Guests online with us

Berta · January 15

I often read the guests online list to see what they are focusing on-

But I ask all guests to make sure you are reading the most recent posts, in many cases, that you are focusing on, because some of the info in older posts has changed with time. The regulations and even diagnostic codes etc have changed over the years, as well as M21-1MR.

I want to call attention to something else- I have seen a guest trying to post in the DIC forum a few times lately-

but we cannot read any guest questions here until the Guest formally joins the site.

Sometimes I also see this happen regarding AO questions, and sometimes a Guest will go to my profile, and profiles of others here, but there is no way they can avoid joining the site for answers to the help they need.

I am VERY grateful to all of you Guests----- hundreds a day who come here to read the Best info on the net for VA claims.

This is a secure site and we have the ability to read VA decisions, that are redacted as to C file #s, names, addresses,etc, of the claimant mfor our members. The decisions hold the Evidence list and tell us what is still needed to succeed.

Many years ago the VA tried to change the way they 'speak' in decisions that were often very hard to comprehend.

They have changed that way of using VAOLA but it still can baffle may vets and/or their survivors.

BVA speaks a different language than the ROs, and CAVC is the highest level of VA legalize, unless the case goes to a Federal Court.

Many decades ago, at the urging of the VVA-(I think I was their first Asspciate member, as a civilian ) I tried to file a claim with the VA and found that I didnt have a clue on what I needed to succeed-and the vet rep I got acted like I should not even have been there to file.

It can be Overwhelming when you start to deal with VA, and specifically for widows/widowers of veteransin my opinion and experience, because vet reps and VSO really do not get many survivor claims, and some I think are too lazy to even read the DIC and accrued regulations.

In 1998 a socalled former vet rep I had, did not even know what the Nehmer decision was about!

Some however are superb. A VA VSO called me many years ago to come into the local VAMC to see if I could help him with a very difficult widow's situation.***

The widow had remarried, and the VA had changed her name on her DIC check, but years after that they wanted thousands of dollars back because they had made a serious overpayment.

This was years before the VA changed the regulation that allows widows ( at age 55 I think- the regulations is here somewhere) to keep their DIC after remarriage...Most widows will remarry a veteran anyhow, I believe.

The case above ***went to the BVA and the BVA said the widow still owed the VA thousands of dollars for the DIC she had received after her remarriage. The VA VSO was heartbroken for her and he was a great VSO ,per many of the local vets I knew, who he had helped.

But like another good local vet rep I knew, he became completely burned out, by trying to do a good job and that is not unusual for anyone who tries to help veterans or their survivors.

Sometimes a wonderful thing happens here when someone, as a guest, got enough info here to succeed in their claim and that is when they join formally to tell us of their success.