VTU Guam remote gouge

[gparks1989]

Anything that starts with "I got picked up for a hardware squadron" is officially the Navy Reserve version of #FirstWorldProblems . . .

No doubt. Doesn’t mean the Navy should make the affiliation process as painful as it. Plus, folks heading to the NOSC or other SELRES units are dealing with the same problem. One would think that the Navy would incentivize and simplify the process, not making it more difficult.

 

[SELRES_AMDO]

Anything that starts with "I got picked up for a hardware squadron" is officially the Navy Reserve version of #FirstWorldProblems . . .

I did 8 years in two different hardware squadrons. I honestly didn't know how good I had it until I got moved to a real reserve unit.

 

[Flash]

There's the rub. You file for VA disability and you might not make it to retirement in the reserves.

Realistically, as long as all of your injuries are in your medical record then you should be fine if you file after retirement. How true that is in practice is another story.

The whole thing is a roll of the dice and a reason I haven't touched VA disability yet.

That goes right in line with what I saw numerous times, it was time and NOSC dependent on how the Navy Reserve treated VA disability and it is emblematic as to how the Navy Reserve as a whole operated. Here an issue affecting thousands of drilling reservists but let's just ignore it and not promulgate any semblance of policy or direction whatsoever, which would likely be made moot anyways because we would bury it in one of the 7 different poorly maintained websites each with its own unique login that we make reservists to utilize to accomplish even the most simple of tasks.

Thankfully though there is a very useful website that has all the links a reservists needs with tips and tricks for many, of course not maintained by the Navy but by a retired Navy reservist (going on at least 4 or 5 years now I think) who does it out of basic decency.

 

[nittany03]

No doubt. Doesn’t mean the Navy should make the affiliation process as painful as it. Plus, folks heading to the NOSC or other SELRES units are dealing with the same problem. One would think that the Navy would incentivize and simplify the process, not making it more difficult.

My experience with the Career Transition Office was a borderline unprofessional goat rodeo.

 

[nittany03]

Thankfully though there is a very useful website that has all the links a reservists needs with tips and tricks for many, of course not maintained by the Navy but by a retired Navy reservist (going on at least 4 or 5 years now I think) who does it out of basic decency.

I met him working an exercise in 2015 just before he retired. He mentioned that he’d gotten called on the carpet about that site at least once, too, because ZOMG OPSEC!

 

[Hair Warrior]

I have said that they need a (metaphorical) light switch on the wall. Flip the switch, and Petty Officer Schmuckatelli goes from RC to AC. His direct deposit doesn’t change. His email address (Flank Speed anyone?) doesn’t change. His CAC doesn’t change. His RED/DA page 2 doesn’t change. His Tricare active duty turns on, his Tricare reserve select automatically pauses.

We’re actually pretty close to that in some areas (CAC, uniforms, .mil email). But in other respects, we’ve got work to do.

How one Navy reservistâs bright idea could make mobilizing easier

An app invented by reserve Lt. Cmdr. Jonathan Calhoun will allow reservists to fill out their mobilization paperwork on their phone.

www.navytimes.com

 

[nittany03]

How one Navy reservistâs bright idea could make mobilizing easier

An app invented by reserve Lt. Cmdr. Jonathan Calhoun will allow reservists to fill out their mobilization paperwork on their phone.

www.navytimes.com

Nice, but still doesn't go far enough back up the Ishikawa diagram. The next "why" in the 5 "whys" is "why do reservists have to fill out stacks of mobilization paperwork in the first place?" Answer that question, then ask why the root cause you just identified has to happen. Repeat 3-4 more times, then solve THAT problem.

Good initiative; crappy root cause analysis.
❤️, your friendly neighborhood Lean/Agile practitioner.

 

[Hair Warrior]

Nice, but still doesn't go far enough back up the Ishikawa diagram. The next "why" in the 5 "whys" is "why do reservists have to fill out stacks of mobilization paperwork in the first place?" Answer that question, then ask why the root cause you just identified has to happen. Repeat 3-4 more times, then solve THAT problem.

Good initiative; crappy root cause analysis.
❤️, your friendly neighborhood Lean/Agile practitioner.

Yep. I was more posting the article for the news factor, not to imply I agree with it.

In general, in the public sector as in the private sector, the number of people who “invent a new mobile app idea” but don’t do anything beyond the idea phase, are a dime a dozen. Ideas are useless without execution.

 

[RobLyman]

Ha! I never read this thread because VTU? Guam? But I did a search on "disability" and it came up.

So, I have to add my experience to the WTF part of reserves, or in my case guard, and VA disability. I left the AGR program 2.5 months ago to return to the M-day and technician program. Why? It's a long story and not really related to this post. As I completed my retirement/exit physical, I was referred to a VA contractor to help me file my claim. I had a 0% disability when I left the Navy in 1996, so I figured I would be sitting at 30%ish. The contractor jotted down 12 different things that were all possible contributors to a VA disability rating > 0%. My claim was approved last Friday. I found out because even though my status didn't show a change on their website I received a deposit from the VA in my checking account. It turns out that as a full time technician and part time guard member who is still actively flying on a weekly basis, I have an 80% rating. It's all kind of moot anyway, because a month after my next flight physical is completed this fall, I'll be retired. But it is kind of funny to think about being on a flying status AND 80% disability.

I can confirm the ruling regarding double dipping. You cannot receive both disability and drill pay for the same days/MUTA/AFTP. At the end of the year, the VA gets a report indicating the number of "days" or points you were paid for. They then deduct that number of days from next year's VA payments. My drill pay is about 5 times what my disability pay is, so between now and retirement, I will have to pay back (or lose out of next year's payments) approximately $2500.

Sprinting, walking, crawling or limping, I'm crossing that retirement line soon!

 

[AFUAW]

Curious how VA disability interacts with VTU non-paid drills. Does the VA offset unpaid drills?

 

[snake020]

Curious how VA disability interacts with VTU non-paid drills. Does the VA offset unpaid drills?

It doesn't. The way it works is you choose to either forego pay for your drill days, or VA pay for those days. Since the daily rate is generally higher for drill pay, common sense says forego VA pay those days.

Since you don't get paid for non-pay drills, there is no choice to make.

 

[Gatordev]

It turns out that as a full time technician and part time guard member who is still actively flying on a weekly basis, I have an 80% rating.

Did you go to AJ down in Flemming Island. He's a wizard.

 

[RobLyman]

Did you go to AJ down in Flemming Island. He's a wizard.

No, Rich Carey at the Vystar building on base. He picked through 500 printed pages of my medical record and produced a list of about 15 items. A week and a half later I had two VA doctor's appointments, one that included Xraying almost every bone in my body. While I haven't received the breakdown, I would estimate that at least a dozen of the listed items ended up with a 10% rating. Knees, ankles and wrists were bilateral, which is a kicker in the rating system.

There are definitely 800 mg ibuprofen days for me.

 

[SELRES_AMDO]

I haven't filed for VA disability but I'm at 17 years and close to just doing it.

Do the contractors that assist with VA disability cost money?

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

I haven't filed for VA disability but I'm at 17 years and close to just doing it.

Do the contractors that assist with VA disability cost money?

It depends, but I would say those who do for the most part are worth it to ensure you get the best percentage and your paperwork goes through smoothly.