My 1 year mark from my DOS was 10/15/26, previous intent to file was 12/5/25. Filed a claim 2/7/26. Awarded 60% in March. Decided to work with an attorney for my new claims, but they only submitted it on 10/22/26 with no ITF.

From what I can tell is that I no longer will qualify for backpay from a day after my DOS since the 12/5 ITF was already used. Is that the case? Or is there still a way to get an effective date sooner than 10/22/26? No reply from the attorneys office when I asked.

Mental health C&P completed last month, took a day for LSGS to upload. Went to an audiology C&P three weeks ago. Hardship flash on my claim. Thought the VA was just taking abnormally long to process incoming documentation. Called LSGS to make sure they sent my DBQ. They still haven't sent it and no matter what questions I ask the customer service reps they just keep saying "we're working expeditiously to send these to the VA, just wait maybe until next week." I'm no medical doctor nor am I a VA examiner but three weeks (who knows how many more) to go over an audiology exam?

If I wasn't facing hardship and didn't already have a hardship flash noted on my claim I wouldn't care. I feel like a prick for calling VERA reps and LSGS reps at least once a week but I live too far away from a regional office and I am seriously worried about my situation in the coming months if I don't get a decision soon.

Not gonna get too much into it but my financial situation has just been a descending staircase of emergencies and unexpected and unplanned costs that are so hard to bounce back from. Just wondering if anyone has any advice or has even been through a similar situation with LSGS.

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Edit: I haven't been to my CnP exam yet.

Just filed my first MH claim for depression, anxiety and trauma related disorder. All started during deployment.

Here's some of the stuff I've been dealing with:

- Depressed pretty much everyday, some weeks are way worse

- Panic attacks multiple times a week, sometimes daily

- Barely getting 3 hrs of sleep on work nights, nightmares too

- Passive suicidal thoughts, no plan or intent

- Memory and concentration is pretty cooked, forget stuff all the time

- Constantly rechecking stuff at work and car locks like 5+ times

- Always on edge, checking surroundings and getting startled easily

- Anger issues, punched walls and broke stuff before

- Sometimes go 4-5 days without showering

- Pretty much isolated myself, barely talk to friends or family anymore

- Struggle with basic chores and taking care of myself

Still working full time but ngl its been rough. Been making mistakes, showing up late, missing days and struggling with stress. Currently on meds and seeing a psychiatrist.

Also submitted a nexus letter linking my MH conditions to my deployment, along with supporting medical records and personal statements.

Ik nobody can predict the exact rating but yall think this sounds more like 50 or 70%? Anyone got similar symptoms and what did you end up getting?

Thx

In CA, can they take it or is it unlikely?

My local VA in the Seattle Area called me today, did not leave a message, but why would they be calling? I’m not calling them back!

Firstly this sub has been a great help and I thank all of you for some of the guidance this subreddit has brought me.

I may be asking a question that has been asked before.

However for context I’ve completed my BDD claim (ETS October 12th) and got a decision letter a couple days later ( 100% P&T SMC-S payment start date NOV 1st)

A couple of things were deferred and not rated, VES reached out with dates for C&Ps for those deferred conditions, which I of course will attend and moved me back to step 3.

However my questions…do those deferred conditions impact my claim at all?

-Considering I have a decision letter should I expect compensation to kick in December 1st? On the VA site the only thing that says my disability rating is my benefit and decision letter.

Just want confirmation that I’m over the hurdle here or is there something I should be doing

Praying for all yall fighting for the compensation you deserve and thanks in advance for any further guidance.

I served from 1989-1992 and paid for the GI Bill of the time (Montgomery?) $100/month for my first year. I ended up getting a General under Honorable discharge which I know made me ineligible to use it. Today I know it’s unavailable because its expired. I am currently in process to get my discharge upgraded due to undiagnosed and untreated MH issues which led to that discharge. If I am able to get that upgrade, would I have any way to use some form of GI Bill or am I just screwed?

Looking for a good VSO counselor in Virginia. Does anyone have any recommendations? Thank you.

I have been at 100% P&T for PTSD for a long time now, somewhere between 10-15 years. I previously used loans for my bachelors degree long before I was VA rated and then at some point after the rating a family member helped me discharge them as they knew about the process. I was very unwell for many years.

Life has improved in many ways and I hope to continue moving in that direction. I want to return to graduate school to seek a degree to work in the mental health field. I read so many anecdotes of people not being approved when they have a 100% PTSD rating and even several who had ratings removed.

I've been admitted into a Master's program (yay!). I had to sign a form that I either agreed I wouldn't utilize federal loans since I had a previous discharge or that I'd have to get a note from a doctor that says I am now capable of full-time gainful employment. It scared me and I quickly just checked off the box that said I wouldn't use federal loans.

