x020574

SMC-K, about $125 a month. There is norating for ED.

You are more than likely correct, but even if a widow reads this article it would prompt them to check with their own local VA or Veteran Service Organization to see if they might be entitled to benefits. Even if they call the number listed in the article, they (San Bernadino RO) sound pretty commited to try and reach this people. I wish we saw more RO's being proactive about this situation.

I am not sure if this article only pertains to those veterans' RO in San Bernadino or accross the nation, but I thought it was informative enough to post. Looking for spouse/dependents who veteran may NOT have been aware of deseases on AO presumptive list, either because they didn't know or because they died from that illness. http://www.pe.com/local-news/san-bernardino-county/san-bernardino-county-headlines-index/20130301-region-veterans-affairs-office-seeks-agent-orange-beneficiaries.ece Hope it helps someone...

Don't worry about that - if it really concerns you you could requst the moderator to delete or yu can edit your own messages and delete the contects. Then save. If you don't see EDIT, move your cursor and hover around the icons at lower/right. When I delete - I usueally leave a message 'Deleted' so people don't think it was a mistake. But really you can leave it as is.

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Yikes.... He could have had a sex change operation and kept the money

Jim - since you work for a VHA facility have you tried talking to a doctor in Pulmonologist yet, not an intern or resident, but someone who is Board Certified in their field. They are more apt to give a fellow worker an honest opinion, tell him/her that you just would like to get the straight facts. Also, there should be an Enviroment Nurse/Doctor representing each VHA facility - you might want to check in with them too.. Don't discount the used of PD60, TCE, differnet kinds of fuels, hydraulic fluids, they are all hazardous to some extent, but Im sure you already know that. There is also a Board of Veteran's Appeals which can be very infomative, you can do searches like 'benzene granted' 'jet fuel granted' 'diesel granted' 'keosene granted' 'trichloroethylene granted' 'TCE granted' Try it by select 2012 first, you will notice an option to use VIEWER, this is a new feature to make the decision readable ithout having to scroll all over the page. Good luck in your search. http://www.index.va.gov/search/va/bva.html

Hi Jim - welcome and thank you for your service in the USAF and the VHA (don't worry, we're not going to start throwing shoes at you ) I was in the USAF from 1970-74, I work in-shop and some light flightline maintenace ( minor parts replacement, ol samples, etc) on F-105s. I too miss it 40 yrs later so the feeling doesn't go away. I always tell my children the same story of my first experience running jet engines at a test cell. (they say, oh no not again) Test cells back in those day were usually built out in the open at one end of the runway with a revampment to deflect exhaust and sound. After overhaul I would tow an engine down to test cell, roll it up onto stationary rails, bolt a series of tension bars/cables to hold it in place. Attache some electric lines/sensors and fuel/hydraulic lines and put a headset to comunicate with the operators in the trailer. Then we would start that puppy up and trim where neccesary, check for leaks, etc. In the trailer they are looking for vibration, how hot it is running in different areas, etc. Such power... it was awsome, still remember it like it was yesterday. I especially liked when we get to test the afterburnner stage, my inners would shake like jello (being 20yrs old and stupid, now I know why all the older smarter guys went into the trailer and left me out there to do the trimming) Sorry for the memory dump but it has been a long time since hearing someone passionate about Jet Fighters the way I did! I too worry about the ill effects of JP4 and other lubricants/cleaners/solvents - you gotta wonder if it is bad enough for the EPA to shut the place down and call it a SuperFund site... what in the hell was it dong to us! Stay healthy my friend (the best way you can). Tom

No, it is not the same. Your friends let would be considered a Buddy Letter and it would be good if he could mention the incident/s, date and organization that you both were in at that time. VA sometimes likes to check up on these things and it would add validity to your claim. The VA has the option to consider it or dismiss it. Often if the buddy does not state something to the effect like this, 'this statements on this form are to true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.' then it 'more likely than not' would be considered. Keep in mind if the VA was to determine the buddy was lying, the could prosecute! If your buddy was a medic who treated you and later got out of service, went into on to become a doctor and was being treating you... then he could provide you with a reasonable NEXUS if he can back it up with his scientific/professional knowledge. Do a google search on VA veterans NEXUS and there will be a ton of information on the 3 critical parts of a NEXUS letter.

