Why I'm filing my VA claim. I received my fair share of bumps and bruises while I was in the Marine Corps, but to this day I still feel like I owe the Corps more than it owes me. In late April 2. 00. I went to my first SEP/TAP class provided by Marine Corps Community Service. SEP and TAP are the Marine Corps’ separation and transition assistance classes and are important for Marines leaving the service. I didn’t feel like I need anything else from the government, though. I thought I was good, so I essentially gaffed it off. In the months leading up to being honorably discharged, I listened to Marines talk about filing their VA claim. Not me. Not interested, not worried about it. There was no power steering. No power brakes. A non-synchronized transmission. If there were turn signals, they weren’t working when I took the car out. Not only does that mean everyone can get into drone racing (provided they have a PC or Mac that meets the minimum requirements), it means you can do it all without.I had a college fund waiting for me, I had experience that set me ahead of my peers, I had seen Mt. Sinai and crossed the equator. I had the lifelong friendships that came with being in combat (love you guys, you know who you are) and I didn’t want the moniker “disabled Veteran” at the age of 2. Effectively, I was a bull- headed Marine. What I didn’t know then, and what I am learning now, is that a lot of those things that were bothersome when I was 2. I never would have guessed that my chronic stomach issues in the Corps would eventually lead to surgery. My mid- and lower back are shot, my hearing shows the tell- tale signs of being used and abused, and then there are the headaches and brain- housing group issues. Ten years ago, I thought I was invincible. Today, I understand that I was very wrong. Thankfully, my issues were well documented and I was able to start my VA claim. Excessive sitting, often related to using computers and other electronic devices, can cripple your posture and contribute to back pain, neck pain, carpal tunnel, and. Why does my puppy bite my oder dog's face? If your puppy and dog are anything like my Archer and Raven then they are likely playing a game of Bitey Face. And I am fortunate to be in a position to share that journey with other Veterans. I started reading through the VA benefits website trying to get a vector and trying to figure out where I should start. I asked some friends who had been through the process and I read a fewblogs. One common theme emerged from my research: contact a national service officer (NSO) with one of the nationally known Veterans organizations like Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) or American Legion. NSOs work with VA every day and know the ins and outs of the system. Admittedly, VA is a bureaucracy, so navigating it with a guide is a good way to go. My NSO is Paul Shook with the Washington, D. C., DAV office, and I felt immediately at ease when I sat down to talk to him about what I wanted to accomplish. Even though I work for VA, I’m using the resources that are readily available to all Veterans to accomplish this process. That is why Paul is my NSO — he knows more about the process than I ever will and I trust him to have my best interest at heart. What I have discovered so far is that the key in all this is to know what I want to accomplish ahead of time and know what direction I want to travel. Anyone who is putting a claim together should ask themselves what their expectations are and then work with a NSO to manage them from the outset of the claim. There is a lot that goes into this process, which is why it takes time. Not to mention, the more a Veteran is seeking from VA the longer the process is going to be. First, I had to gather my records for Paul, do the initial power of attorney and document all the issues I would be submitting to VA. This is a pretty painless step if all your records are intact. Next, we submitted my claim. VA has to process the claim and then send a request to the National Archives for my official medical record. This is understandable because they want to make sure the records they go over are official and not tampered with. They’re being prudent. This part of the process can take 1- 3 months to complete. Between the volume of claims being submitted and the sensitivity of the information, the process just takes time. Fortunately, I have substantial medical records for four medical issues that bothered me while I was on active duty. All four issues are still bothering me today and they are the things I submitted my claim to address. I do not care what percentage of disability VA comes back with, I will accept whatever their decision is provided I get a fair shake in their review. I know what you’re thinking, “Who determines whether or not I got a fair shake?”That is a determination Paul and I will make. If he tells me I got a fair shake, I’m going to trust him in that, because he’s a Marine combat Veteran and a brother. I know he has my best interest at heart. If I thought otherwise, I would find a new NSO. I suspect this is where many Veterans take issue with their claims. They go into the process with an expectation and if that expectation is not met they may become distressed. That’s not to say some Veterans do not have a legitimate grievance with a VA decision— many do —but an NSO is going to be able to recognize a legitimate grievance and walk a Veteran through the appeals process. I’m only just beginning the process and have a new perspective on this already. What has your experience been? Similar, different? Do you have questions about it? Share your thoughts here and I’ll talk with Paul about them and relay his thoughts. Keep in mind, though, that we can’t answer case- specific questions and ask you not to share any of your case information. You’ll want to work with a NSO for those questions.)For videos and more information about the VA claims process, visit the Veterans Benefits Administration’s Youtube channel. Why Won't My Car Start? If you turn your car key and get nothing, or get anything less than an engine roaring to life, you might be in for a bad day. Starting problems can be very frustrating because there are so many things under the hood that can keep a car from starting. Heck, pretty much everything under the hood can keep the car from starting. In order to troubleshoot a no- start problem, you need to start at the beginning of the line, the battery, and work your way back. Some tests for a no- start problem are simple, others are a pain in the neck and a technical nightmare. Nonetheless, you need to figure out why the car won't