Mark, Veteran, 37 Spokane, Washington

I’m Mark. I served eight years in the Army, did two tours overseas. When I finished and left, I had to take a job at a lumberyard but it didn't pay much. That’s when I began noticing I was having trouble hearing people. After years of VA appointments, they told me I had a disability from the work I did at a firing range.

They said there would be some payment for it, but I’ve never received anything. In the meantime, I’ve been trying to get by with a hearing aid so I can do my job without a problem. I tell people about it during interviews, but it feels like that’s when they stop calling me back.

I just want to make enough to live a normal life. I’m not sure how I proceed from here.

Eli’s Response: Mark, veterans deserve better than broken promises and endless waiting. Hearing loss from service isn’t just a line on a medical chart, it’s something that affects your work, your opportunities, and your daily life. The VA needs accountability, and employers need to see the value and skills veterans bring, not write them off because of a service-related injury.