Seattle Regional VA Timelines:

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Just a random story, there are 5 total SM's in my company going through MEB. Two are pretty much just starting. As for the other 3 (includidng me), our timelines are pretty close, they are both about 1 week ahead of me in receiving UNFIT. I have the least amount of claims. On 14SEPT2013 my ebennies changed to pending decision approval. I told the other two. They also checked their ebennies, they were both on prep for decision. We are almost at the 120 day mark.

I see a little bit of hope here for us. We have a VA rep here at the hospital on post. I went there instead of going to my Peblo. He said my ebennies was correct. My ratings are done, they are finalizing paperwork, and I should receive the 199 in a couple weeks? (I did not ask what my ratings were)

ALSO, last week my name was put on the intergrated list for promotion to E-5 Sergeant, my peblo sent the paperwork up. If I get medically retired, I can get promoted!! This made me happy since I have not been able to go the promotion board.

Any input or questions please let me know....what do you guys think about the pending decision approval?
 
mabelg89 said:
Just a random story, there are 5 total SM's in my company going through MEB. Two are pretty much just starting. As for the other 3 (includidng me), our timelines are pretty close, they are both about 1 week ahead of me in receiving UNFIT. I have the least amount of claims. On 14SEPT2013 my ebennies changed to pending decision approval. I told the other two. They also checked their ebennies, they were both on prep for decision. We are almost at the 120 day mark.

I see a little bit of hope here for us. We have a VA rep here at the hospital on post. I went there instead of going to my Peblo. He said my ebennies was correct. My ratings are done, they are finalizing paperwork, and I should receive the 199 in a couple weeks? (I did not ask what my ratings were)

ALSO, last week my name was put on the intergrated list for promotion to E-5 Sergeant, my peblo sent the paperwork up. If I get medically retired, I can get promoted!! This made me happy since I have not been able to go the promotion board.

Any input or questions please let me know....what do you guys think about the pending decision approval?
Click to expand...

Nonetheless, I hope you make E-5 Sergeant! :)

Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."

Best Wishes!
 
DAV Called me again today, my packet was mailed out yesterday. MY compensation is 1846, which will be nice. Then she said it will take about 4 months for the back pay to come because they have to audit me like the army did before final pay. I don't know if that is right. Also she said i will recieve both retired pay and VA because I am over 50%. I said I dont think that is i right, she saud congress passed it so if you are 50% ro above you will collect both. Is this correct?
 
So has anyone heard of anybody having any success with pushing against anyone in the VA to get a claim done? Does the Army itself have any control over this process? Has anyone ever heard of having success with having your Battalion or Brigade commander talk to anyone to move the process along?

I just had a pretty good job opportunity open up but I need to able to start in about 60 days. I was only found "unfit" about 3 weeks ago and I have a very uncomplicated claim. I have 1 Army unfitting condition and 4 additional conditions and they all have to do with my right knee and leg.

I guess what I fail to understand is what actually goes into the process to complete a rating. I mean all the VA talks about is how they have to be strict with regards to the VASRD- there's no interpretation. If that is true, how does it not take 5 minutes to figure out a rating? You just read what the condition is, match it up to the VASRD, add it all up, and BAM! You're done. I realize that for some reason everyone who has ever served in the military has a VA claim right now for the toe they stubbed playing ultimate frisbee for PT, but how does this process take so long?

I'm starting to believe my conspiracy theories that if they processed the claims in a timely manner, then they would have no jobs, so they intentionally go slow to make sure they get their fat government paycheck. Anyway now I'm ranting and pretty soon I'll be linking infowars articles so I'll stop. Can I claim PTSD from the actual MEB process itself?
 
mabelg89 said:
Just a random story, there are 5 total SM's in my company going through MEB. Two are pretty much just starting. As for the other 3 (includidng me), our timelines are pretty close, they are both about 1 week ahead of me in receiving UNFIT. I have the least amount of claims. On 14SEPT2013 my ebennies changed to pending decision approval. I told the other two. They also checked their ebennies, they were both on prep for decision. We are almost at the 120 day mark.

I see a little bit of hope here for us. We have a VA rep here at the hospital on post. I went there instead of going to my Peblo. He said my ebennies was correct. My ratings are done, they are finalizing paperwork, and I should receive the 199 in a couple weeks? (I did not ask what my ratings were)

ALSO, last week my name was put on the intergrated list for promotion to E-5 Sergeant, my peblo sent the paperwork up. If I get medically retired, I can get promoted!! This made me happy since I have not been able to go the promotion board.

