State Service Office Service Center Our mission is to provide the best possible Customer service to our Veterans, Veterans Service Centers, CVSOs, and Headquarters Raleigh to ensure their ability to assist the Veterans of North Carolina. We are here to serve – Customer Service is our only product and the only thing we can offer is service.

Service Officer Digit Range Extension SSOSC 336.725.8781 Service Officer Digit Range Extension Michael Hessler 00 – 24 207 Perry Haagen 25 – 49 203 James McMinn 50 – 74 208 Mark Antonitis 75 – 99 201 Connie Phelps Appeals 209 Mike Ayers Gofer 205

SSOSC VSC Teams Pre Discharge Teams 6 Core Teams – 00-15, 16 -32, 33-48, 49-65, 66-82, 83-99 4 Express Teams – 00-24, 25-49, 50-74, 75- 99 2 Special Operations Team - 00-49, 50-99 Pre Discharge Teams 4 Core Teams

VSC Teams Special OPS Lane – case management for special populations MST – POW- Homeless Vets – VSI – Nehmer – ALS – Parkinson’s Disease – MS – CUE – TBI – 1151 - SMC CORE Lane – Routine Claims that do not impact special populations Claims with 3 or more issues – DM and I/U – any claim not meeting Express or Special OPS criteria

VSC Teams Express Lane – Quickly and efficiently processes claims Claims with 1 or 2 issues – excludes DM and I/U – all FDC regardless of issues Non-Rating Team – Non-Rating claims Special Adaptive Housing – Auto Adaptive Grant – Dependency Issues – Drill Pay Issues (Special Team) Appeals Team - Team model has not changed Now has 18 DROs

Intake Processing Center Issues Intent to File or New Claim for Veteran who has never filed: Make sure you provide SSN # - DOB – periods of Service Provide the Service # for older vets if they have it Use the correct SSN # or file # ! 21-4138s can be used to: Remove a spouse (death/divorce) – date of death/divorce and location of death/divorce Reconsideration – must spell out requesting reconsideration, provide N/M evidence or direct the VARO where to retrieve new evidence (VAMC or OPC)

Intake Processing Center Issues 21-4138s can be used to: (continued) Missed Exam – explain why the exam was missed and request a new exam stating the veteran is willing to report for a new exam Call a CUE Scanning Site Issues: if there is a 2 – sided form, both sides must be scanned Use a Cover Letter to help identify the documents submitted with the claim

SSOSC Issues NCDVA Form 9 (Property Taxes)- Remember that these Veterans must be 100% P/T – if the veteran has a future exam, he is not P/T – if the Veteran is not receiving Chapter 35, he is not P/T When faxing our office NODs or Form – 9s (appeals) please let us know it is just a courtesy copy Vocational Rehab applications (21-1900) can be mailed to the VARO or faxed to our office

Appeals Team Appeals Team – Team Chief – Connie Phelps Appeal Team Members – Mike Ayers, Mike Hessler and all Assistant State Service Officers Goal – To collaborate with the field force and attempt to get veteran’s benefits quicker than it takes for a BVA decision

POAs Power of Attorney = POA Only accept POA for veterans that reside in NC Do not accept POA for veterans with current appeals Attorneys – receive 20% of an award - should submit documents for the veteran – file automatically becomes Sensitive 7

Appeals Team Vision What the Appeals Team sees: No diagnosis No nexus statement – Dr. statement linking the appealed condition to an incident in Service H/L increase without new exam S/C for H/L without nexus statement

Veteran’s Right to Appeal We are NOT trying to take away the veteran’s right to appeal! Always elect DRO Review over Traditional Appeal DRO has the authority to make a new decision without N/M evidence – Traditional Appeal does not 1800 veterans from the VARO awaiting a BVA Video Hearing

Notice of Disagreement VSOs responsibilities for NODs Service Officers must get N/M evidence for appeal If veteran is denied because VA opinion must get new medical evidence to refute H/L is based on audiological exam results; if appealing get new audiological exam Appealing PTSD Ratings – get N/M evidence (anxiety/depression) MST – Treat with dignity and respect

Doctor’s Statement I have reviewed the medical records of Joe Airborne and in my professional medical opinion, it is at least as likely as not that he should be S/C for H/L ( have the doctor provide a brief opinion/rationale why he/she feels this way) Example (opinion/rationale) – Veteran had onset of tinnitus and H/L due to the acoustic traumas he/she was exposed to on the flight line at Seymour Johnson Air Base “More likely than not” is an even more powerful opinion by the doctor

Partnership The SSOSC staff is here to assist you! We work with the Field Force for the veteran We act as a liaison between the Field Force and the VARO If we can we will – have no authority over the VARO nor the Field Force (CVSOs) Let’s continue to collaborate, cooperate and keep open channels of communication to better serve the veterans of NC!