Berta

Both Missouri and Arkansas have links to IMO/IME doctors. https://www.almexperts.com/expert-witness/independent-medical-examinations-ime/missouri You can narrow down these links to the specific disability you want to get service connected. Not all disabilities require an in person exam, and can be handled with a strong IMO based on our IMO/IME criteria here at hadit. and with the specific evidence the doctor will need. This link is geared to veteran's : https://vetresourcegroup.com/st-louis-mo-nexus-letters/ Also many here have successfully used Dr Bash ( such as a friend of mine in Missouri )and also Doctor Anaise (sp?), Dr Ellis, etc etc I too had 2 GREAT IMOs from Dr Bash, Here are some links to Arkansas IMO/IME doctors. https://vetresourcegroup.com/little-rock-ar-nexus-letters/ If we know what you are attempting to get SC for, maybe someone here can advise their experience with an IMO/IME doc for a similiar claim.

Thank you to anyone here who joined me in commenting on this proposed regulation at the Federal Register web site in the past open comment period. I posted this news here before but it pays to repeat as it is now a formal regulation: "VA extends presumptive period for Persian Gulf War Veterans WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs has extended the presumptive period to Dec. 31, 2026 for qualifying chronic disabilities rated 10% or more resulting from undiagnosed illnesses in Persian Gulf War Veterans to ensure benefits established by Congress are fairly administered. If an extension of the current presumptive period was not implemented, service members whose conditions arise after Dec. 31, 2021 would be substantially disadvantaged compared to service members whose conditions manifested at an earlier date. Limiting entitlement to benefits due to the expiration of the presumptive period would be premature given that current studies remain inconclusive as to the cause and time of onset of illnesses suffered by Persian Gulf War Veterans. VA presumes certain medically unexplained illnesses are related to Persian Gulf War service without regard to cause, including, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, functional gastrointestinal disorders. Also included are undiagnosed illnesses with symptoms that may include but are not limited to abnormal weight loss, cardiovascular disease, muscle and joint pain, headache, menstrual disorders, neurological and psychological problems, skin conditions, respiratory disorders and sleep disturbances. Persian Gulf War Veterans who are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above and other unexplained medical issues are encouraged to file a claim." VA extends presumptive period for Persian Gulf War Veterans Also it definitely pays to post again the entire definition of a Gulf War Veteran: https://community.hadit.com/topic/85955-extension-of-the-presumptive-period-for-compensation-for-persian-gulf-war-veterans/?tab=comments#comment-512357 It includes: What’s included in the Southwest Asia theater of military operations? "Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia The neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) Oman The Gulf of Aden and the Gulf of Oman The waters of the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, and the Red Sea The airspace above these locations"https://www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/hazardous-materials-exposure/gulf-war-illness-southwest-asia/ I posted more detailed info here on these locations-with a map and will try to find it.

https://www.benefits.va.gov/compensation/docs/shiplist.docx Last 2019 VA Agent Orange Ship list.

