allansc2005

@Paul, SUPER! Also, I'm not sure about Florida, but in South Carolina you get free access to all state and federal parks, free salt water AND fresh water fishing license, no property taxes on 2 vehicles, one dwelling..., and on and on.. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

@Paul, Florida is very generous to us vets. Have you checked the state VA website for all the goodies allotted to us vets? Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

@Paul, well, you could go fishing. Buck was teasing me about that the other day while we were discussing my retro. "Go fishing, stay busy..", of course I had to let Buck know that money is no issue with me, give me the 100% scheduler, and I'll be happier than a dolphin in a school of anchovies! Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

@Ocean, So true! I'm a prime example. Back in 2016 I was awarded TDIU P&T. Was told by the American Legion it will be "1-3" months before everything is done.. Ten months later that BIG check hit the bank, and a month later I got the "envelope". I had to find out the hard way that the more retro you have coming to you, the longer it takes. Over the years I've learned that "hurry up and wait" is the norm for the VA, be it waiting on SC, back pay, CUE.. Ironically, I'm in that same situation AGAIN having filed for increased disabilities that date back to 1990! I took broncos, Bucks, GBArmy's…, suggestions and went fishing. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

@bronco, Better yet, wait for that wad to hit the bank, THEN wait for the envelope! Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

@JK, got ya now, sorry, I was on 3 computers at once. Yours is complicated, and it sounds like you should probably visit your local VA's American Legion or DAV office. They have the ability to cut through the red tape. Also, C&P exam results are now available from the Blue Button? Including Community Care C&P exams? Interesting. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

@JK, try the records /Freedom Of Information office at either your VA or VA hospital. These offices are usually in the basement of the hospital or Regional office. IF your C&P exam was done by the VA, your records should be there at the hospital. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

@JK, have you called your rep who handled your case? Also, without making excuses, usually what happens this time of year is that many employees take Christmas vacations, use up sick leave, vacation time.., which often leaves a backlog with cases. One of the HARDEST things to endure during your process, besides idiots involved, is wait wait... Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

@GBArmy, It was revealed at her C&P exam that she does have tinnitus. In the area of ears, hearing problems, vertigo.., there is a graduated % scale that ranges from 30%, 60% and 100% respectively, and after reading her DBQ's, one C&P examiner said she had "Moderate to severe hearing loss in BOTH ears, and the other examiner stated "significant DAILY vertigo with episodes of staggering.. perforated ear drum still present.." Using the "VA Math" scale, she's currently at 89.66..%, rounded up to 90%, so my best guess is given the above C&P results, she will be 100% Scheduler real soon. Now as far as back pay/retro, I've had a million guesses here on hadit.com, ranging from "pocket change" back to 2015, up to 100K+ dating back to her 0% ratings going back as far as 1989, none of which were included in her TDIU from 2015. My whole-ball-of-wax guess here, AKA S.W.A.G.=Scientific Wild Ass Guess would be: 1. 100% Scheduler with SMC(s). 2. Retro pay at 60% back to 1989 for the hearing. 3. Retro pay for the perforated ear drum 30% back to 1989. 4. Retro pay for vertigo at 100% back to 2015. One attorney who visits here quite often had a look at the veteran's past Disabilities, percentages, monetary awards.., and so fourth, and emailed me saying "160K retro, SMC (s).." I'm somewhere in that ballpark with my best guess. So there you have it Camp Hovey man, what's your best guess? Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

@GBArmy, Ironically, much of her claims, dates...are similar to mine. She's 90% SC Scheduler, TDIU P&T July, 2015(different than me), and here's what her C&P was for(VERY similar to mine): This is the LATEST from her rated disabilities, and Includes what the C&P was for. 1.Bilateral otitis media and chronic right mastoiditis, 10%-effective date: 06/07/1990 2. Post operative status, perforation of the right tympanic membrane(ear drum), 0%-effective date:11/17/1989 3.Hearing loss right ear, 0%- effective 11/17/1989. Oh, let me correct something from my last post, according to the veteran, none of the above listed conditions were included in her TDIU P&T rating from 2015. She did however have other rated conditions that met the requirements for TDIU, ie; 40+% for one rating, 70+% total Scheduler rating.., and so fourth. Now GB brother, figure this one out! HA! I think it's got bronco, Buck, myself.., and a few others stumped! Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

