Scottyp65

Pete53, Berta, Bound4heaven, Evenflow... Thanks! Merry Christmas.

I will just let things cool off for now.

Sorry for the long time between posts. So it is done......................

okay here it is in short order: it was it changed it is again.

I want to thank all of you for your words of encouragement and ideas for maintaining that which is already mine.

a rock and a hard place!

Pete, I have contacted my local reps and the battle field prep is being worked as I type.

I was just informed a letter is in the mail to inform me that the VA is proposing to reduce my rating !!!!!! *(&(*&(*^*&%*&^*@@$#@$!!!!! Oh and now comes the endles BS while trying to resolve this and oh how quick will they respond to cut off the dependent benefits while still paying so there will be a NO PAY DUE issue right at Christmas!!!! Oh the fun never stops!!!!!!

I have just been notified my 100% P&T is proposeed to be be reduced!!!!!!!! This is based on a C&P where the interviewer told me verbatium that the pain free range of motion was not an issue----- only total range of movement!!! Slightly stessed now!

Nebraska does.

I just thought I would drop in and pass the latest news. While I was awarded the schedular 100% with P&T in early 06 I just went through a C&P exam for my knee. Seems that when I had an increase in the rating on the knee they wanted to take a look at the 3 yr point and voila there I was in the exam. Does seem strange at one level, but then again it is the VA and that is the way things are done. I hope the results of the exam don't change my Permament and Total rating. I know it can be changed at any time in the first 10 years but what a bummer it would be if it were, you wife & daughter on the Chap 35 benefits etc......

Soldier, I have asthma and have a 30% rating. My rating was based on the need for daily Advair and Singulair to control symptoms. Still have difficulty breathing, especially in moldy, damp, and cold weather ares. pulmonary Function Studies showed FEV-1 to be 93 percent predicted and fev-1/FVC to be 74 percent predicted. The interpretation shows mild airway obstruction with significant improvement after bronchodilators..... For and evaluation fo 30%: "for forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV-1) of 56-70 percent of predicted value; or .... (FEV1/FVC) of 56 to 70 %......or daily inhalational or oral bronchodilator therapy: or inhalational anti-inflammatory medications. A higher rating of 60% is not warranted unless there is FEV-1 of 40 to 55 percent predicted; or FEV-1/FVC or 40 to 55 percent: or at least monthly visits to a physician for required care of exacerbations; or intermettent ( at least thre per year) courses of systemc (oral or parenteral) corticosteroids. Mine is basically because of the daily meds I have to take. In my record is a letter from the Allery doc and the pulmonary clinic on how the "refused" to give me a histamin challange test as I had over a 25% change in FEV-1 with a bronchodialator..... i.e. they might have killed me by inducing an asthma attack. This is strait from my award letter, on the Blue sheets. Hope it helps.

Okay have to slow it down a bit I had the claim in for Raynauds in with mutliple other claims. I have always been told I would have a reexamination of my knee, which is at 30%. I have dropped the claim for raynauds and will just have to deal with the one for the knee, which is NOT better! Will let you all know.

Well it has been two years and I have finally hit the proverbial snag. I have been very fortunate to date and only relate this as a status update to those who have followed. I signed the paperwork today to withdraw my appeal for Raynauds Syndrome. Bottom line is while it is believed I have the condition there is no diagnosis in my record. As I am 100% P&T there is little to be gained. I will work on getting a diagnosis and then submit a new claim based on the "new" diagnosis and take it from there. At worst I will claim it as a secondary to an existing condition and see what sticks to the wall:) Oh am a bit currious how I have a scheduled examination but am P&T, but understand it is not really P&T unitll you have been in that statust for something like 20+ years or certain age. In any event all is well.

suppose the program has has changed

I will keep ya posted. Has anybody else had a similar situation as far as the Medical Opinion from a record review? Thanks

I have posted in the success area on this if you would like an update. Bottom line is I will get a check from DFAS from the DoD side of the house to go along with the one I just received from the VA yesterday. The one from DFAS will be delayed by up to 60 days as they are working on a large backlog and don't have the funds yet. Or whatever the reason is. This is one time where the VA bested the services!!

