Category Archives: Uncategorized

For those of you who were unaware or have not yet been contacted about the class action settlement regarding Army Discharge Review Board (“ADRB”) decisions made during the period from 17 Apr 11 to the effective date of the settlement.  Under the agreement, the Army will automatically reconsider certain discharge-status-upgrade decisions made by the Army […]

Please consider writing to your Congressman and Senators to urge them to support the Senate Bill 2102- The Service Act of 2021- a bill that authorizes the VA to offer mammography screenings to veterans who have served in areas associated with toxic exposure.  Here is the link to this bill:  https://tinyurl.com/997nyc

The VA recently announced a new pilot program to allow VA accredited representatives, agents, and attorneys to file for an expedited Higher-Level Review (“HLR”) of obvious errors of fact or law within 30 days of notification of a decision by the agency.   If you do not file this request within 30 days of notification, your […]

In Beaudette v. Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Court of Veterans Claims recently determined that veterans denied caregiver benefits could appeal through the BVA in a landmark decision that I have attached for your review. In doing so, the court certified Andy Legovlan of Paul Hastings LLP and Amanda Pertusi of Public Counsel’s Center for […]

As a teenager, I remember my Dad – a combat veteran of fierce fighting in North Africa, Sicily, Anzio, Salerno, and Monte Cassino- pouring three glasses of single malt with his friend “Snake” on Memorial Day in a toast to their fallen friends. One for each of them, one for those who never came back.  […]

Senator Jon Tester unveiled his groundbreaking COST of War Act yesterday- a bill that recognizes the federal government’s responsibility to provide health care and disability compensation to veterans fighting the effects of toxic exposure connected to their military service. This legislation would allow all veterans who were at risk of toxic exposure to obtain immediate […]

If you served on Guam from 1958-1980, the NVLSP and the Yale Law School Veterans Legal Services Clinic have updated their groundbreaking White Paper showing that it is “as likely as not” that veterans who served in Guam from 1958 to 1980 were exposed to Agent Orange and other dioxin-containing herbicides.   This White Paper provides […]

TODAY, the VA announced that it would begin automatically adjudicating previously- denied Blue Water Navy Herbicide Exposure claims under the court order issued on November 5, 2020, by the U.S. District Court for Northern California in Nehmer v. Department of Veterans Affairs.  This review will occur automatically and does not require veterans or eligible survivors […]

The DOD has announced the formation of a new board of appeals for service members with separation dates on or after December 20, 2019. The Discharge Appeal Review Board (DARB) will provide a final review of discharge or dismissal characterization upgrade requests when petitioners have exhausted all available administrative remedies at the Discharge Review Board […]

For those of you who have not yet been provided a copy of the DOD 2020 edition of the Wounded, Ill, and Injured Compensation Benefits Handbook, I have attached a copy for you to download and share with anyone who might benefit from it.  Here it is: DoD-WII-Compensation-and-Benefits-Handbook_October-2020.12.20