St. Petersburg, Fl. Disability Commission

[carlie]

Ladies & Gentlemen,

1st I'd like to take just a moment to commend you on par-taking in this commission.

With the price the taxpayers are spending on this, it's sure to be financially rewarding for you -- but mostly I'm in hopes of it's rewards to our current and future disabled veterans. May the guidance of this commission be always in the best interest of those that have served our country.

My name is Carla --- I am an American -- and I am proud to be a Veteran of the United States Army.

While on active duty I sustained first a contussion -- and not long after that a mild

traumatic brain injury. After these injuries I began having strange mental

and physical problems. It was difficult to remember what I was working on

and what I had just finished doing.

This was in the year 1978, the year I incurred the devastating diagnosis of epilepsy.

Right this minute there is not enough time to cover all the hardships that come with the label.

But --- for right this minute -- I can share with you that it's now 2006 -- 28 years since that new beginning for me -- and to this date I find myself fighting a war with the Veterans Administration.

All that I have requested, is written and covered within the rules and regulations of the VA.

I ask that the VA follow their rules and regulations, follow what they have mandated in 38 Code of Federal Regulations for Veterans

Compensation and Benefits. Follow their guidelines written in M-21-1.

Go by their rules and award veteran's disability claims as justly deserved.

As of this past Feb. 11, 2006, I noticed in VA's Monday Morning Work Reports

that our very own St. Petersburg, Florida has over 28,000 Rating Cases Pending.

Uncle Sam -- Stop telling the people what is being done for veterans

and actually do it.

Thank you.

[Magoo_Mr.]

.

Carlie:

Very well said. Perhaps you should be running for Congress. You could get our votes here.

...Magoo .. aka .. Bill ... B)

.

[T-C]

Good job Carlie! ...TC

[carlie]

Thanks to all for your continued support.

I found this little public speaking to be a bit difficult but I belted my words out with a little punch and am glad for it.

Jim S. -- The Commissions web site states people would have 5 mins. each or less depending on how many people signed up to speak.

Best to all,

carlie

[Guest Berta]

Carlie- I see that Remands were on their agenda but dont know which meeting last week they talked about Remands-

Did they say much about this important problem?

REMANDS!!!!! I scream at some of them at the BVA-

Here we have the VCAA -The Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000-which is supposed to generate a letter under the VCAA-for each claim (a vet rep told me they are WAY behind sending these out)I have bee waiting for 3 years for 2 of them- and the VCAA was supposed to help the vet identify the evidence they needed right from the git go-

yet the remand situation is worse than ever-

these vet reps and SOs are NOT consistently telling the vet what to do or how to get what they need---

I am going to send the commission another letter griping about Remands-

I wish they would make the testimony public---

A Remand shows up on the VA data base like a claim that is still being worked on-

But it is basically a shuffle of paper that adds more time to resolve.

It is often the vet's fault too---sorry to say that- but if the vet has not gotten pro -active and attempted to get what the VA in the denial letter says they need-

the BVA will remand it or just deny it.

I see vets at the local VA hosp- who have internet access there and at the local libraries-

yet will not take the time to start searching for what they might need-

buddy statements, Morning reports, ships logs, etc etc---some are even afraid to ask their doctors to give them statements that could help their claims- yet some VA doctors will do this.

When the VA denies a claim-they state exactly why-

they cannot come back and say well- we said that but this is the real reason or they cannot add to this with some additional bull crap reason down the road-

They can be held to the exact wording of the denial and that is all the vet has to focus on.