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Get the VA Compensation You truly Deserve

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Military news…

Earlier this month, a Marine Corps recruiter kicked through a car windshield with his bare foot to rescue a man trapped in an overturned vehicle.

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If you see metal fillings and other dental work that uses Civil War technology in someone’s mouth, you know they’ve been treated by a military dentist.

(Ouch!)

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I am going through the process I posted below. It is a long and tedious process. The important things is, if you truly have something you think you should have compensation for… never, ever, give up. That is what they want you to do.

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VA disability compensation benefits are a monthly, tax-free payment to Veterans who were injured, sustained a long-term illness or experienced a worsening medical condition during their military service.

In addition to compensating Veterans whose disabilities incurred while serving in the military, Veterans may also be granted compensation for specific post-service medical conditions that arose because of their military service. Known as presumptive disabilities, these conditions may not have arisen in service but may be granted as service-connected because its occurrence can been linked directly to military service.

VA recently added new medical conditions to a growing list of presumptive disabilities, which you can view here. These conditions can be presumed to have occurred because of an exposure to Agent Orange, ionizing radiation, and service in the Gulf War.

How to file a claim for disability compensation

The COVID-19 pandemic has not halted the claims process. Veterans can still file claims, and VA is still processing them. VA recommends filing a claim online, but it can still be done in person or through the mail. To get started, visit the VA disability compensation webpage and follow the steps listed below.

Step One: Prepare documents before starting your application

Gather any evidence, documentation and/or required forms that support your claim before beginning your application. This might include:

You must include both the required and (if necessary) supplementary documents or your application will be voided. In some cases, you may need to turn in one or more forms to support your claim.

Step Two: File your claim

There are three ways to file a claim: online, in person (with a VA representative, or with a Veterans Service Organization) or through the mail. Online applications are simple and easy to complete. You can access the application by visiting the Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits webpage, then sign into your VA.gov account (or create a new account at the ID.me website). You can save your progress online for up to one year before the application expires.

If you do not have access to a computer or internet device, VA also accepts printed disability claim applications that can be filed either in person or through the mail. In person applications can be submitted to your local VA regional office. Visit VA.gov/find-locations to find a VA regional office in your state. If you wish to mail your application, please do so by sending it to the following address:

Department of Veterans Affairs

Claims Intake Center

PO Box 4444

Janesville, WI 53547-4444

Step Three: VA will review your claim and notify you of its decision

VA may require a few months to make a decision on claim applications. The time it takes to review your application depends on three factors:

Once your disability claim application has been reviewed and all required documentation has been received, VA will decide on your claim and send you a notification letter of its decision. The notification letter will include specific details regarding the decisions made on your claim. You can expect to receive your notification letter 7 to 10 business days after a decision is made. Please contact a VA call center if it does not arrive within this period.

Step Four: After you receive a decision

You may ask for a second review if you are not satisfied with VA’s decision. Veterans who filed a claim on or after February 19, 2019, may choose from three application review options. The first, a Supplemental Claim, allows you to add new and relevant evidence (that VA doesn’t already have). The second, a Higher-Level Review, asks for a senior reviewer to examine your case. This option does not allow you to edit or add to your current application. And lastly, a Board Appeal requests a Veterans Law Judge with the Board of Veterans’ Appeals to review your application.

If you have any questions or concerns before, during or after submitting a request to have your decision reviewed, please visit the VA Decision Reviews and Appeals website.

For more information

Life comes with plenty of challenges, but ensuring the wellbeing of you and your family should not be one of them. Visit VA.gov to learn more about VA benefits and services.

If you wish to learn more about the claims process, visit the VAntage Point blog platform to keep up to date on disability claims and benefit eligibility requirements. You can also watch this video series produced by the Office of Information and Technology (OIT).

To request additional help filing a disability claim, learn more about accredited representatives or contact a VA regional office near you to speak with a counselor by calling 800-827-1000.

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I am not sharing an excerpt today from my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the trenches of Life. I will on Monday. Keep coming back to see future excerpts. Better yet…go to the top of this page and click on “Subscribe.” When you do a future posts will go directly to your inbox.

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Checking in on you…How are you doing? Do you deserve compensation?

FEAR NOT!

There are over 13,610 fellow veterans here who have your back.

If you are battling mentally, because of your need for compensation, GET HELP!!

Here is a toll free number that you can call 24/7. There are highly qualified counselors there to help you, and they will no hang up until they know you are OK.

