Hey everyone.

 My name is Cory Gargus and I am in desperate need of help. I am an 8 year Marine Corps Veteran (honorable discharge) from 2014-2022. My truck was repossessed tonight, and I do not have the money to bring the payments current, or I would have done so on my own. 

 Let me start by saying that my current situation is largely my fault. That being said, I am so far behind and lost that I don’t know where else to turn. And I have been let down by multiple agencies/systems. When I initially ended my active service, I had a plan. My business that I started was making me plenty of extra money, I planned on starting a career, and I knew I was going to make a VA claim as well. So as I got out, I financed an expensive truck. 

 As I got out, I quickly started having issues. Not only was I having trouble finding employment, my VA claim ended up getting completely messed up. Long story short, it was built by the VSO under the wrong social and neither of us caught it. November of 2022. So that started a multiple year battle that I am still working on. 

 Following that, I was still unemployed for 4 months, until March of 2023. I worked a sales job from March to October of 2023. The pay was extremely inconsistent, and at times it was costing me money to work at the company. During this period, I started falling behind on all my payments. I was making just enough to pay basic utilities and minimal groceries. 

 I decided to leave the company, under hopes that my VA would be sorted out soon, and I would be able to obtain another sales job in the area. This was my second mistake, as I didn’t have a second job lined up prior to leaving. My small company I had started made me just enough to pay for a portion of my mortgage. 

 After my original claim, I was rated at 30% which was right at 560 a month. This was totally unexpected, as I have many many issues that I did not have prior to service. So my backpay was around 3k, and I used that to catch up on bills and groceries. At this time is when I filed the second claim, (March 2023) which is the one that ended up getting the wrong social. June of 2024, nothing had changed, I was still unemployed, and I could not handle life anymore. 

 June 10th, 2024, I was involuntarily committed for 10 days due to suicidal ideation with a shotgun. I did not want to be here anymore. I still struggle daily. Following my release, my therapist suggested I take that paperwork to the VA and make a claim increase, as my 30% current rating was from depression I was diagnosed with while active. That scooted things along, and I went from 30 to 60%. All physical ailments were still denied, but I was content with the raise until I could get more documentation for my physical disabilities. 

 So from October 2023 to current, I have been unemployed. I have applied for more than 375 jobs. I have taken side jobs and handyman work wherever I can, but just never seemed able to get a call back on an actual job. I had became so far behind on all facets of life that I just gave up. In august of 2023, I sent my two children (3&4yo) to live with my ex wife in Texas as I could not provide for them. 

 To summarize the rest, things have been turning up recently. I finally reached out for help at the end of last year, and am currently working with Hire Heroes, Hire our Heroes, and was just accepted into the VR&E (Chapter 31) Program with the VA for veterans struggling to adapt to civilian life. 

 I am still vastly behind on my truck and house payments, but am working with the mortgage company to have a loan modification. My truck is my only source of transportation, and without it, my progress is going to reach a screeching halt. My credit makes me untouchable for any sort of lending at the moment, and I have no family in the area, as I am still living in NC, but I’m from MO. If I could receive any sort of help with the truck, or even just transportation, I would be unimaginably grateful. I am set to begin school this summer for Mechanical & Aerospace engineering, and am currently working with hire Heroes to obtain a job as well. 

 I am sorry to be a burden. And I am sorry for whatever poor soul reads all of this. I do have proof of everything if requested. Denied applications, Resume, Hire Heroes contact, VR&E papers, whatever may be needed. 

Thank you for your time, and again. I am sorry. 

R/S 

Cory Gargus