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kent101
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Posts posted by kent101
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9 hours ago, GBArmy said:
Kent101 I don't know what your disabilities are but if you are rated at 90% and at least one of them isn't "static" and you haven't been called to get another re-look, don't rock the boat. It is possible that the decided to change the status from routine future exam to make it static and of course they wouldn't tell the veteran about that. If your symptoms have not improved and you have continued treatment for them, you're good. After 5 years the VA is supposed to let it ride UNLESS you submit another claim or something like that. So IMHO what I would do is nothing; don't ask even. If you get the call later, I'd call the RO as ask why you are now getting an exam after 5+ years of no change. Otherwise, I see no advantage to you to even ask (and alert them.)
I've had a few disabilities that are over 10 years now and few that are just over 5 years. Thanks.
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I was due for the 5 year check up C&P exam late last year and never got anything in the mail for it. They don't forget do they? Are the C&P exams backlogged due to the pandemic? It's not hurting my benefits but I'm wondering when they're going to call me back in.
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On 5/11/2021 at 6:54 AM, john999 said:
I had my discharge upgraded to honorable in 1973 I think. I went in-person before a board with representation from the Red Cross. The old guy who represented me was great. He had the civilian members of the board crying. I felt so sorry for myself after listening to him I was crying as well. The only one no crying was the military member of the board. Anyway why worry about something like getting some sort of credit for service after Vietnam. Nobody cares but us. Any one under the age of 60 does not even remember Vietnam. It is as remote to them as the Civil War is to us.
I'm not over 50 yet but my father's 84 years old and did two tours in Vietnam as a Navy Seabee. I think for that reason I remember what he's told me about it and have better understanding than many my age. I have researched the Vietnam War. It was reading books about LRRPS in Vietnam that got me interested in joining the US Army. I'd say most about 5 years younger than me probably don't have much knowledge of Vietnam because by the time they got around 16 years old the USA was invading Afghanistan and Iraq. Many generation Z don't even know what the world was like before 9/11/2001.
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On 6/28/2020 at 10:22 PM, PEACHES1962 said:
I am really excited and surprised to learn that I finally reached my 100% P&T SMC from the VA. I just wanted to express my appreciation to this website reading about others success and not giving up. I was truthful with my disabilities to my C&P examiners and when I doubted my issues would not be looked at seriously I found that they were. I often think about how I wish I would have done this years ago. I know back then that I did not understand the system and that all I needed were my medical records (enlisted and VA) along with understanding how my illnesses/issues were connected. I always thought that being female in the military was really hard, but proving your disabilities afterwards seemed unimaginable. However, I did it and now I am 100% P&T SMC. I am not going for TDIU because I really love my job and have no intention of quitting/leaving at this time. Thank you HADIT for assistance with my guidance in this process!!!
I was led to believe that I just had to suck it up and VA disability was something for people who were wounded in combat. 10 years after getting out I joined the VFW and started reading about appeals in their magazine. From there I applied and was denied. It took 15 years after I left to get my first rating and am now at 90%. 20 years later I got my DD214 changed since my rank was taken unjustly.
I'm thankful that I didn't give up. I'm glad to hear you didn't give up either. No one but you knows what you went through to get where you're at. I hope your life is a lot better now.
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4 hours ago, Buck52 said:
Wow, what branch was you in? I was US Army,
Well maybe that jag lawyer got some inside information, whatever, but I am glad the MBRC/ABMC gave you your rank back and put on your DD 214 You never lost your rank, and the guy that tried to screw you over lost his rank,,,,the lawyer had to be a darn good lawyer he knew what he was doing. Glad they got that corrected for ya.
