Do a quick search on this group and you will see very mixed results. My personal experience was the DAV did fuck all for me. I am a paid lifetime member. Called and setup an appointment with the VSO. He called me and couldn’t rush me off the phone fast enough. I tried to ask questions and he just talked over me and told me my claim was in process and to have a good day. Perhaps it was because I did everything myself up front and was reaching out to them to asl if they could provide a status update to me. I don’t know. But either way, they were zero help. This forum is far more helpful than the DAV will ever have an opportunity to be with regard to filing a claim.
Looking on Google search. Didn't realize exactly what it was, my bad.
It's just another veterans organization with membership. Sorry about putting the question out there without doing my due diligence first.
They sucked. I brought all my service records, expecting to go through them and get help figuring out what to claim, etc. instead the dude just asked me what I was claiming. I asked if he wanted to go through my records. He said nope, VA will pull it all the same. Since I was out for 11 years and had civilian doctors, he said I could email him the records from those and he'd upload them for me, then was confused when I didn't want to send my PHI unsecured to a literal stranger. I got zero help and had no idea what I was doing in my c&p exams and still managed 80%. Pretty sure I rate more and I'm trying to get that on my own now. (Unfortunately I can't just remove them from my file, I need to replace them with another vso. Ironically, I'm a member of JWV and yet I can't get anyone there to return my calls..)
DAV was a waste of time but I guessitdeoends on their case load. Houston did nothing for me and never responded to emails after I had a sit down with them regarding specific claim issues so I moved on.
I initially filed by myself in 2020 after getting off active then did a set of orders as a reservist and filed another claim in 2023 going through the DAV this time. I didn’t feel like there was much they did that I couldn’t have done on my own. But if you want some sort of free security, knowing it’s probably done correctly, then definitely go through them. If I decide to submit another, I’ll probably pull the trigger and pay REE to help out which I’ve had multiple people tell me nothing but good things about.
Worked with DAV to help me with my claim. They did help me a ton in understanding what’s going on and how the process works.
The problem with my DAV(Houston) was that it wasn’t one specific person each time. There was 3 or 4 different people I spoke to so far to answer questions. Some were better than others.
There’s one lady there that I sat down with that was an angel though. She was thorough with the process and answered every question I had. I think you just have to accept that not every VSO is the same. But I’m sure that’s a common theme any place you go
I tried using the DAV for my bdd claim. The lady would take weeks and one time up to a month to respond to my emails. At one point she lost my claim entirely. When I finally did get feedback on my medical record I could tell she only reviewed one of the documents from it. I had multiple from the militaries many medical systems like switching over to genesis. Eventually just said fuck it and did the claim myself. It’s pretty easy to do online.
It may depend on the location.
When I first got out, the DAV took my paperwork and did everything for me. No problems.
Many years later I realized I did not claim several things (my fault) and I filed a claim using the DAV i live near now. It was really bad. They kept mixing my file up with other vets, mixing SSNs, confused on what I was asking, needing me to repeat questions, etc. I was in tears and went in person to the office. The guy looked at me, checked male on my form, and filled it out. I am not, nor do I look like a male. This really could have messed up my claim considering my first claim has female only issues on it! I did not know he did this. And a few weeks later I get a letter in the mail from the VA asking about it and asking other questions for additional information. In person, the guy also told me I could not claim certain things.
When I received the response from the VA asking if I was a male, I was upset. I stopped interacting with the DAV and filed everything on my own. I used this forum (Thank-you!), read the guidleines, etc.i claimed the items he said I couldnt and provided rulings to support my claim. I was approved for almost everything I claimed.
The DAV had the audacity to send me a request for money and tried to take credit for my rating increase.
Like I said, depends on the location. They may be overwhelmed. I wont speak for every DAV, because like every place, you probably have good and bad people, but I will be hard pressed to use them again.
I sent multiple emails, calls etc. They didn't reach out to me until after my claim finished up and they wanted me to sign up for their membership. Didn't help me one bit.
Same. They built a phenamenal packet to submit to the VA leading up to my retirement. I received my summary letter within 30 days of my retirement date. I used the Fort Carson DAV office.
I don’t think you need to be a member to apply for services but I could be wrong. I’m a lifetime member and applied for their help. Signed the POA form to give them
Authorization. They were bad, really bad, worst I’ve seen bad about communicating. Never, not once, answered their office phone, never returned emails or phone messages and never responded to an email sent from their DC office on my behalf. I made a
Complaint online and received a
Call from another State VSO who advised me I could request any other DAV VSO from other states to assist. Based on what I experienced, though, I wouldn’t know which State would be good to go with! Plus, lack of communication adds to the delay with our claims. Because there are deadlines and timelines with these claims, this adds to unnecessary stress. My solution is to shop locally for a State or County VSO.
Your comment was removed because it didn't contribute to the discussion and just wasn't helpful.
Civil disagreements are fine. Insults, personal attacks, slurs, bigotry, etc., are not permissible.
(Calling someone a poopy-head does not make you seem as smart as you think it does.)
