MOBILE SERVICE— Carolyn Wells, left, gets ready for her turn to talk to a claims representative Wednesday in the DAV Mobile Service Office parked at the Senior Citizens Center on Urbane Road. The mobile unit came to Cleveland from Nashville. Banner photo, DAVID DAVIS
DAV Nashville Service Office Supervisor Shane Liermann said the organization represents anyone experiencing problems or issues with the Veterans Affairs benefit system, health care or any claims to the VA system.
He said the DAV has been representing veterans nationally since 1920. It was chartered by Congress in 1932. The organization currently has 1.2 million members.
“It’s better if the veteran or family member has representation,” he said. “We are like a free advocate to make sure you are filing claims the correct way and getting the benefits you are entitled to before a decision is ever done by the VA. We get a chance to review their decision and all of the evidence to make sure their decision is the correct one.”
The DAV provides representation for appeals and writes the appeal briefs “and if they have a hearing, we represent them just like an attorney would.”
Liermann was a client of the DAV before going to work as a claims representative. He chose the DAV because of the 16-month education program.
“We’re very well trained and we have an ongoing training program that never stops,” he said.
Health care reform should not affect services offered through the VA for veterans already in the system.
“However, it will have an impact on Medicare, Medicaid and some impact on Social Security. It may have an impact on Tricare, but if you are receiving Tricare For Life, that should be affected,” he said.
He said the VA is in the process of adding three presumptive diseases for military men and women who served in Vietnam. The diseases are Parkinson’s Disease, heart diseases and B-cell Leukemia.
“Veterans who were in Vietnam, they are automatically ceding exposure to Agent Orange. If any veteran develops any of the diseases on the list, then it is an automatic service connection unless there is evidence it was caused by something else,” he said.
