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

I retired in 1986, I started my first claim in 2012. The reason for such a long time before I filed my first claim, I lost track of time. Once I started my claim, it took me 8 years before I got my 100%. One thing I learned is don't believe the TV commercials. They charge too much. I got my best help from the DAV (Disabled American Veterans) I'm a Disabled Vietnam Veteran. If you need some advice and would like to talk call me at [login to see]

As soon as I was home and settled... maybe a week...

I made all of my first claims when I was clearing and got everything on my records before I separated

I became disabled in 2016 long after I was honorably discharged.

I filed my first VA claim 40 years after I completed my active duty.

I returned from Iraq in April 2005, put my first claim in in September 2006, it was not resolved until May of 2011.

42 years, 61 now, was 19 when in basic. Got an honorable and had a back injury aggravated during basic. Filed about a year ago and have been through 6 c&p exams so far. Still waiting, never knew I was qualified to apply till talked to other vets recently. I always worked with the disability and did what was needed to survive. Can't do it anymore. Back injury is documented in my VA record, MED board even encouraged me to seek out medical halp in the civilian world in their report. That always bothered me and might be my salvation.

I found out that I had PTSD after I had gotten out the reapplied and got 100 %. I got lucky.

13 years! I didn't trust VA after my first trip to James A. Haley, Tampa, Fl, was terrible. It took me 2 hrs to see the doctor and three hrs to get my meds. After waiting for another 12 years I went back. Dang how that place had changed. I look forward to seeing my doctor now.

I wIted at leadt eight years; thinking i could not stay in the reserves on diving duty. Now 25 years later I filed for sleep apnea. I had heard that divers are subject to sleep apnea; especially when we used my favorite rig the Jack Browne. It came back denied because i did not file when i was on active duty.


Had anyone heard of sleep apnea in the early 1980s?