Episode 4: Questions and Answers with the Coaches

This episode is a Q&A with our coaches, covering real experiences veterans go through in the VA process.

From opening confusing VA letters to dealing with denials, delays, and mistakes that can hurt your claim  we break it down in a way that actually makes sense.

You’ll also hear how we actually handle veterans in these situations  so you’re not left guessing, misled, or trying to figure this out on your own. 

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, frustrated, or unsure what to do next, this episode is one you don’t want to miss.

Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:00

Denied, delayed, underrated. That's the story for too many veterans, including me. Hey veterans and the families listening in, welcome. My name is Robert Pinero. I'm a Marine Combat Veteran and the founder of Veterans Educating Veterans. I served two tours in Iraq, and like many veterans, I know how hard it is to get service invaded and navigate the VA system. After service, I was frustrated in pain until no more times than I can count. Even by VA attorney. So instead of giving up, I decided to learn the VA process myself. That's what veterans educating veterans is built on. We educate and guide veterans through the VA compensation process, step by step, helping you understand how the system works so you can move forward with confidence, not confusion. I do this work alongside my wife Jillian and for our two daughters because our families live with the impact of service long after the uniform comes off. You deserve the benefits you've earned, not just for yourself, but for the family that stands beside you. Welcome to the war room.

SPEAKER_02 1:18

The war room.

SPEAKER_04 1:41

So I got a couple of questions for you, probably things that veterans uh want to know about yourself. Uh so the first question is what's the first VA letter you opened?

SPEAKER_01 1:53

You know, Rob, thanks for having me on here. Um for me, uh it would probably be my first VA letter that I got. Um, the first claim I put in, I had no idea what I was looking at. You know, so the the VA process can be very daunting um for anybody, especially for new veterans that have just gotten out of the military, have no idea what they're dealing with, what they're looking at, what what they're supposed to be gathering from those letters that are supposed to be helping veterans and give them all the details they need. If you do not know how to break that down, it is very daunting and and and it looks like gibberish. Um, things that you think should have been service connected or not, things that you kind of put in as a whim because you know you dealt with it seem to be approved, and there's no reason you have no explanation. It's in there, but if you have no idea what you're looking at, it's very frustrating and very overwhelming for sure. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_04 2:55

Awesome. Uh so I got another question for you. So if the VA had a theme song, what would it be and why?

SPEAKER_01 3:05

That's a good question, Rob. For me, I think it would probably be ACDC's Highway to Hell, because it's it's hell trying to get service connected and get your disabilities up for a lot of these veterans. Um, some of the people, you know, some people have great luck, you know, and but there's a lot of veterans that don't, and that's why they reach out to us, and you know, that's why we do what we do, um, because it can be absolutely torment for them.

SPEAKER_04 3:37

Awesome, man. Um, so what's the most VA thing ever that happened to you during your own claim?

SPEAKER_01 3:44

Oh, that's very easy. So uh many of you may not know, um, but I am rated for PTSD personally. Um, when I went in for an increase, I'll never forget it. I was sitting there doing the CMP exam. Um, I was already I was at 50%. I was going for an increase. Um, I remember talking to the examiner, and I'll never forget it. It's it's ingrained in my head. He looked directly at me and goes, I've never seen anybody within your condition not get an increase. I said, All right, sounds good. I left about a month and a half later, denied. I said, Okay, I guess I am where I am. I mean, I put everything in I had at my own accord, and I couldn't do it. Um, so I absolutely reached out to Veterans Educating Veterans, um, and they absolutely helped me and helped me the increase that I was entitled to. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_04 4:38

Cool, man. Thank you for sharing that. Um, so what's one thing veterans do that makes the process harder and they don't even realize it?

SPEAKER_01 4:48

I think a lot of them wait the weight that they do. Um, you know, as veterans, you're used, you're ingrained, especially, you know, as Marines, Army, Air Force, Navy, whatever, Coast Guard, Space Force now we got, um, they wait. And the longer they wait, the the harder it is to get these, you know, disability service connected for sure. Um, a lot of these veterans uh you know just adapt and overcome and just deal with them, and they're like, oh, it's not that bad, it's not that bad. Next thing you know, 20 years later, they can't even walk. You know, they need back surgery, they need a knee replacement, they have arthritis, you know, at 30 years old. And it's due to their time in the service, majority of it. And now they're like, Well, I need to get this looked at, and they have they've been dealing on their own, so it makes it very more very difficult now to establish that with lack of medical evidence if it if it's missing on because of that. So and they don't even realize that they're just making an arder on themselves.

