Ok, bear with me this may be a long one, but I need help.
I was discharged in Feb of 2005 from the Marine Corps for "A physical condition, not a disability". Or so the narrative reason on my DD214 states.
Here is some background info, may be useful, may not. I put in roughly 15 months of service before I was discharged. The reason I was discharged is because of my eyes. I am now legally blind in my left eye (20/400) with 20/40 vision in my right eye. I am not sure what happened between the time I joined and the time I got into the fleet, but something agravated my eyes. Because when I joined they were 20/200 and 20/40. Anyway... Long story short, I went to a hmmvw drivers course, they asked if you wear glasses, I said yes and then wanted you to list your conditions. From there everything got escalated and I found myself a few months later on my way back home with my discharge in hand.
My DD214 says my discharge is honorable and that my separation code was HFT1 with a re-entry code of RE-3P.
Recently I applied for my GI Bill and got denied. I escalated it and they took it to the DOD and still got denied. I don't know what else to do. I was advised by the guys with the DAV during my separation that I could get at least one month of schooling for every month of active duty, since I didn't serve more than two years. But they keep denying me. What can I do?
Also, I think my eyes were made worse during active duty, but I don't know how and I have no way to prove it. Am I SOL?
If your separation reason on your DD214 is indeed "A physical condition, not a disability" then you most certainly are eligible for chapter 30 MGIB education benefits. And you are correct that you should get as many months of benefits as the number of months you served. The VA should have recognized your seperation reason as CIWD (condition interferring with duty).
Here's what you should do..
a) Follow Dave M's advice and file a comp and pension claim with the government (VA). Your service medical records should be your evidence. Get with a Service Organization like the American Legion, VFW etc and have them assist you with filing your claim for your eyes.
b) Send the VA education people a typed or neatly written letter stating what you believe to be the facts of your being eligible for education benefits. At the top of this paper write these words in big letters "Notice of Disagreement". Then start your letter out with "I am appealing being denied MGIB education benefits etc" List the reasons why you disagree and state the facts. Sign and date this letter and as always, keep a copy for yourself. This is your appeal. Send in a copy of your member 4 copy of your DD214 with this letter (this is the copy with your type of discharge and separation reason). Also maybe state in you letter that your sep reason is CIWD not COG (convenience of the government). Good luck!
You could also file with the Marines for a change in your separation code. A Medical discharge will also get you month for month benefits, and your entitlement will start the day you get the change.