I have did what MS bERTA SAID BUT TO NO AVALthey still deny me on correcting my 214.
part of my Vietnam service is not corret but at least its on there I had extended stay and the paper work to prove it, It said I would not be gurateed to stay with my unit and I sign that form lucky for me I did get to stay with my old unit, my CO (Capt, in rank were buddys) and I , they were 3 of us from the same home state oklahoma and we just all started being good friends and the entioe unit love our CO he bent the miilitary rules as for as prosudures and protocal stuff he was the kind of CO that if you do your job then no one has the right to correct you he told us all one time in military formation he told the whole company theres going to be some changes made men, he said if you do your jobs and stay alert at all times keep your weapons cleaned locked & Cocked and ready to ROCK &ROLL then thats all you have to do and the guys love him for that, we never had to wear our fitiuge shirts, we all went shritless and we all got a long just fine.
Anyway getting back to the denail of my 214 CORRECTIONS , I sent them everything I had even my extended stay form I had to sign, letter from a Major Bennett but I never met him , he mention I was an excellent solider and would be a good for the military ect,,,ect,,, (the reup talk),I sent them some TDY incountry travel orders when I had to leave our unit and go outside the unit to recover disable military vehicals some times by myself sometime a buddy would go with me, I sent all that paper work to the records correction people and a medical note from when I was in Germany that had my unit battillion name on it and the location in Germany, sign it dated it ect,,,ect,,, I thought for sure this will prove my Germany service nope still denied me!!!
I was THERE from Jan 1970. DEC 1970 @ Tompkins Barracks, Schwetzingen, Germany During 2000 the V Corps Artillery headquarters moved to Tompkins Barracks , I can't remember what unit I was in but I think it was company B 517th heavy equipment but can't find any information on my unit? Its not there anymore ,I heard the US Gov gave this land Tompknks Barracks was on gave it back to the German Gov,? but since then V Corps moved to Tompkins?
, the compound cloeds in 1994 and there were a few other companys theres mostly signal companys topo, engineer companys ect,,,ect,, ect,,ect,,...but still they denied to correct my 214 this has been goin gon for about 10/12 years now and they still said unless you can provide strong evidence your correction to your DD 214 WILL BE DENIED.
So after they said that I don't know what else to do I've tried everything under the sun but to no avail will they makre the correction.
The only thing they sent me was my medal's fron Nam , but most of the stuff FROM NAM on my DD 214 IS CORRECT its my Germany Service thats not on it nothing about GERMANY was ever mention on my DD214 Nothing and I spent 11 months over there and it was winter time when i got there and winter time when I left...I nerver got i nto any trouble while I was in the military.
While in Germany I worked at the NCO Club Across the street from our barracks Thompkins Barracks WAS THE NAME OF OUR COMPOUND they had guard gates at the front entrance and the NCO Club wa sjust right across the street every night it was open and I worked as a Bar Back and bouncer and cleaned off tables...I just do not understand why they can't correct my DD 214 and put my Germany service on it too?
Its not that Big of a Deal but it should show on my DD 214 ALL MY SERVICE LOCATIONS.
I've sent them everything I have ,Altouugh I do have a few more medical notes from when I went to sick call over in Germany that were in my C-File
I kept getting sore throte and coughing a lot flu ect,,,ect,,, probably because I was around a lot of roudy GI's and women...I was not married while I was in the Military / I met a GIRL While on leave for Vietnam and she wrote me almost everyday I was there , she says she wrote me EVERYDAY she sent me coors Beer and cookies a lot...lol
and anyway after I got home we dated about 6/7 months and we got married her Dad and I became close friends and this was back on APRIL 21 1973 AFTER TWO BOYS BEING BORN and 48 years later WERE STILL TOGATHER TODAY We Both have certainly aged and her health has went down fast these last few years and my health is starting to go down too, I have gained a lot of weight and need to loses about 70lbs bad, my wife did the oppsite she lost a lot of weight and weighs about 97 lbs now...anyway it is what it is.
I have not decied to mess with the military board of records corrections in Virginia anymore or not? that last letter aI got from them was a little snobby.
