Cuckoos are geniuses in the bird world. They trick unsuspecting birds into feeding their chicks, usually with the result that the poor duped birds loose their own babies while the cuckoo chick thrives. But don’t think this happens only in the bird world. Others have learned from the cuckoo, and…
Texas has more female Veterans than any other state. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), as of October 2, 2015, Texas is represented by 180,286 women Veterans. While VA and the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) offer health, counseling, and other programs designed to meet the unique needs…
If you or I made a high-dollar mistake at work, a “clear and unmistakable error,” we might expect some consequences. That’s not at all the case with “Clear and Unmistakable Error” (CUE) actions committed by benefits claims examiners at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Far from any remedial or disciplinary…
Many people assume new illnesses, aches, and pains are “normal.” Just part of aging. Simply bad luck. Or even genetics. Veterans should not be lulled into passive acceptance of this so-called common wisdom. Diet and exercise can only get you so far with the many health problems – some tremendously…
If the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) denies your request for benefits, don’t be shocked. If VA gives you a lower disability rating than you merit, don’t be shocked. Since 2014, in an effort to reduce its backlog of disability benefits claims, word is that VA is simply shoveling responses…
Until Veterans are treated like full U.S. citizens with the right to representation by an attorney, we can only celebrate Veterans Day once a year. Here’s why. Only under limited circumstances are Veterans are allowed to use an attorney to represent them on appeals from denial of benefits by the Department…
With the extremely long delay in obtaining benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), many Veterans face tremendous and crippling medical bills. These bills impact ability to pay for necessities, including rent, utilities, transportation, and even food. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: VA BENEFITS ARE PROTECTED! Threats and constant calls from…
The new economic reality places a higher premium than ever on high-school diplomas and undergraduate degrees. For that reason, Veterans are exploring educational opportunities, and not merely traditional community college or four-year institutions. Increasingly, Veterans are looking for education programs which provide hard, immediately useful skills. To assist Veterans, the…
Then-Secretary for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Eric Shinseki, resigned in May 2014 after a shocking season of revelations regarding Veteran deaths at the hands of VA. Last month, on October 16, 2015, VA Under Secretary for Benefits, Allison Hickey (pictured), resigned in the wake of a pay fraud scandal…
Archive photo of the 1973 NPRC Fire The National Archives tells the story. On July 12, 1973, a fire at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) destroyed approximately 16-18 million Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF). To its credit, the National Archives views the 1973 fire as an “unparalleled disaster” and…