big brown envelope odd question about the BBE

[GeekySquid]

This may seem like an odd question, but for those who recently (meaning last 3-6 months) got a positive decision on their claim and got their BBE. Did they literally get a Big Brown Envelope, or has it changed to a White one? and how long before you got the envelope.

Here is why I ask.

With my original rating I got the literal BBE. it had lots and lots of paperwork in it. I wish I had it at my fingertips, but it is storage on the other side of the country.

Jump forward to 2018 and on 8/24 the VA rated me at 100% PTSD P&T after a C&P review, which is a jump. Around 8/31 I called Peggy and they said my decision had been mailed. On 9/6 I got a white envelope with 3 packets of papers. 6 pages of benefits, 3 pages of how to appeal, all white pages and forms, and a two page letter listing the conditions noted in the review C&P.  nothing else.

The packet says that in 7-10 days I should get paid, which would be back pay to the Sept 1 Effective Date.

Today is 9/22 and I still have not been paid the back pay and I still have not received a literal BBE.

I suspect/hope to receive the new pay level on the Oct check and I hope to get that months back pay then too, what I don't know is if I should still be looking for that literal Big Brown Envelope or if it has changed format. Could my region, now seattle, use a different format?

any insight would be helpful. I have enough real problems to worry about so I would like to be able to get this issue out of my thoughts.

Thanks

[jfrei]

Nope its how it still comes I gotten a big white and or a big brown one. Not sure if its set in stone the color of the envelope but in all of my claims/appeals I don't wait on snail mail. I live down the street from the RO and I would go there in person they print out your new decision since its been over 10 days it was mailed out. They can also answer the retro hiccup I'm just guessing but whenever theres other factors involved wit retro they drag their feet at the RO unless you help them out to get your money quicker. An example would be if you oweda large retro and its back dated and in the time of the backdated you were married or divorced you had multiple kids at different times or you had an attorney to help you file. If none of those applies I would get an answer from the RO in person if your able. Hope that helps...

[GeekySquid]

2 minutes ago, jfrei said:

I gotten a big white and or a big brown on

Jfrei,

thanks for responding. I guess I could be more clear on the size of the white envelope. Think of a Big Christmas Card that you can open with one hand. about   7 x 5. papers folded in half.

I unfortunately would have to drive in horrible traffic 52 miles and then pay to park to get to my RO, so I will avoid that if I can. Besides last time I tried to get something from the VBMS I was told they don't have a computer I could use to view my file or a person who could sit with me while I did it if they had a machine.

I will call Peggy again on Monday and see what s/he says. As a last resort the American Legion has an office in the same building as the RO and the woman who works there, apparently the only one, is a former marine and tries to be helpful, unlike the AL folks at my nearest post who seem to only be interested in working when the in-house bar is open at their Legion office. Go figure. The one guy I spoke to there claimed none of them could see into the VBMS and said he did not know of any VSO who could...DERP.

As we all know Ebenefits is basically useless, not totally but mostly, and c-files take forever to get. Leaving the BBE as our only avenue to see what the Rating codes are for our claim decisions and other pertinent information.

It is interesting because the letter with the conditions repeats 4 of the items at least twice so I am curious what the actual file says.

My last BBE had maybe 50 pages in it, this white envelope has like 11, 2 of which have the C&P conditions found but no rating codes. The other two are forms and general noise like you can apply for CHAMPVA or DEA etc.

I freely admit that waiting is not my strong suit, particularly since VA has a secured email system that could, but isn't, used to at least provide a copy of information and save a tree.

I love the c-file on CDROM idea, I just hate waiting for 6 months or more to get it.

Thanks again for the reply.

 

 

[broncovet]

I heard this queston answered a few years ago, by a rater.  VA gets the cheapest envelopes available, they use tons of them. (Literally tons).  So they buy whichever is available..white, brown, or  whatever is cheaper and available.  Im glad to see them saving taxpayer money at least ONE way.  

I cant think of anything less important than the "color" of my envelope, or, often, the "color" of my car or even clothes.  Yes, I know many people spend enormous amounts of time and resources on "color".  However, Im color blind, and I could care less what color something is.  

There is no difference between a decision in a white  or brown envelope.  There is no significance of a "BBE" or BWE.  I learned that with people, too, in the military.  We are all pink inside.  

[GeekySquid]

4 hours ago, broncovet said:

There is no significance of a "BBE" or BWE.  I

Thanks for the reply.

The only significance is if one contains information that is different than the other, hence the question.

Since my last decision came in an 9.5 x 11 manila envelope and contained a whole lot more pages, and this one came in a 7 x 5ish white envelope with just 11 pages (mostly junk), there is an observable reason to ask the question.

A difference and reason made more questionable since getting our c-files, the C&P exams, etc has such large time barriers. Not everyone lives down the block from their RO like @jfrei does

We all know what "assume" means so I chose to ask instead.

 

 

[Buck52]

My last two awards were in the small packet (white) with just a few pages of information.  2014 and 2015.  one claim was filed just the regular FDC (no Intent to file was filed.) I got it in 2014.

and the other claim was filed with the ITF in 2014  and was awarded in 2015

Both awards came in the small white packet  both with less paper work.

I think its because I was already TDIU since 2002/2003  And in that Award I recieved the BBE with all the apps and information detailing all my benefits.

On the hadit Radio show  week or so Jbasser and jerrel cook   with Dr Bash and Bill Creater,  Bill Is a Retired VA Senior Rater supervisor..He said the VA is starting to use these white packets  but there was no rules to go by what type of mailing envelopes they use to send out to Veterans.

 

One thing I learned along the way  is never throw anything away the VA sends , keep it even if you think its junk IT COULD COME IN HANDY YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.