(I was unable to post this in the Agent Orange foruym- possibly due to heavy fog here??? I have had a a google alert for Blue Water AO vets for a long time and still get articles from news outlets in many different parts of the US. I think the Herald Times is based in Indiana: "For veterans: VA prepares to tackle backlogged disability claims Steven MillerGuest columnist The Department of Veterans Affairs announced Oct. 13 that it is preparing to hire more than 2,000 new employees to assist in disability claims processing. According to the VA, more than 204,000 backlogged disability claims are in the Veterans Benefits Administrations' disability claims queue. Many of the claims result from the VA adding three new diseases to the Agent Orange presumptive list. The presumptive list contains the diseases that the VA will presume to have been caused by exposure to Agent Orange. The three new conditions are hypothyroidism, bladder cancer, and Parkinsonism. With the three new conditions, the VA now recognizes 17 diseases caused by Agent Orange exposure. The other diseases are AL amyloidosis, chronic B-Cell leukemias, chloracne, diabetes mellitus type 2, Hodgkins disease, ischemic heart disease, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, Parkinson's disease, peripheral neuropathy (either secondary to diabetes or having occurred within one year of leaving Vietnam), porphyria cutanea tarda, prostate cancer, respiratory cancers and soft tissue sarcomas." https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2021/10/25/veterans-va-prepares-tackle-backlogged-disability-claims/612605000 The article does not mention Bkue Water Navy but still I bet many veterans, to include Blue Water Navy veterans do not know of the newer presumptives, highlighted in this article. While I believe it is true that VA will hire "More than 2,000 new employees to assist in disability claims processing. " the fact remains that the training they need will be extensive, time consuming, and probably cause more errors in initial denials than we can foresee. I have no idea how many of these past BWN AO denials have been reviewed so far: The article adds: "Since Blue Water Navy veterans became eligible for VA benefits in 2019, the department has processed more than 45,000 claims and paid nearly $900 million in retroactive benefits. " https://www.legion.org/veteransbenefits/252567/va-automatically-review-thousands-blue-water-navy-claims I did a search at the BVA under Blue Water Navy Agent Orange and 785 decisions from 2019 to 2021 popped up- I need to take the time to assess those decisions because if a Blue Water Veteran had the proper time frame and coordinates on their ship's logs and/or their ship had already been classified as exposed to AO ( I have out the most recent AO ship's lists here) and they have a documented AO presumptive, they should not be at the BVA if someone at a RO could actually have read their evidence. VA did a review over denied AO IHD claims when IHD became presumptive. They missed a few of us in that regard. Only because I as a widow knew of the new IHD regs, did I succeed in my claim for AO IHD....... But that was after I cued a denial the next day.The denial was absurd yet I wonder how many widows got that type of denial and never appealed it.Maybe I should assess some AO BWN widow's claims at the BVA. The denial was written by someone who obviously did not have a single clue on what the Vietnam incountry IHD claims were about. They awarded in mere weeks after getting my scathing CUE -but that is only because I knew the AO IHD regulations and fortunately did not have some vet rep who also might not have had a clue on it all. If you see at VAMCs etc a Navy vet who also has evidence of Vietnam service ( lots of vets around here wear caps and badges and medals at the local VAMC) ask them if they are aware of the Blue Water Navy AO regulations and the many AO presumptives, and ask them to come here for more info.

Can you scan and attach here the most recent denial? Cover your C file# ,name, address prior to scanning it. I hope you are not dealing with the Buffalo VARO. They can barely read. At least that is my opinion because of the ridiculous denials I got but I pursued them relentlessly until I succeeded. "I also have been working a veteran who also received a NOT SERVICE CONNECTED decision not only for his issues he was being treated for throughout his military service, but he also got denied for Tinnitus. Very surprising, maybe VA is working on budgeting, deny a bunch of claims, budget looks better." Does he have a copy of his SMRS and inservice personnel file? To include his discharge certificate that lists his inservice disabilities? Have you yourself seen his DD214 or DD 215? Can he join us here? Posted 4 hours ago Almost took two years to finally get a decision I have been given a rating of NOT SERVICE CONNECTED for all 7 of my claims. I'm hoping others are receiving better outcomes, this time around I had gone through a lawyer thinking that may help, but at this point not really. Next steps will be to appeal unfortunately since there is a massive backlog of claims. But when the VA cannot make a reasonable determination, this is what happens. One thing I will point out if it helps others, these claims did not have to do during a time I was deployed over seas. Could this be a reason why I was denied completely, who knows this game is very subjective. My other disabilities I have received were from overseas service, and I had actually applied for them myself, no help from law firm. I also have been working a veteran who also received a NOT SERVICE CONNECTED decision not only for his issues he was being treated for throughout his military service, but he also got denied for Tinnitus. Very surprising, maybe VA is working on budgeting, deny a bunch of claims, budget looks better. "I even have my deceased fathers claim which has been ongoing for almost 2 yrs and my family are waiting for a decision there for the sake of my mother receiving the benefits she is entitled too." Has that claim been denied? Was she able to send them the evidence they requested? As a widow myself of 2 veterans, I know how miserable the VA can make it for many widow's claims. Was he a Vietnam Veteran, or a Blue Water Navy Veteran? With more info we can try to help more.