It has been my experience that VA doctors, other than C&P, will write a medical opinion/DBQ. But what they will offer their opinion in your medical records if you ask them to, you might want to discuss the issues with them, bring your science research and they will form their own opinion... which might help you or not be in your favor. You could see a private doctor but there is no gauntee they will agree with your findings. You could get a pay $$$$$$$$? for an independent medical opinion, I gotta ask, ' If you are already at 100%... is it really worth it'? Unless your severly disabled with CF, what do you expect to get out of it. Always keep an objective mind when searching the internet, we can always find someone who wrote what we want to hear.... and then there could also be overwhelming evidence against states their product is fantastic.

Not sure if this applies to you... But there are two categories of military retirees who won’t receive a 1.7% COLA. 2012 Retirees: Servicemembers who retired during calendar year 2012 will receive a somewhat smaller, partial COLA for this year only, because they already received a January military pay raise (which also raised their 2012 retired pay). Members who retired between Jan. 1, 2012, and Sept. 30, 2012, will receive a partial COLA based on the calendar quarter in which they retired. Jan.-Mar. retirees will receive 1.7%; Apr.-Jun. retirees, 1.0%; and Jul.-Sept. retirees 0.2%. Those who retire after Oct. 1, 2012, will see no COLA this year. Members retired during 2012 will receive full-year COLAs in future years. REDUX Retirees: Servicemembers who entered service on or after Aug. 1, 1986 and elected to accept a $30,000 career retention bonus at 15 years of service agreed to accept reduced retired pay and COLAs as a trade-off for the bonus. REDUX retirees’ COLAs are depressed 1% below the normal COLA rate, so they’ll see a 0.7% COLA.

Thank you Berta and PR... I will certainly follow up with NVLSP when the time comes... and post back with to you with news however it goes!

dx and surgery was done at San Franicsco VA medical center i Jun/2010 I sent copy of travel docs to DAV/Boston and asked the VSO to submit them on my behalf. They did and c.c. me on the coorespondance - so 2 of us know they should be in the Cfile. This is sure worth looking into... hope I am wrong and it turns out to be Nehmer!!! I'll keep you posted...

Thanks Berta, I don't think I fall under Nehmer because I did not file a claim for IHD prior to the date IHD became persumptive (Sept/2010). I had dx and surgery (Jun/2010) before that but my IHD claim date was not until Oct/2012. I did file for Hearing increase in Feb/2012 (in review status) and the IHD filed in Oct/2012 was added as a contention to the Hearing increase. If the VA had no way of knowing of the dx prior to Oct/2012, it is not the VAMC obligation to inform the VA and I did not know of the Public Posting alerting Thailand vets that they may be entitled until Aug/2012 when I went on the web to see if I can find out the status of my Hearing Increase claim. I only know that the two had been rolled into the same claim because when I look at the claim on eBennies, it states 'Bi-Lateral Hearing increase, IHD new', rview status over due, was supposed to be completed Feb 4, 2012. I hope I'm worng, that's why I was asking about the 3.114 Change of Law clause, maybe I can salvage something for my ignorance.

'Can you give me a hadit link to those posts? I need to read them again.' - responses were not from this forum/HadIt, it was on a VBN YuKu. 'Do you mean they awarded the Hearing loss claim with an effective date of February 2012?' - niether contention, hearing increase of IHD has been decided yet, the claim, with both contentions, is in review status. 'I think you need to go to our CUE forum to understand what CUE is.' - I have read it and I think given the dates of dx, law and IHD claim, I believe if the rater does not rule in my favor with the retro, especially after I request that they consider it, it should be a CUE. I will follow up with a DAV VSO for claification regarding my dates and application of the law. 'I assume you got a VCAA letter that said you needed to prove your exposure to the AO in Thailand. Does the VA have that information and do you fall into the new Thailand Directive I posted a link to days ago....forget where.... for you?' - I did NOT get any coorespondence yet, for any reason... I did submit Jet mech training records specifing flight line duties, test cell duties, base aerial maps showing work locations, sleeping quarters (all with close proximety of the base perimeter at Korat AFB, Thailand dury 1972-74 TDY assignments. The claim is still in develoment stage (review). YES, it has the required evidence to file a direct cause claim, dx of IHD caused by exposure to herbicides. Since filing IHD (that was added as a contention to the Hearing Increase claim) I have learned that my travel documents clearly state that I had an airplane stop in the RVN. I also submitted those documents. Had I known about the stop in RVN, I would have file a fully develop claim for IHD. The dx and CABG was done at a VAMC hospital.

