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

I was sitting in out processing(may77) at Ft Knox after taking my discharge physical and was approached by a civilian from the local legion chapter. he asked me during our talk if I had any medical problems that might be serviced connected and if so could he pursue them in my interest. I signed a couple of forms and within 90 days, i had a rating decision from the VA.

1) Take an Official Copy of your Medical File when out processing.
2) If there is an immediate Medical Issue / Disqualification, go through the proper steps & get a Medical Discharge / Chapter. Even *"Weight Control Failure," is a Medical (Honorable) / through JAG.

I was still in. I think after my C&P exam, I waited for almost a year before my decision was made. But my experience with the VA has been great. However, I do hear from time to time where there are a few vets that haven’t had such a pleasant experience. I’m very thankful for the VA. Good luck brother.

The longer you wait to file a claim after discharge, the harder it is to get approved.

I was medicaly after 14 years as a grunt but I didn’t go to the VA I went to AMVETS and they took care o everything
but yo can go to any Vet center you want
and they know all the in and out of the VA let them do all the work it’ll be easier.

Don’t wait if you do you wait for to long you will have to fight your butt for your benefits it took me four years to get mine agent orange works slow I am now100% after waiting for 40 years

Retired 1993, but not until I was unable to work in 2016 .
I did a lot of overseas contract that required me to 'pass muster'.

I never filed a claim when I got out. About 4 months after discharge the VA sent me a letter with an appointment to the VA medical center. After receiving my rating and back payment since discharge, I was floored as I never knew or expected anything after discharge. That was 1970, I filed my actual first VA disability claim 27 years later for re-evaluation for worsening conditions.
The rating and backpay was a godsend as making minimum wage of $1.60 at the time with a pregnant wife was making for some pretty tough times.

The day the "Man" gives you your discharge, you head over to the VA. You find yourself a rep (American Legion, DAV, VFW, etc.) my personal favorite is the DAV. Don't procrastinate and always remember the worst lawyer is yourself. The C&P guys will eat you alive, but they don't scew around with the DAV Rep. You can receive compensation for injuries and illnesses before you entered the military if such service aggravated the condition. Also, this is no time to be "Sgt Rock" chomping on a cigar and claiming to have defeated all known illnesses, injuries, and malicious intent by the enemy on your person, save that for the VFW Hall. You let the DAV Rep know every ache, pain, twitch, limp, cut, bruise, infestation of some kind of jungle creature upon your anus, or some kind of crawly critter in the desert that went in your left ear and existed out your right ear. Let the C&P exam do it's job. Oh, yeah, remember many VA folks are Vets so they work on the "Hurry up and Wait" theory, but the wait is worth it.

I filed a year after ETSing and received my rating within 5 months and it was back dated to when I got out. I was back paid for about 16 months.