JENNABEAN

Ah, thank you! I didn't think they actually made every vet go to the hospital to fill out paperwork just so they can make an appointment. I will call them first thing Monday morning. I don't know why I was unaware of the fact that you had to fill out eligibility for treatment paperwork for your mandantory C&P exam. I just figured if you HAVE to go, then you automatically are elligible. Hmmm... On another note, I got this email from the Atlanta VARO today: "Dear Ms. Paulk, Please accept our appoligies for the delay in the processing of your claim. The Atlanta office currently has sent you a VCAA letter requesting information needed on November 14, 2007. The Atlanta office will need to transfer your file to the Regional Office in Tenn so they can order an examination for your requested service connected disabilities. Please forward any requested information to: Department of Veteran Affairs Regional Office 110 9th Ave., South Nashville, TN 37203 Sincerely, Thomas O. Sanders/dyg Veterans Service Center Manager" Now does this mean that even though my file is still in Atlanta, they want me to send my info to Nashville? And if my file is still in Atlanta, what are they going to do with my information when I send it to the Nashville office? I don't want it to get lost because there is not a file.

Yay!!!! I just got off the phone with the Nashville VARO and they told me that the Atlanta VARO has FINALLY put in a duty to assist and is scheduling me for an appointment at the Nashville VAMC! They gave me the number to call the VAMC and see if my appointment had been scheduled, so as soon as I got off the phone with the VARO, I called the VAMC. Well Ms. Oh So Rude Carlene told me that they can't even schedule me for a C&P exam until I drive down to the business office of the hospital and fill out the paperwork. Is this what all of you have had to do? I can't imagine people who live an hour away from the Hospital having to drive there to fill out paperwork, and then drive back again to have the appointment...there has to be a better way. Anyhow I know that all claims are not the same, but how long has it taken yall to get a rating after you finally got a C&P exam? I just wanna have somewhat of an expectation. Thanks! Jenna :)

Okay, this does not have much of anything to do with the topic but I was just watching the Disney Channel with my kids and Lilo and Stitch had Kona Coffee on it. I was about to look it up to see if it is real, then I read this post. Funny how things like that happen. Is Kona Coffee as strong as it gets or something? On Lilo and Stich, you had to be an adult to buy it. If its that strong, I think I need to get some lol. Kryptos, Good luck on getting your increase. I will be keeping you in my prayers

Again, thank you ALL so much for your advice and comments. Here is the plan of action that has been taken: After being in contact with the congressman, a Nashville RO supervisor, and an Atlanta RO congressional liason, I have resubmitted my claim. I am still in the one year time period from my DOS, so no matter what, I will be backpaid reflecting my January 16, 2007 date of seperation. You see, there is NO telling how long it is going to take someone in Atlanta to find my file...or even IF they will find my file. So just waiting on that to happen is a waste of time and money. By resubmitting my claim, I have ensured that the local Nashville RO has my paperwork...(i submitted it through VONAPP and have a confirmation page that states Nashville recieved it at a certain date and time.) Now, if I have a concern with my claim, I can just go the 9 miles to the VARO and talk to them in person. And, I have an appointment with a VSO to keep tabs on the claim :o Now what is SUPPOSED to happen is that this claim will be backdated to the original date of claim. So, my file SHOULD be completed in a timely manner due to the fact that the Nashville supervisor says a claim submitted in January is "old." But in the event that my claim is not backdated to the original date of claim, I will still be granted backpay to my date of seperation due to the fact that I have been out of the Air Force for only 10 months. So, ladies and gentlemen, please keep me in your prayers that this goes smoothy...(well, this AND the back surgery I am having on the 5th of Nov). Hopefully I will have good news to post sooner rather than later. And again, thank you all so much for your support and advice.

You know, not five minutes after that last post,the supervisor from the Nashville phone center called. He was not saying anything too promising, but during my call with him, the congressman's office called! Talk about crazy. Maybe they read my post hahaa. j/k. Anyway, the congressman tried to tell me that he STILL hasn't heard from Atlanta since the first inquiry he put in on Oct 3, and that if he hadn't heard from them by Friday, he would take further action. I wouldn't take that for an answer. I told him again that they LOST MY FILE. He had me reiterate the whole story, and so I guess he felt bad for me (thank GOD), and he put me on hold and called the Atl congressional liason...for the 4th time. She actually answered this time! After 20 or so minutes she told him that she would physically go look for the file, and yes it had been "missing" since Jan 29th. She said if she can't find it then they will turn the search over to someone at the Atl VARO that specifically looks for lost files. So according to the congressman's office, there has now officially been a congressional request to find my file. He said in best case scenario someone would find my file, they would feel guilty that nothing has been done since I filed it over 9 months ago, and get it moving through the system. But there is a big chance, that this will not happen. He would not tell me what I would have to do if the file can't be found, and how I would ensure it get done. But PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE!!!!! I think. Should I still get a Service Organization to help with this? I have no idea how to contact them, or what they even do. Since things are looking up, am I better off continuing to do this on my own? When I was looking through my paperwork this weekend, I found a power of attorney I gave to the Macon Georgia VA guys to give them authority to contact the VA. How do I negate that POA? They obviously didn't do anything.

