Did you wait till you were out to get your disability rating? If so, how long before you made your first claim?

Over 30 years and

I first applied after three years and applied over the next several years until I was rated at 100%

File your disability claim while you are in. It will make it easier for us Raters at the VA to grant you disability percentages.

I have to be honest with you i am jealous that all of you had people to help you in this process. I didn't, I called and they told me what forms i needed i looked them up filled them out and sent them to the VA and it was that easy and everything was just between me and the VA. I was surprised that you all had people and firms to help you in this process i just wanted to get it over with. Once i got the 100% i was done and at that point.

Spc Jesse T. To answer your question you can file as soon as you need to as long as all your disabilities are listed and you start the process. You will only be paid from the time that you file the paperwork. So you can wait three four five years. Once you submit the paperwork and the start reviewing your claim from the day that they get it. That is your start date and they will only back pay you from that point. I filed my claim in in 2018 In February and it took them until June 2018 to start paying me and the back pay was only from February of 2018. Even though i ETS in 2016. I was given 70% at first and from there more testing and doctor visits then i got 100% from things that they did not find the first time. So make sure that you document everything and that the doctor knows about everything and i do mean everything. Lastly people please stop trying to use E.D. as a problem they will not give you a rating for that unless you are missing parts of it.

I got out shortly after the first gulf war (December 1992), and filed right before Covid this year - 27 years and four months later. They came back with an 80% rating, with three items I claimed listed as “deferred” due to the pandemic limiting availability of examining physicians here in StLouis. Coworkers who were also veterans have been hounding me since about 2008 to do it but this year a guy I work with all but dragged me to a DAV rep to get it done. I work for a contractor on Scott AFB, IL so all the services are within walking distance, even with my ruined knees.
If you’re about to get out, file now!

When I was doing my pre-ETS preparation classes I submitted a request to start a file and continued with it as soon as I got to my destination. Took a couple months to start getting appointments. After that it took about a year to get my first 50% rating and was happy with it. After 6 years I was asked to be re-evaluated on one of my ratings and it went up. After that I submitted for an increase and went to 90%, then hit 100% after getting my sleep apnea linked.

unfortunately I waited almost 45 years to even go to the VA. The first doctor just in the interview portion of my appt she told me i needed to file a claim, my answer was a what. I did and it took about 9 months to get classified but They gave me 50% and it came at a most excellent time in my life. So all you young guns out there the VA is really there to help DON'T BE SHY they are there to help and they are very good at what they do.

As I recall from my experience 7 years ago, the VA prioritizes claims made BEFORE separation above those made by Veterans already separated. Of course you might have to file a new claim later if something crops up. If you've been in a while, you almost certainly have something not working right, so best to get the paperwork started while still on duty.

I was rated before I got out because I was told if I waited to file until after I got out, it would take longer to get my rating back. Because I had my rating before I got out, my payment started within 30 days of my ETS.