bobbyq

Just had an airman discharged because of fraudulent enlistment. When he fell from the merry go round at age three, that is the reason he was discharged!! He suffered a fall in basic and the Air Force says he has a broken vertabrae ( which he does) and it is because of the fall twenty years ago. So how did he pass MEPS? How did he pass basic five weeks and then go to sick bay and get thrown out? AF Says he did not report the injury and that is fraudulent enlistment?? Marine went through prior physcial training, went to MEPS, then during week four or so suffered a broken foot. Fraudulent enlistment. He had a broken foot before enlistment. So how did he do the prior four weeks of running with the recruiter? I have as a VSO tried to turn these around but the Review board for both services say they lied.

That is why I recommend that you be the instigator. You need a record YOU go get it, do not rely on the VA or anyone to do it. VA has periods like say thirty or sixty days before they look at your file again, and then sixty days they do and ohhhh the records did not come in, they rissue the letter and give themselves another thirty days, in the meantime you have a stroke waiting for them to get with it. I would just go to the doctor and say look it is my life here and I am in need of those records. Like some one said if you have to pay so be it and YOU get them and deliver them. Do not let them mail them. good luck Q

Hey I agree, Just had DAV reopen a claim for a vet who is ONE HUNDRED% The VET is some kind of PO'd. Why would you reopen a 100% claim? Don't blame the vet. I quit DAV when I went to one for some assistance and he told me "we" make to much money already. That was here in Phoenix, AZ a few years back.

Ok beat up on us VSO's. But let me tell you I worked for the Marine Corps League first and they ran out of money so now I am with VFW. This works both ways veterans!! Had a veteran irritated that his claim was not properly addressed and wanted me to talk with his attorney. Not having been born yesterday I talked to his attorney and found out that he was a "student" at a law school and I then told the veteran to his face to take a hike. I revoked POA. I work FOR the vet and I make sure that he recieves every benefit he is entitled to. Keep in mind that the most you can recieve is 100%. You do not know how many vets sit at the bar and LEARN from other vets they can get this and that. I do not care if you are a week from death, and SC you are not getting more than 100% (with exceptions for K awards etc.) but 100% is 100%!! How many of you have gone to the DR and volunteered information? Answering questions does not mean spilling your guts. Veteran goes and tells the Dr he was PTSD prior to military. So you get zero what did you expect. Yeah blame the Veteran Service Officer. Just like other things in life we all have bad days, but the VSO offices do not exist because we have been worthless all these years. I filed and did my own claim before I was a VSO because I did not know there were advocates out there and got total SC. But then I have my originally orders and a lot of paper from my years in the military. How many of you have them? Do you know where to get them if RMC does not have them? Do you know the VBA Manual and the requirements for claims? Do you know how to research stressor's? There is a hell of a lot of work on doing claims and I am proud to say I am a Veteran Service Officer and that I work for the Veteran and no one else. I just got PTSD for a WWII vet with an award to 1950, chew on that for awhile. Could he do it, no, and that is why we are now dancing a jig. Don't be so hard on us, we do serve a purpose and we rely on you to provide assistance and if you are so educated that you can do your own knock your self out. Email me if you have questions. Richard

If you have a BVA decision that is mirrored to your case you should submit it ASAP, do not wait and then spend months waiting for the VA. If you the case is like yours you use a 21-44138 and present your case and then say see attached BVA Decision, put the docket number down and the year of the decision. Good luck.

You do not say if you are active duty or not. But if not just go to the VA Regional if they have your C file and ask to see it. That easy. Then you can copy what you want out of it. It will have your SMR's and 201 file in it. If not then I hope you do not have a claim going because you do not want to interrupt the flow of information with the VA requesting your C file from Records Management Center, if you have filed a claim. If you filed a claim wait until your C file is in your Regional office then go see it. Good luck.

The VBM can be found on a disc, go to a service officer in your area and if he is in a good mood he can copy the disc for you. They are expensive, but well worth it. Maybe the can copy the part 9 you need.

Do not forget that the Social Security has a Ticket to work and you can draw Social Security AND VA AND WORK at the same time. Social Security gives you up to 60 months and then you either quit working or get off Social Security. Take advantage of it if you can, a lot of veterans do. q

An undeleted copy does not include your SMR, service medical records, veterans do not know and are not told that the SMR's are in your C file at the VA and readily available. You can ask to have them copied and/or you can go read them and copy what you need. It is up to you but they are in your C file, nine times out of ten. Just that no one tells you. If you request a 180 you only get your personnel files, they normally do not send your SMR's. Q

First get your military records on hearing exam, then get your VA hearing exams, then have your doctor compare his results with the military and then the VA. Is there a difference, yes in what regard. Is it worse now, what did you do in the service that led to hearing loss, and what kind of work did you do now that could not contribute to your hearing loss. Had a guy who was in artillery, and had hearing loss. VA said it was due to his working in the steel plant back East, turns out the VET was a salesman and that he was not working in the steel mill. Hope you get the drift. Take care and good luck. Your private doctor should look and understand your service medical records, which are in your C file and can be copied for you by the VA. Q

