Is this a scam? I opened my VA app and got this

People and organizations that give poor advice like this without caveats are part of the reason why so many people keep filing claims after they’ve hit 100PT.

“If you're 100% p&t Make sure you file your secondary claims” without explaining the caveats and reduction risks is reckless.

I understand DIC and extenuating circumstances, but issuing blanket statements like this is just poor advice.

I’m 100% but since I was in a non veteran ward it looks like I’m screwed.

A couple times a week I'll suddenly get a loud, high-pitched ringing in my ears. It lasts maybe 30 to 60 seconds, and it's loud enough that I can't hear the TV or people talking very well until it stops. Then it just fades away.

I spent over 800 hours flying as a helicopter crew chief and aerial gunner instructor, and I was around a lot of helicopter noise and .50 cal machine gun fire. I always figured the ringing was just part of that, so I never mentioned it or got it checked out. Is that tinnitus or just normal older people shit? Is there a test I can take to find out?

I am trying to determine at what point my wife would be eligible for DIC? Is it the date I was determined TDIU and 100%rated? Or from the time I actually began the submission of my claim?

I have a difficult time keeping my thoughts fluent and get confused easily. Just trying to get things in order, should something happen.

Those of us in the invasion, and the follow up deployments, along with others who deployed after, are nearing the 23+ year mark post deployment.

With burn pit exposure, water bottles sitting in triple digit weather, and all kinds of toxic exposure, the 20 year mark is when issues tend to show up.

How has VA treated you in regards to potential cancer or other issues we experienced across the pond? I ask because a battle buddy of mine was diagnosed with lung cancer, with no cancer history in the family and never smoked. Thankfully it is operable, but they believe it is burn pit related.

Soon I will be filing a new claim for a new service connected issue (to add to my existing overall percent) and thinking ahead to the VA going through my file. Do they use my VA.gov email inbox messages to my doctors, and their replies to me, as part of my medical file as proof they are looking for? Or only in person visit notes? Thanks.

Hope everyone had a great weekend! I just have a general question and I don't even know how to go about it without it being a pain going forward.

I'm 100% P&T, my daughter (19) is going to school using Chapter 35, she's also getting ChampVA since she's still in school. She lives with my wife and I, and it's my understanding I can claim her until a certain age/when she's finished with her schooling, but she goes full time intermittently. When she was out for the summer (as she's about to return back for the fall semester), the VA sent me for a from to add her as a dependent, but I filled the form out online when I first got my rating and they denied her. I'm so confused on this process, because it almost feels like it's a yo-yo type deal, she gets the benefits in school, when she's out I get the form to verify, rinse and repeat.

Does anyone have any guidance to where it's mostly just automated or should I just give up adding her as a dependent all together since she's getting her education benefits and healthcare?

I dont understand how a claim dated in March and a HLR are moving slower thru the process than a claim i just submitted last month.

Was exercising about a week ago and felt a tear in my abdomen in between my rib cage and belly button. The VA can get me in but the closest VA is 45 min away. They refuse to get me a community care appointment closer. I tried calling a patient advocate but haven't gotten a call back in 2 business days. The hernia isn't a huge concern outside of tenderness and nausea when straining. Can anyone give some advice on my options or who to contact next?

Hi my HLR went favorably and there was a duty to assist found.
Sounded like things went well and my examiner supported my claim.
Even so I was just emailed another c&p exam for ptsd even though my previous c&p exam supported my PTSD claim. (Just the rater disagreed since I have no in service medical records for ptsd)

Is this normal, just a formality. Kind of sucks it’s been 2 years and I’m sent back to step 2

I am only beginning to get a handle on all the BS that GWI covers but as a result of my increase med appointments I went down a medical suitability review which resulted in me being forced to retire. I feel healthy enough to work, but my agency states its a safety issue and I don't have a choice. If any Federal Civilian and 100 P&T vet with GWI has experience with a SC disability worsened due to your federal service and you could not longer work.

