NEW VETERAN THANKFUL VFW 'STANDS UP FOR THE LITTLE GUY'
Monday, October 25, 2010

When a service-connected injury left Sgt. Raquel Watts with unbearable pain, VFW was there to have her back ...

When Gunnery Sergeant Raquel Watts returned from Iraq, she knew things weren’t right. She wasn’t sleeping. Pain in her back and legs was so excruciating she could barely walk. Piercing headaches plagued her day and night. The long months in Iraq had taken their toll.

A Marine for 20 years, Watts dismissed the pain and tried to endure it. But it became unbearable. That’s when she met Brian Jackson, VFW Pre-Discharge Claims Representative at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

“I was separating from the military, and I heard VFW could assist me with filing my claim,” she described.

Jackson helped Watts through the process from start to finish. She saw a physician who confirmed her injuries.

Today, Watts is proud to be back in school as a full-time student. She credits the VFW for giving her the flexibility to chase her dream of attending college without having to worry about how to support herself.

Most of all, Watts is thrilled VFW is there to assist new veterans with even more serious injuries.

“There are so many troops now returning that will need VFW on their side,” she said. “It wasn’t uncommon for service members to sustain injuries, get patched up and be sent right back into the field. Without help, those injuries will haunt them forever, especially psychological wounds.

“It’s fabulous that VFW stands up for the little guy,” she concluded.

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