to it when I PCS'd there, but once I got there I fell in love. I lived on the Northwest side --Prue rd. and Babcock area. There are a few great apartment complexes there, that are new and even offer free Starbucks coffe every morning. This are is near San Antonio's medical center and also UTSA. Here you have several Dr.s and Nurses that like to live close to where they work. Also close on fredricksberg road is usaa's headquarters so you also have lots of these employee's living close by. Sure there is crime, but what can you expect when you are living in the 8th largest city in the US. You hear about crime alot, but remember there are millions of people here so it really is not that bad. Mainly the crime has to do witrh where you live. San Antonio's southside for example I would avoid at all costs, or near any of the bases, maybe with the exception of Randolph AFB in North/ north east San Antonio.

I would stay with the north/north west area. Do not buy or live inside loop 410----mainly trash lol

hope this helps, also check out a bar on Fredricksberg road called Oak Hills Tavern, right next to Blanco Cafe. My good friends Dave and Erin own this bar and it is great, laid back, and San Antonio's finest Dive Bar! and this is for anyone else too!
 
It is amazing how many people go through this process and end up financially broke. I would have thought that they (VA & DoD) would want to prevent this as much as possible. I still feel we are lucky because others lose everything and this really makes me angry. We (wife & self) have went through our savings and filed bankruptcy, if we had the VA money we would be good. I don't think we will lose the house or cars but my mother said we could move in with her. I'm awaiting my attorney to do his job now, why do I always pick the winners. He had wanted us to keep paying on the bills because it looked better for us in the future but I can't anymore. I just want to move anyplace but here and can't. This month I go red but because of not paying bills anymore, we are in the black in September. I told the Congressman about the bankruptcy and although they told me not to do it, I've heard nothing from him again. I did get another computer generated form letter from the VA after he contacted them, I needed another letter to put in the folder. 10 more months you say, I can't keep dodging former co-workers for ever.
 
nwlivewire said:
WOW!

THANK-YOU ONE-AND-ALL for your candid responses!

Very much appreciated!

I was DoD retired with PDRL mid-APR 2012, and just recently rec'd my official VA post-IDES ratings/determinations - the post-retirement ones that count for the initial post-IDES/DoD retirement with the VA monthly compensation, off-sets, and all the rest. And so it appears, at least for the moment and for the immediate future, that my post-retirement income has stabilized and congealed into a known and predictable structure - however modest.

WHEW!

Financially, all I'm needing now - besides the foreclosure - is to get through these next three months with Social Security (SSDI just notified me that they made a computation error and are wanting me to repay them several thousand for their mistake that they say goes back five years), AND, the IRS tax issues that go back to my initial receipt of SSDI.

HOLY COW!

All I can write is that this phase is becoming a real, pain in the rear-end, three-ring financial circus. But at least I know the DoD/VA piece finanally came together (for awhile anyway).

**********

I originally started this thread thinking I would be able to relocate from Portland (PDX), Oregon, to San Antonio, Texas late this year.

But I am still stuck here in PDX, waiting on the bank to foreclose on my house (long story, and NO thanks to the Army for their "help" during my time in the Army Wounded Warrior CB/WTU - EPIC FAIL).

So while I'm in another phase of this "hold pattern", I'm continueing to find and pick up as many cards from my "Deck of Life" that seem to have been randomly scattered in this curious life game of "52 Card Pick-Up" that got played on me. I'm in the process of uncovering, recovering, AND discovering, life cards I can gather up with the hope of being able to restucture a new hand - albeit a different hand of cards to play from before. And to reconstitute some sembalance of a deck of playable cards I can draw from to strengthen this new hand in my "Game of Life" - cards/options that can afford me more elements of game control and strategic placement - the placement and timing of my life cards that will allow me to achieve a modicum of sensable life with balance and purposeful meaning.

Not sure where this next phase will lead me, but I'm opening up to the ideas of embracing both the knowns and unknowns.

So I thank you all for your references, observations, and inputs to this thread - and to so many more you all have posted.

Looking forward to getting through this current phase of my transition, and hoping the financial pieces that will be coming together soon will leave me enough to afford the move from Portland, Oregon, to San Antonio, Texas.

