No Result
View All Result
Reserve & National Guard
SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Result
Reserve & National Guard
SUBSCRIBE FREE
Reserve & National Guard

Service officers help with ‘daunting’ task of filing VA claims

Crystal Kupper
by Crystal Kupper
June 17, 2022
service officers

Service officers from AMVETS are among several from various Veteran Service Organizations that are accredited and able to assist service members in filing disability claims. Courtesy Photo AMVETS

When Cpl. Steven Wolf left the Marines in 1997, he had no idea what Veterans Affairs (VA) was – or that he was eligible to receive monetary compensation for his military-related injuries. Now, as the assistant national service director for Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Wolf makes his living making sure that other veterans do not walk that same road alone.

“Filing a VA claim after you get out of the military and have injuries can be very overwhelming and confusing,” Wolf said. “There is a lot of paperwork and questions you might have, so it can be daunting.”

Service officers assist with claims

For generations, VA has had a disability-compensation program that sends monthly tax-free checks to veterans who became ill or injured during their time in service, or whose existing condition worsened. The amount varies based on disability level, a rating determined by VA standards.

In order to access this stipend, one must file a VA claim. And once that claim reaches VA, the process, as of January 2022, takes almost 161 days of waiting.

A veteran cannot receive VA compensation without filing a successful claim first.

DAV helps more than 160,000 veterans file them each year through its network of national service officers. Claims can range from PTSD and tinnitus (the most common claim, according to VA reports) to migraines and nerve damage.

There is neither a limit to the number of times someone can file claims nor an expiration date on eligibility.

“If you don’t have someone who can help you with filing your first VA claim, it can be like filing your taxes with no help, because you just don’t know how,” Wolf said. “It’s a mountain of confusing paperwork, but DAV officers assist you at the beginning, during and post, so it’s kind of for life.”

Other VSOs, such as Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion, also have service officers at locations throughout the country to help veterans file claims.

The document dash

The process, on its face, is fairly straightforward. If a veteran thinks he or she has a service-connected disability, they begin gathering documents to prove their claim: health care records, photographs, witness statements to corroborate the claim(s), their DD-214 form, etc.

They next fill out certain VA forms and wait for approval or disapproval. Appeals are allowed, and officers from several VSOs are usually trained – and even accredited – to help in the process. AMVETS, a VSO that began in 1944 to help World War II vets navigate government benefits, is among them.

Miles Migliara, AMVETS chief communications officer, said his organization aims to make sure no eligible veteran goes without a deserved VA benefit.

“AMVETS service officers are trained to ask a veteran the right questions concerning a claim, lay out exactly what a veteran is eligible for and guide them through what is sometimes perceived as a long, frustrating process,” he said. “We want veterans to enjoy using VA, getting help from AMVETS, and most of all, get the process of filing claims out of the way so they can focus on living their best lives.”

More than 5 million veterans and survivors currently receive VA benefits. In 2018 alone, VA paid more than $91 billion.

Though the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed the process slightly, Migliara said AMVETS pivoted quickly.

“We have embraced telecommunication as a way to keep services flowing,” he said. “We’ve also taken extra measures to keep our website updated with the most current information and resources veterans and service officers can use.”

Wolf is currently helping around 100 veterans personally with their VA claims. The most important thing he emphasized? Don’t do it alone.

“When you get out, you get your Transition Assistance Program, but they may not go into every single thing like VA claims,” he said. “So it’s good to have someone to talk to who has been there.”

For more information, or to locate an accredited service officer, visit the VA website.

Read comments
Tags: AMVETSDAVDD-214VAVA benefitsVA claimsVeteran Service OrganizationsVFWVSOs
Crystal Kupper

Crystal Kupper

Crystal Kupper is a writer, photographer, runner, mom of (at least) four and Air Force wife currently stationed in Arizona. There's nowhere she'd rather be other than with her family or chatting about orphan justice.

Related Posts

TRICARE, modernization atop list of legislative priorities

by Joseph LaFave
5 days ago
0
TRICARE

TRICARE, modernized equipment and parity with active-duty service components remain at the top of several military lobbyist’s to-do lists.

Read more

OPINION: Individual Ready Reserve offers chance to ‘take a knee’

by Emily Solberg
2 weeks ago
0
Individual Ready Reserve

The Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) is a little-known option that could help with retention, according to one reservist and military...

Read more

7 tips to manage your budget as a civilian

by Crystal Kupper
3 weeks ago
0
budget

One Army National Guard captain found himself listening to his troops’ financial shortcomings. Budget management was a common shortfall.

Read more

The education benefits no one talks about

by Nikki Davidson
1 month ago
0
education benefits

While aware that enlisting would come with education benefits, one guardsman didn't think much about them at first.

Read more

Healthcare for our Troops Act would be ‘money well spent,’ guardsmen say

by Ben Greene
2 months ago
0
Healthcare for our Troops

The Healthcare for our Troops Act could lower health care costs for 130,000 reservists and guardsmen who don’t have private...

Read more

Veterans groups press for long-shot expansion of GI Bill eligibility for Guard, reserves

by Military.com
2 months ago
0
GI Bill

Leading veterans organizations are pushing senators to take up legislation to expand GI Bill eligibility for guardsmen and reservists.

Read more

Ads

Let's get social

The RNG Drill

News delivered directly to your inbox

Let's connect!

ABOUT US

  • OUR STORY
  • OUR TEAM
  • OUR WRITERS

MAGAZINE

  • GET PRINT
  • GET DIGITAL
  • GET THE NEWSLETTER

GET RESOURCES

  • VETERANS TOOLKIT

ADVERTISE

  • GET OUR MEDIA KIT
  • PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT

SUBMISSIONS

  • PITCH US
  • SUBMIT YOUR STORY

Never miss out on the latest stories.

© 2021 Reserve & National Guard by AmeriForce. Privacy Policy | Terms | Site by Swiss Commerce

Thank you for your interest in The Reserve & National Guard Magazine!

Thank you for your interest in The Reserve & National Guard Magazine!

No Result
View All Result
  • NEWS
  • YOUR CAREER
    • UNIT TRAINING
    • DEPLOYMENT
    • PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
    • RECRUITING & RETENTION
    • ENTREPRENEUR
    • TRANSITION
  • EDUCATION
  • MILITARY LIFE
    • MILITARY SPOUSES
    • MILITARY KIDS
    • PARENTING
  • OFF DUTY
    • ENTERTAINMENT
    • TRAVEL
  • HEALTH
    • FITNESS
    • MEDICINE
    • MENTAL HEALTH
  • OPINION
  • HISTORY
  • MONEY
    • PERSONAL FINANCE
    • BENEFITS
  • GET THE MAGAZINE
    • PRINT MAGAZINES
    • DIGITAL MAGAZINES
    • GET THE NEWSLETTER
  • RESOURCES
    • VETERANS TOOLKIT
  • ABOUT US
    • MEET OUR TEAM
    • OUR AUTHORS
    • ADVERTISE WITH US
    • SUBMIT YOUR STORY
    • PITCH US
    • CONTACT

© 2022 Reserve & National Guard by AmeriForce. Site by SCBW