VFW Travel

Hey guys. Been a little while since I posted anything, my apologies on that. I'm in the beginning stages of planning a trip to D.C. with my dad, and wanted to make sure that anyone who qualifies for the VFW knows that there are some pretty nice discounts available for us out there. I googled 'vfw travel' and there were a ton of results, with www.vtstvl.com being the first one I've tried. When comparing it to other sites such as expedia I have found the prices for both flight and hotel to be almost the same as just a flight. Happy travels!

IPhone App

In case anyone out there has an iPhone or something similar, I was browsing the app store and found an app that is free called 'PTSD Coach'. It looks pretty cool, and offers assessments of levels of symptoms, and tools to help cope with anger, frustration and other issues that arise. I think it might be worth a glance, and there are others out there.

Here's a good question that I have been asked a few times, and definitely asked when I got out: what is the first step I take in order to start a claim for disability? It's a great question, and the simplest answer is that you should contact your VSO (Veteran Service Officer) as soon as possible. The sooner you get the process started the sooner you can hopefully get approved. Make an appointment with the VSO and to prepare for this appointment it is a good idea to get together your medical records, your DD214, and anything you have that thou think might help both you and the VSO write out what it is you are trying to claim. If you haven't been to your VSO before, or don't even know who they are or where to find them, there is a link at the bottom of this blogs home page that will help you find out where you need to go. From there if all goes according to plan you will be able to sit down with your VSO, fill out the form that shows your intent to file and for what, and send it off. The VA is always playing catchup, so things might not happen right away. But you can always call the VSO and request a status update, and even if the VA takes a year to finally approve your claim you will be back-paid starting at the date that you filed your first form with the VSO. Good luck, and as always questions are welcome!

Let's Get This Started

Well, here goes nothing. I have had this blog for a while, but decided that I should actually use it for something more constructive and helpful than just random ranting. Don't get me wrong, I love ranting as much as the next person, and that can still most definitely happen. But I want to use this blog to share with people the resources that I have been able to gather. If you have a question, go ahead and ask it. Want to know how to get started on applying for your VA disability? Worried about your upcoming physical for disability? Need to know something about using your educational benefits? Doesn't really matter what it is. Even if you just want to see what other Veterans are talking about or if you know a Veteran or someone on active duty then this is the place for you (and for them) to get information that is as up to date as can be found. If I don't know something off of the top of my head, then I will do my best to find out the answer in a timely fashion. I'll try to make a blog post as often as I can about something that I have been asked, such as what is the first step to applying for my VA disability. Good luck!