MILITARY

VA delivers 81,000 appeals’ decisions to vets

George W. Reilly Special to The Journal
George W. Reilly

On Sept. 14, two weeks ahead of schedule, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) exceeded its goal to deliver 81,000 appeals’ decisions of disability benefits and services to veterans in fiscal year 2018, a total of 28,000 more decisions than the previous year. In doing so, the VA’s Board of Veterans’ Appeals provided thousands of veterans with life-changing decisions.

In the past, any time a veteran filed a claim for disability that the VA rejected, he or she had the right to appeal the decision. But the average wait before the improved process of making a final decision in use now was six years. As a result, the number of pending appeals increased sharply, rising in the past two years alone from 380,000 to approximately 470,000 pending appeals, according to the VA’s own records. Additionally, the VA currently spends about $63.7 billion per year on 4.1 million veterans with disabilities related to their time in service.

The achievement of more streamlined disability claims appeals decisions comes amid focused Appeals Board efforts to implement the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 (www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr2288/summary). This is transforming an historically complex appeals process into a simple, timely and transparent process providing veterans with increased choice and control.

Veterans who disagree with the initial claim decision have three options under the Act: first, the "Board lane," which instantly moves a pending appeal over to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals and skips the intervening layers of VA hierarchy higher level review at the office of original jurisdiction; second, "the local higher level review lane," which moves a rejected claim to another adjudicator higher up on the VA hierarchy to take a second look at it; and, third, the "new evidence lane," which allows veterans to submit new evidence related to their disability appeal to the board.

Once a veteran appeals to the board, he or she remains in control of the process by choosing one of three dockets best suited to the appeal — direct review docket, evidence docket and hearing docket. In November 2017, the VA launched the Rapid Appeals Modernization Program (RAMP) with the goal of providing eligible appellants with the earliest possible resolution of their disagreement with VA’s decision on their claim. RAMP provides a voluntary opportunity to enter the new, more efficient review process outlined in the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017, which will be fully implemented in February 2019. To learn more about opting in to RAMP, obtain additional information online at https://benefits.va.gov/benefits/appeals.asp.

To support the various organizations preparing to help veterans navigate the new appeals process, the chairman of the Appeals Board and her staff led numerous training sessions and panels held by national, state and local veteran service organizations like the VFW, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans and other private legal organizations.

To maintain its momentum, the board hired 186 new attorneys this fiscal year and planned to add 30 more to the team by Sept. 30. Additionally, the board joined the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (learn more at https://bit.ly/2DgzSwU) in October, and looks forward to participating in a program that helps bring the valuable insights and tremendous talent of military spouses to the board.

For more information about the board and its progress on appeals modernization, visit https://www.bva.va.gov.

WWI speaker

at Coventry library

Professor Stanley Carpenter of the Newport Naval War College will speak on the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I ast 7 p.m.  Thursday, Nov. 8, in the Coventry Public Library at 1672 Flat River Rd. Carpenter has spoken many times on American wars and his presentation Thursday will provide depth to the public’s understanding of the Great War.

Carpenter serves as the strategy and policy division head for the college of distance education at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, where he administers the Strategy and War nonresident programs and serves as a professor of strategy and policy.

For more information, call Jane at (401) 822-9104 or send an email to js@coventrylibrary.org.

Alzheimer's lecture

set for Wednesday

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, a national nonprofit organization, will present on Nov. 7 its "A to Z" lecture series at the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence, Wednesday from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. The program is designed to raise Alzheimer’s awareness, educate individuals about the disease, and teach them practical steps and strategies that can help if Alzheimer’s disease becomes a part of their lives. Free memory screenings will be offered and registration is free. For more information go online to https://alzfdn.org/event/lecture-series-alzheimers-disease-z-3/ or the foundation’s main website at www.alzfdn.org. Veterans and the public are invited.

Meetings

The Rhode Island House Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee, 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 5 (note date change), Room 135, R.I. State House, Smith Street, Providence.

American Legion East Greenwich Post 15, 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 5, 1016 Main St.

Veterans of Foreign Wars North Kingstown Memorial Post 152, 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 5, North Kingstown Senior Center, 44 Beach St.

Marine Corps League Kent County Detachment, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7, VFW Post 449, 197 Providence St., West Warwick.

Disabled American Veterans Mount Pleasant Chapter 21, 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, Dillon Council Knights of Columbus, 1675 Douglas Ave., North Providence.

Pawtucket Veterans Council, 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9, Gatchell VFW Post 306, 171 Fountain St., Pawtucket.

Send veterans’ meeting and news items to George W. Reilly at VeteransColumn@gmail.com