OCONUS Connection

A Publication by the Pittsburgh VBA Regional Office for Veterans residing outside the US.

Newly Separating Service Members & Veterans Residing OCONUS: How to get Assistance

As a small intake site, the primary mission of the Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) team members is to provide guidance and assistance to Service Members who are between 180-90 days from separation.  Service Members can work one-on-one with a VA Representative to file a disability compensation claim for any illness or injury sustained while serving on active duty.  Once the claim is established, Pittsburgh Regional Office assumes sole jurisdiction for reviewing and processing all “foreign” claims (foreign claims as defined based on an AE, AP, or international/overseas mailing address).  Should additional services related to other VA benefits be needed, Service Members may reach out to a BDD team member for further assistance.

Understanding there may be Veterans/Retirees residing overseas or Veterans working outside of the US as civilian employees with DoD agencies, the VA has many tools in place to serve this populace group as well.

For Veterans or other VA claimants residing outside of the US, assistance with filing a claim, status of pending claim or appeal, or any other VA related benefit is provided by Overseas Military Service Coordinators (OMSCs), virtually by the Pittsburgh Regional Office’s Public Contact Unit, or telephonically by Agents from our National Call Center (1 800 827-1000 or 412-395-6272).   Veterans and claimants may also send us an email using Ask VA.

PITTSBURGH’S PUBLIC CONTACT UNIT:

Alternatively, Veterans or claimants wishing to schedule a telephone (virtual) appointment to speak with a representative from the Pittsburgh Regional Office, who is equally responsible for assisting Veterans residing overseas, may schedule an appointment via the VA’s appointment scheduler, VERA.

Virtual appointments can be made via the Visitor Engagement Reporting Application (VERA): https://vets.force.com/VAVERA/s/

1. Select “Schedule Virtual Appointment”
2. Select Pennsylvania for state.
3. Select Virtual Pittsburgh Regional Office
4. Complete visitor information *please note, international phone numbers must be input in the “Special Notes/Requests” section with the country code*
5. Select desired services regarding what you would like to discuss during your appointment.
6. Select a date for your appointment
7. Select a time for your appointment *please note, all appointments are in Eastern Standard Time (EST), which is 6 hours behind Germany*

WHERE TO SEND VA CORRESPONDENCE:

Documents may be submitted by mail, in person at a VA regional office or electronically. However, submitting correspondence electronically is the fastest method of receipt.

VA provides several tools to assist in electronic submission. To learn more about how to submit documents and claims electronically, visit www.va.gov/disability/upload-supporting-evidence. You can also go directly to access.va.gov to digitally upload any correspondence using QuickSubmit.

By visiting www.va.gov you can also check your claim status and learn about other VA benefits.   

Using the latest technology at our disposal, the VA provides our Veterans and Service Members with advanced resources that allow them many avenues to connect with us.  Be it through in-person or virtual appointments, email, or one of the VA’s self-service portals. Service Members, Veterans, and other Claimants are equipped with the necessary tools to engage with the VA and to apply and receive benefits we offer.

Update: Overseas Military Service Coordinators

Due to COVID-19, Overseas Military Service Coordinators (OMSCs) have extended virtual support operations to overseas Veterans, Service members, and their dependents. OMSCs will be responding to e-mails and arranging phone interviews for those seeking assistance with all VA benefits.

We invite all Veterans, Service members, and dependents who would like to speak to a VA representative about VA benefits to send your contact information to the email address listed for your location to set up a virtual appointment with an OMSC. 

Veterans residing in European countries: OMSCGER1.VBAVACO@VA.GOV

Veterans residing in Asian countries: OMSCJAPANOK.VBAVACO@VA.GOV

New Officer in Charge at Germany BDD

Ms. Phyllis Barnes is the new Officer in Charge (OIC) for the Germany Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) Intake Site located at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC).  She has worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) under Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA) for the past 12 years.  Prior to her transition to Germany, Phyllis worked for the Los Angeles Regional Office in various capacities.  As a fellow Veteran of the US Army, Phyllis takes pride and passion in her job and maintains an open communicative collaboration with all stakeholders within her jurisdiction to ensure the VA is meeting the needs of our Veterans and Service Members.