1-800-273-8255…texting 838255.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know

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Happiness in the Military is Sometimes Hard to Find

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Military news…

“I got an award and I don’t even know if I deserve it … I’d give it back in a second if I could get the soldiers back.” That’s from Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston, who spoke about the hard losses he and his men went through together in Iraq, where Grinston earned a reputation as both a bullet magnet and a true follower of the Ranger Creed.

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Speaking of space, did you know that the first song performed live in space was ‘Jingle Bells?’ The first performers were two U.S. military pilots who wanted to troll Mission Control with some Christmas merriment.

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The military’s efforts to weed out white supremacists and other extremist groups are finally showing some teeth now that the Pentagon has expanded what constitutes “active participation” in extremist activities,.

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Air Force Discharges 27 For Refusal to Get COVID Vaccine

The Air Force has discharged 27 people for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, making them what officials believe are the first service members to be removed for disobeying the vaccination mandate.

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Female Ex-pilot in Afghan Military Surfaces in U.S., Defying Rumors That She Had Been Killed 

An Afghan woman who was one of the few female pilots in her country’s air force corrected a rumor that she had been killed by the Taliban, saying she’s resettled on the West Coast.

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103 Marines Already Separated For Refusing COVID-19 Vaccine

At least 103 Marines have been separated from the Marine Corps for refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the service said Thursday.

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The Pentagon Doesn’t Know How Many Hazing Incidents Happen in the Military, Watchdog Finds

Five years after a Muslim-American recruit died by suicide days after joining Marine Corps boot camp, launching the discovery of hazing scandals, the Pentagon still doesn’t keenly track abuse in the ranks, a government watchdog found.

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Sharing another excerpt from my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the MIlitary: In and Out of the trenches of Life.

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Happiness is a Choice

It is a well-known fact that most people are as happy as they choose to be. People go through life allowing depression to overcome them to the point that they are incapacitated. Even presidents have trouble with depression. Can you imagine the daily stress they have? It is non- stop.

Abraham Lincoln once considered suicide, he was so depressed. One of the greatest times he remembered while was in office was when a little old lady came to see him at the White House, and gave him some cookies she had made. He thanked her, and said it was one of the greatest moments of his tenure. A very little gesture, but it brightened a person’s life that was battling depression and life in general.

Some people accept depression because they think they deserve it. They feel they have done something wrong and this is their punishment. I had some of those days myself. I often thought I must deserve this if I keep having it happen to me.

This world is not the Disney Channel anymore. It’s Law and Order. There are many battles to fight, and many fronts.

Many people try to find happiness to overcome depressions and they fail. Why?

Because so many people think a fancy car, a big house on a hill, or owning a yacht, will give them happiness, and “things,” do not give us happiness.  We also seek happiness through sexual prowess, but end up with fleeting pleasures and bitter disappointments.

We try to seek power in corporations, in government, or in their own families through excessive control, but still many are unfulfilled seeking happiness.  

What are they missing? They are missing inner peace and joy.

How do we fine that inner peace and joy? It is from the love of God who provides us with all the love and understanding we need.

While we spend time in the military, or many years afterwards, we need to know that the path to true happiness isn’t from “things” we own, or people we control, it is found through searching our own souls, and coming up with ways to reach out to those around us, and when we feel the love, they return it back to us.

That is happiness!

IWILL

I spent too many years of my life trying to do whatever I could to be accepted. I would go way out of my way to let someone know that I was a person, and needed love. What I didn’t know is that love is very powerful, and if you just share that love with someone they will return it and provide you with all the happiness you need.

Think about this

Isn’t it funny how we sometimes think we aren’t accepted and it is because we didn’t ask?

There will be a few more excerpts coming up so keep coming back to check them out. Better yet… go to the top of this page and click on “Subscribe.” When you do all future posts will come directly to your inbox.

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Bed check. How are you doing? Do you have dreams about your service time? Are they nightmares?

FEAR NOT!!

There are over 13,530 fellow veterans subscribed to this site who have your back.

If the dreams just too much for you right now, GET HELP!

Here is a toll free number to call 24/7. There are highly qualified counselors there to help you, and they will not hang up until the know you are OK.

1-800-272-8255..texting 838255.

__________________________________________

Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

___________________________________________

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

Posted on

It Can be hard to Make friends While in the MIlitary

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

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A video posted online last week shows special operations soldiers dashing from a helicopter to a target house, shooting multiple ‘bad guys,’ and rescuing a hostage in the time it takes most people to tie their shoes.

