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EODCMC

Chief Petty Officers
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Everything posted by EODCMC

  1. Thanks Vync and it’s good to see you are still volunteering your time to this great community. As I intimated, I just want to point her in the right direction. She has been, and still is the kind of spouse that leaves the finances to her husband. She has never seen a RAS and has no idea what her husband makes. She just knows he retired as an E-7 in 2007. Can she inquire with the VA without her husband’s consent? Anyway, I will point her in that direction. She can pursue if and when he situation becomes untenable. It’s a good lesson for some folks out there. Each family situation is different. I sit with my wife at least once a year and whenever she wants…to go over everything. Steps to take in case something happens to me including passwords, insurance, will and state of affairs. I do this with my daughters too, although they push back every time. Thanks again.
  2. Thanks for your advice and confirming my thoughts. I don’t think he will be cooperative.
  3. Hi everyone. It has been quite some time since my last visit, regrettably. This site is eerily similar to my relationship with God. I seem to only call on him when I need help. Although, Theresa (Tbird) is the closest I’ve seen to an angel on earth. I’m trying to help a friend of my wife. Only, to get her in the right direction to get professional help. Leony has been married to a retired military veteran for more than 40 years, still married, still loving and living together. The retired veteran has had multiple operations recently including but not limited to the heart. He was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. His symptoms were getting serious enough to over-ride his stubbornness resisting doctors. He has become recalcitrant, cantankerous, and paranoid recently. Aside from the hardship of caring for her husband (without complaint) she is growing desperate because her husband has growing lapses in providing his share of the household bills. This is worsening. When she asked him to allow her access to do this, he gets very defensive and blows up at her. Although she still works and pays for the household food and some other things, the mortgage and utilities are on him and there have been some troubling letters from them. He has always been reclusive where the family finances are concerned but his mental health is worsening and she doesn’t know where to turn He is 30 year military retired veteran. She doesn’t know if he ever applied for VA disability. She lives near a Naval base and a VA Regional. I don’t know if I should direct her toward the base legal office or the VA. If anyone has some advice I would surely pass it on. Again, thanks in advance and my deep regards to Theresa…you have helped so many. Respectfully, Jim C
  4. Hi, I am asking for help for a friend that has a meeting with the VA on Wednesday. She receives DIC. Her husband died from an affliction that is service related. He served for more than 30 years, they were married for nearly 40 years and still married at the time of death. She wishes to attend college in her ancestral country of the Philippines using educational benefits. Her concern is whether or not this will affect her DIC in an adverse way. Does anyone have experience on this topic. Any ad ice will be greatly appreciated...thanks in advance.
  5. Good point hard time. Logic tells me that there will be an increase in Space A travel with the new military budget. Talon's logic doesn't hold up, however. There is no medic requirement for retired military personnel, they never ask me about my medical conditions.
  6. Berta, In the short time that I have been visiting this site I have seen how revered you are and I know why. I too have been a recipient of your help and guidance. Bless you and your husband. Thank you for your service to our veterans, spouses and dependents. I hope one day I can shake your hand personally.
  7. Yea, someone on here not-so-fondly coined this the "Gathering Dust" phase. There is so much information they get from multiple sources. Not all of it is relevant to your C&P examiner. Stay nice, be firm and resolute. These folks aren't dishonest, although some get jaded by the human interaction. There probably should be term limits for rafters and VSO reps perhaps. I really think you are moving along in the normal fashion, from the information you have provided. good luck!
  8. He will be able to see the evidence when the VA posts it. They do have a special log in...trust me. If I were you, I would hold tight until the VA gathers your records. You will see them request it on E- benefits. There will be a deadline. In the meantime, you could research other VSOs in case you feel you need to make a change. Don't panic, adapt and overcome.
  9. From my experience Bronc is right and has helped countless folks here. I would add, use the help you get here to gently nudge your VSO in the right direction. They have a mandate to help you.
  10. Gunny, your dellema is that you don't have your "STRs". The VA will get this information rather quickly and won't act on your claim until they do. Regrettably, it usually takes nearly a year for the VA to send the C file to you. If you haven't sent your FOIA request, I suggest you do it now. Your VSO should do this for you. Therefore, you are pretty much in the dark when gauging the strength of your claim unless you have a very considerate VSO and will brief you. They can see this info, usually. However, they cannot give it to you in any form except verbally. Hang in there Marine! From what you have told us, you are in pretty good shape. Just a little catching up to do and a bit of a waiting game.