Anyway sorry for rambling
I was in the US Army. As for your issue of correction the way I look at it is all you can do is ask and hope they grant it. Since they didn't you can try to keep searching for records through archives and maybe FOIA to see if you can get more evidence.
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6 hours ago, broncovet said:
You posted:
Now this is what VSO's in my are are good at! In multiple surrounding counties, the VSO's have Vans and transport Vets back and forth to VAMC for appointments. If you lack transportation, contact your VSO. The DAV, for example, has literally dozens, if not hundreds of vans all over the country to transport Vets.
I once lacked transportion because I had gone through knee surgery and was prohibited to drive for a time. I contacted the DAV for transportation, however, I waited too long and the appointment was about the next day, and it did not work. You have to schedule the transportation maybe when you schedule the appointment. I got another ride, however.
Every time I go to my VAMC there are at least a half dozen or so VSO (DAV, VFW, etc) vans bringing in or taking Vets home. NOTE: YOu can not get both DAV van transportation AND also get mileage from VA. ONE or the other. Dont try it, if you get a ride from DAV van, dont apply for mileage. The VA LOOOVES to snare Vets on mileage trying to make 50 bucks or so. https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc/pr/us-attorneys-office-files-federal-charges-against-16-individuals-fraudulent-receipt
Thanks. I may get some help from them next time because the big VA hospital near where I live is a hassle driving to because traffic is crazy.
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6 hours ago, Berta said:
This is GREAT Kent 101!
Any vet who questions their DD 214 should apply for a DD 215-with a DD 149 form available here or on google and make sure you send it to the correct place stated on the second page of the form.
A few months before my husband died, his DD 149 produced a DD 215 and he was surprised at the awards/decorations that were on it.
The VA sent the American ribbons, etc but told him to purchase the Vietnamese ones at a PX or on line.
There had been scuttlebutt at Quantico that his unit was awarded the PUC ,when they got back from Vietnam.but he never was sure until he got the PUC on his DD 215.
USMC did not award the CAR in those days but still,he had enough combat related awards without it and his stressors were never questioned.
Good for you!
If just filling out a DD 149 to make sure your DD 214 is correct, just put Not Applicable to the 'injustice' part on the DD 149.
It did take 4 years for the the request to be approved, but it was worth the wait. I had a DD214 reissued about a decade ago and that took about a year. I'm not sure why this last one took as long. I got the DD215 this time and was surprised because I didn't know what a DD215 is.
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14 hours ago, Buck52 said:
Roger that Kent
What they did to me to lose my rank was messed up. I was overseas and got in trouble because this guy in platoon made a stupid decision that got us in trouble with the MPs. He was higher rank than me being and had better rapport with the platoon leaders. What he did is lie about the situation and try to put all the blame on me so he wouldn't get in trouble.
We both were given a JAG lawyer. For a while the guy I got in trouble with was trying to tell me to wait until we got back to the states to get a lawyer and handle it back under our primary unit since we were temporarily assigned to another unit for deployment. I played along with him knowing he was trying to screw me over and kept telling him I'd wait.
Then one day I was able to get some free time and ran off to the JAG lawyer and signed a confession since that meant I'd only get a field grade article 15 instead of possibility of a court martial back in the states. This meant the guy in my platoon was going to get a field grade article 15 too. My platoon leader was upset with me because they wanted to pin the whole mess on me when they could get back to our primary unit and handle me through the old boys club. We both got the field grade article 15, lost our rank and pay.
The thing was I was pressured to confess to something I didn't do because they were threatening to court martial me. Even after all this was over when I got back to the states my platoon sergeant told me they were still thinking about court martial to mess with my head.
I was really afraid they were going to try and harm me if we got into the field to do training after that. Thankfully I managed to get out of the platoon before that since I was being honorably discharged a few months later.
Now here's the irony. The Army records center after decades gave me back that rank and put on my DD215 that I never lost my rank. On top of that I'm getting back pay. That guy who tried to screw me over didn't get his rank back. Now that's justice. It's been a long time in coming. I'm thankful to have lived to see it.
