Category Archives: R1/R2

BVA– AND I’M FEELIN’. . GLAD ALL OVER

Posted on January 19, 2026 by asknod

In the news, we’re constantly bombarded by articles about the passing of the last Pearl Harbor Survivor, the last guy who came ashore at Omaha, the last Navajo Code Talker and more. Don’t get me wrong. I revere every one … Continue reading →

Posted in Agent Orange, Aid and Attendance, BvA Decisions, BVA Purplebook, Pickles, R1/R2, Special Monthly Compensation, Tips and Tricks, VA Agents, Veterans Law | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

BVA–YOU CAN’T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT TIMES 2

Posted on January 12, 2026 by asknod

Always remember the second half of the bridge- “But if you try sometime, you’ll find…you get what you need.” It’s the theme song of my VA litigation journey at VA. This is a great win for a poor, horribly disabled … Continue reading →

Posted in Aid and Attendance, BvA Decisions, R1/R2, Special Monthly Compensation, Veterans Law | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

BVA– R2 FOR ALL THE MARBLES AND AN ODE TO COMBAT LOUIE

Posted on August 31, 2025 by asknod

Honest to God, I have had clients who deserved the highest ratings VA can offer yet the Agency turns a blind eye to them or insists they are good to go. In the instant case here, I fought one battle … Continue reading →

Posted in Labor Day, R1/R2, SMC | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

WHY 3/29/1973 DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE

Posted on March 29, 2025 by asknod

Several years ago, in a misguided attempt to pacify Vietnam Veterans- i.e., those genuine few of us still left- President Trump (in 2017) declared March 29 as the annual day every year to officially celebrate our last day in-country. For … Continue reading →

Posted in All about Veterans, PACT ACT, R1/R2, Tunnel to Towers, VA Agents, VA Secretaries, Veterans Charity concerns | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

BVA TRIP NUMBER 3–I’M BEING FOLLOWED BY A MOONSHADOW

Posted on January 27, 2025 by asknod

As has been the case for well over a tenth of a century, I continue to offer advice for free. There is no special $99.95 Bootcamp for Beginners fee or the $199.99 Advanced Infantry Course for SMC where you actually … Continue reading →

Posted in 1154(b) combat presumptions, Agent Orange, BvA Decisions, Complaints Department, Food for thought, Lay testimony, R1/R2, SMC Bedridden, SMC School, Special Monthly Compensation, Tips and Tricks, VA Agents, Vietnam Disease Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

SPECIAL MONTHLY COMPENSATION–THE LATEST JEDI KNIGHTS

Posted on September 29, 2024 by asknod

I’ve been horribly remiss in getting this article out. I apologize profusely-both to you, the readership and the latest graduates of the SMC Academy. In fact, I was waaaaay remiss (five months) in creating and printing the diplomas. As many … Continue reading →

Posted in All about Veterans, Equitable Estoppel, Food for the soul, Independent Living Program, R1/R2, SMC, SMC School, Special Monthly Compensation, TBI, Tips and Tricks, VA Agents, VA Attorneys, VA special monthly compensation, Veterans Law | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

WINDSHIELDS AND REARVIEW MIRRORS

Posted on March 24, 2024 by asknod

Boy howdy I gotta tell you my body is screaming at me I’m getting old. When I sit down, it’s like a crash-landing. When I move to stand up, it’s like looking out the side window passing V 2 on … Continue reading →

Posted in Aid and Attendance, R1/R2, SMC, Special Monthly Compensation, VA Agents, VA Representative Training, Veterans Law | 3 Comments

HLR–SMC T-ANOTHER PLEASANT VALLEY SUNDAY

Posted on January 4, 2024 by asknod

The Monkees might have been a “canned” musical ensemble but they put out some good music in my mind. Who cares who wrote it or how much filler and backup singers they had to infuse it with. The line in … Continue reading →

Posted in 3.156(c), Aid and Attendance, BvA Decisions, How to Qualify for VA SMC, R1/R2, SMC, Special Monthly Compensation, TBI, VA Agents, VA special monthly compensation, VA TBI, Veterans Law | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

FORT FUMBLE MISSISSIPPI–DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW

Posted on December 8, 2023 by asknod

This is one of those warm, fuzzy blogs I so enjoy putting up around this time of year. I actually finished up another for P&T on a Thailand Vet (Takhli RTAFB) on Monday for Agent Orange that took almost four … Continue reading →

Posted in DRO and BVA Hearings, R1/R2, SMC, Special Monthly Compensation, Tips and Tricks, VA Agents, VA special monthly compensation, Veterans Law | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

VBACOL319–CLEANUP ON AISLE R1

Posted on October 14, 2023 by asknod

First of all, I’d like to explain that all Regional Offices are assigned a three-digit identifier number to confuse somebody somewhere. The Russians in case they attack? Why not just call it what it is? Columbia, South Carolina is, for … Continue reading →

Posted in Aid and Attendance, AMC or ARC, Implicit denial, R1/R2, Reductions in rating, SMC, Special Monthly Compensation, Tips and Tricks, VA Agents | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments