allansc2005

Buck52, I will make that call tomorrow, and post the answer(s) to my question. Thanks. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

Yes Wilky, thus why we veterans need to know things like statute laws and rules; I've been told more than once I was "supposed" to have gotten my pay increase the "following month" after the decision was made in my favor. Didn't happen in February, March, April, May....you get the idea. I do have the computer savvies to look up laws, statutes, regulations... concerning the subject of my post, but how many veterans have that capability? Is the VA doing it's job by keeping vets informed about what's discussed here? Obviously not, because hadit.com, vawatchdog.org, military.com....et al are still going strong. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

Wilky, thanks for your input. My contentions are if the veteran(s) know how the "system" works pertaining to larger payouts, then they/we would tend to not panic, and let the system work for us. Then again, as my original post asked "How long is too long"? Ironically, I JUST got off the phone with my rep, who happens to have an office at the RO, and he's going to take a walk down the "hallway", and ask the review officer if there is anything he can do to speed up things. Let me also say that back in January 2017, a review officer approved my case ON THE SPOT, in other words there was no long drawn out process to decide my case. Once a review officer awards you something, that's pretty much it, your approved, then the "hamster wheel" goes into motion. I must also say that Berta, Tbird, broncovet, Buck...et al, do a damn good job of keeping us up-to-date here on hadit, and it's my understanding that, once again, the VA is WAY behind on these claims. How many times have we heard this? Granted, I'm not in financial need, but other vets are I'm sure, and whatever we can do here to educate veterans about claims, albeit how seemingly vague that information is, the better. As I look back on my years in the army, I would have thought the old adage "Hurry up and wait" would have only applied to the army, obviously how wrong I was! Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

Gastone, the lawyer sent me and the VA a letter saying "We have closed your case...and will return your file once you pay the $9.00 postal fees..." Rep For Vets dragged my case out for 4 years, lost both appeals, including a BVA case...so they walked, no ifs ands or buts about it. Talked to my American Legion rep about this, and he said Rep For Vets "doesn't get a dime" Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

Tbird, I would almost pay not to see the Rep For Vets ads here, but my stress level has eased over time after firing them, so I'll live with it. I'm a TRUE testament here that the good outweighs the bad here on hadit. Keep up the good work Tbird, broncovet, Buck, Berta...! Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

jfrei, fortunately there are no lawyers involved, I fired the lawyer last year, and now American Legion is my rep. Another possible delay with my case MIGHT(strong might) be that my retro involves 6 figures; but one would THINK that ALL retros above 25K would take the same amount of time to process. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

demeat, in my case there may be a lame but legit excuse for my case taking so long. Anytime there is a retro payment above 25k, the VA is required to have 3 "signatures" before that retro can be approved. The question I can't seem to get answered is what's the path of these 3 signatures? In other words, who, what, when, where....is involved in getting the case approved? I was already approved at the RO by a review officer, then what? I'm sure MANY veterans have these same questions. That VA "800" number can give you vague answers to these questions, but when I asked them the details, they seemed lost. Also, trying to get my American Legion rep to return my calls about the matter is like trying to get a soldier to volunteer for KP! Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

vetquest, great info! For myself, I haven't gotten that far, and would probably kick holes in all my walls before going to my Senator, but that's just me. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

@Gastone, too funny! I actually had a girlfriend named Peggy, and...OOOPS, wrong Forum! OK OK Tbird and Berta, I left it at that! Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

bronco, as I said in my last post, I'm more interested in the "process" of these types of claims, than anything else. Now, back to this Peggy, my last 4 calls to the VA, I was told they don't know this Peggy; my calls are almost always routed to the Salk Lake City switch board. Also, I'm not watching paint dry here, or hounding the VA on a daily basis, my purpose for my question is to know at what point does the veteran start making calls, asking questions...at the UPPER levels of the VA system? When does the veteran call the RO director's office, Senator's offices...? Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

Buck, thanks for your reply. Actually though, I posted this question more for giving vets some useful information, experiences, horror stories....rather than me whining and crying about money(I'm ok financially); I've really not seen posted here on hadit the "process" for these 25K+ retros. What's the 411 on them? Where and how are they decided, they go from the RO to where...? Berta has been wonderful with posting links to very useful information about the "3 signature" process, but those links don't really go into the who, what, when, where....of the process. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

Though this question does apply to me, I'm sure it's a question MANY vets have. Won a CUE and IU effective January, 27th, 2017 via formal RO review. My case falls under the "3 signature" rule, which means the retro entails more than 25K, and is expected to take a "little" while longer. American Legion rep said "look for the retro in a month or so from the decision date(above), and that big white envelope a few weeks later; Ebenefits entry for the approval is anyone's guess..." Called the rep back in March, his answer "The VA is way behind on these things, give it another month" Mid April I called the VA's 800 number and was told "Your case is in Washington DC right now...so we can't tell you a completion date..." Today is May 1st, 2017; So 3 months, one week and 4 days later since my decision date, and no retro, no white envelope, no Ebenefits entry. Now, before I ask the topic question, let me ask this question: Cases that involve three signatures, what's the "path", where do these cases go, and is there a mandatory time line the VA has to complete these types of case? OH, by the way, I've had NO monthly pay increase as well. Yes, yes I know, I'm not the only pebble on the beach, but.... How long is too long? Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