Stay tuned! Gotta love the Gov't bureaucracies....

SAN ANTONIO OR BUST!!!!

HAHAHA

V/r,
nwlivewire
Click to expand...
At least Oregon has great "pain management" options. California and Washington are close seconds.
 
pittpan2005 said:
At least Oregon has great "pain management" options. California and Washington are close seconds.
Click to expand...


Yes. The Pacific Northwest, and in particular the two cities of Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington, have excellent and effective "pain management" centers. Many people use them quite frequently - especially during the winter months - and achieve their end result options quite quickly.

They're called bridges.

V/r,
nwlivewire
 
nwlivewire said:
Yes. The Pacific Northwest, and in particular the two cities of Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington, have excellent and effective "pain management" centers. Many people use them quite frequently - especially during the winter months - and achieve their end result options quite quickly.

They're called bridges.

V/r,
nwlivewire
Click to expand...
Ouch........sad but true.
 
pittpan2005 said:
Ouch........sad but true.
Click to expand...

Really sad for sure.

But that's the dark humor up here.

When I was up at WTU in JBLM, I suggested that they make available to every SM assigned to the WTU, a SADS light or lamp system.

I mean, here we are in the Pacific NW, an area with high suicide rates, and where do we put the injured SMs with Mental Health issues? Right in the heart of grey skies, wet weather, long, dark winters, and SADS country.

I would think that Ft.Lewis Mental Health would make available SADS lamps and issue them when requested and needed. Sure beats issueing out tons more pills. Could make a difference to many SMs in the WTU up there.

V/r,
nwlivewire
 
I thought that pitt was talking about all the "medicinal" joints (pun intended) up there in the Northwest.:D I flew a lot of missions out of Fairbanks, Alaska...talk about depressing...especially during winter solstice. Wondered why they sold liquor everywhere up there, after a few weeks I figured it out.:eek:
 
usafaviator said:
I thought that pitt was talking about all the "medicinal" joints (pun intended) up there in the Northwest.:D I flew a lot of missions out of Fairbanks, Alaska...talk about depressing...especially during winter solstice. Wondered why they sold liquor everywhere up there, after a few weeks I figured it out.:eek:
Click to expand...
I was!!
 
nwlivewire said:
Really sad for sure.

But that's the dark humor up here.

When I was up at WTU in JBLM, I suggested that they make available to every SM assigned to the WTU, a SADS light or lamp system.

I mean, here we are in the Pacific NW, an area with high suicide rates, and where do we put the injured SMs with Mental Health issues? Right in the heart of grey skies, wet weather, long, dark winters, and SADS country.

I would think that Ft.Lewis Mental Health would make available SADS lamps and issue them when requested and needed. Sure beats issueing out tons more pills. Could make a difference to many SMs in the WTU up there.

V/r,
nwlivewire
Click to expand...
That's actually a good idea. Have you approached anybody with it?
 
pittpan2005 said:
That's actually a good idea. Have you approached anybody with it?
Click to expand...

You bet I did!

Having lived in the Pacific NW for decades, I am very aware of SADS. The SADS lamps was the first thing I suggested to these people at JBLM - back when they first stood up the WTU in late 2007, as I had just got assigned myself to that unit. I stayed for a year up there before finally getting to my HOR in Portland, Oregon - 135 miles South of JBLM.

But I guess the SADS issue and solutions went in one ear and out the other. "Mental Health issues? What Mental Health issues? Why, all we have is alot of SMs with "Adjustment Disorder", and that's correctable with UCMJ and an admin discharge! Why do we need to buy/invest in SADS equipment for WTUs? They're on their way out anyway. That's something the VA can look into."

That's the type of response/reaction I got about this SADS issue and possible solution when I was at WTU/JBLM. After all, I was just an old, Army broken, WTU female Enlisted. I wasn't a 30 year-old Army Officer Doctor who just got here from Florida. They knew everything. After all, "Father knows Best".

