MarkInTexas

Hmmm.....pretty quiet in regards to the Houston VARO...... Mark

Could it possibly mean that there is another veteran out there with the same first,middle, last name as your husband, that is incarcerated, and now they are running a confirmation check to ensure that they are two separate people? Just a thought. As our population grows.....and it is tremendously, the odds of people with the same name, and possibly same date of birth are growing as well. I think I'll copyright the name of it and call it the "John Smith Syndrome". Mark

Good luck to you too, Rich. Hope all goes well for you. Mark

Congratulations! Thanks for your service! Mark

Alright, here's my last (so far) experience with Veterans Evaluation Services. I had an audiology C&P Examination this morning at a clinic contracted by VES, who contracted with the VA. It wasn't too bad. I walked in, and the clerk immediately addressed me, asked for my VES questionaire (which was e-mailed to me to complete) and also for my VA travel voucher form. She signed/dated the travel voucher form, and faxed it off (presumably to the VA or VES), and then stamped it and handed the original back to me. (Different scenario than my previous experience a few days ago.) They had me fill out a basic office type questionaire form with all of my information, and then had me go into an inner lobby. I waited a few minutes, and then the doctor brought me into the examination room. Just like the previous time, this doctor opened a laptop, and logged into some account, which brought up my VA records. She browsed through it, asked me several questions about my military history and exporsure to noise, and also my current situation with tinnitus and hearing loss. Then she took my questionaire and utilized a great deal of my narrative in her remarks sections. Afterward, I took several audiology tests. I imagine they are the same that everybody goes through, and when she was finished, she shook my hand. She did let me look at the front examination page, and explained that I suffered from hearing loss resulting from noise trauma. (I don't remember all the fancy medical terms used) This time there was no mention of recommendations or phrases spoken like "at least as likely as", but I'm glad I did it. We'll see what she writes, recommends and what the VA interprets. One recommendation I would make to anybody utilizing VES for audiology C&P's is that you might type out a good narrative regarding your military history, noise exposure, and effects on your work and personal life. I got the feeling that a narrative attached to the questionaire might have assisted a bit. This was the Lufkin, Texas office though. Might be different elsewhere, but couldn't hurt. I wish everybody luck, and I'll sit and watch again as the VA decides if these C&P's do the trick, or they will need even more information that 2 years and nearly 2 months can bring. Mark

Dominipino, congtratulations!!! One the retro and the decision of what to do. It's up to you, and you may want to think on it for a while and just let it settle. Maybe compare the interest rates of the account you are going to hold the money in to the interest rates of any outstanding bills, and use it where it will do the most good. Once again, congratulations, and thanks for your service to this country. Mark

Maybe use the VONAPP application in eBenefits? I have been "doubling" my efforts by mailing copies and also sending the same information online. eBenefits tends to "log" the information as received much more often than they do my mailed-in information. Just a thought. Mark

I have heard that the VA sometimes has cameras in the waiting areas where C&P examinations are conducted. Is that true? Mark

USMC, thanks. That gives a good explanation. My audiologist provided me with copies of audiology examination (had little graph charts, x's, and declining lines.....I'm not an audiologist and that's what it all looks like to me.) She also provided me with a detailed IMO letter, all of which I submitted via VONAPP, and then as a hard copy via U.S. Mail to the Houston VARO. There were no DBQ's involved in this one. This is probably why the VA wants to have one of their people conduct the tests. She had written that good old phrase, "at least as likely as not that my tinnitus and hearing loss had developed due to my military service," so I hope I can get the same result from the VA examiner. Keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks again for the advice and information. Mark

One more question. I know I'm probably being a pest, but....... My next C&P is scheduled for Tuesday, August 14th. It is for a tinnitus and hearing examination at the VES contracted location. Now I have already had a private examination done at a profossional audilology center close to home, and I submitted the results, along with an IMO letter from the audiologist at the center,which shows bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. Do you think that the VA just ignored this evidence completely, or felt that they wanted one of their contracted people to check me out and do an examination to confirm the results? Any thoughts? Have a great weekend. Mark

