HadIt.com Elder fanaticbooks Posted June 17, 2011 HadIt.com Elder Share Posted June 17, 2011 Portland Regional Office This topic was created to try to help veterans who use this regional office. It is designed to offer a way for them to possibly help each other or band together to possibly get services improved. When commenting in this topic, please try to do so constructively. 1. Mention reason for interacting with this regional office; 2. Give your pro/con on this interaction; 3. Without betraying private information, try to offer information or warnings that might be helpful to others when dealing with this office. 4. Please do not give names, phone numbers or addresses of specific persons at this office. If you do so, the post will be deleted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFButch Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 I have not visited the Portland Office but they are processing my claim. I am 100% which was settled nearly a year ago and backdated a year due to Agent Orange and heart problems. In April 2012 I sent all the necessary docs to add my spouse as my dependent. (A little over 10 months ago.) I am wondering if any other folks are working through this specific regional office and if so, if they have any experience with the amount of time it should take to process adding my wife as my dependent. Ebenefits shows it PAST DUE with expected completion date of 1/29/2013. (This is at least the second time they have exceeded their expected completion date.) It is in the Decision Pending state of the process. IRIS confirms all required documents are recorded as received. As far as I can determine, it is just a matter of their work load and knowing these non-rated claims are not priority. I have routinely been told to expect 10 months but that has now come and we are on our way to 11 months. Thanks in advance for any input on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meghp0405 Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 The dependency claims are taking on average 18 months. The longest I have seen for a dependency claim is 2 years. The VA's reasoning is that dependency claims are not a priority. Agents are being assigned to adjudicate claims to assist in the backlog. Most VARO's have individuals doing dependency claims as a additional duty tasking. Now, you been in the service, I'm sure you are aware how additional duties are performed. When they get time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFButch Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Thanks for the reply, meghp0405 Looks like the 10 month average I have been told is way out of line! Last week a return call from IRIS "you should be receiving a letter any day now" although she could not see one was generated. She even told me that Portland, OR is right at a 10 month average on dependency claims and said other regionals are much slower. Possibly talking out her left ear, lol? Seems like a no brainer here. Been married 26 years. Probably not much more than a click on a computer and now a math problem to compute the back amount due. There is really no excuse for this. In my case, it isn't a huge factor in our monthly budget although it will be a relief once received. Younger families would be relying on this allowance to meet their needs! What a crock. When the representative from IRIS called, she told me that they were having issues with their computers and as she was not able to do her normal work, they had assigned them to return IRIS inquiries. (I do not know what her normal was nor do I know where she was located.) I would like to know if there is anyone out there going through the Portland, OR RO and what experience they can share. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFButch Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 My DAV Rep told me today that all he knows is that Portland has an undisclosed number of dependency claims backdated to the 2 year mark. He said that they (Portland RO) have been directed to get those cleared and no others will be worked on until they are. I would suspect that the 2 year claims had some kinks and were taken completely off the stove, where mine WAS on the back burner. It is a frustrating process with all the conflicting information. It is what it is and will happen when it does. Just wondering if the DAV has valid information about the Portland RO? Anyone know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFButch Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Update is that Portland is working on other than dependent claims and will not be returning to these until at the earliest JULY! I am now 13 months waiting with a back date to Oct 2010, the date of my award. Nice check eventually.... Meanwhile not a thing can be done. My dependent claim sits Decision awaiting approval. Click, click and it would be DONE. I have read that the reason the dependent claim isn't awarded at the time of the claim settlement is life changes, divorces occur or deaths. WELL, in the last year I could have divorced or one of us could have died while they are processing my claim so that theory makes no sense to me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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