FYSA (For Your Situational Awareness, for the non-military reading this) so you know this is
100% true and valid I could only imagine how difficult it was before the current administration took over.

Analysis from my Medical records via my final physical in Feb 2019, VSO
examining my medical records, and current primary care manager (PCM)
examination 2 May is that I should be 100% VA disabled due to all the
injuries and issues I have associated with my military service.

Here is my VA journey and Military retirement.

16 Jan told that I would be retired on 1 Mar by HQMC, so I jumped through my
hoops (not the word I would've used) to get set-up to retire. Asked HQMC
for an extension, they gave me an extra month, in order to get through all
the retirement hoops.

Mid-February contacted a VSO in Las Cruces in order to handle my claim and
get things in order. He said he'd help me but the State hadn't updated his
computer to be able to submit someone who was still on duty for the 2019
forms. I helped him out by contacting his superiors for them to assist his
office. Which they finally did.

26 Feb my VSO sent into VA my 2200+ pages of medical records, that VA
required that I have printed off for them to review. VSO sent off via USPS
Priority in order to get to VA and it was tracked. I sold back 60 days of
leave that I had accrued (not to be paid until 15 May).

First week of March interviewed for job (cause I have to support the family,
right?) that would require me to go to JTF-GTMO with a report date of 16
Apr. That gives VA six weeks to get things together for assessment
appointments from when they received my Medical records, so I could do my
assessment.

31 Mar officially retired from the USMC at 0000 1 Apr 2019.

12 Apr I get a call from a contractor (who VA has contracted in order to
set-up appointments) to review my medical Disabilities and my records. They
were informed by me that I would be out of country on those dates. I
contacted my VSO of the call, and inquired what should I do. He contacted
VA, with me present in the office, and we submitted another form for them to
review my medical records in order to conduct a rating and my soon to be POC
while in GTMO, so if they could get me rated at GTMO. He gave me the
documents, that should my new PCM in GTMO be able to fill out, to check my
disabilities in order to turn into VA.

14 Apr leave to go to GTMO.

16 Apr Arrive in GTMO.

17 Apr inform VSO of status in GTMO who on 12 Apr had already informed VA of
status that I would be in GTMO on 16 Apr.

2 May I meet my new PCM, who I inquired if he would do the paperwork so I
can send back to my VSO in order for him to file with VA. He informed me
that he wasn't comfortable filling it out though he did confirm, upon
reviewing my medical records, I should be 100% VA disabled. Though he was
afraid to do the paperwork, because he did not want to mess it up.

10 May haven't been informed of anything from VA, called VA (on hold for 31
minutes) to confirm that I was indeed in GTMO. They acknowledged I was in
GTMO and my POCs would be different. However, on 12 Apr in conference call
they were already informed with the VSO as a witness of where I would be and
my POCs.

O/A 26 May call VA (on hold for 29 minutes) to see if they can set me up
appointments here in GTMO at the Naval Hospital. They would look into it
and thanked me for my service and would be in contact with me.

10 Jul still no communication from VA. Call VA (on hold for 27 Minutes) to
find out the status and what I can do to assist in the procedure to get VA
Disability rating and appointments. Again, VA thanked me for my service,
and noted the information that I gave them both on 10 May and 26 May. But
still no appointments.

24 Jul Contacted VA (on hold for 23 minutes) to find out what I need to do
because I had not received a call from them. VA informed me they had turned
me over to their Foreign Medical Program (FMP) and to contact them. Again
thanked for my service.

24 Jul I contact FMP (on hold for seven minutes) told them everything that
was going on, was again thanked for my service, but they gave me yet another
number to call in order to try to get VA Disability appointments scheduled.

24 Jul Call that VA number (on hold for 13 minutes) informed that VA rep of
situation, they did confirmed I had called on a number of occasions, and
that they should have contacted me on the 15th of July. I noted to VA rep
that the suspense for that contact of me was nine days old. He confirmed it
and said it does take thirty days for them to contact me. (Questioned look
on my face) I asked is that from today or from the initial contact in May.
He repeated it takes 30 days to contact you in order to set-up your
appointment (didn't I just go through that line of questioning). Again, I
asked him, you do realize they broke the suspense already?

I informed him that it takes me a while in order to get to the appointment
from my current location, and they should give me a couple weeks to make the
arrangements. Or have the US Naval hospital conduct my examinations, though
they do not have all the specialists. He said they would contact me in
order to set up my appointments. I asked with whom and who would contact
me? The contractor that the VA sets-up to make the appointments, he stated.
Are they going to give me enough time to make travel arrangements, he stated
they should (me skeptical). He asked is there anything else he could do to
help me. I feel like the RCA dog in how I want to respond (turning my head

FYSA so you know this is 100% true and valid I could only imagine how
difficult it was before the current administration took over.

Analysis from my Medical records via my final physical in Feb 2019, VSO
examining my medical records, and current primary care manager (PCM)
examination 2 May is that I should be 100% VA disabled due to all the
injuries and issues I have associated with my military service.

Here is my VA journey and Military retirement.

16 Jan told that I would be retired on 1 Mar by HQMC, so I jumped through my
hoops (not the word I would've used) to get set-up to retire. Asked HQMC
for an extension, they gave me an extra month, in order to get through all
the retirement hoops.