Any input or questions please let me know....what do you guys think about the pending decision approval?
Click to expand...
If you have been placed on the AIP List you will be promoted on your last day. There is paperwork the BDE S-1is required to fill out. I am on my cell or I would repost the reg and instruction on how to do this. Please search my postings, it is posted 3-4 times around October 2013.
 
thunderchuck said:
So has anyone heard of anybody having any success with pushing against anyone in the VA to get a claim done? Does the Army itself have any control over this process? Has anyone ever heard of having success with having your Battalion or Brigade commander talk to anyone to move the process along?

I just had a pretty good job opportunity open up but I need to able to start in about 60 days. I was only found "unfit" about 3 weeks ago and I have a very uncomplicated claim. I have 1 Army unfitting condition and 4 additional conditions and they all have to do with my right knee and leg.

I guess what I fail to understand is what actually goes into the process to complete a rating. I mean all the VA talks about is how they have to be strict with regards to the VASRD- there's no interpretation. If that is true, how does it not take 5 minutes to figure out a rating? You just read what the condition is, match it up to the VASRD, add it all up, and BAM! You're done. I realize that for some reason everyone who has ever served in the military has a VA claim right now for the toe they stubbed playing ultimate frisbee for PT, but how does this process take so long?

I'm starting to believe my conspiracy theories that if they processed the claims in a timely manner, then they would have no jobs, so they intentionally go slow to make sure they get their fat government paycheck. Anyway now I'm ranting and pretty soon I'll be linking infowars articles so I'll stop. Can I claim PTSD from the actual MEB process itself?
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Getting anyone short of someone in congress to push a claim along at the VA and then the 90 day after signing the 199 is not in your odds at all.

Claims must be visited by different sections and different docs, it still has to go through the process. Especially for the VA to take 30 days to receive the packet and the PEB 30 days to receive it back, plus the 2 weeks of 199 dictation, plus 2 weeks for separation list, plus 2 weeks for orders.

I don't want to bust a bubble and say it won't happen, but with the timelines on how things roll in my opinion it just will not happen. You have at least 5 months to go from this point. I am really sorry, I missed out on probably the greatest opportunity of my life because they couldn't wait for 3 months.
 
Sicotic said:
DAV Called me again today, my packet was mailed out yesterday. MY compensation is 1846, which will be nice. Then she said it will take about 4 months for the back pay to come because they have to audit me like the army did before final pay. I don't know if that is right. Also she said i will recieve both retired pay and VA because I am over 50%. I said I dont think that is i right, she saud congress passed it so if you are 50% ro above you will collect both. Is this correct?
Click to expand...
No this is not correct, unless you are over 20 years of service, which that would fall under CDRP.
 
Each case will very but I do know you are allowed 25 PTDY for job and house hunting. Maybe you can use this to help you. I was told yesterday that from the VA its 6-12 weeks on average. My Dr told me that he expect me to be a civilian no later than thanksgiving. I know this can easy moves to the left or right. No one really knows how it is. Hurry up and wait at its finest.
 
Dickie G said:
I know this can easy moves to the left or right. No one really knows how it is. Hurry up and wait at its finest.
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Well said!
 
grizz13 said:
Getting anyone short of someone in congress to push a claim along at the VA and then the 90 day after signing the 199 is not in your odds at all.

Claims must be visited by different sections and different docs, it still has to go through the process. Especially for the VA to take 30 days to receive the packet and the PEB 30 days to receive it back, plus the 2 weeks of 199 dictation, plus 2 weeks for separation list, plus 2 weeks for orders.

I don't want to bust a bubble and say it won't happen, but with the timelines on how things roll in my opinion it just will not happen. You have at least 5 months to go from this point. I am really sorry, I missed out on probably the greatest opportunity of my life because they couldn't wait for 3 months.
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At the end of the day, I know it won't happen, but I just needed to ask.

So basically, my claim that has already been looked at by own doctors, the MEB doctor, the VA QAQC doctor, an IMR doctor, an Appeal doctor, and the PEB doctors, has to go through several other doctors as well? No wonder our government is in such debt.

Also, according to my MSC, my claim was received by the VA the very same day that I was found unfit by the PEB so I don't buy the 30 days BS (not saying it's your BS, but the VA's BS).

I should have mentioned that I have 65 days of leave right now so that will play into me getting out sooner in the end. Obviously I won't be able to take all of it, but as much as I can.

At some point we all need to stop accepting these terrible excuses and make these people do the jobs that we as taxpayers pay them to do.
 
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Corrction to my post, she may have neen saying you will be eligible to collect both under CRSC rules. But what they don't explain is that you have to apply after you recieve final VA ratings. But this means yiur claims must be combat related.
 
thunderchuck said:
At the end of the day, I know it won't happen, but I just needed to ask.

So basically, my claim that has already been looked at by own doctors, the MEB doctor, the VA QAQC doctor, an IMR doctor, an Appeal doctor, and the PEB doctors, has to go through several other doctors as well? No wonder our government is in such debt.

