Milktoast VSO response

[Carl the Engineer]

All,

So, since I have had the VFW as my POA, for the VA, since my original claim, I figured, I would ask them for a little help.  My thoughts were that most everything is local (regional) and that a service rep from my state of WI would have acquired supreme knowledge of Wisconsin claims.  So, I emailed the person who I have been with since, again, my original claim 2 questions.  

First, my email,

Hello, my name is xxxx xxxxx, ***-**-***7.  I am life member of the VFW and have your organization as my POA for my VA claims.  I live in ******* and my CVSO is **** **********.

 

I am inquiring to know if there is a list of WI doctors that will do IME/IMO's for disabled Veterans?

 

Also, does your office keep a file on me and is that available to me.

 

Thank you,

 

The response I received,

 

Xxxxx,

  We do not maintain a list of doctors.  You can ask your VA primary care physician for a referral if more convenient.  If this does not work, you can take a VA disability questionnaire to a private doctor and submit as evidence for any claim/appeal.

  We currently maintain your VA file.   The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) allows you to obtain your file by sending a written/signed request to the VA.  The VA will send your files on a CD.

Kind regards, Xxxxxxxxxxx

 

The response tells me that the VSO's (this one anyway) are not helping Veterans in any effective way.  If I was in a position to help disabled Veterans for an entire state, I would look at the successful claims and see what Doctors helped Veterans and who are willing fill out DBQ's, and give them out.  Here is my breakdown,

"We do not maintain a list of doctors."- Well, that's just plain stupid and irresponsible.  Any, slip and fall lawyer has a list of "go-to" doctors.  I would actually have a database which would tell me that doctor A is 75% effective, B is 20% effective, and C is worthless, etc.

"You can ask your VA primary care physician for a referral if more convenient."- Really, so my VA PCP will refer me to a doc that will fill out a DBQ.  I don't think so, but I am going to give it a try next time I see her.  LOL.

"If this does not work, you can take a VA disability questionnaire to a private doctor and submit as evidence for any claim/appeal."- Good luck with that.  Hence, you have access to at least a third of all VA claims in WI and you can't do your homework and supply me with a list.  If private business worked this way we would all be in trouble.  When I ran a parts store many moons ago, if a supplier would not get what I wanted, I found another, etc..

Then, on my second question, apparently, they have no more than I have in my c-file disc.  And there is no correspondence from or to the VFW in my c-file, so my question I have asked before.  My thoughts here are, in my many claims, not once did the VSO call me and say, hey, you could do better if you went this way instead, or, I see you filled for A, and then later filed for B, I think you also could file for C.  Crickets......

I may write a letter to the VFW headquarters or OIC. I don't believe this response was adequate in any way.

What do the actually do,

Hamslice

I truly believe the government would go broke if the paid out everything they owed all the Veterans what they are due.  I think the VSO's are just a cog in a big plan.  

 

 

[Carl the Engineer]

15 minutes ago, brokensoldier244th said:

Oh good grief. I’ll leave you to whatever it is you believe. I don’t have the time or energy to deal with you and your assumptions. /out

Too easy,

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Total Contributions from this PAC to federal candidates (55% to Democrats, 45% to Republicans)

