Discharge Upgrades & Character of Discharge Review (COD) | Veteran Education

Texas Veterans Legal Aid Week (November 7-11, 2022) is an annual celebration of our services to Veterans. Texas has the second-highest population of veterans in the nation. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs’ annual survey of homeless and formerly homeless Veterans, legal issues account for five of the top 10 unmet needs of homeless Veterans. Obtaining access to free legal services can be critical for veterans to get the benefits and support they need for themselves and their families.
The Texas Access to Justice Foundation provides funding to nonprofit organizations that provide free legal services to Veterans. Each year, legal aid organizations provide free legal services to more than 8,000 Texas Veterans. Legal aid organizations and pro bono lawyers can provide legal representation to Veterans with civil legal problems, including:
- Denial of critical medical care
- Problems receiving benefits
- Legal issues related to disabilities
- Family law matters arising from deployment
- Other issues that may arise due to a veteran’s absence from home during military service
To celebrate Texas Veterans Legal Aid week, we are hosting live presentations on Facebook Live all week! Tune-in at 11 AM daily at LoneStarLegalAid. Topics below:
- Monday, November 7 - Survivors’ Benefits
- Tuesday, November 8 - Discharge Upgrades - Character of Discharge Review (COD)
- Wednesday, November 9 - Services Connected and Non-Service Connected Disability
- Thursday, November 10 - Texas Specific Veteran Benefits
- Friday, November 11th - Education Benefits and Home Loans with Community Partner, Homes for Heroes
For information on veteran-specific legal assistance:
📞 Call toll-free, Monday through Friday, 8am-4pm 1-844-400-VETS (8387)
✉️ Email [e-mail]
🌐 Visit www.lonestarlegal.org
DISCLAIMER: This presentation is intended to serve as legal information and does not replace legal advice.
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About Lone Star Legal Aid
Lone Star Legal Aid is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income and underserved populations. We protect and advance the civil legal rights of the millions of Texans living in poverty.
We focus our resources on:
- Maintaining, enhancing, and protecting income and economic stability;
- Preserving housing;
- Improving outcomes for children;
- Establishing and sustaining family safety and stability, health and well-being; and
- Assisting populations with special vulnerabilities, like those with disabilities, or who are elderly, homeless, or have limited English language skills.
We serve 72 counties in Texas and 4 in Arkansas, an area that covers one-third of the state, including almost 60,000 square miles from Texarkana, down the Louisiana-Texas Gulf Coast state-line, to Matagorda Bay, and into Central Texas, an area with over 2 million Texans eligible for free legal services.
We have 14 offices, and cover many practice areas, including consumer, landlord tenant, foreclosure, public benefits, environmental justice, disaster recovery, tax relief, fair housing, family law, domestic violence, sexual assault, crime victim rights, veterans benefits, and more.
Lone Star Legal Aid does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.
Contact Lone Star Legal Aid for more information on legal assistance:
📞 1 [phone]
🌐 www.lonestarlegal.org
#veteran #military #law

[@rvalatinofotografia]

I recently found out in January 2023 about the clinical documentation on the Toxic effects of The Camp Lejeune water issue. Stating that the chemicals in the water TCE and PCE caused neurobehavioral issues among the soldiers that caused them to get discharged with bad paper. Which makes me question the mindset of the decision making back then in the 70's by NCO's and Officers since they also drank the same water and ate the food prepared with the water from the mess halls. Everybody stationed on base was affected by the toxicity. I served from 1972-1975 and was kicked out!
Here is part of the clinical study done on the toxins from Camp Lejeune:
Neurobehavioral effects are conditions that have to do with the way the brain communicates with the nervous system, according to the National Institutes of Health. These effects can manifest as behavioral, emotional, physical or learning problems. Brain injury, illness or exposure to toxins - such as the chemicals in contaminated water from Camp Lejeune - can cause neurobehavioral effects. The symptoms of neurobehavioral effects depend on how much damage the brain has sustained. People with neurobehavioral effects typically report experiencing changes in mood, personality, attention and memory. Other neurological effects manifest as motor dysfunction, including coordination or balance problems.
Certain chemicals can seriously affect the part of the brain that controls motor function and cause tremors, ticks and even Parkinson’s disease.
Symptoms of neurological effects include:
Anxiety
Changes in mood or personality
Confusion
Depression
Dizziness
Fatigue
Headaches
Insomnia
Involuntary muscle movements (dystonia or dyskinesia)
Irritability
Learning disorders
Memory problems
Motor problems (balance, coordination, etc.)
Parkinson’s disease
Poor concentration
Tension
Tremors
Neurobehavioral effects from exposure to toxic chemicals may last anywhere from a few minutes to several years. Mild effects from low levels of chemicals and short exposures may be reversible, but severe damage from long-term chronic exposure to high levels of chemicals may be permanent.
The maximum safe contaminant levels for TCE in drinking water is 5 parts per billion (parts per billion). Levels of TCE in contaminated Camp Lejeune water plants was an average of 366 ppb. Levels of perchloroethylene (PCE), benzene and vinyl chloride were also far above safe limits.
Marines at Camp Lejeune could have consumed as much as one to two quarts of water an hour and showered twice per day during training, according to a Camp Lejeune report from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Contaminated water was also used in hospitals, schools, homes and other areas around the base, exposing civilians and family.
I was discharged with other than Honorable Discharge back in 1975, aka "Bad Paper" on numerous charges of disrespect, not following orders, not standing at attention, not picking up cigarette butts, etc. was sent for a psych eval and was diagnosed back in May 1974 with Mood Depression Psychosis, yet was kicked out for the Good of the service UD discharge, and labeled a recidivist. All because I was under the toxic influence of the water. Also the NCO's and Officers making decisions while under the same influence. In my medical records it show that I complained of Nausea, Insomnia, Blood in Urine, Abdominal Cramps, etc. Opening up a big can of worms now 48 years later. Back then the Doctors did not know nothing about the toxicity causing all the problems with Marines. i know that in my company at least 30-40 Marines were kicked out the same way, behavioral issues. This is all readily available information on the internet now. I applied 3 times for an upgrade from as early as 1975, all 3 times denied by the review board. All this new information about the effects the toxins had on us is medical proof that we were all affected by these disorders and have never been treated by the VA. I want justice now after 48 years of shame!!! You should make a video on this issue to help all us Marines all out.

[@thomasryan2679]

22 minutes is too long to watch.

[@lonestarlegalaid]

If you or someone you know are interested in getting a discharge upgrade, please visit www.lonestarlegal.org/services/military-and-veterans-unit/ to learn more.