Expecting better treatment from VA

I am a retired member of the military having served 22 years. I served four years on active duty with the Marine Corps, 1969 to 1973. Two years in the Marine Corps reserve, 1973 to 1975. Two years in the Army Reserve, 1989 to 1991 and 14 years in the Army National Guard, 1991 to 2005. I served in Okinawa, the Philippines, Vietnam, Panama, the Dominican Republic, the airport mission after 9/11 and in Iraq with a total of over six years of active duty. After returning from Iraq, I made a claim with the VA regarding my injuries and illnesses sustained in Iraq. That was in 2004. In 2011, my final appeal was concluded with all points of my original claim being honored. The claim process took seven years. After my original filing in 2004, no new information was presented to the VA to support my claim. For seven years they continued to deny my benefits and in the end did not cover my benefits retroactively even though everything originated in 2003/2004. At this time I am 60 percent disabled.

In December 2020 I became aware that I had other injuries and ailments that would be covered by the VA. With the help of a state of Connecticut veterans representative I submitted a claim in February 2021. From February until April 2021 I forwarded all the necessary paperwork and attended all examinations and interviews requested by the VA. In August 2021, I received a delay letter. Since then, I have not had any contact from the VA. I have called and was informed that my claim was being processed and nothing further. They could not tell me why my claim was taking so long to process. They denied needing additional information.

In December I contacted Sen. Chris Murphy and was put in contact with his veterans liaison. The liaison sent an email to the VA and the response was my claim was being transferred to the Newington VA and I should hear something in January. To date I have not had any contact from the VA. I have called three times and have been informed on one occasion that nothing had been done on my claim since August. That phone call was in November. While the senator’s office made inquiries, their information was the same as when I called. Contacting the senator did nothing with regards to resolving my claim. The liaison told me to wait. He told me to wait in December, January, February, March, April, and he hasn’t responded to my question from May 1.

The state veterans representative said there was nothing they could do with regards to my claim. I was told in one conversation with the VA that I did not qualify for an expedited review. That was in April. I have been waiting for an answer for over 15 months. Is this the way veterans should be treated?

Marc J. Youngquist

Middlefield