$276,700

House
Total to Democrats: $138,700
Total to Republicans: $110,600

Recipient	Total
Abercrombie, Neil (D-HI)	$1,300
Aderholt, Robert B (R-AL)	$1,300
Akin, Todd (R-MO)	$1,300
Alexander, Rodney (R-LA)	$1,300
Baird, Brian (D-WA)	$1,300
Bartlett, Roscoe G (R-MD)	$1,300
Becerra, Xavier (D-CA)	$1,300
Berkley, Shelley (D-NV)	$2,000
Bilbray, Brian P (R-CA)	$2,000
Bilirakis, Gus (R-FL)	$2,000
Bishop, Rob (R-UT)	$1,300
Bishop, Sanford (D-GA)	$1,300
Blunt, Roy (R-MO)	$3,000
Boehner, John (R-OH)	$3,000
Boozman, John (R-AR)	$2,000
Bordallo, Madeleine Z (D-GU)	$1,300
Boren, Dan (D-OK)	$1,300
Boyda, Nancy (D-KS)	$1,300
Brady, Robert A (D-PA)	$1,300
Brown, Corrine (D-FL)	$2,000
Brown, Henry (R-SC)	$2,000
Brown-Waite, Ginny (R-FL)	$2,000
Buchanan, Vernon (R-FL)	$2,000
Burton, Dan (R-IN)	$2,000
Butterfield, G K (D-NC)	$1,300
Buyer, Steve (R-IN)	$2,000
Calvert, Ken (R-CA)	$1,300
Campbell, John (R-CA)	$1,300
Carney, Chris (D-PA)	$1,300
Carter, John (R-TX)	$1,300
Castor, Kathy (D-FL)	$1,300
Chandler, Ben (D-KY)	$1,300
Christian-Christensen, Donna (D-VI)	$1,300
Clarke, Yvette D (D-NY)	$1,300
Clyburn, James E (D-SC)	$3,000
Cole, Tom (R-OK)	$1,300
Conaway, Mike (R-TX)	$1,300
Cooper, Jim (D-TN)	$1,300
Courtney, Joe (D-CT)	$1,300
Crenshaw, Ander (R-FL)	$1,300
Cuellar, Henry (D-TX)	$1,300
Culberson, John (R-TX)	$1,300
Cummings, Elijah E (D-MD)	$1,300
Davis, Geoff (R-KY)	$1,300
Davis, Susan (D-CA)	$1,300
DeLauro, Rosa L (D-CT)	$1,300
Dent, Charlie (R-PA)	$1,300
Diaz-Balart, Mario (R-FL)	$1,300
Dicks, Norm (D-WA)	$1,300
Doggett, Lloyd (D-TX)	$1,300
Donnelly, Joe (D-IN)	$2,000
Drake, Thelma (R-VA)	$1,300
Edwards, Chet (D-TX)	$1,300
Ellsworth, Brad (D-IN)	$1,300
Emerson, Jo Ann (R-MO)	$1,300
Etheridge, Bob (D-NC)	$1,300
Farr, Sam (D-CA)	$1,300
Fattah, Chaka (D-PA)	$1,300
Filner, Bob (D-CA)	$2,000
Forbes, Randy (R-VA)	$1,300
Franks, Trent (R-AZ)	$1,300
Frelinghuysen, Rodney (R-NJ)	$1,300
Garrett, Scott (R-NJ)	$1,300
Giffords, Gabrielle (D-AZ)	$1,300
Gillibrand, Kirsten (D-NY)	$1,300
Gingrey, Phil (R-GA)	$1,300
Goode, Virgil (R-VA)	$1,300
Granger, Kay (R-TX)	$1,300
Hare, Phil (D-IL)	$1,000
Harman, Jane (D-CA)	$1,300
Hayes, Robin (R-NC)	$1,300
Heller, Dean (R-NV)	$1,300
Hensarling, Jeb (R-TX)	$1,300
Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie (D-SD)	$2,000
Hinchey, Maurice (D-NY)	$1,300
Honda, Mike (D-CA)	$1,300
Hoyer, Steny H (D-MD)	$3,000
Israel, Steve (D-NY)	$1,300
Jackson, Jesse Jr (D-IL)	$1,300
Johnson, Hank (D-GA)	$1,300
Jones, Walter B Jr (R-NC)	$1,300
Kaptur, Marcy (D-OH)	$1,300
Kennedy, Patrick J (D-RI)	$1,300
Kilpatrick, Carolyn Cheeks (D-MI)	$1,300
