Which Service Organization Is Best?

danang_1969 · November 9, 2007

I know we will all probably have different opinions here, but which Service Organization is best in communicating with the Veteran during a claim, whether it be by mail or phone and which is best the has the best people at eventually doing what is needed for the vet which is:

" Get R' Done".?

jbasser · November 9, 2007

Every Service organization have the same disposition.

The difference is the people at the local level. You get some that will try to help and keep up with what is current with a claim. The you have some that issue documents to the VA and dont do any follow up.

To answer your question, You need to find a good rep. The Rep is going to help, not the VSO.

Now the actual truth is this: I have Filed all claims, Appeals and Va related information. I give a copy to the VA and to the AL rep.

I use the rep as a person in the same location as the RO and let them do leg work. , Keep a copy of the file , ect.

Someone once said if you want something done right, you should do it yourself.

71M10 · November 9, 2007

I know we will all probably have different opinions here, but which Service Organization is best in communicating with the Veteran during a claim, whether it be by mail or phone and which is best the has the best people at eventually doing what is needed for the vet which is:
" Get R' Done".?

Would having a Rep/SO help during the DRO process? I have filled a NOD, asked for the DRO process, and would like to have an informal conference. Are they more likely to set down and discuss the claim in good faith with a service organization or the individual? My worry is due to the claims backlog they won't want to take the time to talk about this.

Best regards,

Tyler

Berta · November 9, 2007

My former POA buggered an informal conference with a DRO in my behalf in 2005-

and after that conference my IMOs disappeared from the c file (He had taken them from the c file prior to the conference and apparently never put them back)

Yesterday I asked the 800# rep-to request an informal conference for me-he told me the DRO's name on my claim

and he said he would do that -- but just to make sure- I am making formal request myself at Iris today-

The DRO review process is supposed to be a partnership among the POA , the vet or widow and the DRO in order to resolve the issues they have before them on appeal.

Evidence can be highlighted or even presented for the first time directly to the DRO during a conference or hearing.

I posted the link here before to DRO job duties and what they are suposed to do.

There is discussion here as to what vet orgs have the best reps-

if we knew that answer- we would all be on that orgs POA-

we take our chances -no matter who reps us-

But the BEST service rep you will ever have is YOU-regardless of who is on your POA.

After I filed a complaint with the GC on my reps and prepared a timeline- supported by evidence (from them)

I realised just how much they (4 reps-to include the Director-) colluded to prevent my evidence from being addressed by the VA.

I also named a similiar situation for a vet they repped-who they intimidated and I had to intervene-I have email on that matter too-to and from the POA.

The best thing they they ever did for me- was to revoke my POA but their revocation is illegal.

(and they documented lots of stuff that I sent in with my GC complaint)

Congress and state Governors take no responsibility over their chartered veterans organizations.

For every good rep- and there are certainly many good ones- there are others in the same vet org - who compromise their work by being negligent.

I have known the rep who went into my informal DRO conference -for 19 years.I had trust in him and we thoroughly discussed my evidence right before the conference.

What he told me after the conference was absolutely bizarre-

the SSOC ,which came 3 months later-bears out that he lied to me.

I think some of these reps are so afraid of the DROs that they will not really support a claim when they go one to one with them.

Edited November 9, 2007 by Berta

danang_1969 · November 9, 2007

Thanks for the input. I agree with the thought of it depends on what type work oriented representative you are dealing with at any SO. You know these all these service organization reps are loaded up with clients and really don't have the proper time to give each vet the attention and to communicate with them regularly on their claims. I believe many of reps may tend to communicate more when they see that a vet has made an effort to prove his claim with submitting the proper evidence as they submit the form 9. The down side is many vets either don't have the education to do this, or don't have the know-how or just are not physically and mentally able to do the things necessary to prove their claim.I think hadit.com and it's members tremendously help a deserving vet succeed in some of these areas.

It sure does help your feelings when you get a voluntary response from your SO saying that your claim has been filed and in the communication the letter states itemizes what documents where submitted by the veteran with the form 9 and also you see in the letter that the SO ask the VA to please notify the the SO and the claimant veteran when the adjective actions have been completed.

Danang_1969 and 67 and 68 too!!!