CSM-H

Domepeace, I also have claims at the AMC and at the RO in Wilmington DE. (former DAV NSO) You can release your POA, but another VSO will not pick you up until the issues are cleared that they did not work on. I just sent three letters to Baltimore, AMC and Wilmington to revoke my POA with DAV. They are in turmoil, NSO's and Supervisors are quiting or being fired all over the country. Definately in the DC Metro Area (Roanoke/Baltimore/DC) The DC office is now pretty much a "contact" office, won't do much for you and if they try it will not be in a timely manner. Goodluck, Hadit will do more than they did, get rid of them. CSM-H

That chart will help and piss you off at the same time...VA Math...VA speak; your issues are not "ADDED" they are "Combined" and the higher the numbers get the less they are worth...Take a look you'll see what I mean. Good luck, CSM-H

Berta thanks for the response, going to court is more intimidating than filing a claim with the VA. My issue(s) is/are a little more complicated in that my DAV rep at the instruction of his DAV supervisor (cannot prove)and in collusion with a VA employee (very obvious as seen in documentation) "split" my issues saying that they were not timely filed. Because of this my case has been in the RO and now the BVA a total of 4 1/2 years....appeal date of Aug 2003. I'll leave it at that and pay attention to the board on how to continue. thanks, CSM-H

Berta, Could you PM me? I would like to discuss at your conveinence some of the particulars of how you went about suing the DAV...I am sure I have a case also. thanks, CSM-H

Copied the below from one of the other guys. It's the Highest levels that are the worst.....I think you may want to check your numbers, here in Wasgington DC, the Post (no not my favorite paper) posted a report card on service organizations; there were 25 different ones. The DAV along with many other received a "D" because they are NOT funneling money to the Veteran in a very good way...hey I didn't say it, just what I read. But I will tell you as a former DAV NSO a lot of your money goes to lunch and dinner for the National Service Directors and Officiers on 7th Street, right across the street. See if you can get into the DAV HOST room during Winter Conference, where all the free booze is and watch the dinner tables in the Hotel....all on the DAV credit card, your money at work.....Time for some accountability. CSM-H "DAV- this is a wonderful org at their highest levels- and they do alot of great things for veterans-I have been a DAV supporter for over 20 years.I get those DAVcertificates that say I am among the largest supporters in the state.You can tell them exactky where you want your donation to go- and it gets there-I know- I checked."

Vike17, actually I could see how I wrote that to look that way....Yep in my opinion they rate the ONE issue lower but high enough to put the soldier out....Then the VA will rate that issue higher (usually) and then rate all the rest. Part of the problem is that DoD (IMO) is trying to save money, they don not have the budget to pay for disability retiement at the level it really requires. Where as the VA is set up for this but they hold on to that money pretty tight and make you/us jump through some pretty significant hoops to get it. Thanks for the responses and keeping me engaged. my case is hopefully going to the BVA soon and I'll have a story to write then....CSM-H

Vike17, Please take a closer look at what I said earlier; "it is true that DoD, specifically the Army does give "lower ratings" BUT they only rate ONE issue and they (DoD) pick the issue". I think we are saying almost the same thing...just a little differently. As to your question; "What does DoD do when there are multiple disabilities, do they take the disability that would rate the highest and assign that and all the other issues just disappear?" Vike17 this is just my opinion, but from what I witnessed they (The board President or possibly a Doctor, not in the room by the way) picks the issue and for what it's worth I believe they pick the one that is the easiest to establish and then discharge with it. As for the other issues they don't go away, they are just not rated!!! The now discharged/medically retired vet has to file a claim with the VA. Also of note is if the veteran gets a medical exit "bonus" "stipend" or whatever it's called, he/she will not get any compensation from the VA until the previously paid benefit money is "collected" back. As in soldier get $20,000 and then later gets increased by the VA to 80% from the DoD rating of 20%. The compensation from the VA for 80% is say $1200, multiply 1200x12=14400 and then approximately 5 months more (1200x5=6000) close enough....so for 17 months the veteran will get no compensation on the 18th month he/she would then start collecting the 80% rate....Hope that makes sense.....This pretty much how they do it..unless it'sa changed since I left in 2004. Hope this helps make a little sense out of it, CSM-H

Actually you are mixing apples and oranges, it is true that DoD, specifically the Army does give "lower ratings" BUT they only rate ONE issue and they (DoD) pick the issue. I have personally sat in on MEB/PEB's (as a DAV NSO) and it is unbelievable that a young man or woman will go in front of this board (three people) and a decision will be made that affects a person life forever. Then the same vet will go to the VA and have ALL their issues rated and receive the higher rating. I am not defending DoD I am just letting you know how "the Board" works.

Vike 17, Hey there if you could find something specific that would be great, what I found was in M-21 and it speaks to an amount of time to be determined by the Director, doesn't say which one....I have asked a "Director" at DAV and received no response....thanks, CSM-H

Berta, Jagrin and Pete53, hey thanks to all of you for excellant advice, A little more info, trying to saty calm here; I brought some of this on myself as is usually the case, after working for DAV about a year a wrote through "intra-mail" directly to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs my displeasure with the way they were handling cases, including my own and went so far as to give suggestions. So now you know part of the rest of the story. Also yes, they have ALL the relevant material evidence to make a decision, basically after I wrote the Sec. the DRO in Deleware decided that my Original Claim "had not been timely filed" Even though there are two documents in my file that state to the contrary and they where in there prior to me writing. My DAV Rep told me to my face right before my DRO meeting, "we'll see what writing the Sec. gets you"....Sorry no witness to this....and he (DAV rep) is now deceased. The DRO in question is recently retired. I understand the sqeaky wheel approach, but there are lots of gate keepers..I have not tried the VA website for a complaint....My claim has just reached the BVA (after 3 1/2 years) and my DAV rep there tells me a "decision could be made in as little 90-120 days, as your docket number is much older than those now being worked".... So I have a concern with changing Reps at this stage, I am hopeing the 90-120 days is accurate and I will then further persue the moving of the file folder. The advantage to my moving the folder is, it is out of Delaware, way understaffed, and most all VA employees records are there from this area. My file still has VA employee stamped on it, at least in Maryland I can get out from under the VA employee stigma, hopefully. Anywya thanks for the advice I will definately try most of it shortly as there are a few new pieces I hadn't thought of before. CSM-H

To all, great website, sorry it took me so long to get on...first time writer but hope to be active. I am Army retired and for a short period was a Disabled American Veterans (DAV) NSO....had to leave that job....we had issues [another story]. The quote below is from another thread here on the site, it speaks to my situation but doesn't asnswer the issue I have now. Anyway I have been gone from DAV three years, I am trying to get my file released from the RO that has it to no avail. I have written three requests and have even asked a Senior level DAV Director for help...nothing....How do I get my file back to the right RO? I am a Maryland resident and my file is in Deleware. I have at least two issues for increase and a new claim that I cannot file because I get no response from this RO......And yes as always there is more to this story, but I'll save that for another time. "Veterans working for the VA do NOT have their disability claims rated by the Regional Office in which they work. We employee veterans do not even have access to our VA files. They are stored at another VA office. And, I can personally attest that military veteran VA employees do not get preferential treatment for their claims. It is my experience and that of others in my office, that we go through the exact same process as other veterans. The difference is that we know what is required to get a claim decided more quickly. I'm glad to share with you and hope it helps."