Ready to Throw My Computer Through the Window

When the process is the hardest part

Dwaine Esch flew helicopters for the U.S. Army through deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He came home carrying injuries — both physical and mental — that he knew were connected to his service. Filing a VA disability claim should have been the straightforward part. It was not.

“I was trying to figure out how to submit my claim through the VA.gov website and I was getting so frustrated. I was ready to throw my computer through the window.”

For many veterans, the hardest part of the claims process is not the medical evidence or the C&P exam — it is the process itself. The forms, the terminology, the online portal, the waiting. Dwaine’s frustration is one of the most common experiences veterans describe, and it stops too many of them from ever finishing their claim.

Finding relief

Once Dwaine connected with support and got his claim moving, the change was immediate — not in his rating timeline, but in how he felt about the process.

“Once I got everything going, I just felt like a load was lifted off my shoulders.”

That shift matters. The stress of navigating a confusing system on top of the conditions you are trying to get rated can make everything worse. Getting help — whether from a VSO, a fellow veteran, or a resource like this site — is not a sign of weakness. It is the smart move.

Breaking the stigma

Beyond the claims process, Dwaine speaks openly about something many veterans still struggle to discuss:

“It’s important for veterans to know that it’s not bad if you’re having mental health issues and it’s OK to get help.”

Mental health conditions like PTSD, anxiety, and depression are among the most commonly rated VA disabilities — and among the least talked about. Dwaine’s willingness to speak up is part of changing that.

Dwaine’s story was originally shared through VA Claims Insider. Quoted with attribution for educational purposes.