John Royal

I also retired with well over 26 years of active duty, and this is how it worked for me. I started my came on July 2010, retired from the Military Sep 2010. I was awarded a partial award on March 2012, and about 60 days after I was notified by the VA of my award I received my back pay going back to Nov 2010. I remember after I was awarded my first 90%, the VA said that they had to notify DFAS about the award so that I wouldn't get over paid or in case I owed the Military some money. Once the DFAS was done auditing my pay records they release it back to the VA for authorization to pay me my retro amount of $27000 which I received about 60 days later . The DFAS at that point only withheld $8.00 as a VA waiver and after a few months it went to $1.00, then it just fell off completely when I was awarded 100% which was a year later. On my final award of 100%, I only received $11,014 back pay and over $34,000 was withheld for no reason at all, at least I wasn't told why, but after a month or so later, Bang the money hit my bank. Now I have a dependency claim still pending which is still under Claim Received Status, but the big award was already made. At this point I can only say is hold on, the money is coming. With us retirees it's a different ball game, because they want to make sure we don't get over paid. Once the money starts to flow you will forget all the stress you went through. Good luck my friend and I hope your claim is resolved soon.

Happy to report that my claim was approved and I am now at 70%. I want to thank all of my Brother's and Sister's for their insightful advice and guidance!!!
JR

WOW, this is great News!

Rick do you have any extra food stamps sure could use some I ran out yesterday and need some more beer.

The only thing that makes any sense with such outlandish wait times is this...their sole intention is to drive us towards defeat and surrendering our claims to the black hole of denial.

Ha...mine just came up on e-benefits with an estimated date from 10/12/2018 - 04/22/20120. Crazy.

Definitely not very reassuring

Doesn't it just boggle your mind that the estimated completion date for a C-file request goes into 2020???  Crazy!

Just contacted my local Congressman and hopeful that I will get the same response, as my wait time is between 08/20/2018 - 03/14/2020.

My scenario is the same as yours and I am in round 1 and hope that it only takes one round!

Just contacted my local Congressman and hopeful that I will get the same response, as my wait time is between 08/20/2018 - 03/14/2020.

My scenario is the same as yours and I am in round 1 and hope that it only takes one round!

First off...THANK YOU!!!! I love you guys and I appreciate all the knowledge I have gained. Second....I look forward to helping to helping those in need as the way I have been helped!
This is my story:
Claim Submission: 11/19/2015
Prep for Decision: 12/14/15
Prep for Notification:12/15/15
Completed: 12/17/15
Award Letter on E Benefits 12/17/15
Military Information
Your most recent, verified periods of service (up to three) include:
Recent periods of military serviceBranch of ServiceCharacter of ServiceEntered Active DutyReleased/DischargedArmyHonorableMay 29, 2003December 01, 2004(There may be additional periods of service not listed above.)
VA Benefit Information
Summary of benefit informationYou have one or more service-connected disabilities:YesYour combined service-connected evaluation is:90%Your current monthly award amount is:$XXXX.XXThe effective date of the last change to your current award was:October 01, 2015You are considered to be totally and permanently disabled due solely to your service-connected disabilities:Yes:  

Try e-mailing   MaryAnn.Wentzel1@va.gov. 
Just a short note should work.

Thank you so much broncovet for your response. I
know that my question is somewhat confusing. I did not appeal any of the decisions. I only reopened in Oct 2015 the PTSD and MDD claims. The others were already closed and decisions made.
It seems now that the VA is reopening every claim I have made and is re-evaluating them. I received a notice today on ebennies requesting for a VA 21-4142 for all medical sources listed on VA 21-4142A. I am now assuming they are trying to get more information concerning my current treatment to get a much clearer picture of the state of my health.
Still, I do not understand why they would be interested in claims in which I am not receiving any benefits for. Its all confusing to me. I will call the VA and possibly they can give me some type of answer to at least pacify me. Perhaps you can elaborate on this theory. Again, thank you very much.
t

Congratulations!  However, wait until you get the envelope to celebrate.  

