Hardship Approved

[Armyvet1987]

Hello everyone, I was informed Monday that my hardship had been approved and that my claim is with a take home rater? They also said that the rater would be reviewing it tonight(6/8/2011), so what does that mean? Is this the person that will rate my claim or someone that will just review it and if they are going to rate/review it tonight how much longer will it take? Sorry for the questions I am just in a really bad spot right now and it doesn't look like it will get any better. If anymore information is needed please ask. thanks

[Commander Bob]

Hello everyone, I was informed Monday that my hardship had been approved and that my claim is with a take home rater? They also said that the rater would be reviewing it tonight(6/8/2011), so what does that mean? Is this the person that will rate my claim or someone that will just review it and if they are going to rate/review it tonight how much longer will it take? Sorry for the questions I am just in a really bad spot right now and it doesn't look like it will get any better. If anymore information is needed please ask. thanks

My most positive thoughts are with you 'Armyvet1987'. Hang in there...

[brokensoldier244th]

Very true, as well. With as much trouble as VPN's can be (based on my work experience) I would suspect that human nature would devolve to the least restrictive method-that being the physical folder, rather than fighting with the VPN. The raters personal internet connection figures in as well, since a slower overall connection will be reduced more by the overhead of the VPN and virtual environment.

How much of what is in a C-file is accessible from the cloud, vs having to have physical access to the actual folder?

Speculation, yes, but there is also the possibility that the take home rater is using a secure VPN connection to access their RO workstation. If there is no need to access a physical file, this really would make sense as long as the connection is originating from a VARO issued laptop instead of their personal computer.

[Pete53]

My take is you are close to a decision and the fact you were granted hardship indicates to me you should get a nice award.

My take on take home raters they used them in 1994 and I am not sure if they made anything go faster but at least the claim is being looked at.

I would be optimistic and wish you good luck.

[Armyvet1987]

Thanks for all the replys everyone, I can only hope that this is the final stretch. I know some people have been waiting years and I am only at one year but with everything that has gone on since I been home, I just hope this gets done and everyone else that is waiting.

[broncovet]

Of course, none of us know when your decision will actually be done. Many of us also know that you can not always trust what someone says on the phone even if (or especially if) they are with the VA.

Remember, phone calls to the VA give notoriously unreliable information.

I got an IRIS about 4 years ago, where I had asked how long my decision would take. The IRIS person said 4 to 6 weeks. This was a mistake...the VA almost never gives "time frames"...this is why people are always asking "How long" on here. By the way, after the VA said they would get my claim done in 4 to 6 weeks, it took them more than a year to complete it.

A well known Vets advocate recommends not using either IRIS or the toll free number because this information is so unreliable that it is even worse than worthless, but is damaging as it sometimes gives false hope followed by disappointment.

I think a more sane way of dealing with your claim rather than calling every day and asking, "What stage is my claim in", is to get a hobby and let happen what is going to happen anyway. Of course you want to deal with things, but it is usually unproductive to try to follow your claim with a microscope trying to decipher what stage it is in in any given time.

[carlie]

Speculation, yes, but there is also the possibility that the take home rater is using a secure VPN connection to access their RO workstation. If there is no need to access a physical file, this really would make sense as long as the connection is originating from a VARO issued laptop instead of their personal computer.

Vync,

My "speculation" was meant to aim at a response regarding a time frame.