Am I elgible for the VA Directive?

[Guest Jade T]

Hi everyone,

I am curious about the VA directive, I have read about it, but am unsure how to proceed. I am not registered with the VA but I am a OIF war vet from the Army. I left Active Duty with a Honorable Discharge and just left the Reserves with a General Under Honorable Conditions. Would I be qualified for the VA since I do not have any service connected disablilites?

There was a time I started getting the doctors appointments and paperwork needed but I stopped and skipped out on the first exam for the VA. I was too worried to tell people about my major depression and gender dysphoria. What steps would I take to use the VA's policy? Would I tell the doctors who examine me about my gender dysphoria? I guess they would figure it out anyways as I am living full time as a female now. Any help or direction would be greatly appreciated =). I guess I REALLY should of payed more attention when I was in ACAP but I had a PSG that still wanted me to manage my squad and work on ETSing/clearing at the same time.

Thanks all!

Jade

[Guest Danielle J]

Jade as long as you have an honorable discharge you are eligilble for VA benefits. Just take your DD214 into your local VA rep and they will help you get registered. They are covering my HRT with no problems.

Hugs Danielle

[Guest Jade T]

Thank you for the info Danielle. So after I speak to my local VA rep, will they refer me to who I need to see? Would I just tell my VA rep that I am seeking gender counseling and help transitioning? Or should I ask the VA for the help of a counselor and tell her (the counselor) discreetly? Sorry for all the questions, this process is very new to me and I am unsure of how the VA rep will react if I tell them I am transgender. I prefer that secret lies only with me and the people who need to know.

I am concerned about causing a big scene around me. I remember having an inicident at a Wal-Mart where the cashier almost refused to sell me some red wine after she ID'd me. After looking at my picture, she proceeded to repeatedly and REALLY loudly ask if I was really my male name listed on the ID. She kept on asking even after I answered yes to her question. I personally felt that she did that to belittle and mock me in front of those around us. I felt embarassed and at risk after being "outed." If anyone took exception to me being me, I could of been at risk thanks to her actions. If she had any doubts or reservations, she could of easily called a manager instead of what she did.

Needless to say, I would hate to be outed like that in a VA center where the possibility of bodily harm is definitely a reality. I know most of us vets are nice, stand up people. But I also know that certain vets can be very prejudiced when it comes to issues such as this, as evidenced by having all my former Battle Buddies but two completely ignore me and pretend I do not exist.

Hugs,

Jade

[Guest Caroline Anne]

Jade,

How are things? Have you been to the VA yet? Do you still have questions?

[Guest Amanda Whyte]

Without being a military retiree and without having any service conected disabilities you have 6 years after discharge you can use the VA due to your OIF service. After this 6 years it has to do with your income. I am an honorably discharged vet that works for the VA and I cant use the VA due to making too much money. Also the VA has a directive that explicitly states you are to be treated as your chosen gender and not necessarily your birth gender so you are good there. They will cover the HRT from what I hear, and from what Daniel says but not your GRS. They do not do nor pay for GRS. Let me know if you have any more questions about the VA. I will try to find them out for you.

Any VA hospital can help you with this. I am not sure about branch clinics, they may send you to the hospital for your first appointment to get qualified.

[Guest Jade T]

Jade,

How are things? Have you been to the VA yet? Do you still have questions?

Hi Caroline, Things are going well with the VA and all. It turns out I was already enrolled in the VA healthcare system back in 2010. I guess I signed up back then when I was thinking about asking for help for my major depression and suicidal thoughts. I just never underwent the orientation and initial checkup by a healthcare provider. So I went to the VA again on Monday and filled out a re-enrollment form called VA Form 10-10 EZR this time using my identified gender and "Jade" as my name used in the "Other Names Used" block. Hopefully they should figure it out when they see my gender "change" from male to female and see a new name for what name I prefer to use. Surprisingly, the staff and people at the VA were very friendly towards me; I was very pleased with my experience . I was sort of expecting that by the time I left the hospital, I would have half of the staff and patients at the hospital to be hot on my heels with me running for my life lol.

Without being a military retiree and without having any service conected disabilities you have 6 years after discharge you can use the VA due to your OIF service. After this 6 years it has to do with your income. I am an honorably discharged vet that works for the VA and I cant use the VA due to making too much money. Also the VA has a directive that explicitly states you are to be treated as your chosen gender and not necessarily your birth gender so you are good there. They will cover the HRT from what I hear, and from what Daniel says but not your GRS. They do not do nor pay for GRS. Let me know if you have any more questions about the VA. I will try to find them out for you.

Any VA hospital can help you with this. I am not sure about branch clinics, they may send you to the hospital for your first appointment to get qualified.

Hi Amanda, thank you for the information . It definitely helped clarify things for me and I am more at ease using the VA system.

Thanks all!

Jade

[MackenzieB]

If you try to do a name change you may have to provide a copy of a court order or a driver's license with the new name. I also work at a VA and had to show the court order, even though I only use the VA for the employee health department.

[Guest Jade T]

Ah I see. So I need a driver's license with a new name before I get my name legally changed? For me to get my driver licensed changed, I need to go see a GT for a letter first right?

Hugs,

Jade

[MackenzieB]

Ah I see. So I need a driver's license with a new name before I get my name legally changed? For me to get my driver licensed changed, I need to go see a GT for a letter first right?

Hugs,

Jade

Not necessarily. It depends upon your State. Here (WA) you do your legal name change, then your Doctor fills out a Dept of Licensing form. You mail or fax it in and if approved, You get a letter stating that you're approved. Then you take the letter back to DOL and get a new license. It took me less than 2 weeks total.

You do not have to change your name to get Trans care from the VA. It might be less ackward than going to the women's care clinic and waiting until Frank, George or ???? (insert your name here) gets called out in the waiting area. But hopefully they'd be more sensitive than that.

[Guest carolynn2fem]

Jade Glad to seeYour in good hands here. Sorry about the walmart incodent. guessing She had some of her own insecurity issues.