Veterans file claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs expecting the system to determine whether they qualify for benefits they earned through military service.
But what happens when the claims apparently never make it into the system at all?
Veteran advocate Steve Miller says that is exactly what is happening to some veterans — including himself.
Miller, a former member of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and president and CEO of Wellness for Veterans, says claims submitted through organizations such as the American Legion and Disabled American Veterans can show as having been transmitted to the VA, yet fail to appear in the VA claims system.
He calls it a “black hole.”
According to Miller, veterans may believe their claims are being processed while, in reality, nothing is happening.
That can have serious consequences. Claims for service-connected disabilities can determine whether veterans receive financial compensation and can also affect their access to healthcare.
Miller says he learned about the problem while trying to track his own claim. He says a VA representative told him the system was down and that veterans affected by the problem had not been notified. Miller said the issue had been occurring for at least four months.
He has tried to raise alarms with government officials, including the office of Rep. Russell Fry, but says he has seen little action.
For Miller, the issue is personal.
He says he has helped more than 800 veterans obtain service-connected benefits, generating more than $1.5 million annually in assistance for those veterans. He provides that help without charging them.
His work goes beyond financial claims. Miller says he also connects veterans with wheelchairs, hearing aids, diabetes monitoring systems, housing assistance and other services.
In our Lean to the Left interview, Miller repeatedly stressed that this should not be viewed as a partisan issue, and he urged South Carolina voters to support John Vincent, Democratic candidate for Congress. Vincent is a retired Navy Master Chief, who served on submarines for more than 20 years.
His message is simple: veterans served their country, and the government has an obligation to deliver the benefits and services they earned.
If claims really are sitting unnoticed in the system, veterans deserve to know — and Congress and the VA should explain exactly what is happening and how many people may be affected.
Watch the full Lean to the Left interview with Steve Miller and let us know: Have you or someone you know experienced unexplained delays with a VA claim?