Commander Bob

Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay . here is a link to more info. As you know, a lot of info and experiences re; CRDP and CRSC, and more, here on Hadit. look around. Good luck & Merry Christmas Billyboy... http://www.military.com/benefits/military-...eceipt-overview

Merry Christmas danang 1969. My plan is to out live em, and keep all NOD's alive after I'm gone, if necessary.

Merry Christmas pattrick. Do you have your military medical records of the knee injury?50 miles is a long way to visit a VA. I hope you get the knee service connected, Then we can talk about fee basis doctors closer to home.

Merry Christmas Berta...I hope your are feeling well and having a good day. I am looking forward to learning more about DIC and other important issues you have to contribute, and witness all the people you will help in the New Year

PTSD & TBI connection... http://www.braininjurylawblog.com/brain-in...s-disorder.html

TBI & PTSD link... http://www.braininjurylawblog.com/brain-in...s-disorder.html

You have listed a 30% disibility. You'll need to increase your rating. What disability is causing your unemployability?

Agent Orange website... www.VA.gov/AgentOrangeHere is the current Agent Orange presumptive list, November, 2008, if you don't want to wait for the download at the VA website. Health Conditions Presumptively Recognized to Date The information contained in this article updates earlier issues of this newsletter. We are providing it again because of the high level of interest and because we know that some readers are seeing it for the first time. For more information, see www.VA.gov/AgentOrange. The following health conditions are presumptively recognized for service connection for Vietnam veterans, based on exposure to herbicides and related materials during the Vietnam War. Vietnam veterans with one or more of these conditions do not have to show that their illness(es) is (are) related to their military service to get disability compensation. VA presumes that their condition is service-connected. Conditions Recognized in Veterans: 1.Chloracne (must occur within 1 year of exposure to Agent Orange) 2.Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma 3.Soft tissue sarcoma (other than osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, or mesothelioma) 4.Hodgkin’s disease 5.Porphyria cutanea tarda (must occur within 1 year of exposure) 6.Multiple myeloma 7.Respiratory cancers, including cancers of the lung, larynx, trachea, and bronchus 8.Prostate cancer 9.Acute and subacute transient peripheral neuropathy (must appear within 1 year of exposure and resolve within 2 years of date of onset) 10.Type 2 diabetes 11.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia Also, Amyloidosis (AL not ALS) was added to the AO presumptive list in November 2008. ***Thanks to VA & Berta in compiling this list

Thank you for all your research and valuable information, Capt.Contaminate. I will use FOIA to track down that medical experiment at Ft. Dix in March 0f 1967, when my AO denial letter comes in. Happy Holidays to you...

I tried it in 1974, in a heath food store,...instant reaction. memorable... Glad to hear it was good for me

Good evening sharon, Welcome back. Were you able to get in touch with your doctor and tell him how you have been feeling?

According to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) Concurrent Receipt is now officially referred to as 'Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay" (CRDP). Those members who have been rated less than 100 percent, but are receiving 100 percent from the VA due to an unemployability code, will not receive their full retired pay up front. They will fall under a three-year phase in plan, in which they will see restoration by the year 2009. The CRDP is paid on the actual VA rating not the unemployability code.

Howdy Cowgirl, That question was raised on Jan. 21, 2008 here on Hadit. Well I just checked around for an up date... here's what I found,... CRDP will get 5.8% COLA effective December 1st. It should show up in your January 2009 check... Happy New Year.

Is the request for De Novo Review completely separate from the NOD, itself. And, the De Novo Review completely different from a Request for Reconsideration? This is new technical stuff I'm not familier with. From what I have read, in 2001 the VA published a final rule that permits any claimant who files a notice of disagreement (NOD) to obtain a de novo review (a new review without any deference given to the decision being reviewed) before deciding to continue with the appeal process. This is an optional, additional procedure that will be conducted between the filing of the NOD and the VA's issuance of the statement of the case. In order to obtain this de novo review, the appellant must request it within 60 days after the VA mails the notice of the right of such review. If de novo review is requested the appeal process would be suspended until de novo review is complete. Otherwise, there is no change in the VA appeal process. The de novo review procedure does not place any limitation on the existing right to have a hearing at any time on any issue. The de novo reviews will be conducted by decision review officers, Veterans Service Center Managers, or Adjudication Officers. The de novo review process gives the claimant/appellant a "second bite of the apple" at a relatively early time in the claims adjudication process. A lot has changed since I went through a new claims process. Back in the old days, I would file the NOD, wave the review or reconsideration, ask for the statement of the case and request a formal hearing with traveling BVA. That was the fastest way I experienced back then. What's the deal with this new novo stuff? Does it really help???

