IAM Veterans Services Coordinator Rich Evans and Veterans Services Assistant Coordinator Bryan Stymacks know a thing or two about the benefits process used by the Veterans Administration (VA). They have handled almost 1,000 claims since the IAM stood up our own Veterans Services department in 2022.
So they were well versed and ready to help discuss how the VA is currently functioning with today’s challenges facing the U.S. government’s programs to provide benefits to those who served in uniform. The VA held its Advisory Committee on Disability Compensation in September, and the duo had seats at the main committee table.
“The IAM has been working directly with the VA for a couple years now as we pursue the status as a Veterans Service Organization (VSO),” said Stymacks. “It’s been a goal of former IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr., and that effort was started by current IAM International President Brian Bryant to see our organization become the first labor union to be able to directly represent veterans in front of the VA. Now we are putting in the work to show the VA how this partnership can benefit the VA and all IAM military veterans”.
“I represent hundreds of IAM veterans and their family members to help them receive the VA benefits they earned by service in the armed forces,” said Evans. “I have seen it all, from what works well to [what works] not so much. I was honored to be appointed by VA Secretary Denis McDonough to this committee, and I hope our input can help guide the systems to better deliver earned benefits to IAM veterans”.
The committee meeting had prominent staff members within the VA having question and answer sessions with a host of experts from around the Country.
Issues such as VA claim backlog, transitioning military medical records to automation VA claims intake, and how the VA is utilizing the increased staffing Congress provided with passage of the PACT Act.
Topics included:
- Use of contracted companies for Claims and Pension (C&P) exams
- Issues with exam scheduling, no-shows, and rescheduling appointments
- Military sexual trauma case management to help not aggravate trauma patients with the claims process.
- Higher level review data and solutions to decrease decision wait times.
- Research on claims inequity and service quality in minority communities.
VA program managers also discussed a recent policy letter that will allow for reconsideration of some claims that may have been previously denied because of certain character of service issues. U.S. law still bars veterans with dishonorable conduct and bad conduct discharges from receiving benefits, but with better understanding of underlying mental health conditions may allow for some claims and benefits to apply again with new evidence that will be allowed.
“Rich and Bryan are doing amazing work to help veterans within the IAM. It is a great investment in our members interests to keep pursuing these relationships with the VA”, said IAM Director of Retirees and Member Assistance Program James Little.
To date, the IAM Veterans Services program has been able to claim benefits totaling over three million dollars for IAM members and their families.
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