(non-governmental)
When The V.A. Seems To Take Too Long
Without a doubt, there are times when it seems that the V.A. takes forever. Sometimes it seems that no matter what you do, nothing seems to speed the process. The average veteran is likely to feel that there is no hope, no where to turn. But there is! Your Congress person!
Recently Tom Smith, 4th Infantry Division, wrote in to voice his frustration with the V.A. It seems that it has taken them forever to complete his PTSD claim. Here is what he had to say to me about it.
There is a great injustice that must be fixed. The VA is purposely taking too much time in completing PTSD claims. They constantly blame the ESG for the holdup. I called the ESG and they said they are backlogged by sometimes up to a year. This is very, very not satisfactory because many vets are homeless and out in the streets living on handouts. They cannot work and have mental problems and need the money and help. Your website has a lot of good information and is helpful to us vets. I was in the 4th Infantry Division and saw a lot of action. Would you please place an article in your website that urges all veterans to contact there congressmen and congresswomen to increase the efficiency and timeliness of the claims. I wrote my congressmen and I hope they write theres. --S. Smith
Okay, let's do it! Use the following links to various government web sites to find out who your Congressional Respresentatives are. Use this information to tell your Congressional Representatives about your problems with the V.A. When a Congressman writes to the V.A., or any other government agency or department, they expect an answer within 5 working days!! It may take longer for you to hear from your Congressman, but he/she can and will go to bat for you if you provide enough information for them to work with.
Go ahead and give it a try. You have nothing to lose and EVERYTHING to gain! Please take the time to write to me and tell me how it goes. --Al Colombo