Enroll in the New VALife Program Now VA’s newest life insurance program, Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife), increases access to life insurance for more service-connected Veterans than ever before. Who is eligible? Enrollment for VALife opened on Jan. 1, 2023, for Veterans age 80 or under with any level of service-connected disability (0-100%). Veterans age 81 or over may also qualify if they meet certain conditions. What are the premium rates? In most cases, VALife premium rates are competitive with, or better than, similar private sector guaranteed acceptance programs. VALife rates will not increase for the life of the policy and are not based on medical conditions. Instead, rates are based on a Veteran’s age upon enrollment and the coverage amount selected. Top Things to Know About VALife VALife offers coverage up to $40,000. Coverage is available in increments of $10,000. There are no medical requirements to enroll. Veterans are not required to have a medical exam or answer health questions. There is no time limit to apply if an eligible Veteran is age 80 or under. Eligible Veterans age 81 or older must meet certain time requirements to apply . VALife does not offer waiver of premiums. Unlike Service-Disabled Veterans Life Insurance (S-DVI), VALife premiums cannot be waived. Veterans who currently have S-DVI can either keep their coverage or switch to VALife. Whether a Veteran switches or not depends on their unique needs. S-DVI insured Veterans should learn more about the two programs before making a decision. Veterans with an S-DVI premium waiver cannot transfer that waiver to a VALife policy. VALife application and enrollment is completely online. Veterans can apply, receive an instant decision, enroll, and manage all aspects of their VALife policy completely online. To check eligibility and apply today, visit   https://insurance.va.gov/VALIFE/Fiduciary.

Separation Health Assessment Part A now required on claims from Transitioning Service Members

Starting April 1, Service members will be required to complete and submit the Part A Self-Assessment of a new Separation Health Assessment (SHA) with their BDD application.

The SHA is a single separation examination which supports both the VA disability compensation process and the Department of Defense (DoD) separation/retirement process. The SHA examination documents any medical concerns identified during your military career, assists with identifying future illnesses, and reduces redundant examinations between both agencies.

The SHA Part A questionnaire will provide VA examiners a history of the Service Member’s medical conditions and will assist with conducting a more thorough and better-quality examination. A link to the Part A questionnaire will be placed on the VA Form 21-526-EZ Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefit, under the eligibility criteria for the BDD program, and on the VA BDD and IDES Fact Sheets. A direct link to Part A is also available here.

BDD claimants who submit applications online can upload the completed Part A with their STRs under the evidence section. After VA receives and reviews the application, STRs, and completed Part A Self-Assessment, a SHA examination will be requested. The SHA clinical assessment will be conducted by one of VA’s contracted examiners or a local VA health care examiner.

To learn more, visit: Separation Health Assessment Part A now required on claims from transitioning service members - VA News

Examinations for VA Claims

During the claims process, we may ask you to have an exam.  We may request this to help us determine if a claimed disability is related to your service or to determine the severity of your disability. 

Not every claim requires an exam. It depends on what medical evidence is already in your file and what you included with your application. If we ask you to have an exam, we'll schedule your appointment at one of our facilities or with one of our contracted medical examiners.

Examinations with Medical Disability Examination Contractors

A contractor will contact you by email or phone to schedule your appointment. If they can't reach you in one of these ways, they'll schedule your appointment and mail you the details about it.

We use several contractors to provide claim exams:

• QTC Management, customer service number 800-682-9701.
• Veterans Evaluation Services, customer service number 877-637-8387. If you're outside the continental U.S., customer service number +1-713-255-5656.

Will I be contacted by email during my claims process?

During the claims process, we may contact you through an email notification system called govDelivery. We'll email you to tell you in advance about phone calls and text messages you'll get from our contractors about your disability exam.

This email informs you that one of our contractors will contact you to schedule an exam. To receive email notifications from us, please provide a valid email address on your claim form or call us at 1-800-827-1000 or 412-395-6272.

If you think we shouldn't have contacted you, or you would like to confirm that you need to have a claim exam, please call us at 1-800-827-1000 or 412-395-6272. 

If you have additional questions about what to expect during an exam, please visit our claim exam page or VA Claim Exam Fact Sheet.

New Decision Letter Download Feature in VA.gov

As part of VA's commitment to providing an excellent customer experience, VA is continuously updating and adding more functionality to the VA.gov website.  With just one click, you can reach the top information Veterans need through one secure location to log in to access personalized information.  The new Decision Letter Download feature in VA.gov allows users to view documents in their VBMS eFolder with the document type "Notification Letter." 