Maybe if someone up there says something now, maybe the brass up there will consider this now. Especially since it's harder for them to deny/delay/dilute Mental Health issues like they were doing for years up there. Perhaps JBLM will really start to look at and impliment holistic options for SMs up there now, and put more tools in their tool boxes that include other options besides delay/denial and Big Pharma Dope for WTU SMs.

V/r,
nwlivewire
 
nwlivewire said:
You bet I did!

Having lived in the Pacific NW for decades, I am very aware of SADS. The SADS lamps was the first thing I suggested to these people at JBLM - back when they first stood up the WTU in late 2007, as I had just got assigned myself to that unit. I stayed for a year up there before finally getting to my HOR in Portland, Oregon - 135 miles South of JBLM.

But I guess the SADS issue and solutions went in one ear and out the other. "Mental Health issues? What Mental Health issues? Why, all we have is alot of SMs with "Adjustment Disorder", and that's correctable with UCMJ and an admin discharge! Why do we need to buy/invest in SADS equipment for WTUs? They're on their way out anyway. That's something the VA can look into."

That's the type of response/reaction I got about this SADS issue and possible solution when I was at WTU/JBLM. After all, I was just an old, Army broken, WTU female Enlisted. I wasn't a 30 year-old Army Officer Doctor who just got here from Florida. They knew everything. After all, "Father knows Best".

Maybe if someone up there says something now, maybe the brass up there will consider this now. Especially since it's harder for them to deny/delay/dilute Mental Health issues like they were doing for years up there. Perhaps JBLM will really start to look at and impliment holistic options for SMs up there now, and put more tools in their tool boxes that include other options besides delay/denial and Big Pharma Dope for WTU SMs.

V/r,
nwlivewire
Click to expand...
Well, I would love to see it, but that goes against not only military medicine, but our mainstream medical community. It took three Congressmen and a complaint of wrongs against an MTF CO in Washington to receive a referral to the only specialist in WA state for my medical condition. JBLM's head of infectious disease was nice enough to call me over the phone and inform me that I did not have my diagnosed medical condition and all my blood tests, etc. were invalid(modern tests the military doesn't use). He refused to even see me for an evaluation. It was nice of him. Nothing like having three separate health insurance policies, but forced to pay out of pocket for care..........I am getting better and that's all that matters.
 
pittpan2005 said:
Well, I would love to see it, but that goes against not only military medicine, but our mainstream medical community. It took three Congressmen and a complaint of wrongs against an MTF CO in Washington to receive a referral to the only specialist in WA state for my medical condition. JBLM's head of infectious disease was nice enough to call me over the phone and inform me that I did not have my diagnosed medical condition and all my blood tests, etc. were invalid(modern tests the military doesn't use). He refused to even see me for an evaluation. It was nice of him. Nothing like having three separate health insurance policies, but forced to pay out of pocket for care..........I am getting better and that's all that matters.
Click to expand...


Well, if "medicine is an art - not a science", a phrase used when this institution makes medical mistakes in order to dilute the impact of this "art" they practice on SMs, then perhaps this institution needs to broaden the color choices and brush strokes they can place on their palettes.

And the insurance companies ought to get on board with insuring more options, because in the end, finding the right "mix" could/will bring about EFFECTIVE treatment. They may even discover that effective medical/psychiatric treatments are cost effective, too.

As a layperson and not a medical practicioner, I can't help but wonder if the "for-profit" (profitteering) Big Pharma Dope companies have too much influence in the development of military medical/psychiatric practices/options on the types of medical/psychiatric options that are or could be available to use that DON"T involve, or could minimize, the use primary use of Big Parma Dope (the color of Green).

In the end, regardless of any of the above, the evolution of the medical "arts" seems institutionally hobbled by the very participants that proport to advance and improve the efficacy of treament care options.

This aspect of military care, combined with restricted use/denial of insurance coverage, creates just another Green monochrome painting, with various shades of monchrome color being used as the only "viable" solutions to a finished product - efficacy of treatment being the finished painting. It's time to unshackle the medical arts with more choices of color and brush strokes.

As a taxpayer, I've grown weary of going into the "red" by having to pay for this monochrome result, only to end up with a paid for medical "solution" or evolution of the medical arts that only shows up as "green" for the corporate players.

V/r,
nwlivewire
 
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