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1 hour ago, Buck52 said:
The VA is serious about OSA/SLEEP APNEA.
Ask your VA PCP to refer you to the Sleep Clinic...they should give you a sleep study if they can't do it within 20/30days Ask to get outsourced and get that sleep study done as soon as possible they will prescribe you a C-PAP Machine rather or not you file a claim for it but you could file a claim secondary to a s,c, disability that you might have.
but most Important get that machine pacanmnx1 is correct this sleep apnea can kill you.
I have it and got a c-pap i use every night I don't have it service connected but I could s.c. it to my PTSD but I am 100% plus SMC S & K no more $$$$ in the pot for me...but I may eventually get it service connected.
Thanks. I was going to do it years ago and didn't because they made an appointment for me in another county and I lacked transportation at the time. Now I have the transportation I need to do it and will talk to my doctor about it.
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7 hours ago, pacmanx1 said:
Not to scare you but if you do not have a CPAP machine, you should have your PCP put you in a consult for a sleep study ASAP. Sleep Apnea is a silent killer. The individual stops breathing while they sleep and can actually die in their sleep if they do not start breathing again.
Thanks, I'll look into it soon. I wake up after about 3-4 hours and then do some breathing exercises to oxygenate and go back to sleep 3-4 hours.
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4 hours ago, Buck52 said:
kent101
Do you mind telling what evidence you used to get the DD 214 CORRECTION?
My SERVICE FROM GERMANY IS NOT ON MY DD 214 AND IT SHOULD BE I SPENT 11 MONTHS IN GERMANY AND WENT FROM PRIVATE E-1 TO E-4 BUT my main concern is why my service is not on my DD 214?
I sent them records and notes of my unit I was in and medical notes from when I went to sick calls and thet Dr s that seen me wrote my # unit company and battalion on the medical notes sign and dated...the board of military corrections still decline to make the correction...this has been going on now for 10/12 years.
I WENT TO Germany after AIT from Aberdeen Proving Grounds Maryland Jan 1969..to Nov 30th 1970
Nothing about Germany is on my DD 214. JUST MY BASISC TRANNING AND MY VIETNAM SERVICE.... PLUS WHERE I E.T.S. FROM OAKLAND CALIF OUT PROCESSING CENTER. ....Thats all thats on my DD 214.
The evidence I sent in was my personal statements. They looked up my VA medical records and other records from service about why I got discharged. It seems they did a lot of the evidence gathering themselves. I'm not sure what their issue is with adding your time in Germany to you DD214 or somewhere else in your military paperwork. Did they tell you why they're declining to make the correction? If they give you a detailed reason why you may be able to look up their own laws and use that to help get it added.
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8 hours ago, broncovet said:
Congratulations! Way to go!
That has to be "even tougher" than me getting my benefits with an honorable discharge from the get go. Did the NVLSP help you, or did you do everything pro se?
Surely a VSO couldnt have gotten you there, or did that happen?
Now if you are not working, OR if any of your disabilities have increased, go for 100 percent. Because of someone "messing with the numbers, the 90 percent is just 59.9 % of what a 100 percent gets, $1887 vs $3146 for 100 percent. I dont know who figured out that $1887 was 90 percent of $3146, but they probably got a promotion for saving VA millions. My teachers taught me that your pay should be $about 2860 almost $1000 more.
The actual "difference " between 90 percent and 100 percent is actually way more than $1000. Once you are 100 percent P and T, you get many more benefits such as free dental, and many many others, such as reduced property taxes in many states.
My advice: If you are not working, apply for tdiu, if you are working, and one or more disabilities have increased in severity since the c and p exam which you were rated, then apply for an increase.
