Veteran Spotlight: Bob Thomas

Brown & Curry is a big fan of Bob Thomas. Bob served in the US Army from 1970 to 1972 as a radio operator, spying on the Soviets from border regions. He was tasked with relaying messages he intercepted from the Soviets to the US Military base in Belgium. His shifts were long and spent in the confines of a noisy metal box. Working in these conditions would have a lasting impact on his life. His ears never stopped ringing. A few years after getting out, Bob went to visit a VA doctor in Cleveland. He had been suffering from worry and nightmares. But at the time, the VA only gave him a valium and sent him home.

Bob eventually moved to Kansas City, and started his career as letter-carrier, which suited him because he did not have to be inside all day.  But with the VA, he kept running into roadblocks. Bob persisted. He raised his family and built up a community of friends. He became an avid runner. He continued to push for the compensation he needed for his service-connected conditions. With the help of Dan Curry and the firm Brown & Curry, Bob fought the VA for ten years, and went to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims three times, winning each appeal.

Today Bob has won his compensation and convinced the VA to recognize his sacrifices. And he’s not done yet. With Brown & Curry’s help, he continues to press the VA for higher compensation. Bob encourages other veterans feeling neglected by the VA to seek advice from an attorney and never give up.