I believe it would take a pulmonlogist to properly opine on the claim.Or an expert in Fibromyalgia, who would have the most recent medical literate to support the claim-but I dont know if you claimed the fibro as a potential cause of the OSA. I thing that would be even a stronger way to go than the MDD meds. I personally would do both. We have the right, as claimants, to advance any possible way of entitlement to SC. But it all depends on the meds you take for each of those disabilities and the PDR and many other sites on line have detailed info and side affects of all medications. The opiner did not mention any VA prescribed meds in the page of th decision you posted. You could also find their name on the actual C & P exam and gripe to LHI,VES, QTC or whatever outfit did the exam,if they were not qualified to do it- but then again the claim still needs to associate both of your SCs with the medications side affects,--- anything that could cause weight gain and OSA. It might help to get a service officer as well, (vet rep)and feel free to copy my replies, so that they can see how the claim could be supplemented with evidence.

You are correct- BVA cases are unique to the veteran who filed the claim- however they contain a wealth of info as to how to prepare and support a claim with evidence.They also cite VA regulations and Precedent opinions such as the OGC pres Op in one of the links I gave you-as well as precental US CAVC decision. They are not "evidence" except in rare situations. I had a very old BVA decision that contained a "clue"-I was using my own old BVA case as "evidence" but the RO ignored it. I called General Counsel. Then the VARO could not ignore what the BVA had stated to me long ago- and which was still a valid established regulation. But Evidence is Everything and you could follow my advice yourself to present to the VA any medication info that could support your claim, along with the medical profile you have from the VA, as well as the fairly well established medical links above in my replies, and any other evidence you can find. These are bonafide very good medical sites. You might find more than I did. ".I guess it's just the luck of the draw..or maybe they had a better medical opinion given than myself. " I dont believe it is the luck of the draw- it is either getting a solid IMO/IME in difficult cases like this,or doing all of the leg work yourself. MANY if not most vets here succeeded without IMO/IMEs- I am sure. we do not get a fair shake from the C & P proess at all and this is why an IMO/IME can do wonders. In one of his IMOs for me Dr Bash quoted the VA endocrinologist and said what she had stated was "medically inaccurate" and stated how her opinion was not valid at all. Also she said I used a DVD acronym from Merck which the VA uses as well. Some had put into my husband medical records DVD (diabetic Vascular disease )and did not cross it out like the diabetes entry. She , as a VA endocrinologist, had the audacity to say it meant that the veteran "Denied Venereal Disease" -DVD. I jumped on that right away= the veteran had VD in service,and on his rating sheets and Never denied having inservice VD. The last incident O had like that was that a doctor opined on my claim and stated it was an inperson interview. By then my husband had been dead for 2 decades! I complained to the White House Hot Line and someone from the VHA called me and he said something so stupid I wont even get into it.I used the situation as "evidence" as well as the fact that this VA doctor had been relegated to the AO registery department long ago and I guess they didnt want her to be actually dealing with VA patients. I won that claim, very fast after that. These VA opiners people are slick. I have had to knock them down many many times. I am convinced that most of them love to have the power to deny claims that have validity. Then again if they awarded too many claims due to their opinions they would probably be off the C & P examiner list. ".I guess it's just the luck of the draw..or maybe they had a better medical opinion given than myself. " Maybe they did but we cannot rely on a good C & P exam outcome at all. I read at the BVA a denial from a female veteran who also was trying to get OSA associated with her SC disabilities. She had no IMO/IME and did not attempt to provide significant evidence herself. I had no doubt that with a little more evidence she could have potentially succeeded. I will re read your decision again to see if there is anything else I could add.

