Joe,

I agree with others that you shouldn't give up just yet. But you mentioned you "did your Army time". Before you allow an attorney to reach into your pocket, you might want to look for a VA advocate in your area. Most counties have a Veterans Assistance Office of some sort. They might be able to help, even though it's a Social Security issue. I had a similar situation with a disability a few years ago that would have gone nowhere without help. A bright young guy in the Vets Assistance Office filed all the paperwork, countered the denial on the first round, and was successful (after about 10 months) at getting my claim approved.

Oh, and one more thing Joe; although we weren't appreciated much back in the 60's and 70's, thank you for your service to our country.

Good luck and good fishing,
Arnie