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<a href="http://www.mca-marines.org/gazette">www.mca-marines.org/gazette</a> 63 M a r i n e C o r p s G a z e t t e • M a y 2 0 0 9 the more profound impact on QOL by the disabilities subject to SMC and review ancillary benefits to determine where additional benefits could im- prove a veterans QOL. • Congress should enact legislation that would bring the ancillary and special purpose benefits to the levels originally intended, considering cost of living, and provide for automatic annual adjustments to keep pace with the cost of living index. • VA and DoD should realign the disability process so that the Services determine fitness for duty, and the servicemembers who are found unfit are immediately referred to the VA for a disability rating. All conditions that are identified as part of a single, com- prehensive medical examination should be rated and compensated. • Congress should eliminate the off- set for survivor benefit plan/depen- dency and indemnity compensation for survivors of retirees and in-Serv- ice deaths. Concurrent receipt of both should be granted. • Improve claims cycle time by estab- lishing a simplified and expedited process for well-documented claims, using best business practices and maximum feasible use of information technology, and implementing an ex- pedited process by which the claimant can state that the claim in- formation is complete and waive the 60-day time period allowed for fur- ther development. Congress should mandate and provide appropriate re- sources to reduce the VA claims back- log by 50 percent within 2 years. • VA and DoD should expedite de- velopment and implementation of compatible information systems in- cluding a detailed project manage- ment plan that includes specific milestones and lead agency assign- ment. • Congress should establish an exec- utive oversight group to ensure timely and effective implementation of the VDBC’s recommendations. This group should be cochaired by the VA and DoD and consist of senior repre- sentatives from appropriate depart- ments and agencies. It is further rec- ommended that the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of both the House and the Senate hold hearings and re- quire annual reports to measure and access progress. Presently, I confess to being cau- tiously optimistic that Congress will compel the VA and the DoD to suc- cessfully implement the key recom- mendations of the VDBC, but I am realistic as to resources, both financial and organizational. To install such major changes, however necessary, in a massive bureaucracy that tends to be structure conscious and marginally flexible, would be an exceptional ac- complishment. However, I do feel that some of the more foundational en- hancements will be implemented, en- hanced by the ongoing effort to merge the various automated systems between DoD (and each Service) and the VA, and I’m hopeful that those will be the platform for further improvement, par- ticularly the revision/update of the VA ratings schedule. As we all know, the DoD and the VA are staffed with ded- icated, hard-working, and intelligent professionals who sincerely want to support the active duty warriors as well as the veteran population. The VDBC has provided them the license to do so. We also know that our elected politi- cians are compelled to provide the funding and the urgency, and that multilayered bureaucracies can be cumbersome, rigid, and resistant to change. Meanwhile, remaining veter- ans of all wars—past, present, and fu- ture—are watching . . . and waiting. The warrior of today is the veteran of tomorrow. They are the same person! Become a JROTC Instructor Competitive Pay Become a JROTC Instructor Competitive Pay <a href="http://www.mcjrotc.org">www.mcjrotc.org</a> <a href="http://www.mcjrotc.org">www.mcjrotc.org</a> The Corps Is The Corps Is Looking For A Looking For A Few Good, Retiring Few Good, Retiring Active-Duty and Active-Duty and Reserve Marines Reserve Marines To Continue To Continue Serving Their Serving Their Country. Country.
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