OMG!!! I am getting nowhere with these people! I called the 1-800 number...to check the answer to the inquiries I had put in. I was told the inquiry says "file is on search." And, I was transferred to the Atlanta office for them to tell me where it is. Well the ever so bright Ms. Rendor...told me she would "check wit the persons who done did dat" to see about the inquiry. Well after a 30 minute phone converstaion with her, she told me that my file is not lost...they just don't know where it is! HAHA! I laughed so hard. I said " Ma'am, if you don't know where it is....then IT IS LOST!" But she ASSURED me it was not lost because it was "in the building" its just that no one has seen it since January 29th. Well I told her that if my car keys were somehwere in my home, but I didn't know where they were in my home, then they were LOST until I could find them and get into my car. She said that she "understood" and she would connect me with her "coach." Well convienently the "coach" was not there and I was connected to her voicemail. It just so happens that this coach is the very same woman I left 5 messages for in August and she NEVER returned my call. When I FINALLY got ahold of her in Aug, it was because she actually answered her phone after I had been calling for weeks. Anyway, needless to say, she hasn't returned my call. And in August she ASSURED me she would find my file and have it sent to the Nashville office....yeah, that never happened. So I called director at the Nashville VARO...since Berta was nice enough to give me that number. Well, the receptionist would not let me talk to the director. She told me she would connect me with the people in the call center to check on my file. I told her that it was NOT okay to do that...and that the Nashville call center AND the Atlanta call center had no idea where my file was...and that it was VERY important that I talk to the director. Well...she still wouldn't let me talk to him and she tired to connect me to the "supervisor" of the phone center, but he didn't answer the phone so she took a message as well and said he would call me back. I am not holding my breath. I called every other number Berta gave me, and no one was "available" to talk to me. So again, I called my congressman's office, and the guy I had left messages for last week was in a meeting and I had to leave another message. So , God only knows what is going to happen. NO ONE IS RETURNING MY CALLS....and NO ONE KNOWS ANYTHING about my file, where it is, or anything! I am so freaking frustrated! What now?

I feel so bad for the guy in this story. I have been feeling jipped by the VA, but at least I have my kids with me, and a roof over our heads. Its sad that you have to be homeless to get the VA to do your claim quickly, and even more sad that they took a long time to take care of this guy. dangang- what resources have you found to help you through the process?? i am needing to find some!

Haha, I had that same idea. I wrote them about two weeks ago. I haven't heard back from them, but I am going to write them again now that they told me they "lost" my file. Cloudcroft: I'm sorry if I struck a nerve with you...kinda seems like I did. The ONLY reason I expected a 6-9 month wait for my claim to be processed is the fact that I was told by VA reps in Nebraska, Georgia, and Tennessee that 6-9 months is what I should expect. So I planned my life accordingly. But seeing as it has been the full 9 months and nothing has been done AT ALL, I am seriously concerned. Now after reading hundreds of the bulletins on this site, I am acutely aware of the time it takes the VA to do anything. I also do not believe that I am the only vet having money troubles...I asked if anyone knew about assistance programs because I figured MANY of the veterans are in the same boat as me, and someone may know of a program that I am not aware of. My family is doing everything we possibly can to make it through our tough time. My husband is healthy, and he is workng 2 jobs to support my kids and I (and he JUST married me in June.....he is AMAZING for doing that!). I am making scrapbook pages, and selling them online, and trying any and everything to cut back and make ends meet. So I am not just some poor me case sitting on my butt all day doing nothing to help my situation. I simply wanted to know if anyone had the knowledge of some federal or state assistance programs for vets in financial trouble because of the VA taking so long. My case HAS to be approved, I am not sure if I mentioned this in the first post, but I had a back surgery in 05 at the age of 22, the doc who did it had brain cancer and didn't know it...he died a couple of months after the spinal fusion. Well...I am not sure if that is the cause of this or not, but the bottom left screw in my spine is loose and crooked...and it is eroding away the bone in my spine. On top of that I have fibromyalgia, major depression, TMJ, ovarian cysts that burst and cause painful internal bleeding, and migraines that put me out of comission several times a month. ALL of it is documented in my medical records which I have TWO copies of. Anyway...I am sorry for rambling right now. As for the rest of the repliers, THANK YOU for your kind words, and your advice. I do have proof that I filed, and the VA tells me that the date of file is 17 Jan...so proving my case is not a problem. Should I really NOT refile like the lady told me? She told me the Nashville VARO would the the claim done MUCH quicker that the Atlanta office which misplaced my file in the first place. And how do I get in contact with a Service Organization...I never heard of them until this site...what exactly do they do for me? Thank you all again....your comments are MUCH appreciated!!! Just please be nice to me...I am having a hard enough time dealing with my emotions as it is..harsh words are not a help in my situation.