Kind, Ron (D-WI)	$1,300
Kingston, Jack (R-GA)	$1,300
Kirk, Mark (R-IL)	$1,300
Kline, John (R-MN)	$1,300
Knollenberg, Joe (R-MI)	$1,300
Lamborn, Douglas L (R-CO)	$2,000
Langevin, Jim (D-RI)	$1,300
Larsen, Rick (D-WA)	$1,300
Latham, Tom (R-IA)	$1,300
Lee, Barbara (D-CA)	$1,300
Lewis, Jerry (R-CA)	$1,300
LoBiondo, Frank (R-NJ)	$1,300
Loebsack, David (D-IA)	$1,300
Lofgren, Zoe (D-CA)	$1,300
Lowey, Nita M (D-NY)	$1,300
Lungren, Dan (R-CA)	$1,300
Mack, Connie (R-FL)	$1,300
Marshall, Jim (D-GA)	$1,300
McCaul, Michael (R-TX)	$1,300
McCollum, Betty (D-MN)	$1,300
McCotter, Thaddeus G (R-MI)	$1,300
McGovern, James P (D-MA)	$1,300
McHenry, Patrick (R-NC)	$1,300
McHugh, John M (R-NY)	$1,300
McIntyre, Mike (D-NC)	$1,300
McKeon, Buck (R-CA)	$1,300
McNerney, Jerry (D-CA)	$2,000
Michaud, Mike (D-ME)	$2,000
Miller, Candice S (R-MI)	$1,300
Miller, Jeff (R-FL)	$2,000
Mitchell, Harry (D-AZ)	$2,000
Mollohan, Alan B (D-WV)	$1,300
Moran, Jerry (R-KS)	$2,000
Moran, Jim (D-VA)	$1,300
Murphy, Patrick J (D-PA)	$1,300
Murtha, John P (D-PA)	$1,300
Norton, Eleanor Holmes (D-DC)	$1,300
Obey, David R (D-WI)	$1,300
Olver, John W (D-MA)	$1,300
Ortiz, Solomon P (D-TX)	$1,300
Pastor, Ed (D-AZ)	$1,300
Pelosi, Nancy (D-CA)	$3,000
Perlmutter, Ed (D-CO)	$1,300
Price, David (D-NC)	$1,300
Rehberg, Denny (R-MT)	$1,300
Reichert, Dave (R-WA)	$1,300
Reyes, Silvestre (D-TX)	$1,300
Rodgers, Cathy McMorris (R-WA)	$1,300
Rodriguez, Ciro D (D-TX)	$2,000
Rogers, Hal (R-KY)	$1,300
Rogers, Mike D (R-AL)	$1,300
Rothman, Steven R (D-NJ)	$1,300
Roybal-Allard, Lucille (D-CA)	$1,300
Ruppersberger, Dutch (D-MD)	$1,300
Ryan, Paul (R-WI)	$1,300
Ryan, Tim (D-OH)	$1,300
Salazar, John (D-CO)	$2,000
Sanchez, Loretta (D-CA)	$1,300
Schiff, Adam (D-CA)	$1,300
Schultz, Debbie Wasserman (D-FL)	$1,300
Serrano, Jose E (D-NY)	$1,300
Sessions, Pete (R-TX)	$1,300
Sestak, Joe (D-PA)	$1,300
Shays, Christopher (R-CT)	$1,300
Shea-Porter, Carol (D-NH)	$1,300
Shuster, Bill (R-PA)	$1,300
Simpson, Mike (R-ID)	$1,300
Skelton, Ike (D-MO)	$1,300
Smith, Adam (D-WA)	$1,300
Smith, Adrian (R-NE)	$1,300
Snyder, Vic (D-AR)	$2,000
Souder, Mark E (R-IN)	$1,300
Space, Zack (D-OH)	$2,000
Spratt, John M Jr (D-SC)	$1,300
Stearns, Cliff (R-FL)	$2,000
Sutton, Betty Sue (D-OH)	$1,300
Tauscher, Ellen (D-CA)	$1,300
Taylor, Gene (D-MS)	$1,300
Thompson, Bennie G (D-MS)	$1,300
Thornberry, Mac (R-TX)	$1,300
Tiahrt, Todd (R-KS)	$1,300
Turner, Michael R (R-OH)	$1,300
Visclosky, Pete (D-IN)	$1,300
Walz, Tim (D-MN)	$2,000
Wamp, Zach (R-TN)	$1,300
Wilson, Joe (R-SC)	$1,300
Wolf, Frank (R-VA)	$1,300
Young, C W Bill (R-FL)	$1,300

