INVERNESS, Fla. (WFLA) — A combat veteran just about silenced by a stroke that confined him to a wheelchair wants answers about the disability claim he filed nearly two years ago.

Army Veteran Michael Duplisea, 52, of Inverness, submitted his paperwork to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in October 2021 with help from his brother-in-law Jason Bucy.

Since Duplisea is unable to write, and communicates verbally with only three words, Bucy had to compile his service record with yes and no questions.

“My wife and I talk a lot about how we play charades to figure out what he needs to say,” Bucy said. “It was difficult to get details about his service but he really needs help, especially now.”

Duplisea enlisted in the Army when he was 18 and was involved in regular firefights during the Gulf War. He also was exposed to toxic burn pits many times.

He broke down when asked about the lack of response from the VA regarding his disability claim.

Bucy was struck by Duplisea’s answer to a question about whether he would serve again if he could.

“No,” Duplisea said. “No.”

“A guy who volunteered to serve his country who loves his country, who now has a disdain to wanting to serve again is heartbreaking,” Bucy said.

After Bucy pieced the dates and places that comprised Duplisea’s record, the claim was submitted.

“I ask Mike all the time, ‘have you heard anything from the VA?'” Bucy said. “And I say ‘let’s give them a month. Let’s give them a month.'”

Twenty months later, the only hint about the stalled claim came from a congressional office staff member.

“She told us they couldn’t find his paperwork,” Bucy said.

Before finding out the paperwork was lost, Duplisea had received copies of what he filed. Months later, Bucy was shocked when he noticed five of the claimed disabilities had been covered with white out.

“When I go through his paperwork and see that some of his paperwork had been whited out, it is a huge problem,” Bucy said. “The VA had no right to white out any of it.”

During a recent interview with Veterans Benefits Administration Under Secretary Josh Jacobs, 8 On Your Side let him know about Duplisea’s case.

“What I will promise to you is that we will make sure that our local regional office leadership is able to connect with the veteran and his family and make sure that we can take care of him to the full extent of our authority,” Jacobs said.

Duplisea and his family remain hopeful Jacobs’ promise will be kept.

“We have an obligation as a country to take care of guys like Mike,” Bucy said. “I can get up, go to the VA. I can take care of myself. Mike can’t.”

Bruce Clisby, Management Analyst for the VBA regional office in St. Petersburg, said the information provided during the interview with Jacobs was shared “with the appropriate staff so they could look further into the situation.”

Clisby said without a privacy waiver, he could not discuss specifics about Duplisea’s case.

“However, the St. Petersburg Regional Office is working with his Veteran Service Organization to address Mr. Duplisea’s and his family’s concerns,” Clisby said.