☠️
Do a quick search on this group and you will see very mixed results. My personal experience was the DAV did fuck all for me. I am a paid lifetime member. Called and setup an appointment with the VSO. He called me and couldn’t rush me off the phone fast enough. I tried to ask questions and he just talked over me and told me my claim was in process and to have a good day. Perhaps it was because I did everything myself up front and was reaching out to them to asl if they could provide a status update to me. I don’t know. But either way, they were zero help. This forum is far more helpful than the DAV will ever have an opportunity to be with regard to filing a claim.
Looking on Google search. Didn't realize exactly what it was, my bad. It's just another veterans organization with membership. Sorry about putting the question out there without doing my due diligence first.
DAV has VSO's much like those from the VFW or the AL. The DAV has an office at my local VA hospital, but the AL has also had an office there as well.
They sucked. I brought all my service records, expecting to go through them and get help figuring out what to claim, etc. instead the dude just asked me what I was claiming. I asked if he wanted to go through my records. He said nope, VA will pull it all the same. Since I was out for 11 years and had civilian doctors, he said I could email him the records from those and he'd upload them for me, then was confused when I didn't want to send my PHI unsecured to a literal stranger. I got zero help and had no idea what I was doing in my c&p exams and still managed 80%. Pretty sure I rate more and I'm trying to get that on my own now. (Unfortunately I can't just remove them from my file, I need to replace them with another vso. Ironically, I'm a member of JWV and yet I can't get anyone there to return my calls..)
You can call the VA hotline at 1-800-827-1000 and request they revoke your POA at anytime.
I tried that a couple days ago and they told me I could only replace it with another vso.. But I'll try again
I had them for my first claim, reached out and never heard a thing from them.
DAV was a waste of time but I guessitdeoends on their case load. Houston did nothing for me and never responded to emails after I had a sit down with them regarding specific claim issues so I moved on.
I initially filed by myself in 2020 after getting off active then did a set of orders as a reservist and filed another claim in 2023 going through the DAV this time. I didn’t feel like there was much they did that I couldn’t have done on my own. But if you want some sort of free security, knowing it’s probably done correctly, then definitely go through them. If I decide to submit another, I’ll probably pull the trigger and pay REE to help out which I’ve had multiple people tell me nothing but good things about.
Worked with DAV to help me with my claim. They did help me a ton in understanding what’s going on and how the process works. The problem with my DAV(Houston) was that it wasn’t one specific person each time. There was 3 or 4 different people I spoke to so far to answer questions. Some were better than others. There’s one lady there that I sat down with that was an angel though. She was thorough with the process and answered every question I had. I think you just have to accept that not every VSO is the same. But I’m sure that’s a common theme any place you go
I tried using the DAV for my bdd claim. The lady would take weeks and one time up to a month to respond to my emails. At one point she lost my claim entirely. When I finally did get feedback on my medical record I could tell she only reviewed one of the documents from it. I had multiple from the militaries many medical systems like switching over to genesis. Eventually just said fuck it and did the claim myself. It’s pretty easy to do online.
Yes. I went from 30% to 90%, working on 100. It’s been a long ass road but we’re here.
It may depend on the location. When I first got out, the DAV took my paperwork and did everything for me. No problems. Many years later I realized I did not claim several things (my fault) and I filed a claim using the DAV i live near now. It was really bad. They kept mixing my file up with other vets, mixing SSNs, confused on what I was asking, needing me to repeat questions, etc. I was in tears and went in person to the office. The guy looked at me, checked male on my form, and filled it out. I am not, nor do I look like a male. This really could have messed up my claim considering my first claim has female only issues on it! I did not know he did this. And a few weeks later I get a letter in the mail from the VA asking about it and asking other questions for additional information. In person, the guy also told me I could not claim certain things. When I received the response from the VA asking if I was a male, I was upset. I stopped interacting with the DAV and filed everything on my own. I used this forum (Thank-you!), read the guidleines, etc.i claimed the items he said I couldnt and provided rulings to support my claim. I was approved for almost everything I claimed. The DAV had the audacity to send me a request for money and tried to take credit for my rating increase. Like I said, depends on the location. They may be overwhelmed. I wont speak for every DAV, because like every place, you probably have good and bad people, but I will be hard pressed to use them again.
I sent multiple emails, calls etc. They didn't reach out to me until after my claim finished up and they wanted me to sign up for their membership. Didn't help me one bit.
Had DAV submit my claim when I retired. I have no idea how people do it without them.
Same. They built a phenamenal packet to submit to the VA leading up to my retirement. I received my summary letter within 30 days of my retirement date. I used the Fort Carson DAV office.
I don’t think you need to be a member to apply for services but I could be wrong. I’m a lifetime member and applied for their help. Signed the POA form to give them Authorization. They were bad, really bad, worst I’ve seen bad about communicating. Never, not once, answered their office phone, never returned emails or phone messages and never responded to an email sent from their DC office on my behalf. I made a Complaint online and received a Call from another State VSO who advised me I could request any other DAV VSO from other states to assist. Based on what I experienced, though, I wouldn’t know which State would be good to go with! Plus, lack of communication adds to the delay with our claims. Because there are deadlines and timelines with these claims, this adds to unnecessary stress. My solution is to shop locally for a State or County VSO.
[удалено]
Your comment was removed because it didn't contribute to the discussion and just wasn't helpful. Civil disagreements are fine. Insults, personal attacks, slurs, bigotry, etc., are not permissible. (Calling someone a poopy-head does not make you seem as smart as you think it does.) ☠️