Posted on Oct 12, 2021
Texas Veterans! Do You Have Benefits Questions? Need Peer Support? Ask Questions Now!
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On October 28th, 12-1PM CT, VA and community experts will be here to answer your questions on benefits, claims, and peer-to-peer support services. Type your questions in now!
You can ask questions to the following people:
» BG Mike Eastman - Advisor, ETS Sponsorship
» SGT Arlene Perez - Peer Services Manager, Texas Veterans Commission (MVPN)
» SFC Gregory Morton - Peer Services Coordinator, Texas Veterans Commission (MVPN)
» SFC James Schaale - Peer Services Coordinator, Texas Veterans Commission (MVPN)
» PO2 Elizabeth Saunders - Operations Associate, Team Rubicon
» Coleton Whitaker - Director of Programs, Elizabeth Dole Foundation
» Staci H. - Senior Manager of Volunteers and Partnerships, Blue Star Families
» Melissa Comeau - Director, American Red Cross Military Veteran Caregiver Network
» Jeanette Gilles - Deputy Director of Community Integration, Americas Warrior Partnership
» Justin Monk - VP of Government Affairs, Student Veterans of America
» SPC Lori Coffman - VBA Homeless Veterans Outreach Specialist, Claims Support
Student Veterans of America:
Student Veterans of America is a Chapter-based organization with about 1,500 locations on college campuses nationwide. We represent about 800,000 student veterans and work on personal and professional development, leadership training, and advocacy at the federal level.
Military Veteran Peer Network (MVPN):
The MVPN provides services including direct peer-to-peer support, training on suicide prevention and military cultural competency, coordination of mental health first aid, and warm-handoffs to local resources based on the individual needs of the veteran and family.
You can ask questions to the following people:
» BG Mike Eastman - Advisor, ETS Sponsorship
» SGT Arlene Perez - Peer Services Manager, Texas Veterans Commission (MVPN)
» SFC Gregory Morton - Peer Services Coordinator, Texas Veterans Commission (MVPN)
» SFC James Schaale - Peer Services Coordinator, Texas Veterans Commission (MVPN)
» PO2 Elizabeth Saunders - Operations Associate, Team Rubicon
» Coleton Whitaker - Director of Programs, Elizabeth Dole Foundation
» Staci H. - Senior Manager of Volunteers and Partnerships, Blue Star Families
» Melissa Comeau - Director, American Red Cross Military Veteran Caregiver Network
» Jeanette Gilles - Deputy Director of Community Integration, Americas Warrior Partnership
» Justin Monk - VP of Government Affairs, Student Veterans of America
» SPC Lori Coffman - VBA Homeless Veterans Outreach Specialist, Claims Support
Student Veterans of America:
Student Veterans of America is a Chapter-based organization with about 1,500 locations on college campuses nationwide. We represent about 800,000 student veterans and work on personal and professional development, leadership training, and advocacy at the federal level.
Military Veteran Peer Network (MVPN):
The MVPN provides services including direct peer-to-peer support, training on suicide prevention and military cultural competency, coordination of mental health first aid, and warm-handoffs to local resources based on the individual needs of the veteran and family.
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Houston
San Antonio
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 80
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I am applying for an increase in benefits will you help me get a representative that will help me and not tell me I have to do it on my own?
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SSgt Kenny Kimbrell
Thanks for checking, Paula! The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) accredits three types of representatives—Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representatives, attorneys, and agents—to help ensure that claimants have access to responsible and qualified representation on their VA benefits claims. Find out more here: https://www.benefits.va.gov/vso/
Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services you’ve earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family member—like health care, disability, education, and more.
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SPC Lori Coffman
Hello CPO Hutchinson, if you would like you can go to http://www.VA.gov/vso/ and you can find an accredited representative in your area that can assist you. You can also call our appointment line of [login to see] and request either a telephonic or personal interview. The Houston Regional Office hours for interviews is from 8:00am until 3:00pm. We would be glad to assist you.
Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services youâve earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family memberâlike health care, disability, education, and more.
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Jeanette Gilles
The Texas Veterans Commission can also help with claims. https://www.tvc.texas.gov/claims/
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Andi Martinez
Check it out! https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5733
Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services you’ve earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family member—like health care, disability, education, and more.
