by John Traveler

Created on: April 19, 2009

When you pull up the VA web page on disability benefits and read the first paragraph, it all sounds pretty simple.

"Disability compensation is a benefit paid to a veteran because of injuries or diseases that happened while on active duty, or were made worse by active military service. It is also paid to certain veterans disabled from VA health care. The benefits are tax-free." (http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/compensation/index.htm )

Ok, so you head down to your local VA office, fill out and submit the VA Form 21-526, accompanied with a copy of your DD-214, a copy of your latest tax return to cover the information pertaining to your current financial circumstances, marital status and dependent situation, along with medical records substantiating your affliction. Pretty much a slam-dunk, or so you might think.

This disabled veteran is unable to speak on an informed basis with respect to other states, but California actually has state sponsored county veteran assistance offices, where you can find help to walk you through the gauntlet of paperwork and justifications you will be required to provide before you get your first disability check. Now, if you have just been discharged and your disability is readily apparent, the process might be a whole lot simpler. But, if you have been out of the service for a few years, or maybe thirty, you can expect your application for benefits will undergo a greater degree of scrutiny.

First of all, you need to get a copy of your military medical records from Saint Louis, where copies of such are warehoused. That's right, every time you dropped your drawers for a digital exam during your active duty, somebody was writing down all the details. My apologies for lack of reference to and knowledge of, what indignities female personnel may have endured in the line of duty. In any case, once you have your medical records in hand, the next step is to build a case to prove that whatever disability you are suffering now, was related to something that happened to you during your active duty service period.

If this all sounds a little laborious to you, and maybe even above your pay grade (a military euphemism), there are organizations out there that will assist, indeed, do the background work for you. In addition to the helpful county vet service office, organizations like the American Legion, VFW and other we presume, have experts that do this stuff all day, and would be happy to help a vet in need of it.

Ok, so you got the application on its way

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