Update: Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act
As a result of Public Law 116-23, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019, Blue Water Navy Veterans are now entitled to presumption of service connection for illnesses related to Agent Orange Exposure. Veterans and surviving spouses can now file for benefits if the Veteran was onboard a U.S. military vessel that operated in the inland waterways of Vietnam or served on a vessel not more than 12 nautical miles seaward from the demarcation line of the waters of Vietnam and Cambodia.
There are also several changes to the VA home loan program resulting from the act, including:
- Appraisals
- VA-Guaranteed Home Loan Limit
- Native American Direct Loan program
- Funding Fee Table
- Purple Heart Recipients
For more information, please review the Blue Water Navy Fact Sheet and VA's Agent Orange webpage.
What Type of Evidence Should I submit to Support My Compensation Claim?
It depends. Each type of compensation claim requires different evidence to support the claim. Here are some specific guidelines that provide detailed information about evidence needed based on the type of claim you are filing. As a general rule, if you have received treatment for the disability, please be sure to provide those records with your claim or complete VA Form 21-4142 . You may also consider having your private physician complete a Disability Benefits Questionnaire that is appropriate for the condition you are claiming. There are over 70 DBQs available here! This may eliminate the need for you to attend a VA examination.
What Other Benefits are Available to Me?
Many Veterans and their family members are not aware of all of the benefits available. VA developed a benefits eligibility matrix to outline some of the additional benefits you may be eligible for that are based on a favorable decision for a VA benefit or based on special circumstances. Take a look! Please note that there are some restrictions to eligibility for Veterans residing abroad.
How Do I Obtain My Military Records?
Veterans living outside the United States should fill out SF-180 requesting their Military Records.
How to Obtain Standard Form 180 (SF-180) to Request Military Records
There are several ways to obtain an SF-180. You can:
You can mail or fax your signed and dated request to the National Archives' National Personnel Record Center (NPRC). Be sure to use the address specified (either in the instructions on the SF-180
- On July 1, 2019, VA reduced Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) monthly premium rates from 7 cents per $1,000 to 6 cents per $1,000 of coverage.
- Servicemembers with spouses covered under Family SGLI will see an additional average monthly premium decrease ranging from 10 to 32 percent depending on the age and the amount of coverage for the spouse.
For more information about the 2019 SGLI premium reduction and a table of premiums at all coverage amounts, visit VA's FAQ page.
 Vets4Warriors provides a confidential peer support to any Veteran, service member, family member, or caregiver whenever they have an issue, wherever they are in the world. 100% staffed by trained Veterans and members of the military community, they provide immediate, free, and long-term support through confidential phone, chat, text, and email conversations to help those they serve live better lives. They connect you with someone who understands your journey.
You can contact them at 855.838.8255 or Vets4Warriors.com
Employment Opportunities for Overseas Veterans:
The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is recruiting veterans to bring a taste of home to warfighters downrange. Since 1895, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service has served the Nation's armed forces during combat operations, humanitarian missions and military exercises around the world. The 123-year-old Department of Defense retailer is seeking veterans to deploy to fill various positions wherever the Exchange operates within Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe.
No matter where America’s troops go, the Exchange goes with them. The Exchange operates 41 direct-run stores on 32 installations in eight Middle East countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, as well as on installations in Europe, such as Bosnia, Kosovo, Romania, Poland and Bulgaria.
This program supports the Exchange’s commitment to hire 50,000 veterans and military spouses by 2020. Veterans can look for jobs at ApplyMyExchange.com. Deployments with the Exchange range from six months to a year, with an option to extend up to two years. After their deployments, Veterans are eligible to apply for other jobs with the Exchange. (Courtesy of AAFES News Service)
With over 42,000 jobs in 20 different career areas, there’s endless opportunity for advancement.
 How do I Enroll in or Change Direct Deposit?
Veterans and Surviving Spouses wishing to enroll or change their International Direct Deposit must complete VA Form 24-0296A.
If assistance is needed, the US Embassy will assist in completing the form. Unfortunately, you cannot enroll or change your banking information over the phone. Once completed, the form should be sent to the following location:
Department of Veterans Affairs
125 South Main St
Muskogee, OK 74401
or E-Mail: DIRECTD.VBAMUS@VA.GOV
or Fax: (918) 781-7577
It usually takes 30 days to complete processing and once complete, the next payment should go to the new bank account. If the form is incomplete, we will contact you with instructions on how to correct the problem.
