Pleased to announce that we have a new Veteran's Compensation Moderator, Daniel Rioux. Dan comes to us after 20 years service in the Navy, as a SEAL, now a Service Officer with the DAV.

Dave will be active across the boards, but checking actively in Health and Fitness forums.

Be advised, Dan will be responding to general questions about VA compensation claims, not individual claims questions, which should be more appropriately addressed to individual service officers.

Welcome Dan, he's here to help vets!

Thanks.

Thank you OldAFcop, Please let me correct one thing. I was not a SEAL, I served with the teams for four years as a DIVER.

I am here to help all veterans with their general questions about the VA.

Welcome Dan!

This question isnt really specific to me (although I will be there VERY soon!) so I thought it would be appropriate to post for all Active Duty to see as they plan for retirement.

I recently learned and confirmed at TAPS class last week after speaking to the VA rep there that Active Duty persons with potential disability claims can submit their request for compensation package to the VA 180 days before their actual retirement date. I was told that they will process the package while on Active Duty and setup a medical appointment (if needed) and then issue a disability percentage while on Active Duty that can be used for applying for Federal Positions.

I asked the rep at TAPS class if this rating was perminant and came with me into retirement and he told me it was unless I wanted to appeal the decision. Sounds great, but I had also heard that this rating given while on Active Duty was only for applying for Federal postions and had to be processed again after officially getting a DD214 and that compensation would not start until a final rating was issued after the actual retirement date. Could you please clarify? Again, welcome as moderator!

quote:

Originally posted by d53steeler:
Welcome Dan!

This question isnt really specific to me (although I will be there VERY soon!) so I thought it would be appropriate to post for all Active Duty to see as they plan for retirement.

I recently learned and confirmed at TAPS class last week after speaking to the VA rep there that Active Duty persons with potential disability claims can submit their request for compensation package to the VA 180 days before their actual retirement date. I was told that they will process the package while on Active Duty and setup a medical appointment (if needed) and then issue a disability percentage while on Active Duty that can be used for applying for Federal Positions.

I asked the rep at TAPS class if this rating was perminant and came with me into retirement and he told me it was unless I wanted to appeal the decision. Sounds great, but I had also heard that this rating given while on Active Duty was only for applying for Federal postions and had to be processed again after officially getting a DD214 and that compensation would not start until a final rating was issued after the actual retirement date. Could you please clarify? Again, welcome as moderator!

Maybe my experience can help. I went to TAP in Sep 05. The VA rep told us abt the BDD (benefits delivery at discharge) pilot program in the DC area and I filled out a VA disability claim and sent it in shortly thereafter. I retired in Feb 06 and in june 2006 got a 60% disability rating. It had nothing to do with federal positions and it is a permanent rating. Since they dod not address all of my claimed issues, I appealed and am still waiting. I am drawing disability pay and CDRP. Hope that helps.

I agree with coastie's experience, almost exactly the same as mine.

I completed all of my military retirement / VA C&P exams in Oct-Nov of 2005, all of my VA paperwork was submitted via the VA office on base in Nov-05, I went on terminal leave Jan-06, and retired in Apr-06.
After my official retirement date (01APR06), I had to ensure that my admin office mailed the VA their copy of my DD-214, as the VA will NOT complete the compensation process without your DD-214. I then received my VA package about 2 weeks later and was rated at 60 %.
All this had zero to do with federal employment, I did not get a federal job until Sept-06, and only applied in June-06.
However, the VA rating probably did help me get my job, as I am a 10pt/30 % veteran.

Sounds familiar, I understand how it can be confusing. Active duty files at the VA take priority over retirees and veterans.

My disability physical was in July 2000. My effective date of retirement was Oct 1, 2000. A decision was made by the board in September, but they don't tell you about it until your retirement date passes. So, you'll be notified days after your date of their decision.

When I applied for the USPS, there were 2 vet categories. 30% or less got a 10 point preference. Greater than 30% put you at the top of the list, and I was rank-ordered with the other "Greater than 30%" vets. Everybody else falls in line behind you.

You can take the postal exam within 120 of your retirement date without having to wait for a 'public' exam.

Does this help?

--Jim
Life is good

Thank you for all the information everyone! I tried checking into openings at the USPS but their website and application process is more confusing than the VA's! Thanks again all.

sure is great that we have some good experienced people on board.I have been "retired "for 29 years. only been dav for 7. do draw crsc paythough.
charles j. pennington
u.s.navy,retired

I have been retired since 2001. Started several times on my own to file for disability yet find it to be tidious. Maybe it's my ADD. Could someone offer a suggestion?

Welcome, Chief Rioux. The experience you lend us is greatly appreciated!
Now, a question: I retired 01APR94, and 150-odd days later had a stroke, which led to a multitude of other medical issues- Apnea, heart attack(2), diabetes, etc. Do I have any recourse toward disability rating, or no? Would it be worth my while to seek out VA counsel? Your consideration would be appreciated.

Semper,
--Joe...

