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

I was out and I am still waitting for the final decision. It's been 19 years and it is still at the BVA for final decision I hope it will be soon.

I was denied employment after 9-11 for a customs job because of my service connected hearing loss. I went for the 10% after 30 years. I have endured 50 yrs of Agent orange effects on my legs. VA will not answer any questions. I applied for the agent orange registry and they lost my application. I reapplied and the Dr. never looked at my condition. Oh well.

I served from 1966-1968 and One year in Vietnam as a tanker on a M-48 A3 where I received 2 Purple Hearts. When I ETS'd in 1968 : No examination, Nothing....just money for accumulated leave and pay for the final month. The VA was NEVER mentioned to me as I was processing out. I came home went to work and got married. Thirty-nine (39) years later I joined the VFW and I was told there by the members that I should file a claim with the VA. They told me to go to the VA Regional Office and file a claim. I went with all of my paperwork and filed a claim. In less than a year I received 100% Disability. I could have done that in 1968 when I separated if I had only been informed.
There are a lot of old Vietnam veterans walking around at this moment that are not aware of what is available at VA. Some are just frustrated or else have heard too many stories about VA.

I was never told during my service time that I could get VA healthcare and/or file for disability after my discharge. Despite documented repetitive injuries during service, I was denied VA disability benefits for those injuries. Not only was I denied adequate treatment in-service, I'm being denied disability benefits now. The VA might care, but the disability evaluation contractors definitely dont care. I have to fight to get compensation for documented injuries from 30 years ago, that have progressed to my current conditions.

Spec 4 J. Tabor and to any one that has filed or now filing or will file in the future for disability claim(s) via V.A. &/or Social Sec claim(s) .. keep every piece of paper, orders, old Id. cards, &/or anything that shows that has shown, &/or that in the future .. trust me .. you will need all the just said in case a situation arises &/or has &/or that will arise due to various pain(s), ache(s), skirmish(es), battle(s), et cetera ..
I went through a whole bunch of the above just to get where i am at now .. i am now satisfied where my disability ratings are at, presently ..
trust me you will think about these things when you need to show proof of where you are or was in trying to get a piece of paper or proof of or et cetera when asked for when filing for disability/disabilities .. if you have to get 5 or 10 or however many of copy/copies you need to say you was at Fort .., or Base .., or Post.., or Joint Base ..,
consult the N.A.R.A. or your H.R. section G-1 or equivalent .. put those copies in a strong safety deposit box or a bank box .. make sure that is fireproof-waterproof-everything from the natural elements proof ..
I had two (2) situations that losing copy of/copies of/proof of that NO FAULT DUE TO MY OWN, I was in a place that a riot happened and water flooded my records .. yes all of them .. and I had to get every piece of papers/etc. back again and also had to do my best to contact my congressional rep to get the same as mentioned and still awaiting for some records as of now .. so make sure to get a full copy of your C-file and any related info to your case/cases
my filing from start to now was from 2012 till present .. before then I did not know to file before or even departing the mil srvc. .. my srvc dates were from 1976-1992 in the cold war era

I filed my first claim in 99 with 19 years in when I had to have surgery on my left knee which was injured in the line of duty in 86. They granted me 10%. I filed my next claim in 2011 when I had to have the same knee completely replaced and then filed on other secondary SC conditions. By 2013 I was at 80% with a 100% TDIU

I wish I would have k own about the 1 year rule after getting out to file chaims.

I made claim in March. and went on terminal leave in April. My VA rating came soon thereafter

Where to begin. I went through the AO screen in 82 the VA doctor,, during the exam said Vietnam Veteran's were a bunch of cry babies just trying to get on the government dole...I had had 43 surgical procedures in the service to remove benign skin growths beginning six months out of Nam. Denied, appealed. The BVA members told me there was no AO in Nam during my tour. I produced photographic evidence of my storage yard drums of AO. 0% reasonable doubt I may have been exposed. 2017 70% for PTDS with a incompetence attached, appealed and won. PTSD reduced to 50% appealed won 70% without the incompetence label. I'm leaving out the battle of all the 20 percents obtained on appeals. I kept my case open since 2018 The VA only went back retroactive to 2021. A Clear Unmistakable Error. Now under appeal. My representative was told I filed on the wrong form two months ago I have yet to receive a letter from the VA. Though for a CUE a form is not required. I'm meeting with my VSO this month to strategise the next move.

Got out in 79 applied for disability with the VA in 82 granted 0,0,0,0 combined 10% 94 another 0% combined 10% 2017 70% 2022 100% total and permanent disability