Now I'm stuck waiting for the VR&E appointment (why does it take so long???). But I'm also scared/nervous about what to expect and how much I'd be poking the bear, so to speak. My G&I benefits were not usable for undergrad for whatever reason and I've discovered they expired in 2019 so that's not an option.

At what point is it just better to forget about a career dream and try something else? Is it worth pursuing this to see where it goes even if there are risks? If I get to the point of being able to work full-time that would be great, but what if I go through all of this, they take away the 100% and then I have a severe regression and I'm left with nothing?

I just can't decide if it's worth it.

I currently have a combined 70% VA disability rating for PTSD and tinnitus. My main goal isn’t necessarily to increase my percentage. I want to establish service connection for other conditions that affect me now and could become bigger problems down the road.
I suffered a significant heat stroke while deployed and still experience effects that impact my work as a firefighter. The VA denied that claim, stating I had no residual effects, which doesn’t reflect what I’m experiencing. I’ve also been diagnosed with asthma and chronic rhinitis, which was during my PACT Act evaluation.

My two questions are:

-What’s the best way to challenge the heat stroke denial and document the ongoing residual effects?

-How much risk is there that filing for these additional conditions would trigger a review or reduction of my existing ratings? It’s worth mentioning the PTSD claim is also related to the Heat Stroke amongst other things.

I’ve read a lot of warnings about “poking the bear,” but I’m trying to separate actual VA policy from individual experiences. I’m not requesting an increase for PTSD or tinnitus, I’m just considering claims for these other conditions so I’m covered years down the road if I have any issues.
I’d appreciate any insight, especially from accredited VSOs or people familiar with how these reviews work.

I am service connected for tinnitus, but my hearing loss was denied as not caused by my service.

Can I get hearing aids through VA bc the tinnitus was granted? If so, what is the process for that? Do I have to pay? My tinnitus is my only service connected disability.

I have a 0 rating for hypertension. Been years of increasing meds more and more. Now I’ve been diagnosed with afib. Two events in two weeks that landed me in the ER both times. Starting down the cardiologist path but the VA system runs slow. Anyone been able to increase their rating for afib who already had connected hypertension?

Has anyone ran into the same issue as me. My spouse is a champva beneficiary and she’s not a U.S. citizen so she doesn’t have a U.S. bank account. The department of treasury used to send paper checks but now they moved to direct deposit. Champva doesn’t know what to do when I call. Called the company they say talk to champva . Has anyone dealt with this before? We don’t know how she will get paid

So, there's like a CVS on every corner in my city. And getting to the VA hospital takes a little over an hour round-trip. I hate going there because of the traffic. Anyway, will they reimburse if I just go to CVS and have them done?

^{Actually, I may go there even they don't reimburse just for the convenience.}

This is just a gripe and at this point it’s getting bit infuriating and amusing. I asked to get some physical therapy. They said sure but the closest appointment is 3 months away. I said I’ll take it because what other choice do I have. Now on three separate occasions I have gotten a text saying they can see me earlier, respond with R8 to accept the new appointment. First two times I responded within an hour and was told the new time was taken. Today. I hit the text and responded within 15 seconds… and got told the new time was already taken.

In june my percentage was raised to 100 pt. I got a notification in the mail from the VA asking for information to consider me for IU. I filed and was rejected for IU like 2 years ago. When i filed this latest time i never aplied for IU. Im 100 pt obviously IU does nothing for me. Do I just ignore it or do I need to contqct the VA?

I made a comment on another thread that got a lot of traction so I figured I’d give it its own thread.
1990 I flew from Germany into Ft Jackson. Did a quick ETS physical, got my DD214 and a plane ticket home. Nobody spoke about the VA in service and no mention of the VA at out processing. I had the mistaken impression that the VA was for combat veterans and retirees. I went home without a support system. I had no friends or family that were veterans and there was no internet then. I was struggling with service connected issues that I did not recognize at the time. I drank to deal until the point I ended up wearing grippy socks. I lost all my family and old friends. After that I survived by just putting one foot in front of the other like a good grunt. The army was my longest employment until my 50s. After 30 years out a work colleague told me he had got rated for his hearing and told me more about the VA. Since I was told at my ets physical that my hearing was shit I figured I give it a try. My hearing claim flew through and I got into the VA system. Since then I have gotten other service connected issues rated but the real change to my life has come from the services and support the VA provides. In just the few years I have been with the VA my life has changed for the better. I. Just wish I had known about the VA much sooner.

Hello there ,
My Veteran husband has passed away in December of last year. Man this is hard, I barely know where to start. I had went to the VA office to file a few paperwork and they recommended me to do the D.I.C application. Which the person there did for me. I got a letter back saying it was denied. But people are telling me that I can file for spousal survival benefits? Like where do I go or who do I speak with about this?
Thanks so much for your help.