Also you might want to read over some of these BVA decisions regarding Fibromyalgia and OSA under my search feature: I searched for OSA fibromyalgia in the BVA search engine and 504 decisions popped up. Some however might only had one of the search terms in them. You could also try a searh at BVA for fibromyalgia OSA, and maybe more would pop up. The highlighted links wiil be the ones you have already read. Research can take a considerable amount of time. But if I had not done lots of research for my many claims, as a widow of a disabled veteran, I would probably have lost them all. Also for my most important claim, I had 3 IMOs- one was a freebee and Dr Bash did the other 2 IMos - $4,000. It was the best investment I could ever make because it resolved my issue and it finally gave my dead Husband and me ---Peace with Honor. I wrote the initial IMO/IME criteria here ( added more to it since) based on the IMOs Dr Bash did for me and how he covered ALL bases. Dr Bash and my freebee IMO doctor both worked for the VA in the past and knew exactly what they needed to opine on with medical evidence from my husband's VA medial records and his 6 page autopsy. I do not know what the VA doctor meant by your use of sedatives. Your medication profile, in your VA medical Records , will list the meds you take for your SCs. You can look them up to see if contributed to your weight gain , and OSA. When I got my husband's full VA medical records, after his unexpected sudden death, I found two meds that possibly contributed to his death and General Counsel VA definitely agreed with my lay medical opinion on one of them.FTCa/1151 wrongful death. When I asked Dr Bash for the IMos, I had already done considerable work on that direct SC death claim ( undiagnosed and untreated DMII from AO) and I found out an odd prescriped VA med was for a condition that is known in DMII patients and part of the 1997 original VA Diabetes training letter. Also I found a Diabetes diagnosis had been crossed out, because most of his VA doctors by then knew he had DMII but tried to cover it up. They failed. Research and careful reading and re reading VA medical records and SMRs etc etc etc can often be the road to Success. But IMO-IME doctors certainly earn their fees by doing that for us. I had to study cardiology and neurology and endocrinology to succeed in the claims that I did not have an IMO for. That's OK- my lay medical opinions were solid. BVA search feature I used: https://www.index.va.gov/search/va/bva_search.jsp?QT=OSA+fibromyalgia&EW=&AT=&ET=&RPP=10&DB=2021&DB=2020&DB=2019&DB=2018&DB=2017&DB=2016&DB=2015&DB=2014&DB=2013&DB=2012&DB=2011&DB=2010&DB=2009&DB=2008&DB=2007&DB=2006&DB=2005&DB=2004&DB=2003&DB=2002&DB=2001&DB=2000&DB=1999&DB=1998&DB=1997&DB=1996&DB=1995&DB=1994&DB=1993&DB=1992

I took note of the word "sedatives" they said you used. I do not know what they mean by 'sedatives' but perhaps they mean the SC meds you take. If any of those SC meds can cause obesity, then an IMO/IME doctor could write a strong opinion for you-qith medical abstracts or current medical literature, and then include a medical rationale for why the obesity has caused the sleep apnea. https://community.hadit.com/topic/79792-david-anaise-md-for-osa-secondary-to-ptsd/page/3/ There is info above from some members here- They mention Dr Bash, Dr Anaise, and a Dr Trippi who helped them with IMO/IMEs. Have you asked your pulmonologist- wther VA or private to give an opinion that would help? Also the VA probably listed your SMRs as evidence, but I wonder if they really did read them for the OSA. I found the Feb 2015 decision frome lotzaspotz but could not magnify it to read it. https://community.hadit.com/topic/60866-copy-sleep-apnea-grant-of-sc-nam-vet/#comment-362128 Also there is a link between fibromyalgia and sleep apnea: Sleep Apnea in Patients With Fibromyalgia: A Growing Concern Patients with fibromyalgia have a tenfold increase in sleep-disordered breathing, including obstructive sleep apnea. Proper diagnosis and treatment will improve health and quality of life for fibromyalgia patients. By Victor Rosenfeld, MD https://www.practicalpainmanagement.com/pain/myofascial/fibromyalgia/sleep-apnea-patients-fibromyalgia-growing-concern and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6500898/ A n IMO/IMEpulmonologist would have updated info on the association of Fibromyalgia and OSA. By googling your state and Pulmonologists IMO IME they might have a site to find an IMO/IME You might have mentioned SC fibromyalgia in your posts-but maybe I am wrong.

