Private Messages

[broncovet]

Someone asked if we would post a list of people "who answer Vets questions" via email or pm.  

If you would like me to answer a private message, you need to understand:

(ITS better to ask in the public forum, then more eyes will see it and you often get a better answer, but, I know there are things you dont want to share with the whole world.  I get that.) 

1.  I do not "live" on hadit, have many other things going on, and may not even answer your question promptly.  I may stop doing PM's at any time, at my discretion.  

If you can not be patient enough to wait on my answer please dont PM me.  Ask on the public forum if its an emergency, and you need help right away.  

2.  I can not answer all questions.  Some I just dont have the expertise in that area.  

3.  Be prepared for an answer "you may not want to hear".  You dont have to follow my advice, but dont be suprised if it does not work out well for you.  

4.  I wont suggest you do thing illegal or immoral, such as lying or sending fraudulent documents, so dont ask me. 

    To PM me, go to the upper right corner where it shows a picture of an envelope.  That is the PM.  Type my name "broncovet".  

    Others please respond if you are willing to PM Vets.  Most hadit members have enabled PM's, Berta apparently does not do PM's.  

Edited December 12, 2020 by broncovet

[brokensoldier244th]

I’m ok with this. You covered most of the high points, Bronc. I work full time, I’m a grad student, and I have 4 kids from middle school to college aged. So sometimes it may be a day or so before I see the email that says “hey,you have a msg”. I know very little about appeals like nehmer, or 1151. In more of a general question guy for now. I don’t have a specialty. 
 

Don’t be to offended if I give a truncated answer and a link to a portion of the M21-1. Knowledge is power and the only way to learn is to read parts of that that pertain to you,, and to learn to use google and including your search question and m21-1 in the same search. 
 

Nor a lot of handholding here. I’ve spent about 14 years as a volunteer in this forum and others, and almost a year now actually working at VA. I won’t wade into complaints, I won’t give out internal email addresses. I’m also not perfect or an encyclopedia. There are places I can point to in the m21 where I’m right AND you are right. I didn’t write it I just live here. if I make a mistake I’ll either catch it and apologize, 

 

or someone here will catch it... and I’ll tell them to piss of because I am the all knowing, all seeing, OZ.....(joking).

 

For example- I had a claim that I sent to a rater the other day. Guy had PTSD denied for years- mainly because he had tons of post service treatment and institutionalizations but nothing in the service records we had that indicated anything IN SVC. I did another NPRC request and they finally returned something new that hadn't been part of the original record when he had applied before, a few years ago. The microfiche scans of the Admin Sep he had a year and a half after joining where he had a psychotic break and was separated for depersonalization issues, etc, with the board members each opining on character of discharge, evidence of fact, etc. 

 

2 of the three members recommended other than honorable or general. They were over ridden by the commander who authorized the guy an honorable. Great, right? No snagging up about character of discharge or anything else. However, when we visually go through incoming documents to verify active service we glance over the COD on the 214 and if we see honorable- boom, basically done. Quick and easy. If there is some other character of discharge in there then there may be more digging by the curious, or because a COD finding may be necessary for benefits. 

Anyway, He had an honorable discharge, the records of fact at the time of his denial were his basic service medical, etc w/no MH in it.Personnel file didnt have the adjudicative hearing in it as originally submitted. When I got the file for his 0995, I put out another NPRC request because he wrote a lot in his 0781 and 4138 about his 'hearing....'. I think prior VSRs took that to mean actual 'hearing' like audio- he had a claim going for that, too. But that didnt sound quite right to me because his actual hearing (based on audiometry) was within normal limits except maybe for tinnitus. 

 

The returned records had the whole pony show about his hearings before discharge. BOOOM! I flagged it all, referred to rating as New and Material, and called it a day, happy that I probably helped the guy out to potentially win his appeal. 

 

Two days later it was returned back to me as a deferral because NOW that there was evidence of in Insvc event, NOW he qualified for a PTSD Exam that hadn't been done before, a few years ago (because no insvc event, remember?). SO, I was right, per M21- new and material evidence- refer to rater. 

 

The rater was right per M21 because NOW the guy was eligible for a C and P for PTSD/MH. I got dinged for a deferral error for not requesting the exam. I figured since his original denial was based on no evidence of in service event, but I had chronicity and a nexus, and now evidence, that I was good. But, alas, no. 

 

Thats just an illustration of the weirdness of my day, every day. 

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2020 by brokensoldier244th

[Berta]

" I wont suggest you do thing illegal or immoral, such as lying or sending fraudulent documents, so dont ask me. "

I was asked by a member here  in email long ago to do just that.

I am surprised when I see "guests" reading our profiles and hope they do not have access to anyone's email addy.

I still have the email from a member years ago who said you better get me some DIC money from the VA or I will kill myself. The member who said she was a widow of a veteran, was not a legal spouse.

I mentioned here somewhere the experience I had with someone who only works on widow's claims. As I said I hope she doesn't get sued. Her advice to many widows was incorrect and could have caused them a significant lose of DIC.

 

 

 

 

 

[Tbird]

email addresses are not public

[brokensoldier244th]

8 minutes ago, Tbird said:

email addresses are not public

You mean forum wide, or VA in general? If a veteran provides an email address on their 526EZ or some other form, we can enter it into their record, and use it, provided we documents it on an 0820 Report of General contact. Its not used for day to day updates or anything like that, etc, more as a substitute for phone calls to verify basic information like EFT, "which arm were you talking about in your filing", "Hey, records research is taking FOREVER and a few days due to covid, you submitted a 5103, but, by chance, do you have anything that may still help that will substitute for what Im waiting weeks and months for from NPRC?" type of stuff. 

I have a back and forth about once every two weeks with a nice guy that occasionally checks Ebenefits and then pings me to see if what he's seeing is correct with what Im seeing. Takes me a few minutes, no big deal, and he's respectful and doesn't flood my work email. 

[Tbird]

I am speaking just of the forums

[GBArmy]

Brokensoldier244th I told you before I admire people like you who go out of their way to help veterans. Maybe you slightly  bend the rules a little, but it does a lot more good than harm and sometimes, you help someone out. Nice. Keep doin' what you're doin" brother.