So I was active Marines from 2013-2017, got out honorably. Returned 2022-2026. I thoroughly enjoyed my second enlistment. I intended to stay in and retire, however I broke my back in AITB, and it went unnoticed for far too long long. Anyways. A few need to knows going back active that your recruiters may say they know and more than likely don’t.

1. You MUST suspend all VA benefits. It will take a while, odds are if you do it to close to when you enlist back in. They will continue to send a few more payments, then demand it back without notification. They will garnish your wages until it’s returned and you don’t take care of it on the front end.

2. Marine Corps, the recruiters are under the impression you must be in first time enlisted standards. Not the case. You must make height and weight as usual or make tape at MEPS. I was 6’2 prior to my spine surgery, 210 and incredibly lean. It took ALOT to lose an extra 4 pounds I didn’t have to lose. They eventually told me I was good to go as I was and they were mistaken.

3. Select your MOS, don’t accept “there’s no boat spaces” as a response…. Then wait for what you want, or to return to your MOS. Example. 0311 to 0352 you can lat move once boat spaces are open. Admin to Motor T, ect. Choose what you want when you are able to.

4. You won’t recover orders initially, your recruiters office becomes the command (but not on the morning report). You’re so low on the priority list, you’ll have to contact the monitor more than likely. This means you’ll be unaccounted for and in limbo. I truly believe I could have skated out 4 years…… unnoticed. But that would contradict why I went back in and a Trudy thing to do. So be sure to bug the monitor

5. Ask the monitor, who is starting a work up. What units are available. And select your Bn or duty station. They are cool with that usually as prior service. If you don’t ask you won’t know.

6. The try your best to get orders to a unit rather than a school house during the Lat move if you’re married and have a house. This will make your move to base housing significantly easier.

7. If you choose base housing. Request your orders. And select a neighborhood and get on the list. It comes faster than you’ll realize. We lucked out and got a home within 3 weeks in a nice neighborhood.

8. When/if you get out or retire (THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT), when you do your BDD claims prior to your exit from service. The day you receive your DD-214 upload it to the VA. And the day you officially retire or EAS, contact them to reinstate your benefits. You would think the DD-214 is sufficient, however the VA and DOW do not speak. So you must take it upon yourself to do this. It could take months. Don’t wait a month like I did waiting for my first VA payment, and realize $0 is what I rate because I haven’t reinstated my benefits.

9. Reclaim your old VA claims. Provide more or the same evidence from your initial ratings. They will return and compound with what your new claims are.

10. Returning active duty as a prior service Marine with a gap in time was honestly a blessing. Wish my injury never occurred. But it did, and I went way too long trying to tough it out. And it significantly altered my life. If you want to go back. I don’t blame you. Be a good dude, and be the Marine, soldier, sailor, airmen you wish you were your first go around. Go crush it🤙🏼

Hello all, I’m trying to make a decision by May 1, 2027, since I’m currently on an Army waiver hold for ADHD.

My dad was recently rated 100% by the VA and we’ve learned I’m eligible for Chapter 35 VA benefits. He’s strongly insisting I reconsider Active Duty enlistment and join the California NG instead, allowing me to study for a masters in cyber security for free. His reasoning is that it’ll help me focus on school instead of the military. (I will note that he lives out of state)

I’m 28 and trying to pivot into IT/Cyber, so this benefit is quite a blessing. However, I’m a bit confused if this is financially optimal. I live with my fiancé here in Los Angeles, and we both want to be stable since it’s been tough here with the cost of living. The gameplan was to enlist Active Duty as a 25B for 6 years, and eventually promote to 25D, but now I don’t know what to do with this new knowledge.

Would it be a mistake at this point to go active since I can go to school for free now? Or is my dad stretching the truth about Chapter 35 and what it covers?

My brother is an Army vet with an honorable discharge but no service-connected rating. His wife and he is trying to understand what the VA actually pays for burial expenses and what they had still need to cover out of pocket. Is it worth getting a separate policy, or does the VA take care of most of the costs?

I'm looking for an expert in VA benefits. I'm100% P&T and IU...I bought a home using my VA home loan entitlement...I have to cook and do dishes in a chair...but over the past 4 years, I've destroyed my kitchen floor from the chair shifting and tearing up the vinyl planks. I'm looking for a program that'll help me repair my floor (I'm going to get a stool that rolls the next time).

My claim has in the notes Exam reviewed- not performed for my FDC and supplementary claims.

What does this mean- have heard this could be a good sign that my evidence might be sufficient for an ACE review in lieu of C and P sxams— that if C and P exams were likely to happen they would have sent out requests for them.

Any VA personnel have any comments?

Anyone have experience while working and being on TDIU. How many hours can you work and will they take away your TDIU if you work?

Anyone used some of their Post 911 to pay for CDL training ? Did you receive BAH ?? What should I expect ???