Can you scan and attach here the denial of OSA due to weight? Cover your C file # name, address prior to scanning it. Your medical records would reveal when the weight gain started and a strong IMO/IME could determine if that was when the SC meds were given, if they were meds that could cause weight gain and/or OSA. This fairly recent BVA decision awarded for OSA due to weight gain from SC medications. "[T]he Veteran's prior to (EPTS) PTSD and SC depression have been treated with multiple medications and the onset of the significant weight gain roughly coincides with the initiation of regular use of several medications which have strong association with significant weight gain, specifically, olanzapine and divalproex. Therefore, although there is no definitive evidence that the major depressive disorder did not cause the obesity, there is significant evidence that the treatment methods which were utilized in the treatment of the depression more than likely than not contributed to the onset and progression of the obesity. Based upon the May 2017 VHA medical opinion and the February 2015 VA examination, the Board determines: (1) treatment of the Veteran's service-connected depression caused the Veteran to become obese; (2) the Veteran's obesity was a substantial factor in causing his OSA; and (3) the OSA would not have occurred but for the obesity cause by the treatment of the service-connected depression. See VAOPGCPREC 1-2017. For these reasons, and resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran, the Board finds that the weight of the probative evidence supports an entitlement to service connection for OSA, secondary to service-connected major depression. 38 U.S.C.A. §§ 1110, 1131, 5107 (West 2014) ; 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.159, 3.310." ORDER Entitlement to service connection for OSA is granted." https://www.va.gov/vetapp17/Files4/1720242.txt Also Chris Attig, vet lawyer, and I believe still a hadit member, has info here: https://www.veteranslawblog.org/obesity-obstructive-sleep-apnea-ptsd/

To the original poster Donnie : This is an old BVA decision however: "FINDING OF FACT Providing the Veteran with all benefit of the doubt, sleep apnea is aggravated by medications taken for major depressive disorder." The Veteran's Major Depressive disorder was already service connected. https://www.va.gov/vetapp14/Files4/1427494.txt In this more recent case (2016) " "Entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities." https://www.va.gov/vetapp16/Files4/1634144.txt Also some medications can cause OSA: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5346880/#:~:text=Several medications (atypical antipsychotics in,can induce or exacerbate OSA. Both decisions contain a lot of info as to how the veteran succeeded. This would need a Very strong IMO/IME, that follows the IMO/IME criterias here at hadit. The Opinion independent doctor should have access to your inservice STRs, Military Personnel records, and all othe health care records. They would also need to bolster their opinion with any good medical excerpts etc.

He is out of tthe Agent Orange DMZ criteria: https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/locations/korea.asp "He talks about no records and stuff being classified." My daughter was told her Top Secret Classified MOS would be declassified if needed for VA purposes. VA did declassify all military records for a friend of mine (now deceased)who had succeeded in an AO claim. Since he is out of the AO DMZ timel you got good advice here-look into the Special Ops download, above, and make sure he gets his inservice SMRs as well as his inservice 201 ( Personnel File). If the VA doctors diagnosed him with PTSD,there might well be something in his VA medical records ,which he needs to get as well, regarding a stressor, that he would have to prove. . "Anybody have any idea how I might help convince him to apply for the benefits he earned?" That is a good question. I tried to help a local vet many years ago, who kept forgetting to show me his DD214, and said many other vets had told him to apply for VA benefits. Finally he showed me his DD 214 and I had to advise him to take the steps to try to get a better discharge. He said his PTSD was why he got bad paper. Possible -but there was not anything else I could do for him, accept give him advice as to how to get the discharge changed... a long process and I dont think he ever pusued that. But another local vet denied having PTSD ( he had 2 Purple Hearts) After many years of me asking him to apply for PTSD, he finally did and got awarded. Not saying this veteran is not sincere on his military experience, but on his DD 214 you will find his unit degination and the unit surely has a web site and/or history of the unit's involvement in Korea 1980. Nothing is impossible. I searched for US Army Korea 1980s and this popped up- there might be some info or op there that he could recognize. https://www.google.com/search?q=us+army+korea+1980s&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS695US695&biw=1280&bih=577&ei=ZEZoYavvB_S2qtsPsaeG2AE&oq=us+army+korea+1980s&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYADIICCEQFhAdEB4yCAghEBYQHRAeMggIIRAWEB0QHjoHCAAQRxCwAzoOCC4QxwEQ0QMQkQIQkwI6BQgAEJECOggIABCABBCxAzoOCC4QgAQQsQMQxwEQowI6BQgAEIAEOggILhCxAxCDAToECAAQQzoKCC4QxwEQ0QMQQzoLCC4QxwEQ0QMQkQI6DgguEIAEELEDEMcBENEDOgsIABCABBCxAxCDAToFCAAQhgM6BggAEBYQHkoECEEYAFDdMViWcmDkjwFoAnACeAOAAYcMiAHnmAGSAQg2LTcuMTAuMZgBAKABAbABAMgBCMABAQ&sclient=gws-wiz

Buck, after the loss of 2 disabled vet husband's ,I found volunteer work gave me the help I needed to get through those losses. Somehow I managed full time work as well as volunteer jobs, many years ago. The best volunteer work I did was at a VA vet center. You have always been such a help here to veterans, that hadit will help you feel less lonliness I am sure. But, this week is the anniversary of my USMC husband's death- over 2 decades ago and the grief is always there but it hurts less than it used to. This link might help you with whatever SSA benefits you would get due to Brenda''s death: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/survivors/ifyou.html They have a phone number there to call as well and could direct you to the closest SSA office.