Thank you for your replies! Yes, I do have copies of my claim that I filed, and, the VA told me that they recieved my claim on January 17, and it was sent to "claims processing" on January 29th, and nothing has been done on it since then. I did a formal inquiry, and the result of that inqury (2 actually) and they said ... and I quote "file is on search." I was told by 2 different reps that it means they lost my file. The trouble is that when I got discharged, I went to Georgia to stay with my mom and dad (as I was a single mother to a 2 and 3 year old) for a while until I figured out what I was going to do. So I filed in Georgia, and my file was sent to the Atlanta RO. Then about 3 weeks after I got down there, I decided to move to Tennessee. I called the VA in Feb and told them that I moved to TN, but they said my file would stay in Atlanta. I get the letters saying they are working on my file, but never got a request for information, or a doctors appointment or anything. So according to the people at the RO in Nashville, the file was in Atlanta, and no one in Atlanta knows where it is.....even though I call ALL THE TIME!!!! Why are they not working on my file if I am always calling? Why hasn't anyone noticed until 9 months later that my file has not been seen since I sent it there??? What happens when I refile? I didn't even notify them when I got married in June because I figured that would hold up the process if I did a name change on them. Will I have to wait the 6-9 months again? What do I do as far as my finances during that extra time? My savings has been depleted over the past 10 months and there is no end in sight with these people. Is there some sort of financial help for vets in this situation? How do I make sure they are working on the claim this time when I file? I called all the time with the first claim, and it didn't make anyone work on it....I am so confused!

Hi! I just found this forum today and I have been reading the posts for the last few hours but I haven't found a situation quite like mine. I am completley dumbfounded at what the VA is doing to me. I was medically discharged from the Air Force on Jan 16, 2007. I filed my claim before my date of seperation, and it has been on file with the VA since 17 Jan 07. I started calling the VA once a month after I filed my claim and was continuously told my claim would be completed in 6-9 months. Once the 5 month mark hit and I was told my claim had not been STARTED yet, I began losing my patience. I called at least once a week to check on the status and was told something different each time. About 6 weeks ago, I got my congressman involved, and when I contact his office all I am told is "we've put in an inquiry." Well, that's nice...but it doesn't let me know anything. So today I called the 800 number AGAIN, and I was talking to a woman who had been working in the Nashville office for the last 30 years. She had the nastiest attitude, but she knew her stuff. It turns out my file has not been seen since JANUARY 29th. No one has the file...no one is working on the file...no one knows where the heck the file is! And I have been calling at least once a month for the first 5 months, then once a week after that...and now several times a week...and no one noticed this before today!!!!!!!!!!!!! I started crying my eyes out because I have NO money, and I cannot work. My husband works for the state and he is working a second job at Ruby Tuesdays so we can TRY to make ends meet. Anyway, I asked the lady what the heck I am supposed to do since no one knows anything about my file....she said that I need to come in to the office and ask them if they can REFILE!! I just don't get it. I NEED that money...I CAN'T work. I have a loose screw in my spine that is eroding away the bones..and depression, and fibromyalgia, and some female stuff on top of that. I have two sons (ages 3 and 4), and I can't even pick the little one up...I can't go out shopping without my walker...I am only 25! Anyway, I am overtired and frustrated and depressed, and I am wondering if I am going to have to wait the 6-9 months all over again when I refile? What can I do about the fact that they lost my file in JANUARY and didn't bother to tell me or ask me to refile.....is there legal action that I can take? Please help me. Jenna