SPEAKER_04 5:57

All right, cool. Thank you. Uh, so what's a phrase the VA uses that instantly makes you roll your eyes?

SPEAKER_01 6:06

When they deny a claim, but then in the Fabrol findings, they list everything that was listed on the evidence that's there.

SPEAKER_04 6:19

It's just very true.

SPEAKER_01 6:21

Mind-boggling.

SPEAKER_04 6:23

Very, very true. When a veteran shows up frustrated, what do you say first to break the tension?

SPEAKER_01 6:30

So when a veteran shows up frustrated, um I try to break the tension by letting them know, hey, we've been there, all of us, we know how it is and how gut-runching it can be to, you know, see those denial letters, um, to see, you know, the fight you go through and then the underrating you get or are not service-connected denials you get completely. Um, you know, and usually once we start talking to these veterans, you know, and they realize, hey, we're also veterans ourselves and have know the process personally, it really makes them feel at ease.

SPEAKER_04 7:08

What's your best I've learned this the hard way lesson you save veterans from?

SPEAKER_01 7:17

Don't just put in things and see what happens. If you don't have the diagnosis, if you don't have the medical treatment, if you haven't been going for it recently, don't just throw it at the wall in hopes that it's gonna stick. Uh, once the VA denies something, it makes it for sure harder to get service connected in that retrospect because when you go to file uh an appeal or a supplemental, whatever you want to call it for it, the VA goes back and reopens that from the get-go when you first filed and reviews it from the start. So, yes, you may have everything, but when you first did it, it just wasn't done correctly. It does make it more difficult to reestablish it because of that, and no fault of your own or anybody's own. You're just doing what you think is right at that time.

SPEAKER_04 8:12

Yeah, thanks for that, man. And definitely can relate. Uh, what's something people think the VA does that is completely wrong?

SPEAKER_01 8:21

Oh, absolutely. So people think just because the VA is treating it means they're entitled to compensation for it. The VA, like any hospital, is going to treat any veteran that goes there for any ailment, especially if you go through the emergency department or if you established primary care there. They are going to treat any aches and pains and bumps and bruises you go for. Doesn't mean that it was started or was caused by your military service. Prime example, a lot of older veterans go in looking for sleep apnea. They've gotten diagnosed with sleep apnea, have been given a CPAP machine, let's say 2023, but they got out of the service in 1993. But there's no complaints of until they were diagnosed with it. They people have this misunderstanding that just because they're treating it, that it's related to their service, and that's not true.

SPEAKER_04 9:16

So if you had to describe your coaching style like a movie character, who are you?

SPEAKER_01 9:23

I'm gonna go with Phil Dumpy from Modern Family. I feel like I'm whimsical but straightforward with it. Uh easy going, laid back. Um, you know, it's not not too serious, but at the same time, I want to be straightforward with you and let you know, hey, this is you know, this is what we can and can't do, and that's the reality of the situation for you.

SPEAKER_04 9:48

So, Cody, uh, if a VA claim is chess, what's the quickest way veterans accidentally uh blunder their queen?

SPEAKER_03 9:57

So there definitely are several ways you can blunder a queen. Um, the quickest way, in my opinion, would be to be inconsistent with what you're saying. So if that comes down to basically um you say one thing in a statement and then you also say one thing in a CNP exam, should you be required to go? Or if you say something else in treatment notes, that all compiles to you losing your queen, you losing your claim. It all boils down to the same thing.

SPEAKER_04 10:25

And Cody, asking that question, aren't you a police officer? Isn't that what you look for? Is inconsistencies? I was, I couldn't. Or you're an ex-police officer.

SPEAKER_03 10:32

A former police officer, so that's something I'm trained to do, so that's something I can definitely help keep you on track with.

SPEAKER_04 10:37

Awesome. So, what's the VA's favorite trap move that catches legit veterans?

