I am currently on Kidney dialysiis and rated
100% DISABLED AND DRAWING SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY PAY.
I WAS PUT ON THE NAVY'S PERMANENT RETIREMENT LIST IN 1978 AND RATED 30% FOR THE KIDNEY
PROBLEMS. I AM RECEIVING NAVY MEDICAL RETIREMENT
PAY BASED ON THIIS 30% RATING.

MY QUESTIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS
1. CAN YOU GET YOUR PERMANENT DISABLITY RATING
THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME AT 30% RAISED SINCE MY
CONDITION IS NOW WORSE THAN IT WAS IN 1978.IE
SOCIAL SECURITY RATED ME AT 100%
2. CAN I APPLY FOR VETERANS DISABLITY WITHOUT
LOSING MY PERMANENT RETIREMENT PAY AND/OR MY
MILITARY RETIRMENT BENEFITS SUCH AS CHAMPUS.

I HAVE BEEN ON SOCIAL SECURITY DISABLITY SINCE
2002 AND ON THE NAVY;S PERMANENT RETIREMENT LIST
SINCE 1978.

I AM ONLY 55-DOES ANYTHNG HAPPEN TO ANY OF THIS
PAY WHEN I REACH 65?

I AM THINKING THAT THE MILITARY SHOULD INCREASE
MY DISABLITY TO 100% LIKE SOCIAL SECURITY DID
BUT MY LUCK I AM PROBABLY GETTING ALL I CAN
GET.

ANY HELP OR IDEAS OF WHERE I SHOULD LOOK TO
GET THESE QUESTIONS ANSWERED

RON

You can apply for VA disability. The Navy should have had you at time of discharge. You would be eligible for about $2,400 plus a month. You might not receive your Navy pay. The rules are complex for Concurrent Receipt. You would receive all other Navy Benefits. The VA money is tax free. Nothing happens to the pay at 65 at this time.

You can not change a Navy rating.

Contact a veterans service officer.

As Dave M. noted, you need to go back to the VA and put in for VA Comp. not Disability, though I would think you are on VA Comp now if you Kidney problem is the reason for your separation.
Not knowing where you live the best advice I can give is to find a GOOD National Service Officer NSO). Talk to other Disabled Vets you may know or ask your patient advocate at the VA Medical Center for some advice on who to go to. You will need to give them your power of attorney to file your claim.
As I understand it, after getting SSD, you never come off of it.
A word of warning. Should you get denied, read the entire VA Document then see your NSO. Like SSD they tend to decline you because an I is not dotted or a /T isn't crossed the way they want.
I was awarded 20%SC from separation on 1/1/71, was increased to 40% in 1975, asked for an increase in 1991, and got the documentation the way they wanted in 1997, when I went to 100%. Also got SSD at the same time. Good luck brother and don't give up.

If you are having difficulty with a Social Security disability claim, our forum can help. Find support and information at:
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This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dave_M,