:( Dependent Status70%[/colorVeteran with Spouse & Child$1,303$1,511$1,699$2,711Veteran with Child Only$1,200$1,394$1,567$2,565Veteran with Spouse, One Parent and Child$1,381$1,600$1,799$2,823 Do NOT forget to apply for the free life insurance and on the amount of cost write in waiver. The first 10 thou is free. You get a free national parks pass, you can use military lodging when traveling around, especially nice if you are out of state, it is cheaper to stay on base. In CA, you be exempt from property tax, check with your local veteran service officer for the other benefits. If you are not military retired, remember to apply for CHAMP VA so your wife can have health insurance. Do not forget voc rehab is there is you have any disabilities where you need help at home, like wheelchair ramps, bathroom redone, etc. Good luck, and congradualtions. Q

:D Alright, wake up out there. If you have PTSD and you need something to do go to Vocational rehab and ask for independent living. You have to play the game but stick to your guns and tell them you are only interested in "independent living". Then tell them what you like to do, cook, work on cars, take pictures, etc. Something you are interested in personnally and they will provide you with the means to control your interests by providing you with the tools you need. I like to take pictures and they bought me a camera and then got me some education at the local community college on how to use the camera and take pictures etc. Some guys I know are mechanics and like to toodle around the house working on their car or some other guys car and they bought them some tools to work with. Some got a computer to do some projects at home, in other words they have to provide you something to help you cope with PTSD, and take your mind of the PTSD by allowing you to do whatever you like to do as a hobby say. Make sure VOC Rehab knows you are NOT seeking employment only "independent lving". Works for me and the vets I counsel. Good luck

You can just go to the VA Regional Office where you claim file is at and request it and read it and have them copy what you want. They are usually pretty good about it.

Your C file is yours!! As stated make an appointment or go to the VA Regional where your file is and tell them you want to see it. Do not let them give you the "it is not my job routine" which is the norm and means they have to get off their butts and go get it. It is not a complicated process r them, they make sure where it is, and then they go retrieve it. You go through it starting at the bottom of the the first one if you have more than one file, and check for your Service Medical Records (SMR's) and if you want to copy something just tell them and they should be able to provide a copy for you. Next check your Service Record Book (SRB), or 201 file, personnel records and they will be from induction into the service to when you got out. Then you go into your claims etc. The outside two wings are nothing really, just schooling requests, POA etc. The meat is in the middle of the sandwich. Good luck.

Veterans should be aware that Agent Orange was also found in Guam, and Korea (on the DMZ) and you can file an AO claim for service there.

If you no show you will be on your own and the VA will give you the short end. Like the other veteran said, fill out the 21-4138 and tell them you want a rating decision on what they have since you consider that to be a professional finding. But go to the exam if they tell you you have to. Better safe than sorry.

The chance of you getting back to the 70's are slim and none. What you do is get your service medical file that shows the audio when you enlisted, then get the one when you were discharged, next get the medical file from the VA and whatever they have on hearing tests. You take them to a PRIVATE audiologist and tell him look When I went in my hearing was this. When I was discharged it was this. I go to the VAMC and it is this. Can you give me a hearing test, then compare all four and tell me whether I have hearing loss or not. That should be a conclusive test, and then you ask for a Clear and Unmistakeable Error (CUE) decision and try to see how far they will backdate. Your Service Officer will know about it. Good luck, Richard

It means "hey we don't have time for you and there are too many claims in the pot, but keep filing maybe we can find something to compensate you for." When I got a claim back that said "shrapnel wounds were not service connected, I knew the VA had lost it.

Therein lies the problem! We have too many "old timers" who are used to giving and living by thier word and expect the government to live by theirs. WRONG! Following WWII the veterans were given lifetime dental care. Yes they were. But Congress in the 1950's (haven't got the exact date) passed a law that terminated those rights and revoked the VA Decision. If that does not tell you what "your country can do for you" then nothing will. Thier word is only as good as the paper it is written on and only for awhile. Expect nothing............you will get it. Veterans need to understand that unity is the one and magnificant power we have. Let's use it.

When your claim is filed, the VSO should use a 180Form and request your 201 file AND SMR service medical files. Either way when the VA gets your C file from St. Louis ask the VA to let you see your C file and the SMR should be in there. Most of the time and the usual VET does not know it. Ask to see the C file and check it out or your VSO can request the file for you. It is yours and you have a right to see the info in it.

I agree with Mobie, it is his money, just get direct deposit but I would stay away from not wanting his citizenship. You renounce your citizenship and you will be in deep waters. Just get direct deposit and be happy with that.