The Veteran Thread

[Greyson]

Number of veterans who die waiting for benefits claims skyrockets

Long wait times contribute to delays of tens of thousands of benefits, pensions


By Aaron Glantz on December 20, 2012 - 12:00 a.m. PST


Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, said the data confirmed the worst fears of many veterans and members of Congress.

“The common refrain we hear from many veterans is, ‘Delay, deny, wait till I die,’ ” said Miller, who called the burgeoning backlog of benefits claims a “national embarrassment.”

Nationwide, about 900,000 veterans and their families have been waiting about nine months for a decision on their claims, with those in America’s major urban areas waiting the longest. As of October, the most recent month for which numbers are available, the average wait time for a veteran was 15 months in Chicago, 16 months in New York and a year and a half in Los Angeles.

http://www.baycitizen.org/veterans/s...eid=23f9563460

[theoddz]

Thanks for posting that, Greyson. It is a national travesty that our Veterans have to wait so long to get the benefits that we've earned. It always seems like the nation/political system is forever ready to get us involved in armed conflict, yet is never ready or prepared to take care of us, once the Veteran returns. The VA was in really shabby condition and completely unprepared to care for the Veterans of Vietnam. Again, we see nearly the same and even worse with the VBA (Veterans Benefit Administration) this time around, with OIF/OEF Vets.

I can tell you, from my own personal experience of obtaining my benefits, it is a long, long, lengthy process and most times, nearly every Veteran is denied the first time their claim is presented to the Adjudication Board. A Vet could roll in to the VA as an amputee who had his/her legs blown off in battle and the VA would look at them and say, "No, that isn't service-connected". You know why they do that?? Because they know that there will be a certain percentage of Veterans who will just give up and go away, and that saves the VA a lot of money. Another thing the Adjudication system just LOVES to do, when processing a claim, is to "remand" it and send it back to get "more information". Before the VA and DoD became computerized, it took a LOT longer for this to happen. It took me 12+ years to finally get my full benefits, and that was waaaaaaay too long!!! It just breaks my heart to see our service men and women have to fight the VA like they must in order to get their benefits.

The key to finally getting one's VA benefits/compensation is persistence. You just have to keep at them and keep filing the "Notice of Disagreement" each and every time the claim is denied. Don't give up. Oh, and it also helps a LOT if you get a Service Officer (AMVETS, DAV, American Legion, VFW) to work your claim for you. These guys are provided by their organizations, free of charge to Veterans, for the sole purpose of filing and processing disability claims. They are available at ALL VA Medical Centers and at some clinic locations. Some require appointments and some do walk-in's. If you're trying to get help from these people, call your main VAMC phone number and ask to be connected, or for the phone number, of one of the Service Officers. Don't try to process your claim by yourself. The process is confusing and tends to require many time deadlines. These guys keep track of these things for the Veteran, and most of the time, they have "connections" at the Adjudication Boards that can sometimes speed things up a lot.

Thanks again, Greyson, for posting this!!!!

~Theo~

[theoddz]

I'm frustrated with the VA and need to vent, so I'm posting this:

Tommy

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.

Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!

~Rudyard Kipling

~Theo~

[Parker]

Originally Posted by theoddz

Thanks for posting that, Greyson. It is a national travesty that our Veterans have to wait so long to get the benefits that we've earned. It always seems like the nation/political system is forever ready to get us involved in armed conflict, yet is never ready or prepared to take care of us, once the Veteran returns. The VA was in really shabby condition and completely unprepared to care for the Veterans of Vietnam. Again, we see nearly the same and even worse with the VBA (Veterans Benefit Administration) this time around, with OIF/OEF Vets.

I can tell you, from my own personal experience of obtaining my benefits, it is a long, long, lengthy process and most times, nearly every Veteran is denied the first time their claim is presented to the Adjudication Board. A Vet could roll in to the VA as an amputee who had his/her legs blown off in battle and the VA would look at them and say, "No, that isn't service-connected". You know why they do that?? Because they know that there will be a certain percentage of Veterans who will just give up and go away, and that saves the VA a lot of money. Another thing the Adjudication system just LOVES to do, when processing a claim, is to "remand" it and send it back to get "more information". Before the VA and DoD became computerized, it took a LOT longer for this to happen. It took me 12+ years to finally get my full benefits, and that was waaaaaaay too long!!! It just breaks my heart to see our service men and women have to fight the VA like they must in order to get their benefits.

The key to finally getting one's VA benefits/compensation is persistence. You just have to keep at them and keep filing the "Notice of Disagreement" each and every time the claim is denied. Don't give up. Oh, and it also helps a LOT if you get a Service Officer (AMVETS, DAV, American Legion, VFW) to work your claim for you. These guys are provided by their organizations, free of charge to Veterans, for the sole purpose of filing and processing disability claims. They are available at ALL VA Medical Centers and at some clinic locations. Some require appointments and some do walk-in's. If you're trying to get help from these people, call your main VAMC phone number and ask to be connected, or for the phone number, of one of the Service Officers. Don't try to process your claim by yourself. The process is confusing and tends to require many time deadlines. These guys keep track of these things for the Veteran, and most of the time, they have "connections" at the Adjudication Boards that can sometimes speed things up a lot.

Thanks again, Greyson, for posting this!!!!

~Theo~

I actually count myself as lucky because my claim(s) took less than a year each - but to be fair, they werent initial claims but a re-evaluations. I did my initial claim back when I first got out and they decided certain things were service connected, but rated at 0% so I never bothered with it again - until things got decidedly worse and I had to have a hysto. Then I requested a re-evaluation and then another re-evaluation a couple of years later when the complications of that made things even worse.

Now I am playing the waiting game with the SSA - apply-deny, appeal-deny, ALJ-non-favorable, and now we are at the appeals council portion of the game.

I didnt have any help with my re-evaluations with the VA because, for some reason, DAV didnt want to help me out and be an advocate/rep (too bogged down maybe? dunno), but with SSA, I have a lawyer to help me wade through the gobbledegook.

It's a tough fight and sometimes a long wait - and sometimes I even catch hell from people who think I am just lazy and looking for entitlements - but each one of us earned those benefits; so I would encourage each veteran to hang in there and keep fighting for what you deserve.

[Tommi]

We can all come together and be part of this great country today.
That flag of Freedom lived and died for flies proudly for all.

[Tommi]

[Wolfsong]

A few things of note.....


Film Explores Life After Military for Female Vets





For those that didn't know about the memorial linked below, I strongly urge you to add your dog tags to the tree. People need to know what we did, what we stand for. It can never be complete without you.

Women in the Military Service for America Memorial

Hey........anyone want to trade MRE's? I got Sloppy Joe's again.

[Little Fish]

Hey Vets--

Has anyone here used the VA Home Loan program?

I'm wanting to buy a house but this program doesn't seem to be used widely in my area...or so I've been told. (and I'm suspect of this agent so...)

Did it work for you?
Which Lender did you use?
Which lender would you stay away from?
Lessons learned?

Also, do you use USAA insurance for anything?

All comments welcome, thanks!

(I still have a case of MREs--the shelf life is scary.)

[theoddz]

Originally Posted by Wolfsong

Hey........anyone want to trade MRE's? I got Sloppy Joe's again.

The Commissary at Nellis AFB sells a case of 24 MRE meals for about $85. I think they are assorted varieties, but I can tell you this......they're 150% better than those canned C-rats (leftovers from Vietnam) that we got. Even my poor ol' dog wouldn't eat those.

~Theo~