A common concern is that once processed, the banking information in eBenefits does not appear to be the same account information as submitted. This is due to international banking conversion of the banking information and possible currency conversion.
VA.Gov website
 VA launched a new, Veteran-focused VA.gov. VA talked to Veterans and, mostly importantly, listened to what they told us: Veterans think of VA as a single entity, but delivered services in silos, forcing you to figure out how to navigate VA's different websites to get what you need. Not anymore. Check out Explore VA.Gov You Tube video and let us know what you think!
VA spoke with thousands of Veterans, family members, and caregivers and the message was clear- they want to access Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) information online as quickly and easily as possible. As part of VA’s commitment to providing an excellent customer experience for Veterans, VA is modernizing its digital footprint and migrating VA websites into a single, unified, Veteran-centric platform under VA.gov. The redesigned VA.gov went live on November 7th.
One of the most important aspects of this change is that VA is making it easier for Veterans and those who support them to find the information and tools they need. The new VA.gov makes it possible for Veterans to get to the top 20 services VA offers (e.g. “schedule an appointment,” “file a claim,” “apply for health care”) with a single click. This new home page also provides a clear and standard way to log in to access a personalized user experience for Veterans. Logged in Veterans will find a dashboard summarizing the current status of services they receive from VA, whether those services are provided by the Veterans Health Administration – such as prescription refills, or the Veterans Benefits Administration – such as claim status. Customers can also update their contact information in one location rather than visiting multiple VA websites or making multiple calls.
Over time, all VA websites—currently a tangle of confusing brands and information—will migrate into a single, unified, Veteran-centric platform under a name Veterans recognize and trust:
Check Your VA Claim or Appeal Status on VA.GOV
You can use this tool to check the status of a VA claim or appeal for compensation. Track your:
- Disability compensation (including claims based on special needs, like an automobile or clothing allowance)
- Veterans or Survivors Pension benefits
- Special monthly compensation (such as Aid and Attendance)
- Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)
- Burial allowance to help pay for a Veteran’s burial and funeral expenses
You can also use this tool to check the status of a claim or appeal for other benefits like these:
- VA health care
- GI Bill or other education benefits
- Vocational rehabilitation and employment
- A home loan Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
- A Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) or Special Housing Adaptation (SHA) grant
- Life insurance
- A pre-need determination of eligibility to be buried in a VA national cemetery
To use this tool, you’ll need to have one of these free accounts:
- A Premium My HealtheVet account, or
- A Premium DS Logon account (used for eBenefits and milConnect), or
- A verified ID.me account that you can create on VA.gov
VBA Rating Schedule Updated
Effective August 11, 2019, there is a new rating schedule for infectious diseases, immune disorders and nutritional deficiencies. The collection of federal regulations used by Veterans Benefits Administration helps claims processors evaluate the severity of disabilities and assign disability ratings. Since September 2017, VA has updated the rating schedules for Dental and Oral Conditions, conditions related to the Endocrine system, Gynecological Conditions and Disorders of the Breast and the General Rating Formula for Diseases of the Eye, Skin conditions, and the Hematologic and Lymphatic Systems. VA will continue updating the remainder of the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD)—affecting 15 total body systems—over the next several months.
The complete list of updates to the rating schedule for infectious diseases, immune disorders and nutritional deficiencies is now available online. Claims pending prior to August 11, 2019, will be considered under both the old and new rating criteria, and whichever criteria is more favorable to a Veteran will be applied. Claims filed on or after August 11 will be rated under the new rating schedule.
VA is updating the entire VASRD for the first time since 1945. VA remains committed to staying at the forefront of modern medicine to provide the best service to Veterans and their families.
Appeals Update
VA successfully implemented the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 in February 2019. VA has processed the intake of over 55,000 AMA claims since the implementation. Higher Level Reviews are being processed in an average of 30 days, well below the 125-day timeliness goal.
VA is committed to eliminating its non-remand legacy appeals. At the end of July, VBA had less than 155K compensation and pension appeals in its non-remand inventory. Pittsburgh had approximately 1,170 pending legacy appeals for Veterans in our foreign jurisdiction. We are continuing to prioritize claims from Veterans based on advanced age, terminal illness, financial hardship, and homelessness. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding a pending legacy appeal.
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