I had a VSO handle my appeal that took 10 years for me to win. Other than that I did all the paperwork on my own through ebenefits for VA benefits. The board of corrections I filled out the forms and mailed in with the evidence. I'll probably file for TDIU or go for sleep apnea since I'll need c-pap machine because I've had sleep apnea but haven't asked for benefits for it. I just got tired of C&P exams and felt satisfied with the help I've gotten so far.
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I had my DD214 changed to give me an RE-1 from RE-4, restore my rank to E-3 to E-1 and change of narrative for my discharge. I was originally honorably discharged. I got messed with by some people and in a bad situation in the US Army a long time ago. These record corrections were done with a waiver for the 3 year cut off date due to the nature of what happened to me. While I could be bitter and upset at the people who did these injustices to me, I'm not. I'm just thankful that after many decades that my honor was restored. I don't hate the US Army. Many good people serve, but some people do bad things to others in the US Army.
Also, I got my VA benefits over 15 years later. I was just an ignorant young man that thought you had to be blown up to qualify for disability benefits when I got out and no one helped me, including my father who retired from the Navy. I'm thankful that it all worked out as I'm 90% disabled and suffered more than need be. It's amazing because I got everything I applied for and won my appeals too. If you're reading this and looking for hope then I say hope can exist even decades after you leave the service.
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I have a rating for a strange ear disease that is 0% and won't go up without an increase in hearing loss. Is temporary hearing loss enough to get an increase? Its called "autophony." where I hear my own voice very loud and can hardly hear anything outside of my own head. Is this temporary hearing impairment enough to get an increase in rating from 0% or does the hearing test have to show the hearing loss? They rated this disease analogous to perforated ear drum.
Does getting rated with a disease open up any type of special treatments you can get for the disease? Such as going to a specialist out side of the VA since only a few specialist in the world try to operate on this type of disease?
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On 7/17/2020 at 7:06 PM, broncovet said:
Congratulations!
Neither VA.gov nor ebenefits is accurate, reliable or up to date. You will have to wait for the envelope. Even after you win at BVA, you still have to have a VARO implementation decision which can take a few months to a year or more.
Just found I was granted 50% and now stand at 90% overall. I'm thankful because for two decades this disability interfered with many things. I could hardly talk for 15 years and still have trouble at times.
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I started my first va disability claim in 2010. It was for sinusitis and rhinitis. I only had a few medical records documenting that I said I had sinusitis and rhinitis. The first doctor didn't agree it was from my service. So I didn't get the nexus. I appealed and it went back to the VARO for a review. After a year or so It came back and I put in for the BVA appeal.
I got my C&P exam last year after a remand. recently I found out that everything I asked for was granted from VA.gov appeals history section. It says updates take one to two months. I don't know what ratings I got because the website doesn't have that information on it. Does anyone know if the one to two months is accurate for update to disability rating?
Thanks to those of you contributing information that helped me figure things out.
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I have an appeal at the BVA from a claim I started in 2010. It was remanded and I had to do a C&P exam last summer. The current wait list says about 25,000 appeals are ahead of mine. It appears to be going down about 2000 a month. I figure that means mine should be at the front of the line in about 12 months from now. Do you know if this timeline thing on VA.gov is accurate?
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I have been having a hard time simply getting email from my voc rehab counselor. After reminding the counselor multiple times I got the email for orientation and exploration phase. When I got the email the attached documents had errors. On the functional test document for my doctor the numbers were wrong(order went 1,2,3,5,4) and my gender was wrong. On another document a page was blank when it was supposed to have text on it.
Then when I called the counselor for my first appointment the counselor says "Did we have an appointment today? Let me see if I have nothing else going on right now to see if we can talk." That was one of the most unprofessional responses I've ever witnessed from someone I had an appointment with. The counselors comes off as being cocky, yet incompetent and that's a bad mix. This counselor is trying to push me into education I know will make my disability worse or possibly cause me trouble at my C&P exam if I try it out.