Here is a synopsis of the SOC. I appoligize for the length. Service connection will be granted if it is shown that an individual has a disability resulting from and injury or disease contracted in the line of duty, or for aggravation of a pre-existing injury or disease in the line of duty, in active military, naval or air service. Where the determinative issue is a service connection claim involves a medical diagnosis, competent medical evidence is required. This burden cannot be met by lay testimony because lay persons are not competent to offer medical opinions. Review of your discharge document shows you were on active duty with the Air Force… Available service medical records for this period of time do not contain complaints, findings or diagnosis of reactive airway disease. The records do show, however, you were treated for sinus and allergy conditions. And, available dependent records as well as reserve military records for the period … indicate ongoing treatment for sinus and allergies, along with a clinical diagnosis of reactive airway disease around December 2001. (I will have to see this date in the record?) As you have periods of active duty for training in the Air Force Reserve, you may be service connected for a claimed chronic condition if there is probative medical evidence of a current disorder that is causally related to either an incident or your active military service, or and injury or disease that occurred during your active duty for training. The available service medical records are without reference to complaints or findings indicative of the presence of reactive airway disease during active duty or your Reserve active duty for training. You filed a claim for service connection for reactive airway disease and contend it started while on active duty for training. Military records establish you were on temporary duty assignment in Saudi Arabia. We requested service medical records for this period of training from the Medical Squadron at Office (their exact spelling is wrong) AFB and received a response that no records were available. Findings from the February 21, 2006, VA examination include a diagnosis of reactive airway disease. The examiner provided the opinion that the symptoms had their onset in and around the time frame immediately following your deployment to Saudi Arabia. Although information of record does show you have been diagnosed with reactive airway disease, the evidence does not establish the claimed disability was incurred in or aggravated in the line of duty during military service either during active duty or reserve periods of service. Service records do not show treatment for the respiratory condition during active duty, and there are no available service records for the period of active duty for training…., which shows you were treated for this claimed disability. The opinion provided by the VA examiner was based upon your history and not substantiated by information in your claims file. Therefore, service connection for reactive airway disease is denied as the evidence fails to establish that this condition either occurred in or was caused by military service. She is service connected at 30% for Allergic Rhinitis. From her prior service time in the late 80’s.

So if you were wondering you now know at least one possible solution set.

Berta, Pete, & Carlie, Thanks for the assist. I will tear into the SOC using the information you supplied and see what approacj to take based on what they have said. I agree with you Berta, it does seem strange. I will also have her contact her unit to see if they have any records on not letting her drilll. I am interested in seeing if the Reactive Airway Disease can be classified as secondary to the SC rhinitis? That may well be the avenu to take. Again I do appreciate the inputs and advise. Inparticular asking them to reconcider. Have a Great Spring Day! ScottyP

Looks like my wife will have to put in a FM 9. I would really like some help here as it is a bit tricky for me to understand just what it is I need to do. Of course I don't have all the particulars with me at the moment but the gist of it is as follows. My wife as active duty for four years and then had a break in service and came back in as a reservist. She was sent to the Desert, PSAB, for her annual tour of duty. On her return she had some breathing problems and was diagnosed with Reactive Airway Disease. No problems prior other than rhinitis which is service connected. The part mixing things up is she went to the military hospital for treatment and diagnosis when she had the time to which happened to be durring the week so all of her visits were in and on her dependent record. Now the VA in the DRO NOD decision said: 1. The see where she has reactive airway disease diagnosed 2. It occured in the time/period of service 3. It could have been from her time in the desert BUT 4. As there is no mention in her military medical record she is denied! So they admit she has a diagnosis, it happened while in service .... anyway it is tricky with all the rules, and I am sure there is a reason why,,,,, but very frustrating. To top it all off her unit would not let her participate in Drill if she were on the meds and not world wide qualified. So there she is. Any suggestions?

Just wondering how many of you out there are in the same boat as I am? Oh what boat.... the good ship lolly pop I suppose. To be a bit more exact I will review with you the saga. Please understand I am NOT complaining, just wondering at how efficient the GOV't can be is all. I received a letter in the mail a few weeks ago on how the CRSC/CDRP pay I was paid has been recalculated and that I was to be the proud receipient of a bit of back pay and that it would be on the way within the next ten days. So you can imagine there is a bit of anticipation. But we know and have learned patience with the VA and how they work right? So I waited until this morning which is 3 weeks since receiving the letter. I was told "the letter went out to early, by mistake, and they are working on getting the checks out. The wait will be 30-60 days, and there is no further way to resolve the issue." I actually felt compassion for the guy answering the phone, can you imagine what it must be like to work that phone line, which seems to have been set up explicitly for the purpose of answering the same question, Where is my check. Oh and the fellow said there were THOUSANDS of people involved in the "Great VA Wait of 07!" I suppose they are going to wait until after Tax day. Hmm wonder how it would work if the situation was reveresed and we neeeded to send a check into the Govt? Naw, I think I know the answer to that one:)

Berta- Then I owe you a very grateful thank you for your efforts. Thank You!

Hello to one and all,

Rick, Thanks for the assist! I was begining to think that would most likely be the case for him. Again thanks!