RE: 38 CFR 3.114 Change of Law - Effective date of change which states : If a claim is reviewed at the request of the claimant more than 1 year after the effective date of the law or VA issue, benefits may be authorized for a period of 1 year prior to the date of receipt of such request. I was Dx with IHD and had CABGx2 Jun2010 IHD added to presumtive list Sep2010 I filed an IHD claim Oct2012 - it reads to me I might be entitled to 1 yr retro, some responses I got said it I don't get the yr retro file a CUE and state the 38 cfr 3.114 regulation. Some said send in a 21-4138 now while calim is pending in review status and request the law be considered... I'm afraid if I do that my claim will go back on the bottom of the stack. NOTE: my IHD claim was rolled into my Hearing increase claim which effective Feb2012. Should I leave it alone and wait to see if it is a CUE?

I filed for IHD for direct connection exposure to herbicide during my service in Thailand. Afterwards, as a result of gathering additional miltary records, I received a copy of TDY travel vouchers with airplane stops at Ton Son Nhut AFB, RVN. I sent copy of Travel Voucher and letter I received from NPRC to support my IHD claim. So, I had service in Thailand and monentary boots on the ground in RVN.

I had one more concern other than should I file now for DM II, being that I have 1claim with 2 contentions (hearing increase, IHD new) in Review Status now... RE: 38 CFR 3.114 Change of Law - Effective date of change which states : If a claim is reviewed at the request of the claimant more than 1 year after the effective date of the law or VA issue, benefits may be authorized for a period of 1 year prior to the date of receipt of such request. Dx was Jun2010, IHD effective presumtive law Sep2010, IHD claim Oct2012 - it reads to me I might be entitled to 1 yr retro, some responses I got said it I don't get it file a CUE and state the law. Some said send in a 21-4138 and request the law be considered... I'm afraid if I do that my claim will go back on the bottom of the stack. NOTE: my IHD claim was rolled into my Hearing increase claim which effective Feb2012. Should I leave it alone and wait to see if it is a CUE?

Being new to the VA system at that time, I wasn't aware of that. Now I know... thank you. I'm not expecting an increase in my rating, but I'm happy they replace my 7 yr old hearing aids. Your right, newer ones have booth tooth... good for syncing up to your cell phone and/or car audio.

I currently have SC for 0% bilateral hearing loss as evident on my entry/discharge exams 1974, plus it was noted ion my original audio C&P exam. C&P audiologist had also concurred that I had Tinnitus, that is what the 10% is for. That was awarded in 2005. I know but reviewing the hearing loss criteria, I'll stay at 0% unless I have a really very gratious rater. My hearing loss frequency have gotten worse but not to the degree of compensation... and my word recognition scores (I find it very hard to believe) stayed the same at 94. My wife thinks the are crazy. I told her I don't think the exam is fair in terms of word recoginiton because they put you in a sound proff booth, put a head set on you, wispher a sting of words and occasionally play a hissing notice in the background. Not at all a representaion of the real world environment. But that is the VA, once they have been doing something for 50 yrs, they'll keep doing it for another 50yrs Since then, I had severe blockages and dx with IHD at VA medical center in Jun/2010. At that time I had CABGx2 (was supposed to be 3 bypasses) and I knew they had just come out with the 3 new presumptives but of course they didn't apply to me... like many other veterans I served in Thailand and elsewhere have ALWAYS been told those infamous words 'if you didn't have boots on the ground... don't bother'. To me it was like finger nails on a chalk board. What I didn't know was that as a result of releasing the 'CHECO' report in (May/2010??) that I certainly did a lot of work 'on or near the base perimeter' (whatever the hell that is supposed to mean). I was a Jet Mech, F105. In Feb/2012 I called the 800 number and asked, at the insistance of my wife, how can I get another hearing exam and a possible increase. I didn't realize it, not being too familar with this claim processing jungle, that the guy on the phone started a claim for an increase for me (still pending). Sometime around Aug/2012 I was snooping around the internet and saw the public posting alerting (again, if you want to call it that... they certainly didn't spend much enegry alerting people). I was so p'off, I could have file the IHD back in Sept/Oct/2010. So, I put a claim in for IHD with documented secondaries for depression and ED. It appears they rolled that claim into my existing one that was still, after all those months, gathering evidence. Ebennies states I currently have a claim with contentions for increase in hearing loss and new for IHD (now at reviewing evidence). So the question on my orig post was should I submit a new, fully developed claim for recently dx DMII. Or do I have an option to it roll it into my existing hearing loss increase claim... or is that just pot luck and the VARO will make that decision? I'll take a look at the Nehmer info, but since I didn't file a claim back then I don't believe it is relavent to me. Sorry for the confusion. I have been reading most of your posts and I gotta say, You are a no-bullshit kind of lady!!! You go girl... I'm sure hubby is plenty proud of you and looking down and smiling from ear to ear.

