Far and away, the biggest concern I hear from Veterans is the disability backlog. From knowing where to start, to the paperwork and appointments—and then the wait for a decision with care and benefits on the line—the whole process can get frustrating.
It’s an issue decades in the making, and not one with an easy, quick fix. That’s why VA, at the end of last year, implemented a paperless processing systems at 18 regional offices known as the Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS), which pilots showed cut decision times in half while increasing accuracy. Now VA is in the process of rolling out VBMS to the remaining 38 regional offices by the end of the year.

From the release:

Critical to VA’s transformation is ending the reliance on the outmoded paper-intensive processes which prevent timely and accurate claims processing.  VA is deploying technology solutions which improve access, drive automation, reduce variance, and enable faster and more efficient operations to eliminate the backlog.

In other words, the processing system used has not kept up with increased demand, even as VA processes more than 1 million claims each year, and technology is the solution. The backlog grew when barriers to PTSD compensation were removed, along with the consideration of certain illnesses presumptive of Agent Orange exposure—and multiple complex injuries from Iraq and Afghanistan added an unprecedented number of claims. But the long term issues stem from yesterday’s technology not meeting today’s demands. VBMS and other transformation initiatives begin implemented at regional offices across the country aim to take care of that once and for all.

Your end of week roundup of Veterans news and resources:

• Historically, we haven’t been great at determining how well student Veterans are performing. That’s why VA teamed up with Student Veterans of America and the National Student Clearinghouse to get a better grip on the graduation rate of student Vets. This will help all of us better understand what we do right, and what we need to improve.
• Despite some challenges, Veterans are leaving the service to continue with successful lives. We profiled 12 of them for our portrait project Strong at the Broken Places—an effort to show the nation what resiliency looks like. The project is ongoing, so if you’d like to participate, drop us a line.
• Sen. Chuck Hagel, a Vietnam Veteran and former deputy administrator for VA, was nominated to head the Pentagon as the new Defense chief.
• Veterans are used to adapting to tough situations, working in small teams, and operating in high stress environments. Sounds like a small business doesn’t it? Learn how to create your own business, get information on upcoming conferences, and more.
• Frankly, our old homepage wasn’t great. It was ugly, clunky, and confusing. We resigned VA.gov, so check it out if you haven’t been in awhile, and leave feedback in the comments. We’ll do our best to incorporate ideas.

For those who served in Vietnam, recent news of Sen. Chuck Hagel’s nomination as Secretary of Defense should come as welcomed news. If confirmed, Sen. Hagel would become the first Vietnam Veteran to head the Pentagon. VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, himself a Vietnam Veteran, congratulated Sen. Hagel on his nomination:

“His lifetime of experience and leadership has prepared him to serve the Nation well as our next Secretary of Defense. I fully support his nomination and look forward to his partnership in meeting the needs of our transitioning Servicemembers, survivors, Veterans and their families.”

Sen. Hagel is uniquely qualified, primarily as a former deputy administrator for VA under President Regan, and as a twice-wounded combat Veteran turned statesman. And as a former enlisted soldier myself, I can’t help but admire Sen. Hagel’s path to the top, usually reserved for officer types. Sen. Hagel knows where we’ve been and what we can do, and we certainly look forward to his leadership at the Pentagon.

On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Veteran unemployment data for the month of December. The unemployment rate for all Veterans was 7.0 percent—still below the national average of 7.8 percent.  For post-9/11 veterans, the rate was 10.8  percent. Most importantly, the annual jobless rate for post-9/11 Vets was 9.9 percent in 2012; a significant drop from the annual average in 2011 of 12.1 percent.

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Another year is coming to the close, so we thought we’d do a big link drop for resources and useful information to keep you going through the New Year.

Health

We often mention the Veterans Crisis Line and how it has saved lives, but this video really drives home the enormous effort from dedicated folks to staff the call centers day and night. And as always, the Crisis Line can be reached at 1-800-273-8255, online through chat, and now by text at 838255.

Want to know more about what ails you? The A-Z Health Topic Index helps you find information on a variety of health concerns.

Benefits

Wondering what benefits you and your dependants may be eligible for? Check out our 2012 Federal Benefits for Veterans handbook, now available online in both English and Spanish. This comprehensive guide provides information on education, home loan, health care, and burial benefits.

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There have been a lot of reminders about World War II in recent weeks. The 71^st anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor was earlier this month, and WWII Vets gathered at their memorial in Washington for a special ceremony to honor the legacy of the Greatest Generation.

This week marked the 68^th anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Bulge, a last ditch effort by the German military to retake the European continent. The brutal fight—in freezing conditions with Americans running on little food, warmth, and ammo—defeated the last Nazi thrust in what has been called the greatest American battle in our history.

With these reminders of American resoluteness and victory, this week also brought somber news. Hawaii Senator Daniel Inouye, an Army Veteran of World War II’s famous 442^nd regiment, Medal of Honor recipient, and longstanding Veterans advocate, died Monday at the age of 88.

His heroics on the battlefield are nearly incomprehensible; check out his Medal of Honor citation to be astonished. VA Secretary Eric Shinseki counted Sen. Inouye as a friend and mentor. Read the Secretary’s statement on his passing here.

Dozens of WWII Veterans pass away each day. It’s never the wrong time to remember their stories and their sacrifices, especially when they’re still around to share them.

Just after the New Year, Student Veterans of America will hold their annual conference in Orlando, Florida, and VA Secretary Eric Shinseki is slated to deliver the keynote address to student Vets from universities and colleges from across the country.

This comes at a crucial time for student Vets, as more are pursuing higher education than ever before. Each semester sees an uptick in enrollment, as if you read the news, some schools are challenged to keep up with the pace.

So as one semester comes to a close and another one around the corner, here are a few resources to help no matter where you are in your academic career:

• It’s hard to know where to get you started, so here are a few tips, including ways to get cheaper textbooks and filing paperwork quickly to get payments a little faster
• Be cautious of where you get your VA and GI Bill information. Some companies employ deceptive websites to snag your hard earned benefits. Stay up to date with GI Bill news and announcements by following the GI Bill Facebook page, VBA Twitter feed and GI Bill home page
• College is the place to excel, even if you’re used to the team environment. Make sure you set your sights high
• Get involved at your local SVA chapter, or if there isn’t one at your campus, start one

If you’re graduating this month, congratulations! Everyone else: keep your head down and finish strong.

When Julian Plaster arrived in the South Pacific early in 1944 with the U.S. Navy, he was assigned a grim task—the burial of both American and Japanese troops killed following fierce island invasions. He was busy that month, as nearly 400 U.S. troops were killed in four days in the Battle of Kwajalein just before he arrived. Only 51 of the original 3,500 Japanese defenders lived.

Now 89, Plaster helps send fellow World War II Veterans to see the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC, built to honor their service and sacrifice. His group, Stars & Stripes Honor Flight, is a node in the Honor Flight Network, which has sent over 100,000 WWII Vets to Washington free of charge.

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On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Veteran unemployment data for the month of November. The unemployment rate for all Veterans was 7.4 percent—still below the national average of 7.7 percent.  For post-9/11 veterans, the rate was 11.1 percent.  While there is more work to do, it is very clear that the unemployment rate among all Veterans—to include America’s newest Veterans—is headed in the right direction. The charts below help us see why.

In the first, we see the monthly unemployment rate for all Veterans since January 2010.  The trend over nearly three years is clearly downward.

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