Commander Bob

Your opinion and perspective is much appreciated calnight.

Good Morning sunfish34, First of all, don't blame yourselves. Don't fall into that trap. It's a great way to give up. And don't give up. File a "Notice of disagreement" ( NOD ), instead. Yes, you can use a Veterans Service Organization ( VSO ) to help you with your husband's claim. In the past I have used the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Military Order of the Purple Heart, and I have gone it alone. All VSOs have National Service Officers ( NSO ), trained to help you at no cost. Here is my two cents...If there is nothing closer to your home, when you go to the VA Outpatient clinic in Grand Rapids on Tuesday, seek out a VSO in the area and file a NOD and ask for the "statement of the case", etc... Some counties have Service Officers also. I don't know about MI, and I am not familiar with you area. Take everything you have. Let them make copies, and you keep your original stuff, so everything that gets lost, you can replace. My first VSO choice may not be the best choice for you in your area. I hope other members of Hadit that are familiar with Michigan, will post here and give you some insight on which VSO is the best in your neck of the woods.

Good Morning Sandsoldier, What's up?

Just IMHO, I regret to report,...not very much. I don't know your situation, lobawl. How much of your SC 100% is combat related? etc...etc... All things considered, with the limited amount of info you provided,and IMHO, I would guess more than $50.00, and under $100.00 a month, retro back to Jan 2008. Please keep us posted.

Welcome Aboard Sandsoldier,

Greetings ctumm,... You must strive for a ""Chapter 61 retirement."" From what you have presented here, it sounds like you have a handle on it. Guys like you and USMC_HVEQ, have / and still are going through a lot right now. I am confident you will succeed in your endeavors. In the future you will be able to help your fellow vets, who stumble into Hadit, looking for a little info or direction. Welcome Aboard. Cmdr. Bob P.S. speaking of fellow vets looking around Hadit.....comes now,...Sandsoldier

It sounds like you have a comfortable fit. I had a hearing test recently, and the left ear is deficient. I can still hear good with my other ear. Thanks for the heads up on the hearing aids. I may try one, sometime in the future.

Good luck with your future work plans MikeE. You present yourself well here. With a little luck you can make ten times the amount you would receive from the Gov. I just don't want to see any overpayments trip you up. I'm also reminded of an ol' Texas saying... "you can take a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. Again. best wishes and good luck on your endeavors.

All things I send to VARO, go Certified Return Receipt Requested... Cmdr.Bob

You don't have enough info yet skunk You need more than a CT- scan to confirm cancer. I have been there. You have each other, and that makes all challenges less scarry. My most positive thoughts are with your beloved wife and you. Please keep us posted.

IMHO, most of my errors happen between the keyboard or mouse, and the computer screen. LOL

Good luck graham-nsa. Thanks for the memories.

A vet called the other day and told me about a widow that had her late husband's last VA comp check taken away. She is in my congressional district. The glitch goes on. They certainly have my attention.

VAMC's are affiliated with medical schools. This is a great place for young students and MD's to learn how to be doctors. A lot of Veterans funds go into research and teaching. The civilians benefit from lessons learned at VA hospitals. Like the elephant in the room, we never talk about it. I'm glad to hear the success stories about medication savings and the occasional good caregiver story. The reality is some where in between. Overall, I am not impressed with the VA. I would take a cash settlement and say good by and good luck to the socialized medicine model we call the VAMC.

Congratulations Ron II. As you know, CRSC is tax free. Did you contact DFAS to see what your monthly pay will be?

Last year, in Texas we passed a proposition to allow the lawmakers to grant total real estate tax exemption to 100% and IU. It passed by 85% of the vote. Still waiting for the lawmakers in Austin to pass the law.

What size orange jump suit do you want? Would that be county, or federal ? Don't even think about it.

morgan, you mentioned that two service connected conditions contributed to his death. Was one of your husband service connections for PTSD? And don't wory about anything that you are not sure of, right now.

I searched around google, and came to the conclusion that the general rule is; you are not suppose to use photocopies in lieu of a certified copy of the death certificate. Photocopies are not usually allowed. You could call your local VA or VSO and ask, on Monday.

I hope everything went well with your bank business, morgan, and that no nsf auto payments bounced. I don't know if you have the strength, or if the VA reimbursement is a priority in your life, right now. Someone needs to tell your U.S. Senator about the VA computer glitch that took back the last VA deposit out of your bank account.. The Chairman of the "Sen. Veterans Committee" is aware of the problem and would be receptive to your plight.

morgan, ...I wrote Sen. Daniel Akaka, chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee last Sunday. Here is a Hadit copy . Dear Honorable Senator Akaka, I am concerned about my wife's DIC payments after I die. I am a former resident of Hawaii. I write you today as a combat wounded Vietnam veteran, recovering from cancer treatments and surgery. While putting my affairs in order, I came across a veterans website posting which brings me to you today. I read this veterans widow's posting on Christmas, . ...I have come to Hadit this time with a broken heart. My kind and sweet husband of 27 years died last Friday. ... Saturday, January 3rd, the widow wrote, ...I was glad to see that VA had deposited his payment as usual for the month of his death. Auto payments were due to post in a few days -- and..... But late yesterday afternoon, VA withdrew the entire deposit. I'm wondering how VA could withdraw the entire amount. Reference is made to the "Honolulu Star Bulletin," Dec. 20, 2008.; <H1 id=storyTitle>VA to fix spousal-payment glitch</H1>A Maui widow's plight highlights a computer error that wrongfully denied certain benefits By Gregg K. Kakesako POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Dec 20, 2008 ****The Department of Veterans Affairs will begin issuing retroactive payments this month to eligible surviving spouses of war veterans who have been wrongfully denied up to millions of dollars in government benefits over the past 12 years. The problem was pointed out to VA director James Peake last week by Sen. Daniel Akaka, chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee, after the Hawaii Democrat received a complaint from Ruby Sasaoka of Kula, Maui, who was told by the VA that she wasn't entitled to her husband's last pension and disability check of $2,669. Her husband, Raymond Sasaoka, died last December and she had used his last VA check to pay for funeral expenses. He had served in the Korean War as an Army corporal and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and hearing loss. In January, the VA told Ruby Sasaoka to return the money and nine months later the U.S. Treasury took the money out of her checking account. However, Congress passed a law in 1996 giving veterans' spouses the right to keep their spouses' final month of benefits. But the VA never updated its automated computer systems, which sends out checks and notification letters. As a result, spouses were either denied the final month of payment or asked to send the checks back. If the checks were already deposited or spent, the U.S. Treasury moved to seize the money directly from their accounts. "This flawed practice has caused serious hardship for many widows," Akaka said last week. "Now that this problem has been brought to light, I trust that surviving spouses will receive the benefits they are due." Based on Akaka's inquiry, Peake established a special task force to identify and pay the beneficiaries who never received the benefit or were inadvertently required to repay the money issued for the month of a veteran's death. The task force is reviewing VA's payment records for veterans who died after Dec. 31, 1996, and who are survived by a spouse. The review will identify those to whom VA owes retroactive benefits for the month of the veteran's death. Because there are deceased veterans for whom VA does not have marital status information, a special Survivors' Call Center has been established for spouses who believe they may be entitled to this retroactive month-of-death benefit. Surviving spouses are encouraged to contact the Survivors' Call Center at (800) 749-8387, Mondays through Fridays. Inquiries may also be submitted through online at www.vba.va.gov/survivorsbenefit.htm. Akaka's committee estimates that 50,000 surviving spouses each year since 1996 could be affected, based on VA numbers. Out of that 50,000, some spouses might have received the payments they were due if they called the VA at the time to inquire about their rights.******* It is arrogant of the bureaucrats responsible for correcting the problem, to have failed you and the widow, whom I don't know. VA director Peake needs to be brought before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and be chastised for his slow action to your comments to him. It also makes you look easliy beguiled by those you are burdended to oversee, and if I may be blunt... ineffective as a leader. What are you going to do about this? Again, I am concerned about my wife's DIC payments after I die. Yours truly, xxxx xxxxxxxxxx

Good Evening morgan, What happened at the bank? Did the VA replace the last month's check that they took away from you last Friday? Cmdr.Bob

Do you mean TDIU-P&T?

more info on TDIU.. http://www.ptsdlawyers.com/TDIU.html

Thanks Capt.Contaminate. I'll save the info in case I need it for a NOD.