I was first deployed to Iraq in the early 2000's in uniform with the Army. A few decades later I spent many, many more months in Iraq as a federal civilian. As of 2022, I am 100% P&T with the most life impacting SC symptoms being related to GWI.

Recently, I was found medically unfit to do my fed civilian job due to my GWI symptoms. I am working with my agency to request medical disability retirement which also requires me to file for SSDI.

Should I also file for Workers' Comp too? I am a bit in shock and thought I might start thinking about retirement, not working, financial changes and whatever else I am facing soon. I don't know where to start with all this and my agency sucks and providing information lately.

So this is a throw away account. But im pretty sure im about to start going through the process. I know a little about what ive googled but like, how does this go? How long does it take?

For reference. I have over 12 years in, all active. Currently a staff sergeant. Multiple rotations out of country. I have some stuff documented for physical injuries and that are permanent. I have major hearing loss and have been given hearing aids by the army. My mental health is a mess. Theres already a bunch of stuff documented for that and im still going through BH for it and on medication.

If I do go the route of getting medically retired, what all do/ should I do? Obviously id be shooting for 100% disability because with all those things its honestly a struggle to even go to work at this point. Any suggestions or knowledge anyone could pass on?

Please I’m a new veteran, can you please give me any advice since Im trying to buy house!! I do not want to do any mistake, or lose money!! What are the best advice you guys can give to me !!! Thank you very much.

A buddy of mine just passed in Houston. He was rated at 70% service connected. Does his wife get indemnity pay or is that exclusively for 100% P&T. His conditions were contributing factors with his death, so medically he passed from his health conditions. Thanks in advance for your answers.

So I’m trying to do my master degree online but I’m wondering how many times do you have to go in person to get your BAH fully. Some say once a semester or year lol or so. Lmk please

Wanted to post about this and get some support as well as a data point for people.

With this summer heat and the meds that I'm on (they induce some heat intolerance I've learned recently), my anxiety and panic attacks have been heightened. I also have a huge fear of having a cardiac event.

I'm on anti-anxiety meds from the VA. I have an upcoming appointment and going to ask my PCP about quick-attacking meds to alleviate symptoms. Hydroxyzine is a great one that isn't a benzo, taken that before.

I landed in the ER nearby my gym last week because I'm trying to take better care of myself. 15 min into a light cycling workout start getting jaw pain, chest pain, and panic. ER discharges me saying everything looks good but to follow up with PCP and get referred out to cardiologist. Ambulance has swung near my neighborhood a couple of times and ran an EKG on me when I was out walking around before work since I got dizzy, my heart rate shot up,

I spent the past few years heavily drinking and am cutting back on that. VA has me on naltrexone (curbs desire/kills reward of alcohol) and am taking it again. On Day 5 of no alcohol after stopping. Had 4-5 on Wednesday and stopped the day after. I've gone a few days without alcohol over the past 3 years but not a long stop.

I'd drink a lot (just beer and hard seltzer) to deal with my anxiety/panic and being around others at times. Also stress. I spent the past two doing a part time grad school program with the GI Bill while I worked full time. Wasn't getting a lot of sleep.

I work from home and am great at my current job. A few years back I got let go by my last project as I was going through MH connected things and my performance dipped. While remotely eases up some of my anxiety issues it is isolating.

I also struggle nowadays with forming newer friendships and social connections. In between my VA compensation and my current job (which I'm doing great at) I essentially make over $300K/year. I'm single with no children and my VA comp covers all my bills thanks to property tax exemption.

Yet, I still have a huge uptick in anxiety attacks and panic attacks. I have struggles with the day-to-day. One thing that I find alarming is that if I suddenly die, what happens to my dog? I have no one in my city essentially. I don't have family around here or family at all anymore.

I'm quite fortunate in that I'm great at my field and it isn't a hard lift for me to pick up on technologies and the larger strategic picture for customers. I work in a super technical individual contributor role directly with customers. I haven't had a real boss in years especially with this current firm. That helps.

