Dav

[vet2010]

I know this is not the right FORUM however I need to know. I am thinking of joining the DAV and I want to know the pros and cons of this organization before I become a member.

vet2010

[jbasser]

The bottom line is this Any VSO is as good as its people who are helping veterans. They have good ones and they have bad ones. Get a good one and you are OK. Get a bad one and it caused a trickle down effect on the whole organization because you are going to voice your displeasure to the masses.

J

[COOL BREEZE]

As a lot of the members are stating, the representatives for the different Veteran Organizations can vary like night and day. I started with a local county officer and didn't feel I was getting anywhere. I then took my paperwork to the local DAV and had the officer look it over. He took a Red Pen and wrote all over it in large letters, "He can't work!" He handed it back to me and told me to mail it in to the local RO. He said that he expected me to join the local DAV if my claim was successful. I told him that I would. I took my paperwork home, replaced the sheet he had written on, and mailed it. Two months later, it was approved for 100% TDIU, plus other issues. He had done nothing to help, but I joined the local DAV anyway. That was three years ago, and I have yet to hear from any member welcoming me to the chapter. I've recieved requests for donations on a regular basis, and after having it take over three months to cash my check; I won't donate again. Thanks to all that helped me learn how to file my own claim!

Same thing happened to me. After 1 month of not cashing the check, I forgot about it until one day I noticed I had a bounced check-

[MRRRR5]

My experience with the DAV is they were very helpful when I initially retired from the service and assisted me with my claim; that is why I joined as a lifetime member.

Since then, the experience has been as many others have mentioned as far as little to no contact on claim representation.

I am my own advocate; I do my own research for any claim using all available resources, primarily HADIT.com and always recommend this site to Soldiers retiring or separating from the service.

[plummer]

My VSO hurt my claim!! He was a nice guy,but had to much to do. He never called in six years. It got to be to much for me as i see vets loose thier homes , family , and lives. I had to think about my health and hire a NOVA lawyer

[Chuck75]

Here in Georgia, the state maintains a state service officer, at least one in each county. The "full time" DVA and other organization service officers are usually actually state reps paid by the state. The veteran's orgs provide some level of administrative support.

1. It's fairly easy to file an initial claim via the local state service officer.

2. They can also give some level of advice on appeals, etc. Do not depend upon anything else.

You can also get "free" legal advice, even on an initial claim. A VA approved lawyer cannot represent you other than "Pro Bono" or unpaid agent until an appeal is filed with an NOD.

[Greg88]

I have been SCed vet for the last 37 years all due to Diabetes Type 1, I was 40% in 1977, 60% in 1995 and 100% in 1997, I had a C&P after 15 years at 100% in Sept. 2012. My private MD (who I have been seeing for the 16 years) gave me a DBQ and a Nexus type letter saying that my diabetes and it's complications were permanent and he saw little chance of my improvement. The C&P examiner agreed with all my Dr.s findings and added a few more on her examination. On 10/02/2012 my claim was farmed out to Lincoln, NE and closed on 10/26/2012, the 1-800# told me the VA hade made a decision and I should hear something in the mail, DAV who is my POA did not call me back or answer an e-mail. November went by and nothing called DAV, emailed DAV, nothing, the 1-800# tells me one day they made a decision, 2 weeks later no decision has been made, on Ebenefits my claim went from Prep for Decision to Gathering of Dust on 11/20/2012. Called DAV nothing back, December nothing new, January nothing new, Febuary nothing new, numerous calls and e-mails to DAV and zero response back. March, Spring is in the air and I call DAV, the reciptionest tells me I'll get a call back-I'm thinking where have heard that before. I get a call at 2:45 P.M. and the DAV rep tells me well since your insulin has been increased, you should not expect an increase in your disability-WTF, my insulin requirements have nothing to do with disability rate at this point, I told the rep "I'm not looking for an increase, I'm at 100% already" he stammered and then tells me well you've been at 100% since 2007, I told him no it been 100% since 1996. "oh they have not updated the record". Basically I think I got the office newbie, who knows little or nothing about claims, instead of clarifying things, DAV just muddys up the water a little more.