SFCEd said:
I retire in April! Can't wait...
Congrats on your upcoming retirement, Ed. Have you started your
Benefits Delivery at Discharge claim with the VA yet? If not get it started now, because you will then get an answer on your claim within 60 days of your separation date. If you wait and file a claim after you're out, it could take up to a year to get an answer. I did that, and got my response from VA in less than 30 days after my sep date. There should be a DAV, American Legion, or VFW advocate on your base that can assist you with filing the claim. Or you can seek assistance for a state Veteran Service Officer. That's what I did in VA prior to retiring.
Here's some other tips based on my own "lessons learned":
1. Make at least three copies of your medical, dental, and service records. Then store one copy of each in a bank safe deposit box or some other fire-proof safe place.
2. Go through your medical record with a fine-toothed comb, and file a VA claim on anything that's documented that you didn't have prior to entering service. Even if it's not something that's bothering you now, if you had an ailment or injury at anytime during your military career, you want to at least get it documented w/VA. Even if they don't give you compensation for it now, it could become a problem later on in life as you get older, so the key is to at least get it service-connected now.
3. If they deny you on anything applied for, appeal, appeal, appeal, all the up the chain until you've exhausted the appeals process. Don't take no for an answer the first time.
Good Luck, and thanks for your lifetime of service, brother!