I've given the C&P "process" about 3 weeks after my exam, then went to the Records, AKA Freedom Of Information, section of the hospital were I got my C&P exam, and was give a copy on the spot. Your VA ID card and drivers license are all that's needed. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

Buck, I certainly will have the veteran listen to that broadcast tonight, as I wont be able to make it. At 100% P&T, I have already told him that basically there are only 2 differences between IU and scheduler, and that's the dependent education thing, and the requirement to declare that he's not employed. I know there are a FEW exceptions to the employment thingy, but he doesn't fall in that category. I won my P&T IU and CUE on the spot back in late January, and won't touch that, to hell with scheduler. CUE back to 1990, and IU back to 2010. Of course, because it requires 3 signatures, I don't have retro and that big "white envelope" yet, but with the VA once again "overwhelmed", guess I'll have to be patient a little longer. Also, forget the Ebenefits page, it wasn't updated before I won my cases in January! They put in a work order in last week, and it's still not updated. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

Buck, I do understand the differences between P&T IU, Temp IU..dependents qualified for education..etc etc...his dependents, though he doesn't have any at home, were approved for the education thingy, as stated on his approval letter. My question is will the VA change his IU to scheduler with these new approved conditions automatically, or can he request to be changed to scheduler? Of course we all want to be scheduler, and not have the hassle of telling the VA every year that we're not employed, and might like to work. Yes, I read Jim Strickland's blogs all the time, especially vawatchdog.org. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

Got a veteran who is 100% P&T IU, and he was told by his rep he just won 50% for sleep apnea, and 30% for sinusitis. Neither of which are associated with or included in his IU. Will the veteran automatically be changed to scheduler, or does he have to ask for it? I don't have any other details but what I've posted here. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

Berta, the feeling I get from a few reps I have talked to, I get the feeling that they hate social media such as hadit.com, vawatchdog.org... Speaking of reps, my rep can't stand the Ebenefits portal, and I must agree with him, mine is seriously outdated. Yes, I asked for a "work order", nothing yet. I do agree however that RO raters should be required to visit sites like this, and if anything else, they could learn from the success stories of the vets and dependents, and apply those "methods" to their way of doing business. Realistically though, I think that the *VA as a whole is so arrogant that they don't think they need any "outside" influences to help them with their job(s). Allan 2-2-0 HUAH! *Not all VA employees.

Yes Berta, that's the first place we looked; I/we did all the standard searches for the medical records. The only other place I can think of is finding the medical records on the old microfiche system somewhere. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

My my what a coincidence Berta, I'm considering finishing my Masters with AMU! On another note, after reading your CUE sample letter some months back, and using that letter to WIN my CUE, along with IU, I knew that: 1. Once I receive that "official" big white envelope, I will post the decision here. 2. I will pass your CUE letter example on to other veterans, and let them know they CAN win their case(s), and I'm an example. This is what we veterans, dependents... need to do, help our fellow veterans sift through the complicated, and often political humdrum system called the DVA. Then, of course, you have the FEW veterans, dependents..out there that no matter how much data, how much information you throw at them, they just don't, or wont get it. Those are the "types" that I show them where to find what they need, and tell them 'See you at the movies' Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

Berta, caring folks like yourself, Buck, broncovet..et al, have inspired me to help other vets. Though doing research burned me out in college, I won't hesitate to click on your links to further educate myself. One thing I've notice with SOME vets is that they are not being proactive, they tend to think that the VA will do all the work for them, and once they find out the VA only makes minimal effort to help, especially after they lost their case, then they start blaming the "system", without pointing a finger at themselves. That's where websites like hadit.com comes into play. It's here, use it, use the links, educate yourself... After all, if the veteran doesn't make an effort to win a claim, gain knowledge, better him or her self, then who will? Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

I've done the "standard" searches for a veteran's medical records, St Louis, VA hospitals....with no results. He came into the army in 1974, so he missed the big fire in St Louis, his C file came MINUS active duty medical records. So where else is there to search? Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

Berta, you should be awarded an honorary Ph.D. in education for all the research you do(-: Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

Berta, actually I associate with the 2nd Infantry Division, but 101 is ok too(-; 2-2-0 Second To None HUAH!

Berta, unless I'm missing something here, the 101st is an army unit, I was in it. Allan "One O One, patch on my shoulder, pick up your weapon and follow me, airborne ranger infantry..."

I can tell you from my experiences with Ebenefits, it's slow, outdated and often inaccurate. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!