Jim,
thank you so much for the service you provide, I think I would have gone crazy (crazier) if I hadn't happened across this site when I did. I am an Army veteran of the Reagan, Bush, Clinton Grand Tour (Greneda, Panama, Persian Gulf I, and Somalia).
I recently recieved my VA awards letter; my disability rating was increased from 80% to 90%, I was granted Individual Unemployability, and was awarded Special Monthly Compensation, Category S, because I meet the Housebound Criteria due to "moderately severe symtoms of depression in association with PTSD" and "residuals of cold weather injury, both feet" and persistent migraine headaches.
Those lovely words "no examination will be scheduled in the future" are on the second page. My questions are as follows; am I entitled to PX and Commisary privelages? if so how do I go about obtaining them?; I've applied for SSDI and am waiting on VA medical records to forward to them--do you have any pearls of wisdom to dispense concerning the SSA? and is there a published list of benefits that I'm entitled to somewhere?
Reply:
Yes, you are now "P & T" or Permanently and Totally disabled. In your award letter packet should be a document that tells you how to apply for on-base privileges. It's fairly simple...you take the documents required to the appropriate office on the military base near you and with some computer work and a photo, you'll soon have an ID. You should get stickers for your car(s) so that your entry on to and off base is simpler.
If the appropriate paperwork isn't in the award letter documents, write a brief letter to your VARO to ask that they send the necessary stuff your way.
The SSDI is pretty much a sure thing. There is no requirement that says they have to give it to you but the VA 100% usually will ensure a quick SSDI decision.
With SSDI comes Medicare. You must decide how you want to use that benefit. On my web site you'll find a lot of good info about SSDI and Medicare here http://www.vawatchdogtoday.org/SSDI___VA_Compensation.html. Read up and then I'll be around for any other questions that may come up.