Carlie, it was kind of interesting. He had a laptop open on his desk, and logged into to some account, asked me a couple of questions to "find me", turned the laptop toward me to see how he was logging in and clicking on my name. When he found me, he pulled up a screen with a lot of the information I had submitted. Looked like a constant scrolling group of PDF files or something. By this time, he had moved it back in front of him to go back to typing and filling fields. He did mention a couple of times that he was reading some of my medical records, and also said once that he was having trouble viewing my military medical records. He was doing a lot of scrolling up and down, filling blanks, and scrolling back up. When I would mention a secondary condition, he would scroll up and type something else, then back. I know he mentioned remarks field a few times as well. But to answer your question, yes, I think he had some online access to my file. Ever encountered this? And what do you think so far? Mark

OK, here's a quick update of my first C&P examination using the Veterans Evaluation Services contractor. First, prior to going, I got two or three calls from VES personnel confirming my appointment date(s). I had one today, and will have another one on this next Tuesday. They confirmed with me yesterday, and told me that they will call again Monday to confirm the next one. I showed up early, and waited in the waiting room until they called me back to sign in and confirm my identity. That went quickly, and I was led back to the examination room to meet with the Doctor. Lot's of questions pretty straight off the VA's questionaire. After all was said and done, the Doctor told me that he was going to note that due to my military history, it was at least as likely as not that my condition was caused by my military service. He was a nice guy, and took time to talk to me about my life, my work ability and how I dealt with things day to day. Very professional, but calming. I guess when you get down to it, they keys is the phrase, "due to my military history, it was at least as likely as not that my condition was caused my my military service." What do you folks think? Do I have a green light to move forward to another step, or is it just a yellow caution light? Thanks again, Mark

Great news and great job! Keep on pushing forward. Mark

Great job! And true dedication! Mark

Congratulations! And good luck on any future career path that you take. Mark

Papa, did he do this recently? I'm glad to see that he is taking a serious look at the Houston VARO. He, and the rest of Congress, control the purse strings to the VA's funding, and I still believe that if enough of them applied the right pressure, maybe a ton of kinks could get knocked out of the VA's bureaucracy. I, and I'm sure many other Houston VARO veterans, appreciate you helping to open the eyes of our Senators. Thanks again. Mark

Well considering I've been waiting over two years and a month at the Houston VARO on my initial claim, I'm afraid you might be right. I'm still holding onto hope though........tick tock....tick tock.... Mark

These will be my first C&P's. I had a great deal of civilian medical records, and of course whatever the military could dig up. My claim was first filed on June 19, 2010. I'm out of the Houston RO, so we'll see. I plan on requesting copies of my C&P's as soon as possible as well. I hope you guys get a positive completion on your claims soon, with the ratings that you are hoping for. Mark

That's what we call it in Texas. I reckon that in Kentucky, they may call it Texas windage.

I agree. I know that you can't trust anything on ePeggy, with the exception of maybe what they are "showing" as received by you. By this I mean, if I submit a document and it says that this document is/was received, then I can at least guess that it is in the VA's hot little handds. However, the dates are just ways the have for moving the goal post as the game progresses. Even my "earliest" completion time was moved to November, 2011. Nice of them to give me both as "feel good" dates. I can only hope that if it moves back, then the file has moved to something/somewhere else. It's a guessing game at most. I have to C&P's scheduled within the next week and a half, and so maybe once they have these I may see some actual results. It's been, and still is, an experience. That's for sure. Mark

Aim left, fire....aim right.....fire.....if you miss both times, shoot for the middle.

Well, ePeggy updated today and now shows that my completion date went from January 28, 2013 to July 15, 2012. I guess since we are having fictional completion dates, I will also make up a fictional rating. Therefore, I rate myself 100% with no future appointments. I wonder if they will buy that? Btw, since eBenefits started displaying the estimated completion dates, this is now my third version. My first estimated completion was October 30, 2012, and I was disheartened a bit when it was bumped back to January, 2013. Now I'm just finding the whole process hilarious. Can I get rated for eBenefits Delerium....at least like 10 or 20%? At least they did give the disclaimer now, "Your claim is being processed by the Regional Office. We generally process claims in the order received. We recognize that your claim has exceeded the projected completion date and remain committed to completing our review as quickly and accurately as possible. Thank you for your patience." Anybody else have a third round of completion date changes yet? Mark

