If you are a Veteran with a medical condition or disease that was aggravated by, or is a result of your military service, you may be entitled to compensation from the Veterans Administration. If you are a Veteran with a medical condition that is not related to military service but renders you completely unable to work and you meet certain income and service guidelines, you might be entitled to VA pension benefits. Veterans already receiving service or non-service connected benefits from the VA may be entitled to additional compensation based on increased or incorrectly classified medical disabilities.
Moellring & Ambler are honored to help Veterans and their families obtain benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. We can assist you at all levels in an appeal for benefits, including the VA Regional Offices, the Board of Veterans Appeals and the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claim. We are accredited by the VA and are members of the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims bar.
If you have any questions regarding any type of VA benefit, please contact our office to discuss maximizing your benefits. Please be sure to have a copy of your DD214 and your most recent rating decision ready for your review.
Veterans History Project
We participate when possible in the The Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center. The center collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. The story of your military service may help future generations understand aspects of your experience that may not be preserved otherwise.
Resources
Below are helpful websites for anyone who is doing research on a claim for benefits from the Veterans Benefit Administration. Please feel free to contact us if the links are not working or you have suggestions of additional links you would like to see posted here.
A not-for-profit education membership organization of attorneys and other qualified members who act as advocates for disabled veterans.
National Veterans Legal Services Program
A nonprofit organization that works to ensure that the government delivers our nation’s veterans and active duty personnel the benefits to which they are entitled.
The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program
The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program provides assistance to unrepresented veterans or their family members who have filed appeals at the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. The organization also trains attorneys in the field of veterans law.
Before a law or rule regarding benefits can be made final, it must be published in the Federal Register, The Daily Journal of the United States Government. Here you will find notices, proposed rules and rules published by the Veterans Administration. The register has a searchable data base dating back to 1994.
Web Automated Reference Material System (WARMS)
WARMS is the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs site which contains manuals, directives, handbooks, Title Code of Federal Regulations and many more publications from the benefits they manage.
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR)
The e-CFR is a regularly updated, unofficial editorial compilation of Code of Federal Regulations material and Federal Register.
Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA)
Members of the BVA are Law Judges, attorneys experienced in veteran’s law and in the review of benefit claims, and staff attorneys. The BVA is part of the appeals process for veteran’s claims.
United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC)
The CAVC is the national court of record that has exclusive jurisdiction to provide judicial review of final decisions from the BVA.
The OIG conducts investigations, audits, and health care inspections to promote economy, efficiency and effectiveness in VA activities, and to detect and deter criminal activity, waste, abuse, and mismanagement.
VA Office of General Counsel (OGC)
The OGC identifies and meets the legal needs of the Veterans Benefits Administration by issuing precedent opinions and legal interpretations of VA Law. Official and employees of the VA follow these interpretations which can often be helpful to a veteran’s claim.
The Veterans Administration central location for veterans, service members, and their families to research, find, access, and manage their benefits and personal information.
Veterans Benefits Administration
This webpage has links to information about compensation, education, vocational rehabilitation, home loans, life insurance and pensions.
Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange
This is a site which provides information about presumptive exposure to and diseases associated with herbicide exposure. Although the presumption of exposure is conceded for locations such as Vietnam and the Korean DMZ, a veteran may be able to prove exposure in other locations.
Agent Orange: Alphabetized Ships List
Many ships are recognized to have served in the inland waterways, Brown water ships, and the VBA will concede exposure to herbicides for veterans who were aboard these vessels.
Project Checo Southeast Asia Report: Base Defense in Thailand
This is a declassified United States Air Force report from February of 1973. The release of Project Checo, a Contemporary Historical Examination of Current Operations Report in May of 1989, proved that Agent Orange, and other herbicides were used outside of Vietnam.
Institute of Medicine: Veterans Health
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) is an independent, nonprofit organization that works outside of government to provide unbiased and authoritative advice to decision makers and the public. The IOM conducts studies and issues reports on several issues effecting veterans today including Agent Orange, Gulf War exposures/illnesses such as traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
A group of military medical professionals designed this site to help veterans understand the schedule of rating disabilities and how the VA process works. Headed by Air Force Colonel George P. Johnson, M.D., former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, this is one of the most comprehensive sites dealing with the veterans benefits on the internet.
Texas Tech University: The Vietnam Center and Archive
Texas Tech collects and preserves the documentary record of the Vietnam War. The website provides links to unit records from the Vietnam War. These can be used to prove stressor events, or proof of exposure to Agent Orange.
Department of Defense: Military Compensation, Concurrent Receipt
There are two programs that retired military personnel may apply for to receive concurrent receipt of their military retired pay and VA benefits. CRDP and CRSC allow for a veteran to receive dual receipt of these benefits. If you are retired military and service connected, be sure that you review these benefits.
VA Records Management Center (RMC)
This VA facility began receiving service medical records in 1992, and is currently assisting in the transition of these records to the Veterans Benefits Management System.
Once a veteran files a claim for service connection, the Regional Office opens a folder on that veteran. If you are searching for a copy of your claims file you can find a link to the Regional Benefit Office Websites here.
National Archives Records Administration (NARA)
NARA is the nation’s record keeper. With the Archival Research Catalog (ARC) and Access to Archival Databases (AAD), you can search the database for records for Marine Corps command chronologies, US Army daily journals and Operational Reports.
SF 180, Request Pertaining to Military Records
This form should be completed and submitted to the correct facility that may have the service medical records, SMRs, or the Official Military Personnel File, OMPF. All of a veterans records could be in the claims file at the Regional Office.
The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)
This website has the central repository of both military and civil personnel-related records for both the military and civil services of the US government. A veteran can generally find their Official Military Personnel File includes service medical records which can be ordered by submitting the SF 180, Request Pertaining to Military Records.
It is important to note that the Regional Office collects and stores many of these records in the veterans claims file.
Former members of the Air Force, discharged after October 1, 2004, should order their personnel records from this facility.
Former members of the Navy, discharged after January 1, 1995, should order there personnel records from this facility.
Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA)
The AFHRA is the repository for Air Force historical documents and includes an online organizational resource for linage and honors.
Naval History and Heritage Command
The Naval History and Heritage command is responsible for the preservation, analysis and dissemination of U.S. Naval history and heritage. At this site you can search ship histories and submit a request for deck logs.
U.S. Army Center of Military History (CMH)
The CMH is responsible for the proper use of history throughout the US Army to include unit linage and honors and a Master Index of Army Records.
United States Marine Corps History Division
The Marine Corp History Division’s primary task is to research and write the marine Corps official military history. They hold Muster rolls, rosters, and unit diaries from the Vietnam Era to the present.
