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 Vallarta Living | Veteran Affairs | November 2006 
November 11th is US Veterans Day
 David Lord - PVNN
| | We American Veterans have been misled by superficial attempts at winning a war. And, as we know from experience, false leadership is deadly. |
Veterans Day is November 11th, and hopefully each of us will receive praise and love from family and friends. Enjoy this day, and share your personal stories, because your service to America was truly given to all Americans, then tell a story of service to your family and friends, as all that we gave should be remembered in the light of what was happening at that time and place in history.
I see hundreds of Veterans each year, all searching for answers to questions that have been on their minds, in some cases, for decades. I do what I can to find the essence of the problem and then spend time asking questions that will point me to a method of approach that best serves the claim.
When I have an appointment with a Vet, I always ask them to come prepared to review their claim with all of the documents you have in hand, [the medical reports on service-related conditions you wish to find connectivity for your military service.]
I think of how I might help Veteran's in understanding what to expect when they try to get care at the VA hospital. It is very important for you, when finished at your doctor's appointment, to receive a copy of your medical study and report.
After you have left the doctor's, find the record department and request all medical records from the visit. These will be given after you have filled out the request form and signed the Freedom of Information act form.
The keeping of this report in your records will help me a great deal in providing a report that establishes the claim based on the latest findings from the VA. If you do not see in your records the important points addressed, or that your problem was not correctly recorded, take the time to go back to the office and request that the medical condition that was related to service be addressed properly.
Many times I find in reviewing my visit that the report did not contain reference and answers to my condition that establish connectivity to service. The kid working at the VA is usually in training as a resident and does not have a clue as to the need to establish a claim for disability, so you have to tell them to write in their notes that the condition that you now suffer is "AS LIKELY AS NOT CONNECTED TO YOUR MILITARY SERVICE," as this is paramount to getting a claim established.
VETERANS GAIN 3.3% INCREASE ON MONTHLY COMPENSATION CHECKS
October 30, 2006 - S. 2562
The Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act for 2006, as cleared by the Congress on September 30, 2006, and signed by the President on October 16, 2006, S. 2562, enacted as Public Law 109-361, will increase the amounts paid to veterans for disability compensation and to their survivors for dependency and indemnity compensation by the same cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) payable to Social Security recipients. The increase will take effect on December 1, 2006, and the results of the adjustment will be rounded to the next lower dollar.
The Social Security Administration has announced that the COLA increase this year will be 3.3 percent. On that basis, CBO estimates that this legislation will increase spending for veterans' programs by about $800 million in 2007 (the annualized cost would be about $1.1 billion in subsequent years.) However, a COLA equal to that payable to Social Security is also coming to Veterans.
I am writing this article from Houston on November 7th, just before going into the VA on yet another medical appointment, so I, like all Americans, await the outcome of the mid-term elections.
I would imagine that most voters will turn to the Democratic candidates as we try to figure out how to save ourselves from consequences of a failed effort so far in Iraq. We do not have a solution from the leadership of whatever side.
We American Veterans have been misled by superficial attempts at winning a war. And, as we know from experience, false leadership is deadly. I wish all of us the best in the future as American Veterans, for I cannot help but feel we have seen our best days. Now we must defend ourselves as persons, as we live our everyday lives in a foreign country, we did not expect to face this future.
I think of all the great trips and interesting exploration I have planned and know I better get to traveling while it is still safe. The policy that has taken us here is eating away our security outside the bounds of America when we travel overseas - so my advice is to do all the fun stuff sooner, rather than later.
 David Lord served in Vietnam as combat Marine for 1st Battalion 26th Marines, during which time he was severely wounded. He received the Purple Heart and the Presidential Unit Citation for his actions during the war in Vietnam. In Mexico, David now represents all veterans south of the U.S. border all the way to Panama, before the VA and the Board of Veterans Appeals. David Lord provides service to veterans at no fee. Veterans are welcome to drop in and discuss claims/benefits to which they are entitled by law at his office located at Bayside Properties, 160 Francisca Rodriguez, tel.: 223-4424, call him at home 299-5367, on his cell: 044 (322) 205-1323, or email him at mophmx@@yahoo.com or david.lord@yahoo.com.
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