Post-separation timeline for VA benefits for a married Marine, no children.

T

thanks4urhelp

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Finally making a new thread in regards to a post service timeline. I've posted a full in-service timeline for a Marine Corps medical retirement at Camp Lejeune at the following thread:

Camp Lejeune timeline

20221015 rough date of injury 20230524 limdu initiated (221 days) 20231025 meb referral (154 days) 20240123 meb acceptance (90 days) 20240129 va/legal brief (6 days, delay due to course attendance) Referred for low back pain, thoracic back pain (2 conditions listed) 244 days since LIMDU...
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I arrived in my hometown on the 15th, and started hashing out most of the preliminary stuff. My official EAS date was the 30th of July, and things began picking up from there.

The important stuff:

20240725 - Half of VR&E supplies arrive.
20240730 - Retired from USMC.
20240731 - Approved for 100% of GI bill
20240801 - VA is notified that the Red Cross submitted a COLA loan, VA flags my claim as at risk of homelessness. I ask for clarification, and they stated the flag is warranted due to it being a COLA loan. I'm told the hardship flag simply reads "homeless", and it should receive priority processing. I don't know if that will end up being true but we'll see.
20240802 - Local school certified VR&E contract.
20240803 - VA claim populated. Temp jurisdiction in Providence. Currently sitting at preparation for decision. The effective date is 20240731. You will get backpaid to the day after service!! **KEEP IN MIND THE VA ONLY PAYS YOU FOR FULL MONTHS.

Will keep posting any further updates... hope y'all's timelines are short and concise.
 
20240805 - Went to a local Army base to register myself and my wife under retired status/sponsor status. After I registered us, I enrolled us both into TRICARE Prime. They will demand a quarterly payment upfront, for 2 or more family members it will be around 220 dollars for a quarterly upfront payment. 79 or so dollars a month from there. Select is like 95 or so dollars a month for the family.
 
thanks4urhelp said:
20240805 - Went to a local Army base to register myself and my wife under retired status/sponsor status. After I registered us, I enrolled us both into TRICARE Prime. They will demand a quarterly payment upfront, for 2 or more family members it will be around 220 dollars for a quarterly upfront payment. 79 or so dollars a month from there. Select is like 95 or so dollars a month for the family.
Click to expand...
Nothing out of pocket and no annual fees for Tricare Select if anyone wants to got that route. That's what my family did. Its so nice to pick a specialist and not need a referral. In fact our daughter is going to see a dermatologist next week and we just scheduled the appointment and will pay a $50 copay to have her be seen there. Way less work and don't need to go to a military base for a primary doc.
 
Provis said:
Nothing out of pocket and no annual fees for Tricare Select if anyone wants to got that route. That's what my family did. Its so nice to pick a specialist and not need a referral. In fact our daughter is going to see a dermatologist next week and we just scheduled the appointment and will pay a $50 copay to have her be seen there. Way less work and don't need to go to a military base for a primary doc.
Click to expand...
Select is nice, plenty of convenience. Only downside is it typically has higher premiums on the side by side to Prime. The area I live in doesn't qualify for MTF attention, so my PCM is just a civilian doctor 5 miles away from my place. When I was discussing the differences I was happy with the situation Prime gave me, though who knows, maybe I'll give Select a shot when open season begins next year.
 
20240806 - Claim moved to pending final review. This is moving pretty quick so far, hoping the momentum stays.IMG_4446.png
 
Clarification on what I posted earlier: it's pending decision approval. I'm presuming this is the stage they approve it, then generate the decision presuming no further evidence is needed.claimtrack.png
 
20240807 - Travel claim paid out from Marine disbursing office. IPAC estimate was 1460, disbursing paid out 1453. I recommend all Navy Fed users to set up email notifications on direct deposits so they know when they're paid out for any reason.

Things are looking really good now between final pay and travel pay. I'm still waiting on my sold leave & a return of my overpayment on BAH for my final month, but I'm doing quite well financially now. Presuming my claim is closed within the month (it's looking like it will be but knock on wood) I should be able to pay back the Red Cross within a couple months and have a very strong foundation to start school.
 
* I want it to be abundantly clear I did a HHG move through the government, and I was still a candidate for a travel voucher because I drove myself and my wife home in our POV. If I didn't apply for it through MOL I would be 1400 dollars poorer, so make sure you are crystal clear on whether or not you're eligible for a travel voucher before you leave. If you've already left and you're not sure, just call the disbursing office.

