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endVETERANS SERVICE AGENCY REPORT
October 10, 2024 - 11:00 AM
Director's Report
* Local Activities
o On August 11th, VSO Zack Jones attended the Bagel Festival and made contact with veterans and shared information with many organizations regarding services available to veterans and spouses.
o On August 20th, our Clerk Sheldon Dillon helped to distribute pallets of food with Sharon Ferber at the Community Assistance Center.
o On August 25th, VSO Joseph Putnam attended the Veterans appreciation game at Duchess Stadium sponsored by ATI and the VET 2 VET program, he also made contacts with veterans and family members in need of services.
o On August 28th, myself and VSO's Putnam and Jones attended the National Veterans Legal Services Program training. This session offered a comprehensive review of changes to the ratings criteria for digestive system disabilities, including new diagnostic codes. This training also covered how these changes in law will affect claims pending when the new rules went into effect and existing ratings now eligible for increase.
o On September 12th, our office participated in a NYS DVA training to review the VA's "Duty to Assist" obligation to the claimant, information and evidence required by our agency to file a well-grounded claim, and when medical opinions or a nexus linking the current diagnosis to an event, illness, or injury on active duty are required.
* This training is valuable because VA staff are in the practice of encouraging our clients to file claims for which they have no evidence, no nexus, or in some cases not even a diagnosed illness. This is causing confusion and complaints from veterans in the Community. I would like to work with Legislator Alvarez to elevate this information to VA Oversite Committee or the VA will be faced with yet another 850,000 appeals back-log.
o On Sept 20th, we held our annual POW / MIA Ceremony in the Government Center lobby. I would like to thank all that attended. Our guest of h...
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