Reports Show Few Vets Know about Veteran’s Benefits, but Many States Improving Processing of Claims
After an investigative report broke in March, the Veteran’s Administration has worked hard to reduce the wait time involving in Veteran’s Benefit claims. In spring, internal documents showed that Veteran’s Benefits claim processing time had skyrocketed to over a year.
However, the administration has made several changes, including mandating cases worker overtime, and updating to a new computer system. Now, the number of backlogged cases has been reduced by 34,000 people, and the average time spent waiting for a Veteran’s Benefits decision has dropped by nearly 4 months.
However, nearly 401,000 claims still wait in the year-or-more backlog.
“Nobody should be declaring victory while so many people have been enduring the emotional and financial strain of waiting,” said Paul Rieckhoff, founder and CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
The VA fell short of its goal to eliminate all year-old claims by October 1. However, the VA reports that if it can continue working on the backlog of Veteran’s benefits claims at the same pace, then it will eliminate the problem by December 2014, which will fulfill the Obama administration’s promise that no veteran will have to wait for benefits for more than four months by 2015.
Many Young Vets Don’t Know About Veteran’s Benefits
In addition to the backlog problem, many young veterans don’t know what the federal government offers them when they finish their service. When veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan return home, the Department of Veterans Affairs is not informed where the former soldiers live, and therefore cannot send them information so they can apply.
“It’s been a problem for decades,” said Vietnam veteran Jerry Donnellan, director of the Rockland County Veterans Service Agency. “I’ll bet you lunch that there’s a young veteran just out of the service within two miles of where I’m sitting who could use our help. But he doesn’t know we exist and we don’t know where he is.”
The military will tell veterans about Veteran’s Benefits when the soldiers leave, but the class is reportedly so short, and many vets are so anxious to go home, that the information does not sink in. Ryan Barry, a Navy vet who finished his tour in 2009 and now lives in Connecticut, did not know about his Veteran’s benefits until a fellow student veteran told him about the VA. Now, Barry receives counseling for his PTSD, disability payments for his knee and back injuries, and hopes to return to school with veteran’s financial aid in January.
“Clearly, the VA is not moving fast enough,” Sen. Charles Schumer agrees told The Journal News last week. “On Veterans Day, we must give thanks to service members, young and old, past and present, for their bravery and sacrifice in defense of our great nation. But, this sign of gratitude is useless if veterans don’t know what’s available to them.”
The Strom Law Firm Can Help With Veterans Disability Problems in South Carolina
If past problems with your records affect your ability to apply for Veterans Disability in the state of South Carolina, the attorneys at the Strom Law Firm can help. Veterans Disability can be complex. Not understanding the basics and not having counsel can leave you in a bind. We understand that you need your benefits. We will put our years of experience to work for you to ensure that you have the representation necessary to actively pursue your claim. Call the attorneys at the Strom Law Firm today to discuss your Veterans Disability case today. We will be glad to discuss any questions you may have during our free, confidential consultation. Call the experienced attorneys at the Strom Law Firm at (803)252-4800.
Leave a Reply