Visits

During my entire enrollment while at University of Washington (UW), I was less than 5 minutes to the Naval Station Puget Sound (NSPS) in Sand Point, WA. By the time of my second academic quarter at UW began, I was married to Michelle, with our former wedding anniversary date set at 11/11/1994. I was medically examined by the Veterans Administration Compensation and Pension Department in late 1994 as well, with payments initially arriving to our place or residence via post office, at that time.

I began feeling paranoid of being followed around campus was being treated for Paranoia (anxiety from suspicion) Delusional (strong bizarre beliefs), Depression (cross culture adjustment difficulty); these treated episodes were in the summer of 1996, at the Hall Health Department on the UW Seattle campus. I informed my therapist: Sharon Rederford (ARNP) that it was law enforcement officers that were undercover following me around campus and that I felt discriminated against, or definitely distracted by them, with the inability to concentration to do well in my academics was medicated with Resperidone and Zoloft.

Now, Fast forward the tape to my Life:

I realize now that instead of complaining about being followed by a conspiracy of under cover agents, I should have taken initiatives to take care of myself with legitimate visits to the Seattle, VAMC for my service connection injury that I was being compensated for by the Veterans Administration (VA) after the appointed VA medical evaluation in late 1994. I also should have visited my former Shore Duty Command: Naval Station Puget Sound in Sand Point on a occasion with Michelle just to reinforce the true reality that I was once stationed on this Naval Station during our courtship and intimacy just prior to my Honorable Discharge from the United States Navy on November 17, 1993.

So the tragic honesty to this mess at UW while I was treated in Hall Health with a diagnosis of paranoid delusional schizophrenia with depression features. I was actually monitored very closely through surveillance systemic devices from a team of law enforcement officers. I had come to conclude that the entire Faculty, Staff and Student Body knew about my misdiagnosis Mental Health Condition and discriminatory predicament.

Furthermore, I could have been treated for my (depressive) mental health conditions at Seattle, VAMC then. Most importantly I could have been seen by a physician in the Back/Spine Clinic at the Seattle, VAMC regarding my service connection injury, which was Chronic Lower Back Injury that was already at a percentage rate initially at 10%. By 2003, the Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA) increased to 20%; and is now pending in the appeals process for yet another increase.

Seriously, I'm crippled or disadvantaged without my daily routine to stretching the tightness out of my lower back and legs before bed, otherwise sleep for me would be difficult.

Now, Let's Rewind the tape of my life:

Had I had scheduled for Seattle, VAMC appointments during 1994-1997, I would highly DOUBT that there would have been a law and enforcement conspiracy speculating as to who I was then. These that I call the "Third Party," outside of my marriage and my UW academics, just would not exist! Why? Because I truly believe that they derived from UW Campus Police, and also in part were part of the Federal Law Enforcement Agents as well. So given my service connection injury, all I could have done to magnify my life as a Veteran of the United States Navy 1994-1997 while attending UW, just by being part of this enormous community of Veterans of during major World Wars past, such as:

WWI, WWII, Vietnam and Korean War and the "Desert Storm Operation"

Now, had I been a active or engaged within this VA Community of Veterans then like I am today, there would NOT have been any form of investigation against me, because there would be NO probable cause as to questioning my identity at that time, thus no profile nor investigation would have existed against me. Had I been part of an identity group that our Federal Government have always have been thankful for, respectful to and loyal in saluting with gratitude! Therefore, with no conspiracy against me, Michelle, my wife at that time and myself would have had our freedom, to live with liberty in the pursuit for our happiness in this land of opportunity as young and ambitious university students and/or college graduates then!

Had we visited the Former Naval Station in Sand Point, or NAS Whidbey Island on occasion; or had I had the urge to consider joining the "United States Naval Reserves" while I was an enrolled student at UW 1994-1997, the outcome of our lives today would highly likely be much different.

Out of all the lessons in my life, this has been the grandest of them all having lived through it these last 15 years!

Cross Cultural Experience/Shock!

Michelle was fresh out of UC Berkeley CA. and was back in the workplace full time, not to mention she was back up here in Washington State after 5-6 years in CA. So she was being shocked a cross cultural experience in relearning many things she disengaged with earlier in her young life then.

I too was young fresh out of the US Navy while trying going through a cross cultural experience within the Campus Life at UW, my new experience in being a married man for the first time, as well as adjusting to life as a civilian after 6 years of Active Duty Service in the United States Navy. But most unfortunately was NOT being aware that I had Seattle, VAMC medical benefits to be treated, along side other Veterans of the United States Armed Forces, with service connection injuries sustained during a Major War Time situation like the "Desert Storm Operation."

With all the adjustments going on in both Michelle and my life, we needed to be around a support/reinforcement group during 1994-1997. Michelle just graduated from a very large campus in UC Berkley, CA. and didn't like the idea me sharing time with other young single students; she preferred me to be around others that identified with ourselves. Which was we were mid-twenties, married and ex-military. So the VAMC, Veteran Community would have been a satisfactory group for support, or for reinforcing encouragements that knew about major transitions in life, or cross cultural experiences for Michelle and I.

I went from Columbia College (CC) Extended Studies (Night School) during my work days on my Shore Duty Tour on the NAVAL STATION PUGET SOUND at Sand Point 1991-1993. To a major University, like UW 1994-1997 just down the street, that was a five times the size of CC, and the studies were at a much higher level of difficulty within all my college studies, it was tremendous demand that had to be adjusted to in so very little time.

I submit, I did miss the United States Navy and those that were in the US Navy, I felt DEPRESSED because the transition in culture from military and civilian, and Michelle knew it too!

The Veteran Community would have made my move into civilian life much smoother, or with much less difficulty then, because many Veterans faced the same kinds of emotional, psychological and physiological changes when they were all honorably discharged themselves, having the same kinds appreciations they had of the Armed Forces Branch they were part of. Curtis, Michelle's father was a 34 year veteran of the US Army himself, so he knew of the difficulty of transitioning into a civilian.

Therefore, it is unfortunate because in actuality my support reinforcement group eventually consisted of just Michelle, and her father. Those 2 individuals could identify with everything that I was going through given my academic and former military life, through 1994-1997.

The Veteran Community in Seattle, WA. found in and around the Seattle, VAMC, or communities like: The DAV, American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars are who I affiliate with these days. Curtis Poree, Michelle father, was without a service connection injury so he had very little, or had no affiliation with any of these organizations full of Veterans from past Major Wars.

Again, this the grandest lesson of my life, thus far!

Most Sincere,
Mickey Tovio Scanlan