start, so we'll try to help. If your key won't turn in the ignition, try this fix and investigate the issues below. Electrical No- Start Problems. Check Your Fuses: Few cars have a fuse associated with the starting system, but before you go monkeying around with everything, check your fuses to be sure it's not that simple. Battery Corrosion: Over time your battery connections can become dirty, or corroded. This corrosion breaks the connection your battery has with the rest of the car, and it won't start. Try cleaning your battery posts and try to start the car again. Dead Battery: The most common reason your car won't start is a dead battery. If you have a battery tester that can measure cranking amps, test your battery to see if it's weak. If you can't test it yourself, you can test the battery indirectly by jump- starting the car. If it starts right away, your problem is most likely a dead battery. Replace the battery, and clean the battery connections to ensure good contact. Bad Igntion Switch: If your battery checks out, but the starter is still silent, it may be a faulty ignition switch. Turn the key to the on position (not all the way to start). If the red warning lights on your dash don't light up (and your battery connections are clean), the ignition switch is bad. If they do light up, turn the key to the start position. The dash warning lights should turn off at this key position (most cars). If you're not sure, turn on the headlights. When you try to start the car, the lights should either dim (a lot) or turn off completely. If they do, your ignition switch should be ok. If not, the switch will need replacement. Bad Starter Connection: Corrosion can not only keep your battery from connecting, it can affect any electrical component, especially the ones exposed to the elements like the starter. If you have a helper, you can test the connection by holding a circuit tester lead on the wire that engages the starter. This is the smaller of the two wires connected to the starter. Be sure no part of your body is near the moving parts of the engine - it could still start at any time! Have a friend turn the key and check the current. If you're getting current to the starter but it ain't spinning, it needs replacement. If your starter spins freely when you turn the key, the problem lies elsewhere. Now you can begin to check the other systems that could keep it from firing up. Ignition System Troubleshooting. With the starter- related causes of your no- start problem out of the way, we continue the search for why your car won't start. If the engine can't get spark, there will be no fire. But don't crawl into the hole just yet. Spark is created by your car's ignition system (ignition means "to ignite). Ignition system troubleshooting isn't too difficult when you're looking for a no- start problem. The first place to check is your coil. Coil Testing: To properly test your ignition coil you'll need a multimeter that can measure impedance. If you don't have a multimeter, there is an easier test you can perform using simple hand tools. Test your coil and, if it's bad, replace it. Distributor Cap: Your no- start problem probably isn't caused by your distributor cap, but occasionally, especially during wet weather, a faulty cap can keep your car from starting. Remove your distributor cap and check the inside for moisture. If there is even a drop or mist of water inside, wipe it out with a clean, dry cloth. Inspect the cap for cracks and replace it if necessary. Once its dry, though, it'll work. Coil Wire: The starting problem could also be due to a broken or shorting coil wire. Inspect the wire to see if there are any obvious cracks or splits, then test for continuity using a circuit tester. Did it start? No? Ok, on to the fuel- related possibilities. Fuel System Troubleshooting. If the starter is spinning and the sparks are flying, your no- start problem has got to be related to the fuel system. If your vehicle is fuel injected, there are a number of sub systems that could be the culprit. It will take some serious diagnostic work to figure it out, but there are some things you can check in the garage that will narrow it down, and could save you some money by avoiding a trip to the repair shop. Here are some things to check: Electrical Connections: There are plenty of electrical connections in your fuel injection system. Each fuel injector has a connector on top. There are connections on the air side of the intake and on the cylinder heads. Basically you should check every electrical connection you can find under the hood to be sure it's tight. Fuel Pump and Relay: To check your fuel pump, you can do a fuel system pressure test - if you have the equipment. Since most of us don't have that type of thing, we'll first check the electrical connections. Test the positive side of the fuel pump for current with a circuit tester. Be sure the key is in the "On" position. If there's current, move on to the next step. If not, you should check the fuse. If the fuse is good, your problem is the fuel pump relay. Fuel Filter: If the fuel pump is working properly and fuel is still not reaching the engine, the problem could be a clogged fuel filter. You should be replacing your fuel filter every 1. There are many other elements of your fuel injection system that require electronic diagnosis. Unless you are familiar with this and have the right equipment, it is best to leave this to the pros. Other Issues That Might Prevent Your Car Starting. With the major systems checked out, there are a number of other things you can check to see why your car won't start - if you have the patience. Loose Starter: Loose starter bolts will cause it to dance around and wiggle, failing to turn the engine over. Bad Injectors: A bad injector can throw the whole fuel system off and keep the engine from firing, especially when the engine is warm. Faulty Cold Start Valve: A failed cold start valve will keep your car from starting when the engine is cold. It can also malfunction and keep your car from starting when it's warm! Chipped Flywheel or Ring Gear: Your starter's gear connects with the gear teeth on your flywheel or ring gear (depending on transmission type). If one of these teeth becomes worn or chipped, the starter will spin. You'll hear loud screeches, scrapes, squeals and grinding if this is the case. Bad ECU or MAF If your engine's main computer or any part of the system's electronics go bad, your car won't start. Unfortunately you'll need to leave this type of diagnostic work to a qualified repair shop.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
November 2017
Categories |