Date: 7/27/99
From: GARY WHITSON at banjerman@hotmail.com
To: U.S. Veteran Information at vets@raex.com
Subject: Making The System Work

I wrote you to say that in the spring of 1988 the va wrote saying they had made a mistake in 1974 when they awarded me 20% disabiity and were cutting me to 10%.I wrote them BACK at knoxville,nashville,washington and also the CNO-CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS, SEC.OF THE NAVY, SEC.OF DEFENCE, ALL OF MY REPS AND SENATORS, THE PRESIDENT AND HIS VICE PRES. I listed at the bottom of each letter,all of the intended recipients.

I told them that in 1974 i had signed paperwork opting for 20% permanent disability rather then 50% temporary disability for 5 years and if this paperwork hadn't been "accidentally burned" (as i have heard of happening) they would see that this constituted a contract between the va, navy, and myself. i got responses from all my contacts saying that while they couldn't help me directly,that they were asking the va to look into this matter firther.

45 days later i got a letter from the va stating that THEY had made the mistake and that indeed i would continue to recieve 20%.the va center advisor, who was at that time independent of the va, said that he had never seen or heard of such a quick response from the va, that it usually took 7/8 years, and that he was going to advise everyone to take their problems to the top and let the do do roll downhill. It sure worked for me.hope you get this.maybe if you can post it,it will help some else out.let me know whether or not all of this came through ok?