Frustration level......EXPERT!!!

If I have to drop a congressional it will be the second time on HRC since I was retired. The first was for Combat Related Special Compensation.....total time wait on that was a freaking year. I need to find a way to actually get the interest of policy makers when it comes to the damn dog and pony show at HRC. There is NO WAY the process should be structured this way. Once you have been retired it should be HRCs responsibility to make sure the pay starts on time.

As for VSOs, I have tried 3 different ones and none of them could even get their head around my situation (I know the medically retired plus gray area retirement combo is not that common), let alone help. Hell, I only found out that I had to APPLY to HRC after talking to the 8th person over a 3 hour period at DFAS.

Funny enough, through this so far the VA comp folks have been the easiest to deal with and my VA $ started the month after I was retired.
 
I had refused a promotion in the Navy. It took a year and a half to get my combat pay.
So glad did not take the promotion and serve longer.
So glad I have never set foot in a VA hospital.
So glad I never took the Fed. Park Ranger job.
 
SFC B said:
If I have to drop a congressional it will be the second time on HRC since I was retired. The first was for Combat Related Special Compensation.....total time wait on that was a freaking year. I need to find a way to actually get the interest of policy makers when it comes to the damn dog and pony show at HRC. There is NO WAY the process should be structured this way. Once you have been retired it should be HRCs responsibility to make sure the pay starts on time.

As for VSOs, I have tried 3 different ones and none of them could even get their head around my situation (I know the medically retired plus gray area retirement combo is not that common), let alone help. Hell, I only found out that I had to APPLY to HRC after talking to the 8th person over a 3 hour period at DFAS.

Funny enough, through this so far the VA comp folks have been the easiest to deal with and my VA $ started the month after I was retired.
Click to expand...

The point I was trying to make is that no individual congressional is going to get anyone's attention, it is a volume of congressionals that will make a difference when it comes to motivating elected officials to pressure systemic change.
 
MinnesotaHunter said:
The point I was trying to make is that no individual congressional is going to get anyone's attention, it is a volume of congressionals that will make a difference when it comes to motivating elected officials to pressure systemic change.
Click to expand...
This is not true at all. One call to a staffer and legit problems get an inquiry to the Chain of Command. As my unit full time rep it took a couple hours to hit my desk and I had to respond thru the COC in 24 hours. Most of the time if not within the hour I got another email then a phone call.

You file an official congressional it’s gets actioned.
 
Addicting said:
This is not true at all. One call to a staffer and legit problems get an inquiry to the Chain of Command. As my unit full time rep it took a couple hours to hit my desk and I had to respond thru the COC in 24 hours. Most of the time if not within the hour I got another email then a phone call.

You file an official congressional it’s gets actioned.
Click to expand...
Absolutely, that works for the individual cases. Its embarrassing for the agencies to be asked WTF, over?...via an inquiry and typically there is quick action.

I believe @MinnesotaHunter was referring to make changes that would impact the entire process for everyone. That's what needs to happen. It's pure BS that a retirement should take a year. Or that my coworkers wife should have to suffer incompetence waiting for death benefits for a year. I'm not over that whole shit show and I never will get over it. I'm working on making sure that never happens again.
 
BuzzH said:
I believe @MinnesotaHunter was referring to make changes that would impact the entire process for everyone. That's what needs to happen. It's pure BS that a retirement should take a year. Or that my coworkers wife should have to suffer incompetence waiting for death benefits for a year. I'm not over that whole shit show and I never will get over it. I'm working on making sure that never happens again.
Click to expand...
Nothing will change that with the federal hiring process the way it is.
 
SFC B,

The other piece of advice I would give is to go to the nearest Armed Forces Reserve Center, and talk to their S1 Shop. They likely have a Retirement Services Officer. That person is an expert in this and probably fights with HRC everyday. We have one on our joint staff and they do good work.
 
