9-28-12

FRA Meets with VBA Undersecretary on Claims Backlog

Along with representatives from three other organizations in The Military Coalition (TMC), NED Joe Barnes met this week with retired USAF BGen Allison Hickey, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Under Secretary for Benefits, and senior officials responsible for various benefit programs.  Issues addressed during the meeting included a status report on efforts to improve claims processing, implementing new technology to improve service members transition to the VA and other services, the new Transition Assistance Program (TAP), veterans’ training and employment initiatives mandated by the 2011 Veterans Opportunity to Work Act (VOW), Post-9/11 GI Bill and other education program benefits processing, the eBenefits program, coordination with DoD on various transition programs, pension/fiduciary/survivor programs, and other VA benefit and support programs.