Cavtrooper, I'm not sure what the name of the clinic is, but the directions say that it is on Ellis Avenue in Lufkin. I'm relieved it's there because there is a lot less traffic congestion, and probably much better parking than trying to go to the VAMC in Houston. SP4, thanks for the advice. They sent me travel/meal forms for both scheduled appointments, and I'll definitely fill them out. Do I complete the mileage, etc. before I get the facility to sign, or does VES or the VA complete all of that? Although the Lufkin trip is longer, it's a much easier trip that Houston. Beaumont will only be about 40 miles or so, but is also preferred over Houston. At least they kept it all fairly close so far. Thanks again, Mark

Congratulations, John!

I find it kind of humorous that the VA would consider that a Veteran "bombards" them with multiple issues when they file a claim. Considering that many mlitary members separate, or at least used to, without any real counseling regarding existing conditions, and what options are avalable to them. And unless things have changed, there isn't any friendly separation briefing about filing claims within a certain amount of time, what benefits a Veteran is eligible for if they do file a claim prior to separation or immediately afterward. I know that it's been a long time since I separated back in 1994, and that the Internet has helped all of us tremendously. (I would not have had a clue about what benefits were out there if it weren't for the Internet to be honest.) However, if an individual(s) is paid to do a job, and if they are taking tax payers money to do their job, for which they receive monetary compensation themselves, then they are public servants, and any attitude that a Veteran is a burden, or that their claim is a burden, simply because they filed a claim with multiple conditions is completely negligent. What a lot of the civilians working in the VA, along with many others, fail to recognize is that our military is an all-volunteer force, and that all of these military members and veterans volunteered and gave years of their lives to serve their country to protect those same people that feel a little irritated and overwhelmed at having to review a multi-condition compensation claim. And as for the non-volunteer veterans that were drafted, I hope that these poor overworked, overburdened office workers sitting in their air conditioned offices, playing Angry Birds or checking their Facebbok status remember that the draftees were taken from their normal everyday lives, trained and sent off to war to protect them, their parents and their grandparents, and then returned later (if they were lucky enough to survive) back to their hometowns with illnesses, conditions and other conditions that would not manifest for years, even decades later. And keep in mind that in those days, and to a lesser extent now, it was not considered popular to be disabled or to "ask" the government for assistance, even medical, for fear of the stigma of being labeled as getting government assistance. I know I personally was in turmoil over filing for quite some time before I actually sat down to start climbing the mountain of paperwork that the VA "bombards" uninformed Veterans with. (And before anybody takes it the wrong way, yes......the VA makes us "ask" them for assistance, and then prove exponentially why we need it. You can be healthy, never served a day of mlitary service in your life, and get tens of thousands of dollars of government assistance annually, including 100 percent medical/dental care, free tuition to higher education, and nobody bats an eye, and they call that an "entitlement".) We have to file for and justify ourselves each step of the way, and quite often multiple times for a single condition. I know that just as far back as 1994, most men and women who were separating were afraid that the doctor would put something down on their exit examinations that might slight their chances at some civilian career. I know now that this was foolish youth, and that 90 percent of employers that I've encountered don't really even ask to see or request copies of military medical examinations. (Some will though.) Most veterans upon separation want to be identified as healthy and capable, and don't know about what options were/are available to them, until in many cases, it is too late. I say this because conditions do affect us as we grow older, and what was small then, may be a major problem now. And the VA isn't exactly opening its doors to Veterans and providing counseling on how to file their claims properly, even though this would be the best and most proper way to allow a Veteran to enter the system, or better still hiring VA "counselors" who actually sit down and complete forms/applications with the Veterans. (The government provides information and counseling on just about any other program that is out there to assist claimants "before" they file a claim.) The VA is the only government entity I know of that tells you to file it, and gives a disclaimer that they'll do only what they have to do, and the rest is up to you. If I'm wong on any of this, please somebody jump in and correct me. I'm sorry I rambled so long. I hope that I didn't bombard you guys with too much. Have a great Sunday. Mark