Mid-February contacted a VSO in Las Cruces in order to handle my claim and
get things in order. He said he'd help me but the State hadn't updated his
computer to be able to submit someone who was still on duty for the 2019
forms. I helped him out by contacting his superiors for them to assist his
office. Which they finally did.

26 Feb my VSO sent into VA my 2200+ pages of medical records, that VA
required that I have printed off for them to review. VSO sent off via USPS
Priority in order to get to VA and it was tracked. I sold back 60 days of
leave that I had accrued (not to be paid until 15 May).

First week of March interviewed for job (cause I have to support the family,
right?) that would require me to go to JTF-GTMO with a report date of 16
Apr. That gives VA six weeks to get things together for assessment
appointments from when they received my Medical records, so I could do my
assessment.

31 Mar officially retired from the USMC at 0000 1 Apr 2019.

12 Apr I get a call from a contractor (who VA has contracted in order to
set-up appointments) to review my medical Disabilities and my records. They
were informed by me that I would be out of country on those dates. I
contacted my VSO of the call, and inquired what should I do. He contacted
VA, with me present in the office, and we submitted another form for them to
review my medical records in order to conduct a rating and my soon to be POC
while in GTMO, so if they could get me rated at GTMO. He gave me the
documents, that should my new PCM in GTMO be able to fill out, to check my
disabilities in order to turn into VA.

14 Apr leave to go to GTMO.

16 Apr Arrive in GTMO.

17 Apr inform VSO of status in GTMO who on 12 Apr had already informed VA of
status that I would be in GTMO on 16 Apr.

2 May I meet my new PCM, who I inquired if he would do the paperwork so I
can send back to my VSO in order for him to file with VA. He informed me
that he wasn't comfortable filling it out though he did confirm, upon
reviewing my medical records, I should be 100% VA disabled. Though he was
afraid to do the paperwork, because he did not want to mess it up.

10 May haven't been informed of anything from VA, called VA (on hold for 31
minutes) to confirm that I was indeed in GTMO. They acknowledged I was in
GTMO and my POCs would be different. However, on 12 Apr in conference call
they were already informed with the VSO as a witness of where I would be and
my POCs.

O/A 26 May call VA (on hold for 29 minutes) to see if they can set me up
appointments here in GTMO at the Naval Hospital. They would look into it
and thanked me for my service and would be in contact with me.

10 Jul still no communication from VA. Call VA (on hold for 27 Minutes) to
find out the status and what I can do to assist in the procedure to get VA
Disability rating and appointments. Again, VA thanked me for my service,
and noted the information that I gave them both on 10 May and 26 May. But
still no appointments.

24 Jul Contacted VA (on hold for 23 minutes) to find out what I need to do
because I had not received a call from them. VA informed me they had turned
me over to their Foreign Medical Program (FMP) and to contact them. Again
thanked for my service.

24 Jul I contact FMP (on hold for seven minutes) told them everything that
was going on, was again thanked for my service, but they gave me yet another
number to call in order to try to get VA Disability appointments scheduled.

24 Jul Call that VA number (on hold for 13 minutes) informed that VA rep of
situation, they did confirmed I had called on a number of occasions, and
that they should have contacted me on the 15th of July. I noted to VA rep
that the suspense for that contact of me was nine days old. He confirmed it
and said it does take thirty days for them to contact me. (Questioned look
on my face) I asked is that from today or from the initial contact in May.
He repeated it takes 30 days to contact you in order to set-up your
appointment (didn't I just go through that line of questioning). Again, I
asked him, you do realize they broke the suspense already?

I informed him that it takes me a while in order to get to the appointment
from my current location, and they should give me a couple weeks to make the
arrangements. Or have the US Naval hospital conduct my examinations, though
they do not have all the specialists. He said they would contact me in
order to set up my appointments. I asked with whom and who would contact
me? The contractor that the VA sets-up to make the appointments, he stated.
Are they going to give me enough time to make travel arrangements, he stated
they should (me skeptical). He asked is there anything else he could do to
help me. I feel like the RCA dog in how I want to respond (turning my head
and barking) and yet again I am still waiting on a call from the VA. That
might not come, and me having to call them yet again.

At this point I am 0% VA disability rated, cannot get rating appointments
answered or scheduled, and have no idea what VA is doing with my 2200+ pages
of medical records that they needed so badly before I started this journey
to set me up with a third party to get a review of in order to get a rating.
My conclusion this is why so many Vets commit suicide or do not get
treatment or benefits they are authorized to get. The red tape that we have
to cut through is so immense, if you have to go somewhere else to support
your family financially you are screwed, because they (VA) cannot think
dynamically.

Simple solution to this whole thing, especially where I am at, would be to
contact the Naval hospital (though they do not have some of the
specialists), set up appointments, since I already have the forms. Let them
examine me make their notations and me submit to my VSO the forms for him to
submit to VA. I get my rating and everyone would be happy and not wasting
government money or time trying to figure out if I have to get to Jamaica,
Jacksonville, or Las Cruces in order to make an appointment that they still
haven't scheduled.

Oh, another funny VA on VA Benefits site, says it will close my claim Feb
2020. How the heck did they get that date?

Maj Cameron F Clark (Retired)