Lejeune disbursing office: (910) 451-5300
 
20240808 - Claim enters preparation for notification. Looks like the hardship flag really did work some magic, getting to this point in 8 days is shocking to me. c.png
 
20240808 - State I live in approved me for the maximum unemployment amount of 500 a week for 26 weeks. Financial concerns are gone now. Really helpful since my job search has led to many dead ends. I used to be managerial in food service before I enlisted, can't do that job anymore so this helps a ton. Food benefit is still pending review but I can make this work and I can make it work well.

Between here and other veteran forums like Reddit there are countless cautions, benefits, and issues I was made aware of. Had I done this on my own I wouldn't be in the apartment I live in, I wouldn't be anticipating the pay I'm anticipating, and I wouldn't be nearly as collected on everything.

I plan on showing my support here once finances completely level out. Community when it comes to these niche issues, benefits, and more are so valuable that losing them would be an absolute detriment to the transitioning SM at large. Those watching patiently (or somewhat anxiously) waiting for answers, I'm wishing you the best. I invite you to send me a personal message if you've got any questions you think I can answer.

I learned how to effectively review the CFR for my conditions and how to anticipate a rating based on the documentation of my issues in my exams here. I learned timelines similar to other Marines in my circumstance contemporary to me which did boundless things to ease my anxiety and stress for the process. I learned what means what in VA lingo both here and on some other Veteran forums. I learned about federal & local benefits here, like NMCRS who greatly assisted me and unemployment in my state. My point is you can't really put a price on meaningful information: especially in a process almost seemingly designed to keep you guessing.

I'll continue updating my separation timeline, but I felt it was critical to not understate the value of these conversations.
 
20240809 - I'm blown away. The VA finalized their decision today and it seems they maintained all of their proposals. My wife has been added as a dependent as well. The VA took 9 days to finalize their decision after my claim was marked for hardship: they took it seriously.

I made a $100 donation to this forum moments ago. The information I got here was worth a lot more, but I hope it helps to keep the forum running. I'm going to keep my notifications on for this forum for any messages I receive, just wanna say thank you to all of the people that spoke to me, deliberated with me, or did anything to help me out.

God bless PEBFORUM. Thank you.IMG_4459.png
 
Final timeline

20240725 - Half of VR&E supplies arrive.
20240730 - Retired from USMC.
20240731 - Approved for 100% of GI bill
20240801 - VA is notified that the Red Cross submitted a COLA loan, VA flags my claim as at risk of homelessness. I ask for clarification, and they stated the flag is warranted due to it being a COLA loan. I'm told the hardship flag simply reads "homeless", and it should receive priority processing. I don't know if that will end up being true but we'll see.
20240802 - Local school certified VR&E contract.
20240803 - VA claim populated. Temp jurisdiction in Providence. Currently sitting at preparation for decision. The effective date is 20240731. You will get backpaid to the day after service!! **KEEP IN MIND THE VA ONLY PAYS YOU FOR FULL MONTHS.
20240805 - Went to a local Army base to register myself and my wife under retired status/sponsor status. After I registered us, I enrolled us both into TRICARE Prime. They will demand a quarterly payment upfront, for 2 or more family members it will be around 220 dollars for a quarterly upfront payment. 79 or so dollars a month from there. Select is like 95 or so dollars a month for the family.
20240806 - Claim moved to pending final review. This is moving pretty quick so far, hoping the momentum stays.
20240807 - Travel claim paid out from Marine disbursing office. IPAC estimate was 1460, disbursing paid out 1453. I recommend all Navy Fed users to set up email notifications on direct deposits so they know when they're paid out for any reason.
20240808 - Claim enters preparation for notification. Looks like the hardship flag really did work some magic, getting to this point in 8 days is shocking to me.
20240808 - State I live in approved me for the maximum unemployment amount of 500 a week for 26 weeks. Financial concerns are gone now. Really helpful since my job search has led to many dead ends. I used to be managerial in food service before I enlisted, can't do that job anymore so this helps a ton. Food benefit is still pending review but I can make this work and I can make it work well.
20240809 - I'm blown away. The VA finalized their decision today and it seems they maintained all of their proposals. My wife has been added as a dependent as well. The VA took 9 days to finalize their decision after my claim was marked for hardship: they took it seriously.
 
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