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All thank you for your service. I have been training to get my DS Logon account validated but I can't get through the verification process because the system can't auto verify me. I spent several hours on the phone on hold and finally reached someone at VA who said since I don't recieve payments from the VA i have drive into Houston and get verified there. That is hard for me and will take at least a half a day. There should be someone I can talk with over the phone to get my account verified. Any help from the VA would be appreciated.
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Andi Martinez
https://www.va.gov/resources/how-to-get-a-premium-ds-logon-account-online/. Please call White House VA Hotline [login to see] (24/7 access to a live agent) and someone will help resolve this.
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When can veterans from the Gulf War era begin applying for a caregiver benefit?
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Andi Martinez
The Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) is for eligible Veterans who have incurred or aggravated a serious injury in the line of duty on or before May 7, 1975 or on or after September 11, 2001. This program provides resources, education, support, a financial stipend, and health insurance (if eligible), beneficiary travel (if eligible), to caregivers of eligible Veterans.
Veterans may be eligible for this clinical program if they:
Sustained or aggravated a serious injury serious injury (now includes serious illness) in the line of duty on or before May 7, 1975 or on or after September 11, 2001; and meet both of the following criteria to be eligible for PCAFC. Among other applicable eligibility criteria, the Veteran must:
Have a single or combined service-connected disability rating by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of 70% or more. This requirement is included in the definition of “serious injury;” and
Be in need of personal care services (requiring in-person personal care services) for a minimum of six continuous months based on any one of the following:
- an inability to perform an activity of daily living (ADL)
- a need for supervision, protection, or instruction.
For more information on these changes, please see Fact Sheet.https://www.caregiver.va.gov/Care_Caregivers.asp.
The Program of General Caregiver Support Services (PGCSS) provides resources, education and support to caregivers of Veterans. The Veteran does not need to have a service-connected condition, for which the caregiver is needed, and may have served during any era.
Veterans may be eligible for this clinical program if they:
Sustained or aggravated a serious injury serious injury (now includes serious illness) in the line of duty on or before May 7, 1975 or on or after September 11, 2001; and meet both of the following criteria to be eligible for PCAFC. Among other applicable eligibility criteria, the Veteran must:
Have a single or combined service-connected disability rating by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of 70% or more. This requirement is included in the definition of “serious injury;” and
Be in need of personal care services (requiring in-person personal care services) for a minimum of six continuous months based on any one of the following:
- an inability to perform an activity of daily living (ADL)
- a need for supervision, protection, or instruction.
For more information on these changes, please see Fact Sheet.https://www.caregiver.va.gov/Care_Caregivers.asp.
The Program of General Caregiver Support Services (PGCSS) provides resources, education and support to caregivers of Veterans. The Veteran does not need to have a service-connected condition, for which the caregiver is needed, and may have served during any era.
Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services you’ve earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family member—like health care, disability, education, and more.
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Melissa Comeau
Thank you for this question! We look forward to the day ALL eras of Veteran Caregivers can access the PCAFC. In the meantime the Program of General Caregiver Support Services can assist https://www.caregiver.va.gov/Care_Caregivers.asp
Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services you’ve earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family member—like health care, disability, education, and more.
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Why can I not get a copy of my C-file? I have sent in many FOIA Requests. The last time the V A closed my FOIA Claim and did not send me my C-file. All the other times I never heard anything. Another question is why are my Claims being denied after I have provided PROOF of illness/disease while in service and provided Nexus letters and other proof of Service Connection. Each time they were denied there is a different excuse. The first few times the V A said I had no complaints or illnesses after I provided Army Hospital Medical Records and follow up treatment while in service and after ETS? Thank you for your time.
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SPC Lori Coffman
Hello SPC Cheatham, we cannot answer your question without gather more personal information. You can reach out to us at [login to see] . If you would like an appointment to talk to us either by phone or in person you can call our appointment line of [login to see] . We make appointments from 8:00am until 3:00pm. You can also go to http://www.VA.gov/vso/ and look for an accredited representative in your area that can assist if you do not already have on.
Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services youâve earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family memberâlike health care, disability, education, and more.
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As an OEF veteran who is on the Burn Pit Registry, how is it that a sinus condition that arose after deployment is denied service connection? Who can help with this issue, which will certainly increase?
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SPC Lori Coffman
Hello SGT Harrison, in order to review your records we would need further information from you. You can contact us at our toll free number of [login to see] or call our appointment line of [login to see] . You can request either a telephonic or personal interview. We provide these interviews between the hours of 8:00am until 3:00pm. You can also go to http://www.VA.gov/vso/ to find an accredited representative in your area that can assist if you do not already have one.
Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services youâve earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family memberâlike health care, disability, education, and more.
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Melissa Comeau
Thank you for taking the time to get on the Burn Pit Registry at VA. Here is some additional information for Veterans https://veteran.mobilehealth.va.gov/AHBurnPitRegistry/#page/home
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Andi Martinez
If you are unable to resolve this with the info above please call our White House VA Hotline [login to see] (24/7 access to a live agent).
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I submitted my request for my C-file; which went to the Atlanta VA records dependent in July. I still have not seen any response apart from the acknowledgment email. How long does this normally take?
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Andi Martinez
Thank you for your question. It may take months. You can also request one through FOIA
and "start your request" via the National FOIA Portal. https://www.foia.gov/
and "start your request" via the National FOIA Portal. https://www.foia.gov/
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All thank you for your service. I have been training to get my DS Logon account validated but I can't get through the verification process because the system can't auto verify me. I spent several hours on the phone on hold and finally reached someone at VA who said since I don't recieve payments from the VA i have drive into Houston and get verified there. That is hard for me and will take at least a half a day. There should be someone I can talk with over the phone to get my account verified. Any help from the VA would be appreciated.
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I am a retired Air Force MSGT. I served for 30 years. I have been fighting with the VA since 2012 about benefits. My last C&P evam was completed for my right knee. I had that same exam done twice. As of today they haven't made a decision, but they did give me service connected with ZERO percent.
I am now at 90% and have applied for TDIU. That was march 25, 2021 (7 months ago) with still no decision. I was told that my claim dated March 25, 2021 is still showing open and assigned to the Seattle Regional Office. I live in Texas and RO should be in Houston. Can somebody please tell me what is going on with the VA decision making process and why everything is taking so long?
Help please!
Ronald L. Taylor
I am now at 90% and have applied for TDIU. That was march 25, 2021 (7 months ago) with still no decision. I was told that my claim dated March 25, 2021 is still showing open and assigned to the Seattle Regional Office. I live in Texas and RO should be in Houston. Can somebody please tell me what is going on with the VA decision making process and why everything is taking so long?
Help please!
Ronald L. Taylor
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Melissa Comeau
Thank you for your 30 years of service. I can related to the frustration with your claim. I am sure you already have an E benefits account which can help you see where your claim is https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/homepage
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MSgt Ronald Taylor
Thank you for responding. I go there every day! I call the 800 number about every 2 weeks. No help so far!
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I am 100% permanently and totally disabled. DOD/DA engaged in medical negligence/malpractice. President Trump passed a law back on DEC 2019 for service members to be able to file tort claims against DOD. How long does it takes for DOD to implement a program to follow the established laws?
If I am not able to work, am I not entitled to unemployability benefits?
Also, I had post 911 educational benefits and they expired on JAN 2021. How can I get those benefits extended as I was not able to start school due to the medical condition?
If I am not able to work, am I not entitled to unemployability benefits?
Also, I had post 911 educational benefits and they expired on JAN 2021. How can I get those benefits extended as I was not able to start school due to the medical condition?
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Andi Martinez
For education GI Bill benefits. This depends on when you were discharged from active duty.
If your service ended before January 1, 2013, your Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) benefits will expire 15 years after your last separation date from active service. You must use all of your benefits by that time or you’ll lose whatever’s left.
If your service ended on or after January 1, 2013, your benefits won’t expire thanks to a new law called the Forever GI Bill - Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act. https://www.benefits.va.gov/GIBILL/ForeverGIBill.asp
If your service ended before January 1, 2013, your Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) benefits will expire 15 years after your last separation date from active service. You must use all of your benefits by that time or you’ll lose whatever’s left.
If your service ended on or after January 1, 2013, your benefits won’t expire thanks to a new law called the Forever GI Bill - Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act. https://www.benefits.va.gov/GIBILL/ForeverGIBill.asp
Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services you’ve earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family member—like health care, disability, education, and more.
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LTC Deliris Montanez
My service ended JAN 2015 but VA stated my benefits expired 15 years after. Who is the closest VSO to El Paso, Texas.
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Jeanette Gilles
This link will help you connect with a VSO in your area: https://www.tvc.texas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021_Claims_Directory_Web.pdf
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