Well robert51, I was told that at my age, psoriasis was caused by a weakened immune system. Good luck getting the VA to make that connection & AO. I had psoriasis for the first time in my life, a year before my metastatic upper respiratory cancer was diagnosed. I filed a claim for AO in July 2008. I'm waiting for the denial letter, so I can get on with the NOD. RE: Psoriasis and stress and PTSD. It appears prima facie to me, however good luck with the VA. Are you 20 yr. protected with your sc disability?... Reopening a claim can also open a can of worms for you. Your new claim for AO could trigger a new PTSD C&P. Some people say don't rock the boat. I don't like threats, so I filed for AO recently, however I'm twenty year protected on all my other sc disabilities.

The $180 million went fast. A Vietnam vet peer committee, of sorts, was set up to distribute the cash. If I remember correctly, a donation was made to research effects Agent Orange had on the children of AO vets. The rest was passed out first come first serve. It amounted to a hand full of silver per vet with a disability who applied. Many combat wounded vets reported that they recived a letter stating that they did not quilfy because thier disibialty may not be AO related. What did they know back then?.... I refused to participate in the distribution. IMHO, it was a sellout. The lawyers got a large chunck of the pay off.

Thanks for the info Capt. Contaminate. I remember when the Freedom of information Act , FOIA, was added to our arsenal. excellent tool... The dixon accident in the early 1950's would have never came to light without it.... I have read some of your other posts on Agent Orange, here at Hadit and appreciate your knowledge re: AO. I have an AO claim pending. I'm shooting for a 0% SC. I recently had a metastatic upper respiratory cancer and filed for AO... Long story short, my last PET scan came back cancer free. I'm sure I'll lose the case and I am just waiting for the denial to come in so I can file my NOD, and keep the claim alive for DIC purposes... Berta is the jewel in the crown of AO issues here at hadit, I have learned a lot more on this ever evolving subject here regarding contaminates like AO. Again thanks to all. Capt C., I was involved in an upper respiratory medical experiment, in early 1967 at Fort Dix. NJ, as well as AO in Vietnam. Did you ever come across any info on what was going on with all the medical experiments at Ft. Dix during that era, while you were wading through the FOIA sea of info on such matters?

You have something there john999 , [ "If we were awarded interest on retro payments that would add some incentive to speed up these claims."] Allan also noted that interest on retro payments would also cut down on the VA's denial till death scheme. Excellent incentive. Like you said john999, "hypothetically speaking.

Thanks Berta, The VA could use you to up-date their website. Remember Fed Judge Whinestine (sp), and the $180 million dollar chem. co. law suit settlement? I testified twice before him to reject that deal. The Chemical companies got off the hook$$$.

Oddly obsolete, but the cornerstone of the VA..."To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan." Abraham Lincoln, March 4, 1865 IMHO..."Passing laws awarding punitive damages when appropriate, and an active "VA employee Orange Jump Suit Program" would do wonders to bring about change in the VA system... Commander Bob, Dec. 23, 2008

This last decade has moved me to think more independently when it comes to political parties. Small new parties dilute the outcome of an election. I am remembering that "Nader's Raiders" helped enough to change a presidential election, that led us into war. Looking for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and making the mid east and the world unstable. In this poker game of politics, we should play the cards we are dealt wisely, and not add jokers to the deck. We should collectively , and with one voice, focus on pressuring the political players in D.C. to make real changes to the V.A. system. Passing laws awarding punitive damages when appropriate, and an active "VA employee Orange Jump Suit Program" would do wonders to bring about change in the VA system... Good luck .... Just my take on it.

[ "The ONLY way to bring about change to the VA is to have political power in Congress & the White House." NavMarVet ] Awarding punitive damages when appropriate, and an active "VA employee Orange Jump Suit Program" would do wonders to bring about change in the VA system.

Congratulations on making it another year! Your wisdom and vast knowledge is appreciated by countless vets and family members over the years who come aboard Hadit looking for answers and info. "Old Soldiers never die,...They just smell that way"... Happy Birthday Brother. painting by F.Farm... cirica 1975