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How to Win Survey Results
Branch: Navy Claiming Benefit to the VA
I JUST KEEP ON FILING MY CLAIM,,AND RESEARCH MY DISABILITY TO THE MAYO CLINIC.COM,,AND SEND IT WITH MY PRIVATE DOCTOR CERTIFICATION TO THE VA WITH MY CLAIM LETTER, I DONT MAKE APPEAL IF DENIED BECAUSE IT TAKES TO LONG TO MAKE THE DECISION,,SO WHAT I DID REFILE AGAIN..THEN FINALLY MY CLAIM WAS GRANTED 100 PERCENT AGENT ORANGE EXPOSURE. Branch: Army Agent Orange I spent 42 years and 27 days as a member of the Army National Guard, 36 as a full time military technician. I remained in the Guard for another 6 years. In my first 20 years, I was enlisted, PVT E-1 to CSM E-9, then the other 22 as a Warrant Officer, CW2 to CW5 State Command Chief Warrant Officer. I am also the services Officer for my American Legion Post and a member of the Ft. Polk Retiree Council. I did not become a veteran until 1999 when I went on a 120 day Title 10 Tour from NGB to Honduras. I have helped many veterans file claims for disabilities, compensation and pensions. In 2010 I was researching the VA web site for Agent Orange to assist a Vietnam Veteran who was having trouble with a claim, and I ran across some very interesting information about testing, storage and spraying Agent Orange in different location. To my surprise, I discovered that it was tested in many location in the United States, to include Hawaii. One of the locations was Ft. Chaffee, AR during the summer of 1967. Being a former Personnel and Administrative Technician, plus medical and finance records, I knew enough to maintain all of my orders, pay vouchers, medical records that might be of some help in the future. I had a footlocker of almost my entire military history. Sure enough, I attended 17 days of Title 32 Annual Training at Ft. Chaffee in the summer of 1967 and was involved in combat simulated training in the wooded training areas. I looked up the specific areas with the help of a map of the entire cantonment and field areas of Ft. Chaffee that I had kept for some reason. I had no trouble verifying that I was in the areas that a team from Ft. Dietrich had experimented in with Agent Orange. In 1994, I developed Prostate Cancer, and had it removed, and in 2002, I was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes, two of the diseases associated with Agent Orange. I filled a claim for both in December 2010, the claim was approved in February 2012. I was rated 40% and was paid compensation backdated to December 2010. The compensation that was tax free came out of my military pay, which lowered the taxable amount of my military pay. On Jun 11, 2013 I applied for Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC) with the Army Human Resources Command at Ft. Knox, KY, and received an approved claim on July 9, 2013 for a total combined related disability percentage of 40%. This meant that I not only received the 40% tax free disability from the VA, but an equal 40% tax free from DFAS. It too was found to be combat related effective Dec 2010 (There is a clause that Simulated Combat Related Training such as Reservist and National Guard go through during Annual Training can be substituted as Combat Related). In April 2013 I submitted a supplemental claim for Residuals of Prostate Cancer, plus Home Bound Aid and Attendance for my wife who was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig's Disease in February 2012 and pronounced Chronically ill. Both claims were approved on April 10, 2014, and my overall combined rating was raised from 40% to 70%. I now receive CRDP (which is taxable) and my full retired pay which is also taxable (federal, but state tax exempt in Louisiana). I have applied to the Army for increased CRSC and awaiting for a decision. I should be receiving back pay from April 2013, but I have not received an audit from DFAS of yet. Out of all the thousands of National Guardsmen/women and Reservist who attended annual training at Ft. Chaffee in the summer of 1967 and have at least one of the diseases associated with Agent Orange (I helped many Louisiana Guardsmen put together a claim to be submitted to the VA), but so far, only three in Louisiana that I know of, mine included, have been approved - one was denied the first time, appealed the decision which was overturned and he was then approved. Unfortunately, my wife passed away on June 18, 2014 from ALS complications, therefore, I am left with my 70% disability and all this compensation, but the love of my life who I was married to for 49 years is no longer with me to enjoy the rest of my life. I put a lot of time and effort to receive these disability ratings, the compensation and other benefits (both federal and state), but would I give it all back, with interest, if I still had my wife - what do you think? |
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