You can edit your post by clicking on the yellow square folder with the pencil eraser. It is above your posted message where the date and time are located. There may be a time limit and I do not know what it is.

quote:

Originally posted by moe:
Thanks Dave. You told me what the VA customer service would'nt or could'nt. Unfortunately, even after years of experience dealing with the VA I still get frustrated.

To compound the problem our regional office in New Orleans went bye-bye. They have temporaryily set up in Gretna,La but no one, including VA customer service, has a contact number. Snail mail only.

I can understand the problem with getting the VA Regional Office back to full speed. However the VA toll free # should work, as any VARO can answer questions as it is computerized.

Dave, the folks at 1 800 827 1000 on two separate occasions didn't have a clue. I called my VSO a week ago to see if he could dig anything up. He called yesterday and said I should receive my award letter in about two weeks.

He done good!!


Hate to sound overly critcal but this forum is too cluttered and not very user friendly.

Incidentally Dave, I'm not directing the above comment to you, unless you are a moderator. I don't see a suggestion or moderator area so maybe someone will see it here.

Thanks dave. I finally see the eraser. And the quote button lives right next door...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: moe,

Yes the forums are cluttered, but that seems to be the nature of all military oriented forums.

The only thing I moderate is giving answers to questions when I know them. I have had issues with the 800 827 1000 number, since the first day it went into use and before that was a local number that went into the VARO. The problem is computer access. The information is not always updated and often lags far behind. When a veteran visits my office, they see a sign on my door and a small one on my desk that says

"Notice to all AMVETS clients:
If I represent you in your claim, please do not call the toll free number
to the VA Regional Office. This will confuse what I am doing for you.
Please call me on all quesitons regarding your claim.
David Barker

So you now know why!

Dave I for one appreciate the info you post here. In my book there is no such thing as too much info.

I will check in often to see what's new.

Moe:

Remember this is a two way street, feel free to post anything you feel, anything that could be of benefit to others, questions, usefull tips, anything, you are always welcome.

Regards

Mike

Moe:

Remember this is a two way street, feel free to post anything you feel, anything that could be of benefit to others, questions, usefull tips, anything, you are always welcome.

Regards

Mike



Confused Mike. thought I was already doing that..

Moe

Another good site dealing with tinnitus and solving the combining process used by the VA.


http://www.rattler-firebird.org/va/combinedrates.php

If you have excel this calculator will take the confusion out of disability rating.

http://www.hadit.com/content/scpercentage.htm

The Veterans Oragnizations have united for us! Please read this letter and pass it on.

May 5, 2006

Honorable Steven Buyer, Chairman
Veterans’ Affairs Committee
U.S. House of Representatives
335 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Buyer:

Veterans’ Service Organizations (VSOs) and Congress have for over 50 years realized the importance of presenting to the Veterans’ Affairs Committees our estimates and recommendations on the budgetary needs of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and other legislatives issues. It should not come as a surprise that the leadership of the undersigned VSOs is united in opposition of your decision to eliminate the Committee’s participation in joint hearings of the Veterans’ Affairs Committees. While we have all at one time or another protested this unilateral decision, we now present unanimous displeasure at your decision in one unified voice.

The fact that you have made a decision without consulting VSOs is on its face, disrespectful to our organizations and our millions of volunteer members that live and advocate for their fellow veterans and their families all across this great nation. The fact that you continue not to listen could be considered, without resorting to too much speculation, hostile, and indeed we feel that you are being hostile in your dealings with VSOs. It is our hope that this letter will cause you to rethink your decision to shut America’s veterans out of the congressional debate for adequate VA funding.

Your sudden “revelation” last year that VA was drastically under funded came as no surprise to us. The fiscal year 2005 budget recommendations provided by The American Legion and the Independent Budget (IB) were nearly identical to the final budget numbers approved by Congress after the emergency supplemental was approved.

Your decision to “advance the Committee’s annual legislative hearing schedule” by deciding that the joint hearings are unnecessary not only denies the members of the Veterans’ Affairs Committees in both houses the insight of the VSOs, but it also kills a deep tradition that has afforded the national leaders of the veterans’ community the opportunity to present the VA budget recommendations and the entire legislative agenda of the respective organizations. In addition to an adequate budget for VA and quality-of-life issues for veterans and their families, VSOs advocate for an array of issues that seek to promote patriotism and strengthen national security. Mr. Chairman, don’t silence the voice of America’s veterans.

Veterans’ Service Organizations are not single issue organizations, and our members take advantage of their time in Washington to visit with their congressional representatives to share with them all of the organizations legislative priorities. Veterans Rehabilitation, access to quality health care, military quality-of-life, foreign relations and benefit and educational improvements are among the many issues that VSO members discuss with all Members of Congress, not simply the members of the Veterans’ Affairs Committees. These visits effectively convey the broad catalog of issues advocated by VSOs as well as educate those members who may not be as familiar with the needs of VA and America’s veterans as the members of the Veterans’ Affairs Committees.

Mr. Chairman, every VSO has agreed that canceling the joint hearings is an affront to the national leadership of the VSO community as well as all of America’s veterans. Additionally, we do not agree with your assessment that VSOs are being afforded an increased opportunity to influence the budget debate. As evidenced by your Views and Estimates, our recommendations for an adequate budget and improvements to benefit programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs went unheard.

We hope that you will hear us now as we speak together as one against your decision to no longer hold joint hearings.

Sincerely,


THOMAS L. BOCK
National Commander

The American Legion

JAMES R. MUELLER

Commander-inChief

Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S.

EDWARD W. KEMP
National Commander

AMVETS



PAUL W. JACKSON

National Commander

Disabled American Veterans