VETERAN ASSOCIATION ACCREDITATION
VETERAN ASSOCIATION
ACCREDITATION EXAM GUIDE
VETERAN ASSOCIATION
ACCREDITATION EXAM GUIDE
POA Form - 21-22 (Vet must sign the form. Revokes other appointments; Vet can
revoke POA at any time unless an appeal has been filed before the BVA; POA ends
at death)
Who has the responsibility of accrediting a VSO? - Veteran Service Organization
National Cemetery Administration - under the VA covers funerals and burial for
veterans
Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - An agency in the Department of Veterans
Affairs that provides medical, surgical, and rehabilitative care to veterans of the
armed services.
Veteran's Benefits Administration - Government agency, part of the U.S.
Department of Veteran's Affairs, responsible for payment of all VA gratuitous
benefits
What should you do if you have an inquiry regarding an appeal that has been
certified to the BVA? - Call the BVA in DC directly
Can you call the CAVC to inquire about the individual status of your case? - No
because CAVC is not structured to respond to individual case status inquiries
VETERAN ASSOCIATION ACCREDITATION
,VETERAN ASSOCIATION ACCREDITATION
Veterans Service Center - Largest division within a VA RO
Education claims are handled where? - At the Regional Processing Offices in four
locations around the country.
Intake Processing Center (IPC) - Mail received is processed by team members to
determine:
-if it includes a claim that can be immediately processed
- Whether or not controls should be established
-Uploads scanned documents from the CM Portal into the VBMS eFolder.
IPC undertakes no in-depth development.
Processes only those claims that can be resolved at once or with minimal review.
Also, responsible for files management.
Veterans Service Representative - Responsible for determining what evidence is
necessary to decide a claim, undertaking development action to obtaining
necessary evidence and determining when a claim is ready for decision
VETERAN ASSOCIATION ACCREDITATION
,VETERAN ASSOCIATION ACCREDITATION
38 C.F.R. - Part 3 (Adjudication) and Part 4 (schedule for rating disabilities) are
most used
38 CFR Part 3 - Adjudication; outlines regulatory guidance that directs all
adjudicative activities, procedures and functions performed by VA
38 CFR Part 4 - Schedule for Rating Disabilities; outlines regulatory guidance that
serves as the framework for how SC disabilities for VA purposes are rated and
evaluated
The Manual (M21-1) - provides procedural guidance for Veterans Benefits
Administration (VBA) and directs how VBA processes Veteran's claims.
What constitutes a claim? - As defined by 38 CFR 3.1(p):
"Claim means a written communication requesting a determination of entitlement
or evidencing a belief in entitlement, to a specific benefit under the laws
administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs submitted on an application
form prescribed by the Secretary."
Date of Receipt of a Claim - As defined by 38 CFR 3.1(r):
"Date of receipt means the date on which a claim, information or evidence was
received in the Department of Veterans Affairs..."
Claimant - In order for VA to have an actionable claim, the claim must be filed by a
claimant.
VETERAN ASSOCIATION ACCREDITATION
, VETERAN ASSOCIATION ACCREDITATION
A claimant is someone who has potential entitlement to VA benefits under the law.
An honorably discharged Veteran is a claimant. A person, who has never served in
the U.S. Military (or one of the other recognized qualifying groups) and is not a
dependent of a Veteran, cannot be a claimant.
Character of Discharge (COD): Determines Eligibility - A dishonorable discharge -
or a discharge under conditions for which a statutory bar to benefits exists - for a
given period of service renders a claimant ineligible for all VA benefits for any
claim based on that period of service.
VA Form 21-526EZ, Application for Disability Compensation and Related
Compensation Benefits - 38 CFR 3.151 requires claimants to complete and submit
a form prescribed by the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
when filing an original claim for disability compensation and/or pension. It MUST
have the signature of the claimant
20-0996, Decision Review Request: Higher-Level Review - associated with a
request for higher-level review of a prior decision
21-8940, Veteran's Application for Increased Compensation Based on
Unemployability. - VA Form 21-8940 is not required to claim individual
unemployability (IU). However, submission of VA Form 21-8940 by the Veteran is
required in the course of development of the IU claim and for the award of TDIU
benefits.
Veterans Pension Forms (Initial) - 21P-527 or 21-527EZ.
