Special Alert

[spike]

I know this is going to disturb a lot of people. But I guess I should inform everyone. I spoke to a very reliable VSR at the RO in Buffalo named Skip. He indicated that with everything going on and the whole direction of the Vets who are from 9/11 and Persian Gulf are Priority #1. Direction has come very recently internally to VSRs from "HEAD BOSSES" that they are to rate claims of Vets after 9/11 and then DIC claims, then others.

[betrayed]

Betrayed:

You say this has been going on for a long time. You know we are in a region that has a huge backload. Why was my NOD done in 5 months start to finish?

Cavman

when I say a long time the first letter from the director of the VA telling them to do OEF/OIF vets ahead of eveyone else wqas written in march 2003 that was over four years ago, is that not a long time to you? so they have been doing this for 4 years at least , read the article I wrote at www.betrayedveteran.com about the segregation of veterans. Its on the front page and easy to find. A vet is a vet is a vet. We are all the same and no one deserves benefits above the other

[theotherguy]

when I say a long time the first letter from the director of the VA telling them to do OEF/OIF vets ahead of eveyone else wqas written in march 2003 that was over four years ago, is that not a long time to you? so they have been doing this for 4 years at least , read the article I wrote at www.betrayedveteran.com about the segregation of veterans. Its on the front page and easy to find. A vet is a vet is a vet. We are all the same and no one deserves benefits above the other

Actually, what Spike is referring to is a recent change. The previous VA guidance was to help the claimants with serious injuries only to and get them rated ASAP. The new guidance is to work all claims for veterans who served overseas (anywhere overseas; not just Iraq and Afghanistan) and were discharged after 9/11/01. In other words, a veteran who served in Italy for six months in 2004 and is claiming s/c for hemorrhoids and a hang nail now takes precedence over a Korean War veterans claims for residuals of cold injury or a Vietnam veterans claim for diabetes and so on and so forth.

Edited April 1, 2007 by theotherguy (see edit history)

[betrayed]

Actually, what Spike is referring to is a recent change. The previous VA guidance was to help the claimants with serious injuries only to and get them rated ASAP. The new guidance is to work all claims for veterans who served overseas (anywhere overseas; not just Iraq and Afghanistan) and were discharged after 9/11/01. In other words, a veteran who served in Italy for six months in 2004 and is claiming s/c for hemorrhoids and a hang nail now takes precedence over a Korean War veterans claims for residuals of cold injury or a Vietnam veterans claim for diabetes and so on and so forth.

I dont buy that for a minute all the media is crying over OEF/OIF and the VA has some real bad light on it, give me a good reason to justify your explanation

[john999]

What is really bad is some of the RVN vets who come down with AO type cancer and have to wait. They can't wait because they may be dying. A year is a very long time for someone with cancer. Hire more raters and hire them quickly.

[theotherguy]

I dont buy that for a minute all the media is crying over OEF/OIF and the VA has some real bad light on it, give me a good reason to justify your explanation

Betrayed,

I'm not sure exactly which part you are wanting to have clarified or "justified." Could you elaborate on your question? I wasn't disagreeing with you at all...just expanding on why Spike raised the issue.

Your assessment of the situation is correct in that the VA has a black cloud hanging over it right now and they are attempting to clear out all of these claims to show the press and politicians that they are "doing something." The policies you posted earlier were sufficient to address the claims for the seriously disabled Iraqi/Afghani vets that truly deserved the expedited status. What they are doing now is frankly senseless categorization for the sole purpose of deflecting attention away from themselves.

Heck, I even asked the RVSR guy on that other board and he said that nobody in his office is happy with the recent change as most of them are vets themselves who really hate the categorization that is taking place. He said they were told a month and a half ago about the expansion of the policy and that these were to receive the highest priority, followed by DIC claims, and then claims one year or older. The hemorrhoids and hangnail example I used earlier was the example he gave me as a claim he rated before moving on to a veteran with stage 4 lung cancer. The guy seemed to think that in the end this would do more harm than good based on the fact that the older claims will keep getting older while they work only these new ones.

My point was simply that the recent expansion of the effort to include all veterans with overseas service that were discharged after 9/11/01 undermines the right to have my claim or your claim rated in a timely manner purely due to political reasons...which is total crap in my opinion.

Edited April 2, 2007 by theotherguy (see edit history)

[jimlane1949]

I've put my IU Claim in last week and my claim is in adjudication as of yesterday....What to think about that? Does everyone go to an exam for IU?

Spike, speaking for myself I had to have a C&P after having had a heart attak and 2 open heart surgeries the first a triple bypass the secon a double bypass. I may be wrong but I think everyone has to have a C&P before thier case is fully adjudicated. Hang in there good stuff here at hadit.

[cloudcroft]

Vike 17,

I would't put 100% trust in "records" of the new vets being complete OR "locateable," which would help make claims go faster.

Heck, I saw on TV a while ago that some of the vets' wives had to find PHOTOS of their husbands in Iraq to prove they were even there in-country! And these guys were VERY recently there!

For god's sake, that's not only shameful but just plain outrageous!

WTH is going on with the documentation/records of these new vets/outprocessing soldiers? [a rhetorical question]

Imagine us older vets trying to prove where WE were decades after the fact.

-- John D.

[sixthscents]

(sigh)....

OK here's my OPINION...

There is already a process to expedite claims for veterans suffering from financial hardship. There is the new traumatic loss insurance to help the newer vets who need care and an income while the process goes on... there are ALREADY directives in place giving precedence to OIF vets etc... so this really just means.. nothing.

It's just a way for the VA to show that "something" is being done. Period. We dont NEED new directives or precedence, the VA just needs to follow what is already in place.

The fact is EVERY vet I have delt with needed the compensation, most quite badly. Almost every vet I have delt with were suffering moderate to severe financial hardship. SO anything which toggles claims lower, and others higher, unless proof of severe financial distress is available is simply jumping in line.

So, the VA just needs to higher more raters... thats the answer in a nutshell, and they need to hire people to help them file coherent claims. Yeah the Tiger Teams are supposed to be doing this, but its not working... so, more raters, more claims reps... not new "policy", that just restates existing policy.

As to records being 100% accurate, well most of the newer veterans have significantly better or more complete records than say a vietnam vet. While they may NOT be complete, they are getting much better at making sure they are at best somewhat complete. Further, it really is the service-members own responsibility to ensure that this happens during their service. Nope, its not supposed to be, but the fact is if your future depends on these things being properly documented then you simply have to assume the responsibility to ensure they are, or... deal with what you get. New soldiers are repeatedly made aware of this, and still they fail to even make a COPY of their medical records before ETSing... I will never understand that. In the end, it is each soldiers own responsibility.. even though it shoudn't HAVE to be. It is what it is. The system is VASTLY improved over even Desert Storm era vets though, from what I have seen.

Anyway there you go, that my OPINION... thats all.