Pressure on over BWV "stay" on AO claims

[Berta]

The Stay was imposed by Wilkie and makes no sense at all:

I could write the regulations for them in a heart beat. Most of us could.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/09/25/terminally-ill-vet-caregiver-va-end-hold-agent-orange-benefits.html

But this statement really got me:

"Rick Weidman, a co-founder of Vietnam Veterans of America, said his organization had been assured in the spring that claims processing would be "ready to go" once the bill was signed into law.

"We all know the claim dies when the veteran dies," Weidman said. "What happens to those who die before Jan. 1?"

"Mr. President, ultimately it's your responsibility" to end the hold on the claims process, Weidman said."

Rick Weidman said that????? That is the old mantra of lazy vet reps who have discouraged hundreds, no probably THOUsands, of widows from filing DIC claims.

That was the very first thing the DAV said to me when I called them to rep me on a DIC claim that involved accrued.

I promptly advised the DAV that claims filed in the veteran's lifetime, and still pending at death, can be resurrected by the survivor.

Maybe the DAV is still saying that BS to survivors as well as the VVA. 

I am outraged and need to contact him.

I will try to contact Rick today- I cannot believe he said that----but it is quoted at Military.com.

NVLSP told me that BWVs should file their claims ASAP and that Nehmer will kick in.

Nehmer has specific conditions that are favorable to widows of Blue Water Veterans who had AO exposures and presumptive conditions.

"Rick Weidman, a co-founder of Vietnam Veterans of America"-right and I was the first associate member who joined VVA.

This statement needs to be retracted . It is ridiculous and legally unfounded.

 

 

[GBArmy]

Berta, I agree 100%; old policies are cop-outs for the many who work at these VSO's. Or, maybe it is lack of leadership, training or just plain lazy. And Mr. Weidman should be held accountable if he said that; get him to correct the record and emphasize the truth. As to getting BWN veterans to submit now in order to lock in their claims, it's like shoveling against the tide. The few I've talked to always have an excuse. Inertia is a wicked thing. Fear of "messing up" their claim by submitting "early" is another hurdle. The VA has been screwing us over, especially us older guys, for so long, they just don't trust the VA to do ,or mean, what they say.So veterans procrastinate, or just give up because of how they were treated before. The VA wins again!

[Berta]

Yes, Weidman has to be accountable! I have emailed Military.com and the VVA with my complaint and if they dont do something about it , (unlike what I learned in Military school -tactical warfare maneuvers)

I telegraphed the next steps I will definitely take,  if it is not fix ASAP.

I am sick and tired of seeing widows ( and this probably happens to widowers too) of veterans being treated as second class citizens, by the VA, and often  by their POAs.

It is even worse when a female veteran is treated like that- it happened here not too long ago....

she had a brief question about CUE in general-the advice here was all negative as usual on her chances.

But something she said in the initial post made me think far differently-

and sure enough a few days later she replied that she had already won her CUE and her question was on something else. So much for the negative advice here.

I was with John Rossie from the beginning and wrote the first Blue Water Veterans AO Equity Act-----probably 10 or 15 years ago---that bill changed a lot over the years, and Finally HR 299 succeeded,, and here we have a co founder of a Vet Org, VVA, who does not seem to have a clue on Nehmer and it's favorable conditions regarding AO survivors.

That statement makes it so easy for lazy vep reps to discourage a BWN widow from filing a claim that could certainly have an accrued award, due to Nehmer.

My accrued award ( AO IHD claim filed in 2010, went back to 1988 up till my husband's death, 1994.And also provided the second direct SC death award I got. The former DIC awards were under FTCA/1151.No ancillary benefits with those awards.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Berta]

Military.com emailed me that they are looking into this. I told NVLSP about it as well and one of the main HR299 BWN AO advocates. The VVA response ( if I get one) or lack of a response will determine what I do next.