GREAT news GBA !!!!! We must Never Give up!!!!!

I agree- and she should apply through a different VSO, for DIC and the Wartime pension. Wartime pension can involve many factors unique to the survivor. If the VA denies the pension, that is one thing and they have to give a reason why-but if a VSO denies a claim that has not even been filed yet- they are not properly doing their job. I disagree with the interpretation here of " However, if an individual withdraws a claim for Social Security benefits, after a finding of entitlement to those benefits, in order to maintain eligibility for unreduced Social Security benefits upon reaching a particular age, VA will not regard this potential income as having been waived and will therefore not count it." They wil not count it because is was "waived". That does not seem to be the situation here with this widow. This recent BVA decision shows what they mean by "income" In part: "ORDER Entitlement to death pension is denied. REMANDED Entitlement to dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC), to include based on service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death is remanded. Entitlement to accrued benefits is remanded. FINDING OF FACT The appellant’s countable annual income for VA pension purposes is in excess of the established income limit for receipt of payment for nonservice-connected death pension." https://www.va.gov/vetapp20/files3/a20003567.txt The claim form is here: https://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-21P-534EZ-ARE.pdf It clearly states the SSA info they need. A VA claim for DIC is also a claim for Wartime pension if applicable. The above wiow's claim was not developed at all to see if she was eligible for DIC, and the BVA remanded it. It is always possible that a deceased NSC veteran's service medical records ,and VA or private medical records nd the Death Certificate could reveal something significant to establish a service connected death. However if DIC is denied for Good Cause the VA will consider the pension. It is also possible that the veteran did not meet the initial period of service for a Wartime survivor's pension, based on his DD 214 ,or something else triggered he VSO to say she was not eligible.Or the VSO didn;t want to take the time to help her fill out the EZ 534. These are the eligibililty requirements for wartime service, etc.: https://www.va.gov/pension/survivors-pension/

Buck, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I had PC problems all week, and could not be here. Actually it wasnt the PC, it was the fact that our trees in NY have grown so high due to all of the rain we have had, that I had to get quite a few trees cut down to be able to get the satelitte dish to pick up the modem access. At first the Sat people thought it was due to a stationary front putting me into a cloud for days. In any event I am so sorry what you are dealing with, but you know Brenda is now in a Good place and she is free from all of her physical problems. She would want you too be strong and have faith that God will see you through this, because He will. Thursday is the anniversary of my USMC husband's death and the grief never goes away but gets better to deal with in time.

Buck appreciates all the concern and all of your continued prayers for his wife - this is an update from Buck : "They did remove the ventilator yesterday (Thursday) at 4:00PM and the Dr said the procedure placing the tube in her throat was successful ( Thank you Jusus) so if she can tolerate the tube they can un-sdadate her and we can communicate by writing /blacklboard .ect,,,,ect,,, It may take a couple of weeks or maybe sooner if her lungs will start to heal and she can breath on her own. When ? they can remove the tube and she can go home within a week or so...."

Also , here in NY and I suppose in every state ,I asked th undertaker for some of my husband's ashes to take home with me and that was not a problem. This is the web site for the National Cemetery in Dallas Texas: https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/dallasftworth.asp I have given advice here in the past on Military Funeral for veterans. I wrote my USMC husband's obitury myself and th undertaker checked it all with his DD214-215 and it was printed in the local papers verbatim to what I wrote. Good thing I did that-The American Legion saw the Obit and had enough time before the burial date to get the Color Gurd and gun volley ready, and get their unitofrms ready too, as well as the bullets,too. 27 years ago it seemed neither undertakers or the VA National Cemetery Offices were taking the steps to do that, when the veteran was eligible for a full military funeral. A widow here in NY made quite a stink many years ago ( I dont blame her) when her dead veteran spouse's funeral was devoid of any Color Guard or gun Volley -maybe they did play TAPs, and he was fully eligible for a Military Funeral. I hope surviving spouses now get the proper info on that.

