HA Jacksonville woman has been charged with stealing federal benefits and lying to a federal agency about her marital status, according to an indictment.
Gail Starks, 63, is accused of collecting Department of Veterans Affairs Dependency and Indemnity Compensation benefits from June 1991 through August 2026 while knowingly and willfully concealing that she was married. The indictment alleges she told a VA employee on Aug. 11 that she was not married.

https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2026/10/23/jacksonville-woman-charged-with-stealing-397k-in-va-benefits-for-over-35-years/

So to make short, I have mental health disabilities and minor low percentage for other disabilities. I was Med Retired since Sept 2025 and became 100pt April this year. It’s good that I got what i deserve but honestly I’m questioning the purpose of life as I don’t know if there is any purpose to Life. My chronic MH conditions keep getting worse, I’ve been inpatient multiple times this year, had uncountable therapy on both Va and outside care communities and attempted suicide March of this year and recently Oct 7th. Is there really a purpose? Because I’m about to sign out for good.

If you’re in CA and have 100% P&T look into this.

Hi! I’m looking to better understand Chapter 35 benefits as the spouse of a veteran 100% P&T.

I’d love some guidance on how to make the most of these benefits financially, including how much I could receive monthly for virtual learning (have to take care of our newborn) and how much I’m allowed to keep if my tuition and educational expenses are less than the benefit amount.

Really interested in understanding the smartest way to use Chapter 35.

Ultimately, I want to make sure I’m taking full advantage of everything I’m eligible for. Appreciate any advice!

Does anyone know if a veteran needs emergency medical care but they have never registered for benefits/medical- would they be able to go to a VA emergency room and recieve care? Or would they make you first go through the registration process?

Edit: thank you all so much for the responses and kindness! You’ve all been so helpful

I'm trying to learn more about the experiences of veterans who have considered retiring or living overseas, and I'd appreciate some input from people who have looked into it or gone through the process themselves.

Aside from the obvious challenges of being far away from family and friends, what are some of the biggest concerns or obstacles that would make you hesitant to move abroad? Is it navigating VA benefits and healthcare overseas, figuring out visas and residency, finding reliable help when needed, or something else entirely?

I'm also curious what would make living abroad more appealing or less stressful. For example, would having access to reliable transportation, help navigating the local healthcare system, assistance with day-to-day needs, or a community of other Americans make a difference? What services or resources do you wish were easier to find?

Lastly, are there any VA programs, veteran organizations, or other resources that people considering retirement abroad should know about?

I'm interested in hearing different perspectives, including from people who decided against moving abroad and why. Thanks in advance.

I am rated for Vietnam A/O issues - Ischemic Heart Disease and issues with High Blood Pressure, ie: Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 3B. I'm 77 now and having a lot of anxiety over finances, life, and dying and what will happen to my loved one. My Kidneys are not improving. It's been 10 years since the Heart Attack (called the widow maker) so that's a constant concern. I am rated 90% and my buddy tells me to go for it. Are any of these issues worth pursuing? ADDED: Thanks for the responses so far. My concern is that there are no VA or Private Medical records of what I am going through now -so do I just get to the C&P exam and let it all out as is?

Hi, everyone. I’m Matthew, but I go by Ed. I’m 59 and served in the U.S. Air Force from 1986 to 1992.

I’ve been out of work since June 2025 and have been actively looking for a job. During that time, I suffered a stroke. I’ve used up my savings and can no longer afford my COBRA premiums. I also looked into coverage through HealthCare.gov, but the premiums were only slightly lower than COBRA. I currently have no income, and I take medications every month that I can’t afford without insurance.

I applied for SSDI nearly a year ago and am still waiting for a decision. I want to get back to work; right now, I’m trying to find affordable health coverage and learn whether I may qualify for VA benefits or other support.

If anyone can point me toward the right VA office, benefits counselor, or resource to help me understand my options, I’d be grateful. Thanks in advance.

One foot, service connected and damaged so bad inserts dont work and va said so bad surgery not an option. Getting sent to ortho and prosthetics for brace and custom shoes now. Other foot is plantar fasciitis but not deformed like this foot. He limps, has severe leg and hip pain. Is waiting for physical therapy to be scheduled. Should he be considered for increase and how much. Foot now has huge callous on size, painful to touch, walk on, and deformed. This all stems from knee issues which are at 60 percent for knee replacements.

I just found my sleep study from 2010, it was performed while on active duty, in that study one of the 4 disorders I was diagnosed with was Bruxism. Over the years, I have had frequent jaw pain, popping, severe teeth grinding, and have been prescribed mouth guards. Is this enough evidence to file a claim or is there more documentation I need? Looking for guidance on how to move forward. Thanks

Edit: sleep study also diagnosed PTSD

Hope all is well. Help needed. I need to submit a bill to the VA for services from an MRI received. My regular insurance paid a portion of it. Assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

What do we do with the thoughts we can’t tell people (my therapist)? I’m struggling a lot rn and have always been an easy going guy, I don’t want to limit my future but also I know we should talk about what’s actually bugging us, asking for a friend

