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

I was rated afte 25 years. I first filed in 96 when I got out and was denied. 25years later my service medical records appeared. Filed again and was rated. I didn't know i could file while active.

I got out in 2012 and it took me about 5 years to get my first rating in 2017 at 80%. I got my last increase in 2019 to 90%. I’m currently waiting on a higher level review decision for 100%, which, I should have received the first time. So, prepare for a long haul I’ve been waiting for almost 10 years to get the rating I deserve. I’ve had 8 operations. 4 on my shoulders. 1 on the right and 3 on my left and can’t pick up over 20 pounds repetitiously anymore. 1 hernia operation with 2 still inside me. 12 inches of my colon removed due to diverticulitis, 2 wrist operations, osteoarthritis, diabetic, high blood pressure, ptsd, scoliosis in the neck, bulging disks in my back, bone spurs in my feet, sleep apnea, and GERD! I served 4 years in the Marine Corps and 6 in the Army and national guard as an MP. I stayed in until they wouldn’t let me. My advice is file your claim as soon as possible and try your best to be patient!

I'm rated and I did wait till I got out and it took about 2 years. One thing to remember is to get help this system isn't here to give anything to you without a fight. DAV, VOA, VFW, and even the VA, get help. Also remember to have your records and keep track of every LOA, the times you were sick, and if it was a cold or something else. What it boils down to is it's your responsibility for you. Also remember it's their job to say no, and it's yours to push back.

I got out and never even knew about a claim until after I retired from my civilian job, 30 years after I separated from the Air Force. It is really hard to let the VA know that I had a problem because I think they just don't believe me now.

Had documented pain issues in 1985, ETS’ed in 1987. I dealt with the pain by taking ibuprofen, doans, and Tylenol. Basically just dealing with and eating the pain. Saw guys missing legs and arms, dents in their heads, etcetera; didn’t want to take advantage of a system when so many were in need. In 2005 I could no longer deal with the pain, even with over the counter meds. Sitting in my easy chair I had tears in my eyes it hurt so bad. A couple of vets I worked with told me to file a claim. I went and saw my local VSO and filed a claim, it was dismissed and said they thought the pain was for another reason. So with the help of my VSO I filed the claim that way, they dismissed it saying they thought it was for the original reason the I filed it under the first time. Long story short, we played the game for 2 years. It was so stressful my wife and I decided we were done trying. The stress level during this time was high, because as law enforcement I was worried I would have a fit for duty put upon me, so I was going to have to retire. I have always looked at it as our retirement and wanted to work a few more years to build the 401k back up after the 2008 housing crash. So because of the doctor appointments and medications were reaking havoc on our family budget, my wife was going to have to work full time. This devastated me mentally. It was OUR retirement and because of me she had to sacrifice for me; I was a burden. About this time we received the dismissal letter from C&P. When reading between the lines, it said it had been over 20 years, so I was just trying to get something for nothing. I was livid with anger. So I chose to continue and we spent hard earned money on neurologists evaluations and many other appointments to jump through the hoops of the VA. With those evaluations, the help of a very kind C&P evaluator, and a kind VA specialist Doctor, my claim was accepted. It took 9 years, because I waited because I didn’t want to take advantage of a system. I am rated at 100% permanent and total, leg braces and cane; along with a lot of meds and machines to help with the pain. They still don’t know why, but the speculation is radiation from the radars I worked on; or possibly a nerve agent when we were sent to the Middle East in 1985.

My first claim was 10 to 12 years after I got out. There was a class on this when I was in Seps, but it didn't dawn on me that this was as important as it was. I had an injury in Boot Camp, while at the rifle range, and it was never recorded. (Not Weapon related.) To this day there is no proof of my knee issues stemming from that time. I have had 2 successful filings since my first award.

It took me 13 years after getting out to convince my issues happened in the Army because my records disappeared. Still struggling

ANYONE WHO WAITS UNTIL THEY ARE SEPARATED SHOULD BE HANGED AND QUARTERED.

I applied for VA disability after being retired from the US Air Force for 16 years.

Prior to getting discharged, I had gone through several medical boards for medical retirement. I was denied twice. At that time (1980), I wasn't aware that I could apply. But upon getting home, I went to a VSO, who had my 214 entered in County records. I also started my claim then, ended up with 40% at the time.