Senate
Total to Democrats: $12,400
Total to Republicans: $15,000

Recipient	Total
Alexander, Lamar (R-TN)	$1,300
Chambliss, Saxby (R-GA)	$1,300
Cochran, Thad (R-MS)	$1,300
Collins, Susan M (R-ME)	$1,300
Dole, Elizabeth (R-NC)	$1,300
Durbin, Dick (D-IL)	$1,300
Enzi, Mike (R-WY)	$1,300
Graham, Lindsey (R-SC)	$2,000
Harkin, Tom (D-IA)	$1,300
Inhofe, James M (R-OK)	$1,300
Johnson, Tim (D-SD)	$1,300
Landrieu, Mary L (D-LA)	$1,300
Lautenberg, Frank (D-NJ)	$1,300
Levin, Carl (D-MI)	$1,300
Pryor, Mark (D-AR)	$1,300
Reed, Jack (D-RI)	$1,300
Roberts, Pat (R-KS)	$1,300
Rockefeller, Jay (D-WV)	$2,000
Sessions, Jeff (R-AL)	$1,300
Sununu, John E (R-NH)	$1,300

Based on data released by the FEC on March 11, 2013.

Right from the VFW online site,

Hamslice

Don't let the truth get in your way.

Edited March 24, 2020 by Hamslice
cause I can

[broncovet]

I would like to note:  VSO's pay zero rent in VAMC's and at VARO's.  Zero.  Maybe you have heard this before:  THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS FREE RENT.  

You can bet VA "expects" compensation for the "free rent".  Is it a coincidence that VSO's often tell Vets "Oh dont apply for an increase, you will be reduced instead". 

Or, just as bad, "OH dont appeal that decision.  You will be poking the bear and he will wake up and bite you. Just "settle into poverty" and take what they give you without appeals. 

[brokensoldier244th]

8 minutes ago, broncovet said:

I would like to note:  VSO's pay zero rent in VAMC's and at VARO's.  Zero.  Maybe you have heard this before:  THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS FREE RENT.  

You can bet VA "expects" compensation for the "free rent".  Is it a coincidence that VSO's often tell Vets "Oh dont apply for an increase, you will be reduced instead". 

Or, just as bad, "OH dont appeal that decision.  You will be poking the bear and he will wake up and bite you. Just "settle into poverty" and take what they give you without appeals. 

Some of the people on this board advise those things as much as you say the VSOs do. Just saying...

[broncovet]

True, but VSO's are (supposedly)  trained and should know better.  We are supposed to "respect" them as "professionals", while hadit posters..well they are just people.  Many of us know better also.  

Remember, the VSO's were AGAINST Vets having the right to attorney representation, suggesting "they" were the professionals, and we didnt need attorney's.  Im sure glad VSO's lost that battle, I won many of my benefits ONLY with an attorney and that, was after VSO's failed to win them for me.  

Edited March 24, 2020 by broncovet

[Guest]

I will only add that familiarity breeds complacency.  VSOs are supposed to be veterans advocates but from my experience they advocate more for the VA or to discourage the veteran from filing claims and or appeals.  There are a lot of veterans that end up revoking their VSOs POAs and either fighting VA on their own or hiring an attorney. The simplest reason could only be that those veterans felt that their VSOs were not advocating for them. Yes, I will admit that there are good VSOs and bad VSOs. These VSOs live and survive on the salaries from the donations of veterans (I am quite sure they get other types of donations) but for the most part veterans who have actually no say on how these organizations spend their money.  Just think about it, a veteran that pays absolutely no dues is entitled to the same assistance as a veteran that paid their dues and become a life time member.  Think what you want,  more and more veterans revoke their VSOs POAs and hire lawyers and  file BVA appeals and  CAVC appeals. It's there in black and white and no one can deny that there is a major problem.  Having that familiarity breeds complacency is somewhat similar to building a camaraderie between the VSO's and the VA instead of between the VSO's and veterans.

[broncovet]

Correct, Pete.  If you check the statistics, you will see that Attorney represented claimants "vastly outperform" VSO represented Veterans at the BVA.  

On page 32 of the 2019 BVA chairmans report, 46.3 percent of attorney represent Vets "won".  The next best was PVA (not counting MOPH which has closed its offices) at 40% and all the rest were in the 30's percent or less.   Your chances are way better with an attorney, than with a VSO.   In a similar manner, attorney represented claimants were denied less often than VSO repped Veterans.  

Source:  https://www.bva.va.gov/Chairman_Annual_Rpts.asp