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

I got out in April 1972 I filed my first disability claim in July 2011 and by September 2014 I was rated 100percent

I made an appointment while I was on terminal leave

Well, you should receive a letter from Branch that you’re retiring from US Army. By then, you have 18 months going thru a transition period. I believe by 3-4 months out before retirement period I made an appointment with VA VSO for claims after the physical results. After the Army transition and being retired it took 6-month when I received a letter of the outcome for disability rating. Because the DoD and VA may have to a retrograde toward your pension and your C&P Disability pay by percentage, plus back pay. Make sure you personally contact a local Veteran Service Officer (VSO) so you will receive your Disability Rating Letter along with benefits.

When I got out on a medical in ‘96, the Army gave me 0%. As in ZERO. The VA gave me 20%, which over time has grown to 70% due to problems arising related to the original rating. I don’t know ANYONE who got a rating from the military, unless it was 100% or so obvious that they had to give them a rating.

Retired in 2011. At that time the policy had recently been changed from requiring separation or retirement to apply for a VA rating to being able to apply 6 months prior to exit, which is what I did. Acquired TWO copies of my medical records (one of which I keep handy) and gave the other one to the VA. Rated at 60% (sleep apnea and other stuff) and was receiving VA pay something like 3 months later. So if you think you have a rating, go as soon as possible.

I messed up and did not get a physical when I ETS'd, then filed a couple of years later. I have since filed 3 times, each time I have been turned down. My wife is not a happy camper and wants me to try again, but I think now that I am in my mid 70's and have a battery in my back to control my pain, and have been turned down 3 times, I am thinking that it will be an automatic turn down so have put off doing anything now.

I started a out six months out getting all my docs together and got it turned into DAV as soon as I could. Had my initial 90% rating immediately upon separation. Don't wait, work on it as early as you can. Also, don't feel like a dirt bag for making your way to sick call if there's something you feel is wrong - document ALL issues, no matter how small you think they are.

It is basically tied in to retirement now. I just retired in Feb and the generic retirement briefs talked about filing for disability and the two methods to do so: concurrent with outprocessing or within a year of ETS (not just retirement).

I was being medically retired so the process was already well underway for me. So, I can't really speak to how much a SPC with three years in felt the impetus to participate; but I do feel it was significantly stressed.

That said, I'm now getting ready to appeal. I feel the VA missed some obvious connections between my PTSD/TBI and some of my symptoms in other claimed areas.

One of the bigger problems when I ETS was that the VA rep said don't worry about filing a claim until you get home. The problem here is that the Dr's that treated you at your last post are then blocked off from aiding in your case. If you know your ETS date, and you've got less than 12 months left, and you're not resigning, get your medical records together and start your claim. VA will ask you to wait until you're 6 months from ETS. That gives you time to get your letters and statements from current service doctors to support your case, which the VA has to accept and work from. The two guys I know that followed this advice, did not struggle or fight for years with their claims, and got better percentages up front than they would have by waiting.
In my own case, I tried to get the doctors to write letters for me, the VA reps I spoke to said they would not be accepted. Military Dr's said I should have been rated at 50% with VA after medical retirement at 30%, VA gave me 20% and it's been a fight ever since. You have friends getting out, do all you can to encourage them to start before they are out instead of waiting.

6 months out from leaving active duty I started the process. Then I got my first rating 2 mo ths after separation.