g. Spouses and Dependents (1) The spouse, surviving spouse or dependent of an eligible Veteran or member of the Armed Forces may be eligible for interment in a national cemetery even if that Veteran is not buried or memorialized in a national cemetery. (2) The surviving spouse of an eligible Veteran who had a subsequent remarriage to a non-Veteran and whose death occurred on or after January 1, 2000, is eligible for burial in a national cemetery, based on his or her marriage to the eligible Veteran. (3) The minor children of an eligible Veteran. For purpose of burial in a national cemetery, a minor child is a child who is unmarried and: (a) Who is under 21 years of age; or, (b) Who is under 23 years of age and pursuing a full-time course of instruction at an approved educational institution. (4) The unmarried adult child of an eligible Veteran. For purpose of burial in a national cemetery, an unmarried adult child is: Of any age but became permanently physically or mentally disabled and incapable of self-support before reaching 21 years of age, or before reaching 23 years of age if pursuing a full-time course of instruction at an approved educational institution. Proper supporting documentation must be provided." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is part of the VA Burial requirements regarding the spouses of living Veterans. https://www.cem.va.gov/burial_benefits/eligible.asp#:~:text=(1) The spouse%2C surviving,memorialized in a national cemetery.&text=(3) The minor children of an eligible Veteran. Sometimes an autopsy is done , and that might suggest cremation. I say 'might'-but I believe that is entirely up to the family and to the wishes of the deceased. Here in NY ,since my husband was an organ donor, he was autopsied and cremated, per his wishes and buried at a National Cemetery. That was 27 years ago and it astonishes me to see how much both the Cremains Section and the Casket section of the cemetery have filled up. In order for me to be buried there with him, I have to be cremated as well. As I understand it, they cannot put a casket under a cremains vault or on top of it. I am an organ donor as well, and want to be cremated. At the Burial for him I was given the Cemetery plot deed and had to check the proper spelling of my name for the headstone. Buck's situation could happen to any veteran here with a spouse who dies before they do.

Update from Buck: "Ms Berta I write with a Heavy Heart Today Not good news today, she has been placed in the after life care and is on hospice at this time, , she can go anytime, they say within 24 hours unless God Intervenes. but now I have to make a major decision to remove the ventilator today. its the hardest decision for me in my lifetime. I have accepted her death through the grace of God. (Praise God) Now my question Can she be buried in the Veterans National Cemetery at Dallas/Ft Worth? I have attended funerals there for fellow veterans and one time the daughter of the veteran mother died 5 years before him and when her farther died(the veteran) she had her mother ashes placed beside his grave or in it with him they both were cremated. one more question my wife had said she wanted to be cremated when she goes...and I told her I am not sure I could live with that knowing your body was all burned to ashes. she then said well if that bothers you then you don't have to do that....but her mind she wanted to be cremated. its a hard decision for me. Please give me your opinion and your advise. I have no one else to ask other than my pastors at church. but I been knowing you now for years and Brenda Knows you too, she has read some on hadit and she once told me you were the best advocate any veteran could have and we both are so very thankful to you me Berta. Please say a prayer for me and my family. God Bless You Ms Berta Britt & Brenda aka Buck52 ps .you can post this on hadit if you think i/we can get some good answers on the National Veterans Cemetery in Dallas/Ft Worth...Tx" I will find the National Cemetery regulations for spouse of veteran burials.

This veteran claimed his obesity was due to diabete mellitus that he incurred in sercvice: "ORDER Service connection for type II diabetes mellitus (with associated diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities and erectile dysfunction), as secondary to service-connected major depressive disorder (MDD) with an adjustment disorder, is granted." In Part the decision states: "The Court most recently held that to reasonably raise the theory of secondary service connection via obesity as an intermediate step, there must be some evidence in the record that draws an association or suggests a relationship between a veteran's obesity, or weight gain resulting in obesity, and a service-connected disability. Conversely, incidental references in the record to obesity, or weight gain resulting in obesity, are insufficient to reasonably raise this theory of entitlement. The Court provided a list of six non-exhaustive considerations that could give rise to a reasonably raised theory of secondary service connection with obesity as an intermediate step. " The decision, as well as Broncovet's citation contains other cases and an OGC precedent Opinion regarding this type of claim. There are 2,582 claims regarding obesity, denid or granted by the BVA or remanded, in 2021 so far. https://www.index.va.gov/search/va/bva_search.jsp?QT=obesity&EW=&AT=&ET=&RPP=10&DB=2021 They all hold the most recent citations.