Some tools currently available on VA.gov include:

• Content for Disability, Pension, Health Care, Education & Training, Housing Assistance, Careers & Employment, Life Insurance, Records, and Burial and Memorial Benefits
• Online applications for health care, compensation, pension, education, Chapter 31, and burial benefits
• Online application for pre-discharge claims
• View, add, or remove dependents for compensation benefits
• Online application for appeal to the Board of Veterans Appeals (VA Form 10182, Decision Review Request: Board Appeal (Notice of Disagreement))
• Online application for Higher-Level Review (VA Form 20-0996, Decision Review Request: Higher-Level Review) for compensation claims
• Status of compensation and pension claims and appeals
• GI Bill Comparison Tool
• Change of address or direct deposit
• Enhanced facility Locator
• Veteran Employment Center
• Prescription refill ordering
• Secure messaging with VHA physicians
• Find local VA-approved community health care providers and pharmacies
• Request Veteran ID Card
• Customized discharge upgrade instructions
• Download VA letters and documents
• Debt management tool, including VA Form 5655, Financial Status Report
• Find VA forms
• Set communication and notification preferences
• VHA Travel Pay
• Much more!

Veteran Health Identification Cards  (VHIC)

Veterans may now obtain a Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) online.

You can sign in to AccessVA to request your VHIC. You’ll need a Login.gov, ID.me, DS Logon, My HealtheVet, or Department of Defense Common Access Card (CAC) account.  Please note, if you live outside the U.S. and you do not have one of the aforementioned accounts, you'll need to create an ID.me account to verify your identify. 

For additional information and instructions, visit: 

Get A Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)

The PACT Act and Your VA Benefits The PACT Act is a historic new law that expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans who were exposed to toxic fumes and other hazards while fighting for our country.  Family members or dependents of deceased Veterans may qualify for various VA benefits. The VA is committed to ensuring all Veterans and their family members receive the benefits and care they have earned. Next steps for Veterans and dependents: Apply now for PACT Act benefits by filing a claim.  If you have not yet enrolled in VA for health care, learn how to apply. Scan the QR code above to learn more about how to file a claim.  Learn more: Watch PACT ACT OVERVIEW Video,  visit VA.Gov/PACT or call 1-800-MyVA411.

Upcoming Virtual Events

VA regularly participates in virtual outreach events . Visit the link below to view the full list of virtual offerings:

Outreach & Events | Outreach Events | Veterans Affairs (va.gov)

Help Us Serve You!

If you are interested in having a VA representative from the Pittsburgh RO attend an upcoming virtual event, participate in a virtual speaking engagement, or provide a benefits briefing to your group, please let us know! 

Request a VA Representative Attend a Virtual Event

Veteran Good News Stories

We want to hear your VA good news stories!   Whether you're a Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E) participant who found a new career path, a Veteran who applied for and received care and benefits as a result of the PACT Act, or a long time recipient of service-connected compensation who had a great experience with VA, we want to hear from you!    These stories may be used by VA Public Affairs in speeches, presentations, and other related media to showcase to Veterans and survivors the care and benefits available to them, and encourage them to apply now. 

Please take a moment to provide your contact information through the link below and a representative from the Pittsburgh VA Regional Office will contact you to share your story.   

Share Your VA Story

Stay Connected

Please encourage Veterans and separating Service Members that you know residing outside of the US to visit the Pittsburgh VA Regional Office website to sign up to receive this quarterly newsletter, The OCONUS Connection, in which we share information pertinent to Veterans living overseas.   Veterans and Service Members can subscribe to this publication by submitting their email address through the link provided on our website.

VA Welcome Kit

Whether you’re just getting out of the service or you’ve been a civilian for years now, the VA Welcome Kit can help guide you to the benefits and services you’ve earned.

VA Federal Benefits for Veterans, Dependents, & Survivors contains a wealth of information about the broad range of benefits and services available, including pertinent phone numbers, websites, basic eligibility requirements, and more!

The Veterans Benefits Guide  highlights VA benefits and services available for transitioning Service members and their families.

If you’re a Veteran having thoughts of suicide or concerned about one, reach 24/7 crisis support through the new Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) number: Dial 988, then Press 1.

The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Veterans Affairs of the linked web sites, or the information, products or services contained therein. For other than authorized VA activities, the Department does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. All links are provided with the intent of meeting the mission of the Department. Please let us know about existing external links which you believe are inappropriate.