LJM

I hope everyone is having a great weekend. We are putting our fast letter together today. My husband didn’t feel well all week. I will post if I need additional help. You all are the best. Thank you always.

I feel there will be light at the end of the tunnel

GBArmy I have driven myself crazy already. The past couple years alone I have tried to decipher percentages and back pay and what types of percentages one might get for this or that. I just worry about him because he’s a private person who uses his few close military/veteran friends and exercise as forms of therapy. So for PTSD alone the judge wrote a whole page just on that grant after they talked. I know it was hard for him to even talk to him about the few things he could fit in their hearing. We have heard from many people that you must be seeing a psychologist and take all these drugs. He won’t do that. Probably ever. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to decipher how they choose a rating for certain claims. And yes, it will consume you. So, I’m just going to wait and see what the ratings are for the grants and we will take it from there. I appreciate this forum because you all completely understand because you have lived it. And I commend you all for bravery.

That is so kind of you to say. Thank you. I agree with you completely. My husband doesn’t want to do all this, lol. He’s hit his limit with having to prove he even had his military career. It’s very hard at times to get through the days with a. Veteran spouse, but he’s my veteran spouse and I’ll do anything I can. Always.

He and I will be doing all of the above. Thanks to all of you! I have this fear that once we email the FL and have the congressman involved the VARO is going to get angry and rate him lower than they should. I really hope they don’t. I want to think the person rating cares about veterans and their lives.

I didn’t know I could. They always ask his last 4 of SS. I just assumed they wouldn’t tell me anything.

If I could call for him I would call everyday. I know he gets agitated at the same response from the RO every time. I work in customer service and tell him that, eventually, he will get someone who cares and wants to help people. When he calls about the grants they give generic responses. I get why he doesn’t want to call everyday. We are not giving up. I assume he will have C&P’s for the remands one day. After he sends in the FL Friday I will have him call everyday to inquire. I know something good will come out of all this. Thank you for the information. It’s been a long hard road for most all veterans that have had to prove themselves and wait until they just don’t want to or can’t want anymore.

Thank you I know the VARO has a copy, but we will send it anyways. So, email a copy of BVA decision. A copy of the 10-02 Fast Letter. A cover letter asking to be applied to BVA Reward. Got it The fast letters are basically pre written documents as pertaining to the veterans issue that explains the purpose of why. That is what I was being sure of. You answered everything for me. For now, lol. I’m probably the most annoying person on here. Just always need to be absolutely sure when it comes to the VA.

Thank you, Fat! Only took 9 years to get those 3 grants. LOL

He has 3 grants Remands and Denials We don’t have a lawyer, yet there is a law firm that has contacted him for the denials that were sent from the American legion after the BVA decision was made. The American Legion represented him at his hearing in January. Other than that he has pretty much been solo and had little to no help. Basically, put his whole 300 page packet together himself. Right now we would like the grants to be rated and retro rewarded. I assume the remands will be years. The VA site shows that he is about 30,000 in line for that alone. He is doing the FL ,and IRIS if needed also, on Friday. I am gathering all that he needs as best I can and you all have been great!! Thank you again!

I’m sorry to keep asking the same questions as I am new to fast letters and IRIS and all this. I wanted to ask to clarify.... again The fast letter is the 10-02 that is sent as it is already written to the RO email that was already provided. Is there anything that my husband has to write? Does he only send the 10-02 fast letter as is? OR Is he to change anything on this letter pertaining to him? OR just attach the fast letter with his basic info for the RO to attach it to his claim? Should he still send a IRIS email at this time? When he calls our congressman does he just let them know he has emailed a fast letter and that is that? I do apologize because I am paying attention, yet I am confused as to what needs to be with the fast letter altogether. Thank you all for being patient with me. I‘m more than happy to offer my contact number to anyone just Incase. LJM

The whole process is aggravating. In my husbands case, the problem being they couldn’t determine he was in combat was an absolute ridiculous reason. How can you be a SSG in RGR BN and not have been to combat?! Like, if they thought he was lying, he should have been charged with fraud. They had all the proper documents. Yet, here we are looking out the window at a decade with the VA.

I am a civilian as well. And I have been telling my husband that I’m about to file ‘my own’ claim for ptsd caused by the va. This is a tremendous help and most of all from people who empathize. I will keep everyone posted as the events unfold.

My goodness! Are you a VA Angel?! This is just too much. I need to buy you dinner. Lol I am so grateful I found this forum. I am going to give all this to my husband and cry a little that you all have helped me so much. Veterans are the best!!

Just to be clear Do a fast letter. His RO is in Atlanta. Call and get the name of the supervisor? That’s who we attn to. What does call Peggy mean? I wasn’t sure if that was a typo or someone I need to call. Sorry, I’m trying to make sure we don’t miss a step. I also reviewed Berta’s post as well. Thank you all for being so helpful. This is really appreciated.

This is all very helpful. Thank you! We are going to start working on the fast letter this week. How much time after sending the fast letter in should we wait before contacting our congressman?

Thank you very much! It’s sad that the veteran has to basically do all the work. We are not so much concerned about the remands at this time because I have a feeling that will take several years. I will show this to my husband and hopefully this will help!

March 2010 claims filed 2011 NOD Jan 8, 2019 BVA Judge June 10 - 4 grants, 3 remands, 3 denials This whole wait is because the Atlanta RO couldn’t determine whether my husband, a SSG in 1st RGR BN ever served in combat for service connection. Baffles me to this day. Nonetheless, almost a decade into this I am finding that the retro for the grants will take at least another year or more. I am curious as to anyone who can shed some light on their experience and or timeline. We do not have a lawyer. The American Legion is who represented him. We were told law offices slow you down in the process by many veterans. The American Legion has sent his denials to a law firm that has contacted to help with that part of the BVA decision. We have contacted them to see if they have any insight to a timeline on the grant decisions and they said no. All leads resort back to the general Atlanta RO and they are never helpful. Thank you for taking your time to read this.

The last post to this initial question was in July and I am hoping that retro was finally deposited. My husband is in the same situation. His case started in March 2010 and NOD in 2011 and bc the Atlanta RO couldn’t seem to be able to determine that all of his claims were service connected. Get this, he was a SSG in the 1st RGR BN. How in the hell can you not see he served in combat. Multiple times. 2 bronze stars. He had to wait several years to see the BVA. His appt was on Jan 8, 2019. His decision was on June 10, 2019. For the BVA to say, “Yes, he is who he says he is”. All the research I have done over the past couple years isn’t looking good on ever receiving a rating and retro payments. This is absolute absurdity that this happens to veterans. I am hoping to hear that from this thread the participants have received what is rightfully theirs by now. Thank you, LJM