Thanks for your service and sorry for your troubles. I recently retired from civil service and it was a bunch of hoops to jump through. I was fortunate and it didn’t take long for my full payments to kick in.

They really had trouble processing during Covid, as many worked from home.
 
BuzzH said:
I also wouldn't be afraid to reach out to KNOWN veteran friendly legislators outside your district or State. Jon Tester has done a lot for Veterans....
Click to expand...
If your home state senator sits on a committee that has oversight on any military matter, a call to one of their staffers can really get the ball moving. Nobody likes to testify when this type of question gets shoved down their throats by a senator.
 
VikingsGuy said:
If your home state senator sits on a committee that has oversight on any military matter, a call to one of their staffers can really get the ball moving. Nobody likes to testify when this type of question gets shoved down their throats by a senator.
Click to expand...
Just go to the Senate website, find your senators, pick one and email that person. A staffer will get it, but do it through their ready-made infrastructure. ANY senator will knock himself or herself out for a vet. Guarantee it. But if one has more experience in that particular field (Veterans) that's an obvious choice. Otherwise, it does not matter their party or yours. It won't even come up.

Use email instead of a phone call so you can easily be sure that you include all the necessary details about yourself and your situation. Proof read it twice to be sure. You will get a response very quickly that your request is under consideration, and you will get an answer in a few days, more than likely.

I have done this twice for much more trivial things (I don't even remember one of them), and they were super happy to help. These people are your employees. They work for you, and they are anxious to prove it because it means a happy voter that will say nice things about them and they don't have to take a politically liable position on a controversial point of policy. It's all winning for them.

And when a senator's office asks about something that something gets moved right to the top of everyone's inbox.
 
BrentD said:
Just go to the Senate website, find your senators, pick one and email that person. A staffer will get it, but do it through their ready-made infrastructure. ANY senator will knock himself or herself out for a vet. Guarantee it. But if one has more experience in that particular field (Veterans) that's an obvious choice. Otherwise, it does not matter their party or yours. It won't even come up.

Use email instead of a phone call so you can easily be sure that you include all the necessary details about yourself and your situation. Proof read it twice to be sure. You will get a response very quickly that your request is under consideration, and you will get an answer in a few days, more than likely.

I have done this twice for much more trivial things (I don't even remember one of them), and they were super happy to help. These people are your employees. They work for you, and they are anxious to prove it because it means a happy voter that will say nice things about them and they don't have to take a politically liable position on a controversial point of policy. It's all winning for them.

And when a senator's office asks about something that something gets moved right to the top of everyone's inbox.
Click to expand...
Better yet, follow up with a visit to one of their branch offices and talk to their staffer there. It's more personal when they can put a face to the name.

I had some outstanding help with an issue I had about 25 years ago when I showed up in person to Congressman Rick Hills office. A staffer was very helpful and my issue was resolved within about 5 months, which considering the complexity, was pretty darn fast.

Hill had hot buttons and he wasn't afraid to push them...I'll leave it at that.
 
Try these guys



Buckley SFB RAO Ph: 720-847-6693 E-mail: [email protected]
Peterson SFB RAO Ph: 719-556-7153 E-mail: [email protected]
USAF Academy RAO Ph: 719-333-7877 E-mail: [email protected]

I can only imagin but my retirement went smooth and only took a month for pay to swap and VA took 60 days. I was continuous active duty, guys who were reserve or had split time always seem to have issues. Good luck
 
We don't have enough money to take care of our troops, but we can throw $100,000,000,000.00 at Ukraine.
 
elkduds said:
I can't think of anything good to say about congressman Doug Lamborn, except he claims to advocate for veterans. If he is your rep, try his office.

After working for VA for 8 years, I feel qualified in saying the treatment of veterans by the federal gov't borders on criminal. Thank you and your family for your service and sacrifice.
Click to expand...
As a veteran, I could probably think of a few good things. He makes regular visits to local units and his office would probably be happy to help. Definitely contact them.
 
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