The best puchase I have made in the past few months - was to get a ROBOcall Blocker, for my land line phone. I never get robocalls on my cell phone, but my neighbor does , constantly. I have had two calls recently ,with different phone numbers, recently from men who say they are from "The United States Medicare Company" and they both had a foreign accent. The Roboblocker is preprogramed with many of these scam calls, already, but If I answer the call , and it is not a programed call, I can press two numbers on my phone pad and they are blocked completely, for good. Also the first 3 numbers of my phone number I am on has a very small amount of customers, here in a very isolated rural environment. Many people answer those calls thinking they are a local person calling-but they are scams. I am on all of the Do Not Call lists but they are useless lists.

GBA, he does belong to a church and they too are praying for him-and his adult children check on him and their sother's status ,as well- but you are so poignantly correct in what you said- "it can be a lonely road he is on," and I was on that road twice, with my 2 dead veteran husbands, and I got lots of "well meaning inquirys" but only God's grace got me through it all. I realized too that he does not need PMs from members ,because he is so overwhelmed as it is. Thanks for your insight into this GBArmy. I appreciate all you do here, in so many ways ,for our Nation's veterans.

Update from Buck this AM: "Hello Ms Berta Well they have the pneumonia down, but it has caused a more bigger problem, the pneumonia has damage her lungs both lungs, and she now has what is called ADRS, ITS A ACUTE LUNG DISEASE. that there is no cure for. The treatment is very hard it takes a long time for the lungs to heal, they have her on a ventilator heavily sedated for the last 12 days, it may take up months for her lungs to recover before she can breath on her own. If her lungs heal? Dr said they are pretty bad and may take months if her body can hold out that long??? she has both lungs damage pretty bad and will need lot of recovery time and that means she has to be sedated and on the ventilator (its awful to see) the bad part is while they wait for her lungs to heal themselves there other dangers of other organs in her body that could shut down, heart, liver, kidneys, so we sure need your prayers . So for all her vitals and organs are working ok at this time...they need to keep working for the next 30 days or so. Were doing all we can to save her life its so sad to go up to the IUC room at the Hospital and see her sedated. Its awful, she is in the stage where they turn on on her stomach PRONE POSTION IT'S CALLED (PRONING) and keep her that way for 15 hours then turn her on her back for 8 hours they do this for 5 days , she is on her 3rd day..if that don't show her lungs are improving they may do a traconerty and put the ventilator tube in the front part of her neck/throat to give more time for the lungs to heal..if they don't heal were in a lot of trouble and pray Jesus will intervene and heal her...I been praying for that everyday and night. I have not talk with her now in 12 days she is sedated 24x7 they feed her via IV's and keep her sedated until her lungs heal them selfs. Were on our 48th year of continue happy marriage. Here is link of what she has been diagnosed for after fighting off the pneumonia... https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/ards/ards-treatment-and-recovery please keep her in your prayers/if you have time you can copy past this update on Hadit and ask for prayers FOR HER (Brenda Gail) at this time We sure need them. I AM JUST STUNNED AND NUMB...AND SAD , JESUS IS WITH ME AND HER EVERY STEP OF THE WAY Thank you Ms Berta, we send our love to everyone!!! God Bless Buck" (Buck can be PMed for any words of encouragement from our members.I certainly know what this is like ,when a loved one is hospitalized, and I am amazed at his strength, and Brenda's too.) Quote

GBArmy is correct. I assume they gave you a NSC "0"% - and did not service connect this disability. CUE involves a legal error that manifested an altered outcome.....meaning if you could prove they were aware of at least a 10% potential rating for this disability,based on documented medical evidence in their possession at time of the decision, and they should have service connected the Zero %, that would be basis for CUE. I feel GBA is right on here to asvise you to file a new claim, if this disability has gotten worse and be prepared to prove that it has an inservice nexus ( a documented link to your service) .