I filed my claim in April 2015 but it was suspended because I was pregnant. I was told to call once I was 90 days postpartum. I called in November and every month thereafter until March having never heard back from the VA or being scheduled for a C&P. I was still active duty when I filed and as we all know you get a quicker turnaround if you file before you are actually out of the service. Finally I called in March and was told my claim wasn't even at the correct regional office. What?!  After 5 or 6 calls Noone had ever me noticed this before? I finally got my C&P in April. I found Hadit just before my exam and followed the advice on here. The way the rating is broken down doesn't quite make sense and I need to file another claim for MDD and anxiety that I didn't even know I was diagnosed with while active duty until my C&P examiner read the diagnosis to me but I am thrilled with my rating. After reading everything I could on this forum I wasn't very hopeful that my first attempt would be successful and I was cautiously hoping for 50%.  Well, yesterday I logged onto Ebennies to check my claim yet again and there it was...a big fat 90%!  Thanks to all of you for sharing your experiences and knowledge and good luck on your claims. 

So, I lurked on hadit and yuku for the past 7-8 months. My rating came up on E-Benefits about 2 weeks ago, and I wanted to give people a rough timeline, how I filed, what was awarded... etc.
My original claim was actually filed 12 Jan 16 but went in 13 April 16 because that was my date of separation. I believe it showed up in Ebenefits around mid-Feb. 
50% anxiety
50% migraines
30% IBS
20% right shoulder
20% left shoulder
10 % tinnitus
10% back
10% right leg
10% left leg
10% right wrist
Denied SC for sinusitus, allergic rhinitis, apthuous ulcer (lol not my decision to claim this), allergic bronchitis with dyspnea, and l/r IT band (knees). It's weird that I was denied for all the breathing stuff because those were some of my biggest and most problems in-service. 
Filed: Jan 12, 2016
Went in Eben: Feb 15th ish
Actual File date: April 13, 2016
C&P #1: May 13, 2016
C&P #2: June 6, 2016 (they forgot the blood test for IBS)
Eben Prep for decision-->complete: during the week of July 7-13, 2016 (the most excruciating week during the process)
I saw it on Ebenefits on a Thursday, the retro pay the following Monday, and the BBE the next day. I used AMVETS to file my claim.
Once I got my mailed proof, I attempted to get my private student loan with Wells Fargo discharged, and just found out today that it went through. There are some other private lenders that will do this for P&T or IU, but as far as I can tell it's easiest for federal loans to get discharged. All I had to do was send in my award letter with conditions (though I don't know if I had to include the conditions) to Wells Fargo with a certain form they provided me.
My overall rating came out to 95% with VA math so I feel very very lucky to be in my current position. Thanks to everyone for all of your posts and giving me hope in this transitory part of my life.
 

Oops, my fault there - feeling like Monday over here.
After my DRO hearing, the DRO said it could take one to six months. My hearing was recorded and the DRO took notes. Because "de novo" essentially means "new look", they had to go back and look at all my evidence a second time just to be certain.
I know the image below explains how you feel about the situation. When I was waiting for my results, I was feeling the exact same way... I'm sorry the VA system is cause to such frustration to us veterans. We deserve better.

Dang, Buck, sounds like you're looking for a needle in a needle stack!  Good luck, and good hunting there, bro!
I'd let you borrow my magnet, that can lift 50lbs, but it may cause more trouble than it's worth.  I mean, imagine a 50lb bundle of needles hanging off your hand! 
Semper Fi...Andy

This is interesting about the LIMBIC  Part of the Brain  check this out!  Sleep Apnea/OSA
http://www.answersforsleep.com/neurological-disorders/the-ptsd-and-sleep-apnea-connection/
................Buck

I recommend, if you have been waiting for at least six months on your cfile OR if you have a hearing approaching, contact your local congressman and ask for assistance in obtaining your cfile, it worked for me. If that doesn't light a fire, contacting the Secretary of VA as Asknod and Shuman suggested most definitely will. I opted for the congressman, as I wanted to save contacting the Secretary for a last resort, I waited literally almost two years after requesting my cfile and, after contacting the congressmans office in my area, had it on my doorstep, delivered by UPS, less than two weeks later.

I was in the same boat with the 2018 C-File. So I waited about 6 months and then emailed the security of the VA. I kindly explained my situation ( I needed my Service medical records to get an IME/IMO for my NOD) and within 2 days got a call from someone on his staff saying my C-File would be in the mail today and at my house tomorrow. And he was not joking my C-File showed up the next day.

© NVLSP 2011 Common VA Errors in Claims for Increase
http://www.purpleheart.org/ServiceProgram/Training2011/T-4%20%20VA%20Errors%20in%20Claims%20for%20Increase%203.2011.pdf

Is your request for VBA-specific records that exist only in your claims file? 
Assuming that is the case, it might work a lot better if VBA set up a system where vets could request VBA-specific records only, e.g., Rating Decisions, Statement of the Case, etc. Might save a bunch of time and money.