Sorry to hear it... feel better.

Thanks for the advice, I'm assuming I should use the va form 21 526ez fully developed claim as opposed to the 21 256 standard form? I have lab work documents. I have doctor notes from nutricenist and PCP. (do they have a spell check here, you would think after after 61yrs I would know how to spell, I'm embarrased to say I have a BS in Computer Science ) I have tarvel documentation sent from NPRC stating presence in RVN. I have print out of VA Physicians GuideLines stating diagnosis of DM II. I too have sleep apnea, started using CPAP from private physician in 1982, started VA care in 2005. No documentation to SC.

I have consistently had A1c around 5.5 - 5.8, and FG around 120s. Recently I have had a couple spikes over 126 FG and my VA PCP scheduled me for diabetes/dieting session with the nutritionist. PCP also requested tester for monitoring glucose but the nutritionist said the VA has recently changed it's policy and only gives monitors if you are on medication. I guess I'll buy my own and try to figure out why I spike sometimes - I am pretty good about fasting. I am 61yrs old and have bladder problems that get me up 2-3 times a night (BPH) so I think sleep interruption may have something to do with it... at least from what I have read. I take Tamolsulin to keep the night time urine frequency in check... but it doesn't seem to help - or maybe it is and I would get up more often if I didn't take it... I do see a urologist every 6 mos. I have also had some Hematuria issues as well. Is a couple of pops over 126 FG reason enough to file for DM II (VN era, boots on ground)? At this time, getting it SC is probably more important then 10% managed by diet. If the VA PCP makes the dx, would just having it noted in my VA medical records good enough or do I have to get a copy and send it in? I stated a claim for Bilateral Hearing loss increase in Feb/2012 and had audio C&P - I believe that will be denied. I have additional hearing loss but not to the level of compensation... It will probably stay at 0%. I filed for IHD in Oct/2012 - according to eBennies it looks like they added it to my existing claim as new, the claim is Under Review and currently overdue it's expected completion (isn't that a surprise ? If I send in a claim should I send it in by itself as a fully developed claim or send it in and ask that it be added to my existing claim (not sure they would). I have a VSO at the Boston DAV, but I thought I would run it by you guys/girls first. Thanks in advance for your input.

My travel orders have been added to my claim along with a 21-4138 as you suggested. The claim is in the 'under review' stage. I am assuming most vets who had service in RVN have it noted on their DD214. This might seem like a silly question, but should I file to have my DD214 updated to reflect service in RVN... would it make it easier for submitting future presumptive claims? (I'm very close to DMII and a host of secondaries from that). My current DD214 only shows Thailand service. Also, do I need to make the VA medical center where I get treatment aware of service in RVN? If so, how would I do that? I am not sure if there is any medical care benefit and/or precedence to RVN AO exposured veterans. I am scheduled, by my request, for an AO registry appointment in Jan/2013. Thank you for your advice and guidence.