To broncovet -
I agree! New to this whole VA,VSO quagmire I have been astounded by almost everything I have learned, witnessed and read about so far. How dare the VA treat any Vet with such contempt?
I had been retired from the military for 15 years when I accidentally learned "I may be entitled to some" VA benefits. I still remember the VA representative at the retirement out-processing briefing telling a room full of soon to be retirees, "Don't expect anything from the VA. You served long enough to retire and you will be compensated for that." Didn't think twice about it; I was proud to have served. As far as most of us knew, the VA was some bad place that a G.I. ended up at by being in the wrong place at the wrong time and maybe missing body parts and worse suffering in some governmental hospital where no one cared. Visited a view VA Hospitals on Veteran's Day during my career.
Fast FWD - 15 years later, seeking VA medical care was denied , "You're not in the system" What??? Then, my military retirement put me over some income threshold.
Someone told me to fill out some forms I had never heard of. Months went by and I was assigned above a 50% rating over a year later (imagine the amount I had missed out on over the course of 15 years because of the VA briefer). Had a lot of questions and went to my 1st appt at the VA CBOC. Was told some guy from DAV could help. Wondered why I even needed someone outside the VA to help; sounded ridiculous! Talked with the guy that was there (that day) anyway and was assured DAV would make sure I got all I was entitled to. The catch was I needed to sign a Power of Attorney. Now, we all now that is serious business; anyone fit for duty enough to be deployable has been briefed on that.
Signed the POA, paid DAV the lifetime dues and finally dropped them like a hot rock. The red light came on in the beginning when they asked for a POA, but I had been catapulted back to a point in time where G.I.'s took care of each other. DAV is not the same; they may have never been G.I.'s.
My question is simply this,"Is the VA so untrustworthy to veterans that we must seek non-VA representation and counsel"? And, if so, what can we do about it. But furthermore, are VSO's also so untrustworthy that they would deceive a veteran into paying for a membership, signing a POA and then do nothing to help the veteran as they promised they would? DAV has put a bad taste in my mouth and I will not sign another POA with anyone; think about it before you do!