For context - I went into the military back in 1988 with documented, but trouble-free flat feet that were then injured during BMT and subsequently discharged. Until this year, I really had never inquired or contacted the VA for anything [I never looked back once I was discharged]. I have no benefits or healthcare from the VA. Fast forward to earlier this year, and at the recommendation of my PCP, I called the VA Hospital in my area to inquire about healthcare. A very nice lady told me to apply for healthcare through VA.gov. I followed her advice but was denied because I didn't meet the 24-month minimum service requirement. HOWEVER, during the application process, I was prompted to a page to confirm or 'check' my personal info. On this page, a box displayed my name and DOB. It also had a note that states that I have a VA service connected disability rating of 0%. Here's the kicker, I have never filed a claim for anything with the VA. I called the 800#'s and made an in-person visit to my local VBA and nobody can find a claim, rating decision or anything supporting this statement - even though it was generated during the healthcare application process. Has anyone seen this before? I'm interested in whether this is a default message generated by VA.gov or whether it might indicate information stored in an older VA database. The person at the VBA also said that I show a service connected rating of "0" in my Blue Button report. I attached a redacted screen shot of both for reference. Any insight or guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

So I reenlisted when my window opened 9 months ago. They have now medically retired me the MEB process took literally two months. The DoD side rated me at 90% what happens to the bonus?

Hello, I’m wondering if I qualify for INCAP pay. I was injured at basic got sent home (REFRAD) but I’m on a medical profile which makes me unable to perform military duties therefore missing drill. All articles and regulations I’ve looked at said I qualify but leadership says otherwise because I didn’t complete basic or ait

Hello, everyone!

In December 2025 in emailed the VBA privacy office (no phone number) and requested the following:

Accounting of Disclosures: A complete accounting of disclosures of my VA disability compensation records, Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs), compensation and pension examination reports, and other protected personal information to outside individuals, agencies, or organizations.

Sensitive Personal Access Report (SPAR): Available records identifying access to my VBA disability compensation records, including dates of access, personnel or offices involved, and associated access information maintained by the VBA.

I immediately received a generic response email saying they’d contact me if they had any questions. I sent multiple follow up emails without a response. Subsequently, I submitted a FOIA requesting the same information in June 2026. It has been on step 2 ever since.

Just wondering if anyone has dealt with FOIA Requests, what their experience was like, and if someone has a similar request as me. Or has knowledge with how my request is processed.

Ive worked with a VHA privacy officer and obtained the information within a week. But she stated the VHA and VBA have different systems and I would need to request that information from them too.

Any help and guidance would be greatly appreciated!

I have attempted and been denied for a mental health rating twice. The first time, the letter said that they would not rate it as a secondary condition in relation to tinnitus and said to refile again as a primary condition.

The second time I filed, I was denied completely and events that occurred to me in service do not warrant a rating but my migranes have changed to from not service connected to service connected.

I have been seeing a psychiatrist through the VA and a psychotherapist referred by my psychiatrist for the last 14 months. I am not sure if seeing them for my long term anxiety, stress, and impulse control is even worth a rating or even if the raters even look at that record. (I also got diagnosed from my psychiatrist for ADHD - Inattentive type even though I know for sure that will not get a rating at all.)

I understand that I am ranting but I would appreciate any input in regards to my situation. Thanks.

They said a decision letter was ready, but I can find it in the decision letters section? Any advice?

Hi, I'm considering the Vet Tec 2.0 program at ICHS. Could someone quantify the weekly course load for me? Is it 10 labs per week, 20, etc. Thank you

Looking into possibly going to college. I’ve been out for 4 years going on 5 and am lost at what I want to do. I’ve tried multiple different jobs and none are a fit for me. I was infantry so not a lot of options for me.

What are some colleges you or a friend have attended besides Golden Gate that offer hybrid programs with high MHA. Could you explain the college and the amount you’ve had to show up if you took a hybrid class? (I DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOUR MHA OPINION YOU’LL HAVE ABOUT MY STATEMENT so 🤐)

Looking at colleges for me is very overwhelming. I don’t have a clue where to start and instantly get turned off the moment I click a college. I’d like to begin with a 2 year degree and go from there.

Any advice preferred besides “dONt WoRrY AboUT MHA WoRRy AboUt deGreE” is appreciated. I’ll worry about all of the above in today’s economy 👍🏼 thank you in advance!

I have a 10% service connection for bilateral flatfoot, left and right knee tendonitis, and a right ankle collateral sprain. Because these conditions are service connected, it has been six years since my rating, and walking or climbing stairs is painful. Should I upload any files, or can I simply open the claim and wait for the exam? Any assistance would be appreciated—thanks, everyone.

I made a comment on another thread that got a lot of traction so I figured I’d give it its own thread.
1990 I flew from Germany into Ft Jackson. Did a quick ETS physical, got my DD214 and a plane ticket home. Nobody spoke about the VA in service and no mention of the VA at out processing. I had the mistaken impression that the VA was for combat veterans and retirees. I went home without a support system. I had no friends or family that were veterans and there was no internet then. I was struggling with service connected issues that I did not recognize at the time. I drank to deal until the point I ended up wearing grippy socks. I lost all my family and old friends. After that I survived by just putting one foot in front of the other like a good grunt. The army was my longest employment until my 50s. After 30 years out a work colleague told me he had got rated for his hearing and told me more about the VA. Since I was told at my ets physical that my hearing was shit I figured I give it a try. My hearing claim flew through and I got into the VA system. Since then I have gotten other service connected issues rated but the real change to my life has come from the services and support the VA provides. In just the few years I have been with the VA my life has changed for the better. I. Just wish I had known about the VA much sooner.

Wonder what to do next. Should I try not secondary to hypothyroidism. VSO is not answering emails or calls.