Why have so many Veterans chosen not to file for disability?

Or like me who put it off a bit, I didn't want to be labeled with the "D" word. Combined with bad advice from the Admin shop when I transferred to the Fleet Reserve on when to file, some time was lost. At least the lock date stayed the same while they spent a year deciding that I had no health record. Make sure you copy every sheet before you punch out.

Many of them don't understand how the process works as my husband and I didn't before we even knew we could file. They need to be able to have someone explain to them what they need to do to file and how to start, how to follow through and what it entails.

Probably because the V.A. can take five years to get to your claim. Their hope is that the vet dies before the claim is heard.

LTC David Stender - Many, like me, simply do not need the VA disability rating/payments and don't want to impact those who do. While I may technically be able to be classified with several service-connected disabilities, I don't look at myself as being disabled to the point that I think I should be compensated.

It is kind-of like my dad's stance on "not allowing" me to accept an ROTC 4-year scholarship. When I was offered the scholarship, he told me that he did not want me to accept it because he could afford to pay for my college education and that, if I accepted the scholarship, it may keep someone who could not afford it the opportunity to get a college education and a commission in the Army. Although he knew it was not a "need-based" scholarship, that was his stance and I honored it. I guess I have the same idea about VA disability.

I'm going to echo what SGT Lillie M Epps said and add to a little bit.

There is no doubt that the system is hard to wrap your head around and for a lot of Veterans just knowing where to start is a hard. Having someone there to help point you in the general direction is always a plus. I think think the other problem is some Veterans do not want to deal with not only all that red tape but they don't want to deal with the all the craziness you see and hear about in the news. I think it is also in part to the fact that most Veterans do not want to see as "needing help". Some Veterans do not want to be labeled or looked at differently based on his or her service connected issues.

Speed... they just want to get out.

Many of us have lived a lifetime with a service connecte disability. I for one, only filed a claim in the last few years and had to fight the VA for the partial benefits I now receive. The battle is one reason I failed to apply and a distrust of the government that many of us who served in Vietnam harbor. A retired E-9, who is a close friend, convinced me to apply. He said this is not a handout, you earned every dime you will receive. I applied and now have 50%, with an additional claim pending.

Most likely because the system is not user friendly even when talking to a live person.

Sir,

I have read alot of comments below that say that people don't have any idea of when or if they should. I think this has a lot to do with where they are stationed at. I am at Fort Bliss, TX, and I start my retirement leave on the 13th of October of this year. I knew about the disability process 3 years ago, made it a priority high on my list, and then started to have the major surgeries and MRI's done in 3 month increments for the past three years, so that I could also go to the field, prepare for deployments, and other contractual binding requirements that I had left in the service. The people at ACAP/ITAP also briefed me about a dozen times on Disability services, and the process of how to request the DVD, print out the records, and then take all 685 pages to the VSO, who would go through and help me file my claim.

I think there are a lot of us that have proper health care with a private company or with our spouses employer and there are some of us who are NOT here for the $$.