World War II Veteran Laid to Rest in Michigan

The Year was 1944.  Robert McConachie was 17 years old and wanted to enlist and defend his country in World War II.  Because of his young age, his father, James McConachie, had to sign a waiver allowing him to join the armed forces.

His father acquiesced and Robert McConachie joined the United States Marine Corps.  He was killed in action in Okinawa on June 14, 1945, in the final months of the war.  He was just 18 years old when he gave his life for his country.  However, Pvt. McConachie’s remains went unidentified for nearly seventy years.

In 1987, Pvt. McConachie’s still unidentified remains were delivered to the Army’s Central Identification Lab in Hawaii.  Recent advancements in DNA testing, however, have helped the Pentagon link them to his brother.  This year, nearly seven decades after his death, Army analysts positively identified Pvt. McConachie’s remains using DNA analysis and dental records.

Pvt. McConachie made his final trip home to Michigan this year.  The Detroit native was buried on November 3 with full military honors at Fort Custer National Cemetery west of Battle Creek.  The fallen soldier’s family now has closure knowing that he has been laid to rest in his home state of Michigan.

On this Veterans Day, it is an important reminder to thank those who serve our country in the armed forces.  It is also a time to reflect on those, like Pvt. McConachie, who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we may continue to live in a free country.

If you are a veteran and need assistance with a disability benefits claim, contact the experts at Legal Help For Veterans.  You can reach us at 800/693.4800 or online at www.legalhelpforveterans.com. 

To learn more about Pvt. McConachie’s story, please visit: http://patch.com/michigan/wyandotte/world-war-ii-soldier-finally-laid-rest-0

Who is in the Backlog?

Jim Fausone

Veteran Disability Attorney

Ok, you have heard about the backlog of claims at VA.  But who is in that clog?  Vietnam era veterans account for the largest share of the 865,000 veterans stuck in the clog.  They are 37% of the clog according to VA statistics. The post 9-11 wars in Afghanistan and Iraq account for 20%. The remainder,43%, are from the 1991 Gulf War, Korea, World War II and times of peace. Some reasons are obvious - aging population and resulting increasing health issues and some reasons are subtle - changing attitudes.  This LA Times article discusses the clog and the reasons.

http://www.stripes.com/news/veterans/vietnam-veterans-new-battle-getting-disability-compensation-1.220697

PTSD: Is it Real?

Jim Fausone
Veterans Disability Lawyer

It would be easy to get made about this. But many people feel free to comment that PTSD is not a real condition.  I suspect they mean it’s not an "injury" that you can attribute to a single act or event. It is not a sprained knee or back.  You have to remember that some people believe the following (1) man has never walked on the moon; (2) the earth is flat ; (3)  one's race impacts one's intelligence; (4) global warming does not exist; (5) there is no god  and a variety of other commonly held believes are not true just because. 

So when I hear about the veteran and PTSD haters talk about PTSD, I just lump them in the "it takes all kinds" category.   In 2011, the VA listed the three most common service-connected disabilities among veterans receiving federal compensation that year: tinnitus (ringing in the ears) at 10.9 percent, hearing loss at 7.5 percent, and PTSD at 5.3 percent.   According to the VA the percentage of veterans of World War II and Vietnam who obtained disability compensation is 11 percent and 16 percent, respectively.  

So does that mean PTSD has been faked for the last 70 years?  I don’t think so.  Despite exhaustive scientific studies that have explored the symptoms, causes, diagnoses, and prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder, hardcore skeptics remain.  If you want to read about the skeptics see the following blog:

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/26/15395330-ptsd-may-be-overdiagnosed-but-ptsd-deniers-are-wrong-psychologists-say?lite