Gulf ---> Since I don't know exactly where you are, I would suggest you find the closest VA rep and go see them...

Shaveanape ---> I would also say you see seek direct help from the VA, but my initial reaction is, if it didn't happen while in the service, you won't get any help from the VA....

If you want, feel free to e-mail me ....

Wray...

THat's about what I thought, Wray. Thanks for replying.
--Joe..

It is a shame people don't get educated about the VA and their benefits, prior to their retirements... Often they don't understand disability percentages.. they think 10% or 40% is 10% or 40% of their retired pay.. WRONG ! I have posted this more times than I care to count..These percentages are fixed amounts.. of course they change depending on your number of dependants.. Likewise, the percentages are the same for an E-3 as an O-9.

The percentages for each disability do not add up like the math we know.. in other words (4) 10% disabilities may not equal a 40% disability determination from the VA.. It gets confusing, and, it has been covered multipal times here as well. It is too bad this is not covered BEFORE you retire.

Wray...

I've never seen a concerted effort to inform and educate retiring military members PRIOR to retirement, and sad to say, almost all retiring members are just glad to have made it that far, and are concentrating on their future jobs, etc, rather than accumilating knowledge that may help them down the road. But, that's human nature, I suppose...
At any rate, thanks, Wray for your efforts and the efforts of others on this board. It is not said enough, but is truly appreciated.
--Joe...

"I've never seen a concerted effort to inform and educate retiring military members PRIOR to retirement"

Joe, that is a sad fact.. you would think with all the other mandatory BS training people must sit through, they could provide one that would be helpful to all...

Wray...

Thats odd.. everyone on I know who was retiring in the St. Pete area went to McDill AFB for 3 days of "training" and seem to think it was good and provided a wealth of info on the VA. The XO on my ship gave me a choice, retirement party or get off the boat a few weeks early. No brainer.. I hitched a ride out of GiTMO on a Herc to Clearwater (after a 6 hr LE flight). Attended the training, and as soon as my resume was posted, started getting calls/hits from headhunters. The info provided I felt was good but we spent too much time talking about working for the post office or being a teacher. Maybe it depends on where you attend the training at.

quote:

Thats odd.. everyone on I know who was retiring in the St. Pete area went to McDill AFB for 3 days of "training" and seem to think it was good and provided a wealth of info on the VA.

A lot of the info provided in the "TAPS" classes has to do with getting a job... unfortunately, they do not always provide much info on "disabilities" and what money you can get for these disabilities. I went to 2 TAPS classes, one in St Louis, and one in Miami, and the info was very vague & limited.

Perhaps that is why those wearing the "gold badge" don't pass much about it.. it is a whole different ball game once you are involved with it.

Wray...

quote:

lot of the info provided in the "TAPS" classes has to do with getting a job... unfortunately, they do not always provide much info on "disabilities" and what money you can get for these disabilities. I went to 2 TAPS classes, one in St Louis, and one in Miami, and the info was very vague & limited.

Perhaps that is why those wearing the "gold badge" don't pass much about it.. it is a whole different ball game once you are involved with it.

Not sure when you last attended a TAPs class but.. the 2 classes I attended throughly covered this topic.. the VA math, the compensation scale, etc.etc... The better part of 1 day was spent discussing these issues..

As for the "Gold Badges", not sure they'd be the right folks to pass this detailed information..

I don't think the Gold Badges know anymore about a TAPS class than anybody else on active duty ... unless they are getting ready to retire. I think the retirement section (RAS?)at the PSC should have better information in the retirement package. They are the ones that interface with the VA when it comes to disability comp.

On the other hand though, people need to read the information they have, regardless as to who gives it to them.

When I went to TAPS at Brunswick NAS, ya the fellow from the VA with the key information about the disability claims process only had a 2 hours window to speak. We had a standing room only class. He was great, but even he said they didn't give him enough time to go over all the information he felt we needed, so he covered a lot of information in a short amount of time, so the absorption rate was low.

The best advice anybody can heed is to use a service organization such as the DAV or American Legion (they have an office right at the VA campus in Togus (ME)), and I'm sure the other VA hospitals are setup the same way.

I'm not sure where I read it, but it was online somewhere that the VA nationally is inconsistent with their award amounts. I think Arizona or New Mexico has the highest average award, can't remember who is the lowest. Somewhere on the Great Lakes I think.

Another statistic is that, on average, those that used a service organization came out with higher awards than those that went solo.

The one thing that cannot be overemphasized, and is the only real thing that needs to be understood from that part of the TAPS class is to go see the people at the DAV - use a service organization. It's FREE. It's all they do! They are there for you and me!

Why would anyone want to go solo? Beats me.

--Jim
Life is good!

quote:

the 2 classes I attended throughly covered this topic.. the VA math, the compensation scale, etc.etc...

That's good... hopefully those retiring will know more about their VA benefits than many of us did years ago. It seemed like many had no idea about concurrent receipt. Glad to hear it is more throughly covered.......

Wray...