(DIC), Survivors Pension and accrued benefits forms (Initial) - -21P-534,
VETERAN ASSOCIATION ACCREDITATION
VETERAN ASSOCIATION
ACCREDITATION EXAM GUIDE
VETERAN ASSOCIATION
ACCREDITATION EXAM GUIDE
POA Form - 21-22 (Vet must sign the form. Revokes other appointments; Vet can
revoke POA at any time unless an appeal has been filed before the BVA; POA ends
at death)
Who has the responsibility of accrediting a VSO? - Veteran Service Organization
National Cemetery Administration - under the VA covers funerals and burial for
veterans
Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - An agency in the Department of Veterans
Affairs that provides medical, surgical, and rehabilitative care to veterans of the
armed services.
Veteran's Benefits Administration - Government agency, part of the U.S.
Department of Veteran's Affairs, responsible for payment of all VA gratuitous
benefits
What should you do if you have an inquiry regarding an appeal that has been
certified to the BVA? - Call the BVA in DC directly
Can you call the CAVC to inquire about the individual status of your case? - No
because CAVC is not structured to respond to individual case status inquiries
VETERAN ASSOCIATION ACCREDITATION
,VETERAN ASSOCIATION ACCREDITATION
Veterans Service Center - Largest division within a VA RO
Education claims are handled where? - At the Regional Processing Offices in four
locations around the country.
Intake Processing Center (IPC) - Mail received is processed by team members to
determine:
-if it includes a claim that can be immediately processed
- Whether or not controls should be established
-Uploads scanned documents from the CM Portal into the VBMS eFolder.
IPC undertakes no in-depth development.
Processes only those claims that can be resolved at once or with minimal review.
Also, responsible for files management.
Veterans Service Representative - Responsible for determining what evidence is
necessary to decide a claim, undertaking development action to obtaining
necessary evidence and determining when a claim is ready for decision
VETERAN ASSOCIATION ACCREDITATION
,VETERAN ASSOCIATION ACCREDITATION
38 C.F.R. - Part 3 (Adjudication) and Part 4 (schedule for rating disabilities) are
most used
38 CFR Part 3 - Adjudication; outlines regulatory guidance that directs all
adjudicative activities, procedures and functions performed by VA
38 CFR Part 4 - Schedule for Rating Disabilities; outlines regulatory guidance that
serves as the framework for how SC disabilities for VA purposes are rated and
evaluated
The Manual (M21-1) - provides procedural guidance for Veterans Benefits
Administration (VBA) and directs how VBA processes Veteran's claims.
What constitutes a claim? - As defined by 38 CFR 3.1(p):
"Claim means a written communication requesting a determination of entitlement
or evidencing a belief in entitlement, to a specific benefit under the laws
administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs submitted on an application
form prescribed by the Secretary."
Date of Receipt of a Claim - As defined by 38 CFR 3.1(r):
"Date of receipt means the date on which a claim, information or evidence was
received in the Department of Veterans Affairs..."
Claimant - In order for VA to have an actionable claim, the claim must be filed by a
claimant.
VETERAN ASSOCIATION ACCREDITATION
, VETERAN ASSOCIATION ACCREDITATION
A claimant is someone who has potential entitlement to VA benefits under the law.
An honorably discharged Veteran is a claimant. A person, who has never served in
the U.S. Military (or one of the other recognized qualifying groups) and is not a
dependent of a Veteran, cannot be a claimant.
Character of Discharge (COD): Determines Eligibility - A dishonorable discharge -
or a discharge under conditions for which a statutory bar to benefits exists - for a
given period of service renders a claimant ineligible for all VA benefits for any
claim based on that period of service.
VA Form 21-526EZ, Application for Disability Compensation and Related
Compensation Benefits - 38 CFR 3.151 requires claimants to complete and submit
a form prescribed by the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
when filing an original claim for disability compensation and/or pension. It MUST
have the signature of the claimant
20-0996, Decision Review Request: Higher-Level Review - associated with a
request for higher-level review of a prior decision
21-8940, Veteran's Application for Increased Compensation Based on
Unemployability. - VA Form 21-8940 is not required to claim individual
unemployability (IU). However, submission of VA Form 21-8940 by the Veteran is
required in the course of development of the IU claim and for the award of TDIU
benefits.
Veterans Pension Forms (Initial) - 21P-527 or 21-527EZ.
(DIC), Survivors Pension and accrued benefits forms (Initial) - -21P-534,
VETERAN ASSOCIATION ACCREDITATION