Also, according to my MSC, my claim was received by the VA the very same day that I was found unfit by the PEB so I don't buy the 30 days BS (not saying it's your BS, but the VA's BS).

I should have mentioned that I have 65 days of leave right now so that will play into me getting out sooner in the end. Obviously I won't be able to take all of it, but as much as I can.

At some point we all need to stop accepting these terrible excuses and make these people do the jobs that we as taxpayers pay them to do.
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Yes true, but we pay them by the hour not by case completion with quality...
 
Sicotic said:
DAV Called me again today, my packet was mailed out yesterday. MY compensation is 1846, which will be nice. Then she said it will take about 4 months for the back pay to come because they have to audit me like the army did before final pay. I don't know if that is right. Also she said i will recieve both retired pay and VA because I am over 50%. I said I dont think that is i right, she saud congress passed it so if you are 50% ro above you will collect both. Is this correct?
Click to expand...

Mines took a week or so after my claim was closed
 
mabelg89 said:
Just a random story, there are 5 total SM's in my company going through MEB. Two are pretty much just starting. As for the other 3 (includidng me), our timelines are pretty close, they are both about 1 week ahead of me in receiving UNFIT. I have the least amount of claims. On 14SEPT2013 my ebennies changed to pending decision approval. I told the other two. They also checked their ebennies, they were both on prep for decision. We are almost at the 120 day mark.

I see a little bit of hope here for us. We have a VA rep here at the hospital on post. I went there instead of going to my Peblo. He said my ebennies was correct. My ratings are done, they are finalizing paperwork, and I should receive the 199 in a couple weeks? (I did not ask what my ratings were)

ALSO, last week my name was put on the intergrated list for promotion to E-5 Sergeant, my peblo sent the paperwork up. If I get medically retired, I can get promoted!! This made me happy since I have not been able to go the promotioboard.

Any input or questions please let me know....what do you guys think about the pending decision approval?
Click to expand...
My claim moved to pending decision approval since 09/14/2013 same as yours but I already retired and submit my dd214. Also my RO is Seattle, WA.
Did your claim finalized - passed pending decision approval-on e benefits?
 
grizz13 said:
Yes true, but we pay them by the hour not by case completion with quality...
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Makes me think of the DMV. Just have to get the right person at the VA in Seattle. The person I have been working with has been very helpful and informative with me. The thing that blows my mind is when I leave a message or when he tells me he will call me back he does.
 
Alex09l said:
My claim moved to pending decision approval since 09/14/2013 same as yours but I already retired and submit my dd214. Also my RO is Seattle, WA.
Did your claim finalized - passed pending decision approval-on e benefits?
Click to expand...

@Dickie G.....hello! I checked Ebennies and there was an update today. It went back to gathering of evidence and also showed "requested documents for seperation." I called my VA rep, this means my ratings are done and the PEB is working up my 199, it also means that they are requesting my DD214. Ugh through all the emotions of today I have a headache from the moment I saw it move back to gathering of evidence...so nervous...

I hope yours decides to move along!!
 
mabelg89 said:
@Dickie G.....hello! I checked Ebennies and there was an update today. It went back to gathering of evidence and also showed "requested documents for seperation." I called my VA rep, this means my ratings are done and the PEB is working up my 199, it also means that they are requesting my DD214. Ugh through all the emotions of today I have a headache from the moment I saw it move back to gathering of evidence...so nervous...

I hope yours decides to move along!!
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Sounds like you are good, as from me I know mine is somewhere in the file bank? So any day now.

Did you find out what your ratings were?
Later
G
 
Sicotic said:
DAV Called me again today, my packet was mailed out yesterday. MY compensation is 1846, which will be nice. Then she said it will take about 4 months for the back pay to come because they have to audit me like the army did before final pay. I don't know if that is right. Also she said i will recieve both retired pay and VA because I am over 50%. I said I dont think that is i right, she saud congress passed it so if you are 50% ro above you will collect both. Is this correct?
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Congrats, but I don't think that is right either unless you had 20 years. I don't think the greater than 50% will qualify you for concurrent pay without TIS. But, let us know if concurrent pay did pass because that means you, I, and a lot more Vets would be blessed. Keep us posted!
 
Just check eBemnis and my last update was in June. The VA told me that once in the file bank at the VA 6-12 week on average now but those numbers can change and change big time.
 
Sad but true my CSM is all over me and talks down to me as if I pissed hot for crack. Being a senior NCO I thought that I would be treated better, for the O side yes NCO side is kick rocks and how can I be a ass. Disappointed in the CSM on how he is. Dude told me that if I had respect for myself I would due my time so I can respect myself. Few months later my combat medic from my 4th tour hung himself and all he told me was that dude was a pussy!! I love that kid its sad. This process needs to end so I can bounce.
 
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