Berta said her husband was sent a letter of reduction for simply trying to take a semester of college. Then they tried to get him a job inside the VA and it went bad. It appears this counselor is trying to make me go through the same things. If anything good comes out of this I think it'll be that I got some more medical proof for my disabilities through these functioning test.
All of this leads me to believe that I'm wasting my time with this counselor. If I did try and go to college I can only imagine how bad this counselor would mess up the paperwork. The counselor already messed up the easy paperwork that was sent to me, so why should I think this counselor could handle college enrollment paperwork and financial paperwork? I'm sure I would be having to pay a lot of money out of my own pocket due to this counselor's errors. Should I ask for a new counselor or is this just the norm?
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I have had trouble getting my fed ex letter for c&p exams. Anyone else?
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On 2/20/2019 at 3:25 PM, Buck52 said:
You're not less of a man for having PTSD. You're more of a man for admitting your problems and facing them. No one else has walked in your shoes. No reason to feel guilt anymore Buck. Forget everyone else's opinions. You have no need for their approval.
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On 11/28/2018 at 8:56 PM, GeekySquid said:
what do you mean on the front of the letter? does it come in a franked envelope and the Dr.'s name is visible next to your name and address?
or is it a letter that says something like
Dear sir, we have paid Dr.XXXXX some amount of money for your treatment.
The first would be an absurdity and probably make it undeliverable
the second is not a breach of privacy.
A letter that comes in a sealed envelope covers 99.99% of privacy requirements. If and when you get and open the envelope the privacy concerns are in your hands. if you leave it laying around for others to see, that is on you.
An example of privacy as you are seeming to look for might be if the VA called your work and told whomever answered the phone they need to talk to you about your shrinks bill or anti-psychotic med refill. then the VA is telling a 3rd party your personal business. Another example is if they leave a detailed message on an answering machine. They have no way of knowing who might hear or have access to that message. just saying they are calling about xxx appt next Tuesday is legally permissible.
hope that clears up your concern
On the front in plastic area it tells provider's name.
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On 11/25/2018 at 3:12 PM, broncovet said:
They have been talking about a cure for PTSD since that diagnosis was changed. (It was formerly called "shell shock" and a few others.) .
They have done both autopsies, and brain scans of living PTSD patients. Both show a significant "brain change" that is physical. That is, the brain is altered. They will cure PTSD when they cure other nuerological disorders, such as parapalegia.
Its all talk. However, I personally welcome a "cure". I would much rather be healed and no longer eligible for disability compensation. If there are any 25 year olds out there who would like to trade me their healthy mind and body, for my disability comp, please have them call me.
Years ago, my father said he would give me everything he owned to be my age again. At first I thought, "Sure, bring it on", but, after thinking a little more carefully, its never a good idea to "sell" your health for any price. You can get more money, but not your health back.
What could you do with your "new found money", if your health ws too bad to even spend it? Go to a nursing home, sometime, which will be literally "littered" with worn out bodies at least some of whom are very wealthy. You should understand it then.
MDMA is still in testing.
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On 11/25/2018 at 8:08 AM, Buck52 said:
The findings of this study in veterans with war-related trauma will be compared to the findings from our flagship pilot study of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD, which consisted primarily of women survivors of sexual abuse and assault. Previous studies suggest that war-related PTSD may be more prevalent and harder to cure than PTSD caused by other types of trauma, and this study may help establish the relationship between trauma etiology and treatment efficacy.
I am not sure they use this type therapy at my VAMC MH Clinic?
if they do its probably more for the MST Veterans or for the female...depending on the trauma that caused the condition?
I'll ask my therapist on my next CPT Session Thursday 11/29/ 18
MDMA looks dangerous.
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My provider's name appears on the front of the letter where it can be seen by anyone. Isn't this a breach of veteran's privacy?
Are C&P exams being delayed because of the pandemic?
in Veterans Compensation & Pension Exams
Posted
I think they put me on static because I've had a few disabilities over 10 years and few that are just over 5 years. Thanks.