Most Recent Blog Posts
Getting a Common Language: What is the “VA” and Veterans Affairs?
One problem with the VA Claims Process is that Veterans, the VA & the CAVC don’t share a common language. For Veterans just leaving Active Duty, accredited VA Attorney Chris Attig gives a very basic overview of the VA.
A Quick Overview of Same Sex Married Couple VA Benefits.
As recently as June 2014, the VA has reinforced its intent to provide same sex married couple VA Benefits that are no different from any other married couple. Learn about a few of those benefits here.
Will VA give Veterans Benefits to same-sex couples?
The short answer? We don't know just yet. Let me bring you up to speed. In 1996, then-President Bill Clinton enacted the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). The basic idea of DOMA (without all the legalese) was that if you were LGBT, and lived in a state where you...
Veterans’ Court sees potential crime against Veteran in the VA Fiduciary Program – and does NOTHING!
Court sees Potential Crime against a Veteran in the VA Fiduciary Program – and does nothing.
Do the Joint Chiefs really understand the issue of Military Rape?
The Joint Chiefs were up on the Hill earlier this week, talking to the Senate Armed Services Committee about the huge problem of rape and sexual assault in the military (the DoD and VA have "niced" this up by inventing the term "Military Sexual Trauma"). You can watch...
Another band-aid for a broken system: VA’s New Notice of Disagreement Form.
Here we go, folks, another "band-aid" for the broken claims process. We've received 2 Ratings Decision last week (May 2013) in which the VA included this new NOD (Notice of Disagreement) Form. I had heard it was coming - Tom Murphy (one of the VA higher-ups in the VA...
Painting the Windows Black: The VA really has no clue why its system is broken.
I am trying very hard not to bash the VA. There are some really good people that work there, and many - though not all - try very hard to serve Veterans best interests. Sometimes, though, the VA makes it really hard to be supportive. Take the Draft Gulf War Report...
Seattle RO denies another Veteran’s claimed PTSD due to Military Sexual Trauma.
I don’t get it – why did the Seattle VA Regional Office deny service connection for post traumatic stress disorder to this survivor of Military Sexual Trauma ? See if you can help me understand.