  11. Gunny, thanks for the clarification. In this case, I would not check the "combat activity" box unless you actually served in theater. If they feel you did something in error, however well intention-ed, it can hold up your claim for months. This is something I have experienced. The claims that you list would probably not be aided by this anyway. I'd like to weigh in on 3 of your claims that I have some experience with: - "Reevaluate my back (current SC but at 0%)" : This should be looked at favorably providing your condition has worsened since your last P&T. If you are within a year of that decision, I would not "Reopen" the claim but ask for a reconsideration. It could benefit you where the effective date is concerned. - "Hearing Loss" : Something so common can be the most difficult to service connect. If you have had or are having a hearing exam outside your C&P exam, ask the examiner to look at your service record audio-grams. You should show a "Auditory Threshold Shift" in the 500, 1000, 2000, 3000 or 4000 Hertz range while on active duty and/or an incident where you have has inner or middle ear baratrauma. Ask them to point these things out in your test. VA Fast letter 10-35 lists military ratings, MOS and occupations and their hearing risk factors. This can aid you greatly if you were in any of the high risk fields. In my case the VA did not automatically research this. You need to point it out. - "Tinnitus" : Aside from what I mentioned in "Hearing Loss", if you get rated for hearing loss they will probably allow you the Tinnitus assumption. If you don't get rated for hearing loss, you will need to reference the occurrence somewhere in your SMR (Service Medical Record). Hopefully, the occurrence began after your threshold shift. I am no authority; my comments are based solely on my personal experience. I wish you luck (only because with the VA, you sometimes need it) but more importantly, I wish you good health. Thanks for your service!
  12. The benefit of this application is there is no rating threshold to receive tax free concurrent receipt compensation. A service member can be retired and receive compensation in addition to retirement even if they are rated at 10%. https://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary/disability/crsc.html
  13. It may be where Gny saw the distinction is when a person is applying for CRST or Combat Related Special Compensation. This does not require a person to be in the combat zone. If you are training for combat and receiving a hazardous duty pay e.g.; diving, jumping, demolitions etc, and get hurt during these activities, you may qualify.
  14. Thanks Berta, I just returned from travel. Yesterday the Big Yellow Envelope (actually, it's white) arrived. Everything was as aforementioned. The good news is I am 100% P&T, if being disabled can be good. As discussed, the Effective Date is Feb 9. not the original effective date " May 2, 2017 - I received a SC disability letter for Dermatitis at 10%. This was retroactive with an Effective Date of March 1, 2017". I will redact and post the decision over the next couple of days. I have not received the retro because I am retired military and they will take a couple of months to do the audits. Thanks again for your help.
  15. I agree with PW and Bronc. I would add however, to stay on top of this, especially if the deffer-ed claim no longer shows on E-ben nor Vets.gov. They can mistakenly close the deffer-ed claim and than it's difficult to get them to reopen it. This happened to me. Probably an anomaly, but they reopened the wrong claim, none of the background files reappeared. Ultimately, they approved my claim, but the effective date became the date they reopened the claim. I am still correcting this with a NOD.
  16. Best explanation I've seen yet. Thanks! I would add, you can't work or you are significantly limited when you are receiving SSDI.
  17. TBird, Can I get consent to plug a friend's book here. It is a book that helps disabled vets deal with PTSD. Much, if not all his proceeds are going back to disabled vets. After retiring from the Navy (EOD), started and eventually sold a successful business to devote his time and resources to help vets. He start a retreat in VA. I can give you the name, if it helps. I'm intentionally leaving detailed info out until I get permission. I was hoping I could add the link here.
  18. The best thing for you to do is call or visit your local Tricare. Don't take my word for it. Good luck!
  19. I forgot, you will have to pay the $134 for Medicare Part B. However, the benifits of nearly no limits on coverage, made and I think no copay makes up for.
  20. There is a lot of "ifs" here. You don't lose your Tricare. The Social Security Administration will automatically have Medicare kick in after 2 years of being on SSDI. I believe, at that point your primary health care will be Medicare and Tricare will pick up anything that Medicare doesn't cover. It's a really good deal. i am 100% P&T, I have SSDI and I use Tricare. My 2 years on SSDI comes up in Nov but I also turn 65. Therefore, I will have Medicare and Tricare.
  21. Grump, it is easy to apply for SSDI...just make an appointment and they do it all for you. Since your 100%, there is a good chance you will get it. Remember, SSDI also considers your non service connected maladies.
  22. E-Ben and Vets now reflect the increase...no package yet.
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