VETERAN SERVICE OFFICER (VSO)
EXAM QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS
VBM - ANSWER-Veterans Benefit Manual
An Advocates 1st Rule? - ANSWER-Do no harm
What document is required to represent a Veteran? - ANSWER-Power of
Attorney(POA)
Can there be more than one POA active at any given time? - ANSWER-No, there
cannot be more than one POA active at the same time
BVA - ANSWER-Board of Veterans Appeals
How many regional offices are there nationally? - ANSWER-58
VA has a duel role when it comes to claims, those are? - ANSWER-Be a friend to the
Veterans but also be a guardian of the tax payer
How can a claimant reopen a case filed by the VA as "final?" - ANSWER-By presenting
new and material evidence
What is new evidence? - ANSWER-Evidence that has not already been submitted to the
VA
What is material evidence? - ANSWER-Evidence that helps prove a previously
unproven fact
When can the VA deny a claim? - ANSWER-If the weight of the evidence is (more than
half) against the claim
Duty to Assist - ANSWER-VA has the duty to assist claimants who submit a reasonably
possible claim in developing evidence to support their claims
What helps makes an advocates claim successful - ANSWER-Present reasons why the
benefit should be granted and cite appropriate statues and regulations using the VA's
adjudication procedures manual (M21-1MR).
M21-1MR - ANSWER-VA's Adjudication Procedures Manual
, What are the 3 elements of a disability compensation claim? - ANSWER-1. Veteran
must currently suffer a disability or have suffered from disability since the claim was filed
2. Must be some incident in service that could have caused the condition and 3. There
must be some way of linking that current condition to that incident.
3 Departments of the VA - ANSWER-Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Veterans
Health Administration (VHA), Central VA Office (VACO): national Cemetery, General
Counsel, Office of Inspector General.
DRO - ANSWER-Decision Review Officer
What is a review "de novo" - ANSWER-A new and complete review without giving any
weight to the fact that the Regional Office(RO) personnel previously denied the claim.
Are Veterans automatically entitled to VA healthcare? - ANSWER-No, VA medical care
is principally directed toward treating medical problems related to Veteran's military
service and toward helping some low income Veterans.
How many Priority Groups are there? - ANSWER-8
Which statute governs Veterans Benefits - ANSWER-Title 38 of the United States Code
(Title 38 U.S.C)
Which regulations are written by the VA and used to carry out the laws written by
congress? - ANSWER-Title 38 Code of Federal Regulations (Title 38 C.F.R.)
How many and what are the types of discharges? - ANSWER-1. Honorable 2. General,
Under Honorable 3. Under other than Honorable(UOTH), undesirable 4. Bad conduct 5.
Dishonorable
Name the 2 entities Veterans may utilize to request a discharge upgrade - ANSWER-
Discharge Review Board (DRB) & Board for the Correction of Military Records (BCRM)
Willful Misconduct - ANSWER-Deliberate or intentional wrongdoing with knowledge of
or wanton disregard of its probable consequences.
As of 9/8/1990 what is the length-of-service requirement? - ANSWER-A Veteran must
have completed a minimum period of service either 24 months of continuous active duty
or full period for which the Veteran was called or ordered to active duty.
Family Members Eligibility - ANSWER-Usually family members are not entitled to
receive benefits in their own right if the Veteran is alive. If the Veteran is deceased,
some surviving family members of the Veteran may be entitled to certain VA death
benefits.
EXAM QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS
VBM - ANSWER-Veterans Benefit Manual
An Advocates 1st Rule? - ANSWER-Do no harm
What document is required to represent a Veteran? - ANSWER-Power of
Attorney(POA)
Can there be more than one POA active at any given time? - ANSWER-No, there
cannot be more than one POA active at the same time
BVA - ANSWER-Board of Veterans Appeals
How many regional offices are there nationally? - ANSWER-58
VA has a duel role when it comes to claims, those are? - ANSWER-Be a friend to the
Veterans but also be a guardian of the tax payer
How can a claimant reopen a case filed by the VA as "final?" - ANSWER-By presenting
new and material evidence
What is new evidence? - ANSWER-Evidence that has not already been submitted to the
VA
What is material evidence? - ANSWER-Evidence that helps prove a previously
unproven fact
When can the VA deny a claim? - ANSWER-If the weight of the evidence is (more than
half) against the claim
Duty to Assist - ANSWER-VA has the duty to assist claimants who submit a reasonably
possible claim in developing evidence to support their claims
What helps makes an advocates claim successful - ANSWER-Present reasons why the
benefit should be granted and cite appropriate statues and regulations using the VA's
adjudication procedures manual (M21-1MR).
M21-1MR - ANSWER-VA's Adjudication Procedures Manual
, What are the 3 elements of a disability compensation claim? - ANSWER-1. Veteran
must currently suffer a disability or have suffered from disability since the claim was filed
2. Must be some incident in service that could have caused the condition and 3. There
must be some way of linking that current condition to that incident.
3 Departments of the VA - ANSWER-Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Veterans
Health Administration (VHA), Central VA Office (VACO): national Cemetery, General
Counsel, Office of Inspector General.
DRO - ANSWER-Decision Review Officer
What is a review "de novo" - ANSWER-A new and complete review without giving any
weight to the fact that the Regional Office(RO) personnel previously denied the claim.
Are Veterans automatically entitled to VA healthcare? - ANSWER-No, VA medical care
is principally directed toward treating medical problems related to Veteran's military
service and toward helping some low income Veterans.
How many Priority Groups are there? - ANSWER-8
Which statute governs Veterans Benefits - ANSWER-Title 38 of the United States Code
(Title 38 U.S.C)
Which regulations are written by the VA and used to carry out the laws written by
congress? - ANSWER-Title 38 Code of Federal Regulations (Title 38 C.F.R.)
How many and what are the types of discharges? - ANSWER-1. Honorable 2. General,
Under Honorable 3. Under other than Honorable(UOTH), undesirable 4. Bad conduct 5.
Dishonorable
Name the 2 entities Veterans may utilize to request a discharge upgrade - ANSWER-
Discharge Review Board (DRB) & Board for the Correction of Military Records (BCRM)
Willful Misconduct - ANSWER-Deliberate or intentional wrongdoing with knowledge of
or wanton disregard of its probable consequences.
As of 9/8/1990 what is the length-of-service requirement? - ANSWER-A Veteran must
have completed a minimum period of service either 24 months of continuous active duty
or full period for which the Veteran was called or ordered to active duty.
Family Members Eligibility - ANSWER-Usually family members are not entitled to
receive benefits in their own right if the Veteran is alive. If the Veteran is deceased,
some surviving family members of the Veteran may be entitled to certain VA death
benefits.
