Last Thursday, the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) continued our monthly Twitter town hall series with an event focused on VA disability compensation exams (you can find more information about eligibility requirements for disability compensation here). Many Veterans may be confused about the process and why a disability exam may be required when a Veteran has already been receiving treatment for a given condition or injury.
Many Veterans who couldn’t participate in our Twitter town hall might have the same questions we addressed during our session. Below, you can check out a recap of our discussion which may answer some of your own questions.
Be sure to follow us on Twitter as well, if you don’t already.
Richard Allen Smith is a Web Communications Specialist for the Veterans Benefits Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Richard served on active duty in the United States Army from 2003-2008 and deployed to Afghanistan with 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division in 2007.
I have a quick question regarding the time to get claims (e.g.,Declaration of Status of Dependents- VA Form 21-686c) that are quick fixes could take as long as a year to input? I remember filling out information regarding my wife and son back in 2003, and it has somehow disappeared. I’ve been told that the VA only needs it if you receive over 30% disability. Wouldn’t it be safe to say that in the future, as we get older, that Our status will change and we will need to have our information readily available? I read VA information, and I have friends working the compensation branch. You have hired many personnel to deal with the present workload of veterans getting out after ten years at war. Projecting that you may double or even triple that number after 2014, and having the waiting period get worse instead of shorter (per Shinseki’s lies to Congress), then, what is the solution? Hire more after the fact again? Blow off veterans awaiting benefits for two to three years or longer due to another shortfall in personnel? I would get with the Department of Defense, screen administrative personnel being released from active duty, and train them within 90 days of discharge for immediate hiring for a period not to exceed 4 years. This gets a jump on getting vets on the rolls to support fellow veterans in the process (like an insurgence of customer assistance-OMG! Planning for the future…what a concept!!! Must be a new idea that no one has ever thought of …even a GENERAL OFFICER!!!!), thus, improving the services and taking action before the poop hits the fan and the staff of the OVER PAID VA gets it in the face…instead of eggs…Look at the backlog like going to war. 1. Gather all the information you can about the foe (the system). 2. Make a plan of action to conquer that foe (a well trained workforce insurgence that can be ready ahead of the influx of claims that will be a TSUNAMI on the system). 3. Educate and carry out the orders. Once again, get plenty of personnel trained within 90 days of separation to handle the TSUNAMI of claims. Hire them for a period not to exceed FOUR YEARS!!! Now, carry out the plan of the day…and, in the immortal words of coach Bill Bellichick, “JUST DO YOUR JOB”!!!!!