I did 23 years as a full time Army Reserve Technician a year after my mobilization for Operation Enduring Freedom, I experienced a heart attack that ended my Army Reserve Career; and it seemed like WRAMC did not know that I existed!
As I have written in the below article I was Not covered by TRICARE at that time, as my active duty protection had just run out! For over two years medical bills, and bureaucratic paperwork where piling up. The Army Reserve Command told me to be patient.
I was even allowed to contact the top brass directly, (which is unheard of as an NCO) but it did little good, and it seemed we would lose our home!
My local Congressional Representative Wayne Gilchrest, of Maryland did much to try and help me; but the Army never responded. So one day in desperation for my home, I decided to try and contact Senator John McCain, of Arizona with my problem.
To my amazement and pleasant surprise, Senator McCain took on my case!
He did not know me from “Adam” yet this man decided to go to bat for, little ol me!
Wow, I was stunned and a couple weeks later an angry Army Captain called, asking me what my problem was... I knew she had the congressional investigation report “sitting in her lap” yet, I could only report one issue.
She explained to me that a war was on, and how I should have used an Army hospital instead of the Navy’s- Military Treatment Facility yada, yada, yada.
So I responded to her that I was authorized and encouraged by the Army to use the Navy at Bethesda, for my care. Furthermore if I only got one complaint I can make it was:
That the Army had not even contacted me in over two years, and “with all due respect” that is my complaint Captain.
Well it had been only a couple weeks since I wrote to Sen. McCain, but the Army was starting to schedule me to meet their doctors pertaining to my medical retirement.
They were very impressed by the Navy’s documentation on me and by December of 2007, I was retired having full benefits’!
I actually feel bad for other troops, which waited and struggled longer and harder than I had too...
But it was Senator John McCain who was aware of these problems when no other candidates’ for President were.
In fact some “staffer” must have given Sen. Hillary Clinton some bad information, as she did that article in Newsweek about Reservists having private health care and thought everything was ok.
Well that article maybe half true at best, but when you are hurt in the Line of Duty and other health care providers get involved, it becomes a bureaucracy of red tape and bills that the government ends up paying for anyhow! So it is much better being treated at a military treatment facility covered by TRICARE, than having to hand carry all medical documentations and bills around, playing phone tag with a doctor to make an appointment, and then having to resubmit all documentation to your C.O. to forward to the command and TRICARE for approvals, rather than just putting you in the Hospital’s computer system as a TRICARE insurance customer!
Well today, thanks in large part too Senator John McCain, the Military now has TRICARE Reserve select for all its Reserve Members!
Thank you very much for helping me and others like me John McCain, you truly do put others and Country above yourself!