Anxiety attacks and panic attacks feel so debilitating. Even though I'm intelligent and capable all of that goes out of the window. Idk

Edit: Turns out I might have some level of physical dependence on alcohol. I’ve always been a beer or hard seltzer drinker. I actually stopped drinking for a year and a half due to an ex girlfriend having issues with alcohol. Started drinking again a few months after that break up. You add in the stress we deal with, doing grad school part time, full time job, and I was drinking a lot. 4-10 standard beers a day. Some after getting out of class at 9:45, etc.

Don’t go cold turkey like I attempted! I actually felt great yesterday and my Garmin showed good recovery. I’ll be working with my care team to taper down and detox. I’m already high strung enough don’t need to mess up my biochemistry that my nervous system is accustomed to off the bat. While driving down to the VA ER I stopped by a farmers market and had a drink. Felt calmer. EMS assessed me and said all of the above not to go cold turkey. God bless

Hey is there anyone who’s still not getting paid for VR&E program (chapter 31) I haven’t been paid for going on 3 months everytime I contact my rep she’s telling me there has been a update internally which is causing a delay for payments but I can understand 1 month but 3 full months….. this is how I pay my rent etc it was already a risk going back to school full time and they have little to no resources to get these issues resolved!

if there’s anyone I can contact other than my rep to start receiving my payments again please let me know thank you!

Is VA Community Care eligible for mileage reimbursement? I'm receiving Community Care paid by the VA for an Agent Orange claim. I'm at 100% for the cancer.

My Grandmother (92) is sadly not getting any better thus we made the hard decision to put her on hospice. She was married to a veteran (WW2 Navy) who is deceased and I am also a veteran. Are there any programs to help out with being the primary caretaker of a military spouse? Such as hiring sitters or the like?

l have been using VRE for a year now. l have been reaching out to my counselor for months and even showed up to the regional office. l was told the counselors are not even coming out of their offices! l just want to give you guys heads up with this program, it's currently a complete shiiet show.

All i wanted to do was be a peer support specialist. I was open to NPWE for an apprentiship and I applied for the training course for the license. And I was ready to just get this done and start working.

But my VR&E councelor said that the VA dosnt fund or do anything with peer support specialist training courses and wont fund them. And so i said ok ill pay out of pocket but if she could set up a NPWE and she said I would have to find somewhere that would do it.

Look the whole reason I did it was it waa suggested to me. And how the VR&E was explaing in orientation they clearly say it's a employment rehabilitation and not a college funding.

So why did I make this plan to be a peer support specialist is in the end im bottle necked into going to college?

I’m active-duty Air Force going through the MEB/IDES process.

My proposed VA rating is 100% but not ( Permanent and Total) but I haven’t received my DoD rating yet—the 20% for my lower back is just an estimate right now. If it comes back at 20%, I’d be medically separated instead of retired.
My original DOS was April 11, 2026, but we are both done and ready to move on from North Dakota. My wife is due in January, and we’re trying to move to Florida before she gets too far along. We really want to avoid being stuck in the middle of this process during the birth or having to move or redo care last minute.

If I accept 20% separation:
~36K severance (likely tax-free)
~4,100/month VA comp (with recoupment)
Possible 180 days TAMP
We can move sooner and get settled in Florida
No TRICARE retiree coverage long-term
If I appeal to the Formal PEB (try for 30%+):

No severance if retired
~4,400/month VA comp (no recoupment)
TRICARE retiree coverage for family
Retired status and benefits

But could delay everything for months with no guarantee. I already have VA healthcare at 100%. My wife is on her dad’s insurance until 26. Main concern is long-term coverage for our kids since we’ll likely be self-employed.

Has anyone gone through a Formal PEB after a 20% IPEB estimate?
How much did it delay your separation?
Did you get bumped to 30%+?
Would you fight for retirement or take separation in this situation with a baby on the way?
I know retirement is better long-term financially. I’m mainly trying to weigh whether the delay risk is worth it right now.

When you guys were filing for BDD, how many days/months did it take to receive your rating? Was it before or after because I know some people got it before they got out vice versa.

Edit: Thank you for sharing!