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Many people believe that opportunity is a combination of luck and preparation. No one embodies that sentiment more than Eddie Rickenbacker, as the next few decades of his life would show.

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DARPA’s solution to the military’s plastic trash problem? Eat it.

Scientists want to turn plastic water bottles into protein powder and gun lubricant.

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In 1999, a toy called the Furby was banned by the NSA, the FAA, the Naval Shipyard in Norfolk, Viriginia, and a children’s hospital in Scotland.

There were preposterous rumors that led to an owl-like robot being dubbed a national security risk and safety hazard .

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Bob Dole: Senator, soldier, veterans’ advocate; ‘an individual of extraordinary will’
“It is with heavy hearts we announce that Senator Robert Joseph Dole died early this morning in his sleep,” according to a statement from the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. “At his death, at age 98, he had served the United States of America faithfully for 79 years.”
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Russia says US spy planes threaten civil aviation over Black Sea

According to Russia’s civil aviation agency, two passenger planes had to divert and change altitude because a NATO surveillance plane crossed their routes and ignored signals from Russian air safety authorities.

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80th anniversary of Pearl Harbor brings end to victim-identification programOn Dec. 7, the 80th anniversary of the attack that plunged the United States into World War II, the last of the remains that could not be identified will be reburied in Honolulu’s National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific known as the “Punchbowl.”
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I will share another excerpt for you, from my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the trenches of Life. Not many left, so come back to see what is left. Better yet…go to the top of this page and click on “Subscribe.” When you do all future posts will come directly to your inbox.

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It’s Tough Being the New Kid on the Block

After basic training I was accepted into the Army Security Agency, which is a unit of soldiers who, in my case, monitored radio/teletype transactions to make sure there were no breaches of security.

I was sent to Fort Gordon, Georgia, for my training for that. I was separated from my two buddies there. I began to feel the loneliness again. Yes, there were hundreds of other soldiers just like me, but they weren’t from my home area. They were from all over the United States. They all had their own ways to approach people. Some didn’t want to have anything to do with the people around them.

I didn’t see why it was happening, and went out of my way to “cross the center line,” to the other side to get acquainted with them. I made some good friends on both sides, and didn’t get in trouble for doing it from either side.

Do you have family members, or fellow soldiers that you feel are isolating themselves from you? Are there those who want to be alone, and not mix with others?

I have felt that while I was stationed in Korea. There was a breakdown of short timers, (those with a month to go or less,) new guys who were “outcasts,” until they proved themselves, and the regular group who were in between.

I went through all three stages while I was there. However, I couldn’t let myself treat the new soldiers as outcasts. I learned that my first week there myself.

I was just settling in when two guys came walking up to me in my Quonset hut, (metal shelter.) They were both big and strong looking guys. One was African American, who looked like a linebacker, and the other was “tall drink of water,” from Texas.

I was every worried as they came towards me. Why would they fool around with a “newsikky,” (new guy) like me? They both had smiles on their faces and shook my hand. They greeted me like I was somebody important.

I figured they were the welcoming committee, but they weren’t. They were just two soldiers who had gone through the gauntlet like all new soldiers had to do, and they had decided that they would make sure no one else had to.

That was the one main factor that helped me cope while I was in Korea. I became very good buddies with those two guys. (Besides they were big and tough and they protected me!) They set the pattern that I used the whole time I was there. I felt it was my duty, because of these two men, to make the new soldiers feel welcome.

If you have been through some feelings of rejection in your world, reach out to someone who is in the same boat as you are and help them cope. Be like my two “angels” who came to make me feel welcome, and make others around you feel important and special.

You will not only feel good about what you are doing, but you will help someone who is struggling a great deal.

IWILL

There are times when you have “down time,” in the military. Use that time to get to know some of the soldiers that don’t seem to have any friends. It may seem uncomfortable at first, and they may reject you, but they will never be the same. They will know that someone cares, and they will walk a little taller.

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Checking in on you my friend. How are you doing? Do you have dreams about your service time? Are they nightmares?

FEAR NOT!

There are over 13,440 fellow veterans subscribed to this site who have your back.

If the dreams just too much for you right now, GET HELP!

Here is a toll free number to call 24/7. There are highly qualified counselors there to help you, and they will not hang up until the know you are OK.

1-800-272-8255..texting 838255.

____________________________________________

Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

_____________________________________________

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.