Afternoon folks from sunny Palm Beach, Permanent and Total, aka P&T, has been a subject of much debate, yet it's association with retro "back pay" doesn't seem to come up that often. Scenario: Got a veteran who was awarded TDIU P&T for a hodgepodge of conditions back in 2015. She received a sizeable amount of retro, including for hearing, tinnitus, perforated ear.. Her ear and hearing problems have since worsened, she filed a claim for increase and was given a C&P exam. She finally got a copy of the C&P exam results, had her ENT doctor interpret it, and he told her "No doubt, you ear, vertigo and hearing conditions have gotten worse..."(paraphrasing). Questions: 1. Is she correct in assuming she has a case for retro? 2. At what point(dates) would her retro begin? Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

@blahsaysme2u, the key here is Buddy Statements. Sleep apnea is one of the hardest conditions to service connect. If you type in "buddy statements" here on the search bar, you will see good examples of buddy statements. Also, don't leave out statements from relatives either, although they may or may not have been on active duty with you, they can provide valuable statements that could help win your case for sleep apnea. Also remember, as with ANY VA claim, you have to provide a Nexus, something that connects in your case, sleep apnea to active duty. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

@Berta, you gave me the best CUE advice a few years ago that helped win my case, and yes, it's all in the wording. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

@Fat, so ELS with no benefits. The 180 day rule prevails. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

Entry Level Separation-ELS is the key word here. The scenarios for education, medical.., benefits are virtually endless. Generally, it's viewed as a "neutral discharge". Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

@Buck, there are probably a thousand different variations as to why a SM was discharged with less than 180days on active duty, be it for medical reasons, disciplinary, administrative-to include hardship... As far as health benefits, there are a few scenarios a SM could qualify for health benefits having served less than 180 days active: 1. The SM made it through initial training, and was hurt while on the job. 2. The SM was injured while on training. 3. The SM was found to have a genetic defect that made him/her "unfit" for duty...on and on.. Otherwise, 99% of the time the SM is discharged either a "non" status, or "For the good of the government", and has no benefits, medical included. Sadly, most in the above situation either don't know to fight the discharge, or don't care. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

@GBArmy, ironically we had a meeting about this same issue back over the summer. A retired army colonel who commanded the Administrative School at Ft Jackson told our think tank that DD 214s that don't have a discharge status "Generally means no time served..", in other words, there is no status. Crazy you say? Yes. One can only ass/u/me that anyone who served less than 180 days, and doesn't have a % at discharge, doesn't have a status at all, and therefore are robots.(Humor inclusive) Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

@GBArmy, in any case, the 180 day rule still applies. Even if, strong if, the discharge was to attend a military academy, there would be no benefits. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

@Fat, the law is pretty specific, (paraphrasing) "180 days must pass before the service member(s) can eligible for any type of benefits, unless they were discharged with a 10% or more SC disability.." Yes, some of the wording on today's DD 214 have changed, but the laws haven't. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH! Footnote: Ironically, my nephew was discharged from Navy boot camp after just four weeks, but was awarded 10% SC at the time of his discharge. He's now TDIU P&T, and got retro back to 1994!

@Hollie, you're welcome kiddo, good to see you around. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

@Hollie, look at it this way, should it come down to it, you have a very strong case to appeal if necessary. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

@Paul, yes and helping veterans is what I do. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

@Buck, your post just had me laughing so hard I choked on my Crown & Coke(cola)! Trust me brother, I'm FAR from being broke and homeless. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

@hurryup, the last time I got a sizeable retro, it took about 5 months(lower 6 figures), and that was 2016. My understanding now is that there are 5 "signatures" required for anything over 20K, and anything100K+ can take anywhere from 3-8 months to approve, and into your bank account. There is a "process" for receiving a sizeable retro, but I can't seem to find out what it is. I would have thought Berta would chimed in on this thread by now, but nobody has seen her around lately. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!

@GB, Grouper are just delicious IF you catch the right size and species of them. Also, though gators have been seen in the canals, they rarely come out on the beaches, or swim the ocean. Unlike their saltwater cousins crocs, gators generally hate salt water. We actually have a "pet" gator named Charlie who swims one of the canals, he keeps the snakes in check, and for what ever reason, he just doesn't go after humans. Allan 2-2-0 HUAH!