SPEAKER_03 10:44

Man, the favorite one. There's definitely a couple trap moves that they like to use. Um, in regards to claims, they like to go with um, you know, you not attending a CNP exam is reason for denial. And that's not the case. When you're submitting competent reports from competent doctors, that is everything they need to make a decision. They do not need to attend by law that CNP exam. Um, another way is not having a nexus connection for service connection. You can have every other piece of it. Um, but if you don't have those magical words that the doctor would say, you know, less likely than not, um, it's not going to fall into place for you.

SPEAKER_04 11:20

Awesome. Thank you for that. Um, so what's your go-to opening move on the first call that makes everything easier later?

SPEAKER_03 11:31

I would say just trying to get to know the veteran and not trying to just see how quickly we can do something. It's going to be trying to get them to know them, get to see what makes them tick. Um, I can, you know, go back on that rapport and be able to communicate better with with any veteran I talk to.

SPEAKER_04 11:51

So it's not like what's the weather today, right?

SPEAKER_03 11:54

No, I don't go with the weather one very much. I'm in Michigan. It's cold. I don't like to talk about that.

SPEAKER_04 11:59

So, what's one detail that turns a claim from sounds true into VA proof?

SPEAKER_03 12:07

Um for me, the biggest thing that makes it go the next level is not just um, you know, let's just say current diagnosis language, whether it's, you know, has back pain, instead, maybe it's lumbar degenerative disc disease, very specific on what you're trying to do. Instead of saying sleep problems, you know, um um major obstructive sleep apnea would be the the correct way to turn that, instead of just saying the very base minimum of what you can say.

unknown 12:39

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 12:40

If the VA reviewer is the opponent, what are you trying to force them to admit on paper?

SPEAKER_03 12:48

I want my opponents to admit and VA to admit that it happened in service, the the thing we're trying to service connect, um, or that the condition that they're trying to service connect is related to a secondary condition, or or vice versa. Basically, that we're trying to get them to admit what is true and what you have going on with you with your disability.

SPEAKER_04 13:13

What's your checkmate moment, the point where you know the veteran is in a one-in position?

SPEAKER_03 13:21

So there's a few different things. Um, basically, just I guess talking about service connection part of this, having medical paperwork and having um consistent medical paperwork, along with like current diagnosis, um, and just being consistent in what they say the entire time, and having it in their service treatment records as well. All three of those things together, I we have a very clear path forward for you.

SPEAKER_04 13:47

Awesome. So one last question if you could ban one sentence from CNP exams forever, what would it be?

SPEAKER_03 13:58

From CNP exams. Um I guess when a CNP comes back and says uh basically the lines of the veteran denies symptoms, when clearly more than likely that was not the case, and um maybe they just didn't explain it correctly in the 15 minutes that they had during a CNP. Um, but it depends on which CNP examiner you get and how they write it. I would ban the words the veteran denies symptoms.

SPEAKER_04 14:30

All right, Jesse. So what's the funniest thing veterans say when they're nervous and trying to act like they're fine?

SPEAKER_05 14:40

Um that's a good question. Uh one thing I always hear them say is like I don't want to I don't want to seem like I'm complaining, but and that's kind of like the part that puts puts that that they're nervous or that they don't think that they deserve it, but you know, I can I ease them down and tell them, you know, um whatever you have to deal with in in life, that's um changing your life with the pain that you have to go through, that you have to modify your life and take these pills and to calm the pain down and all that. Yeah, that's that's what calms kind of calms them down into uh because uh that it's kinda like funny when they all a lot of them say that.

SPEAKER_04 15:27

Alright. Uh what's your go-to joke or line that gets vets to loosen up on their first call?

SPEAKER_05 15:35

Uh I'ma say it's more like when they're when they're kinda like I can feel like they're kind of stiff, and I just start making jokes about the VA and and you know, you start I start loosening them up by like, you know, talking to them about where were they stationed and stuff like that, and getting them comfortable that I was in the service too, and that I went through the process too, just like they did. I got denied just like they did. And then um tell them that that seeking the right help is gonna help you out, man. It's us, uh tell them it's us, us against them. You know, we're here, we're here to help you out. We win, you win, type of situation.

SPEAKER_04 16:13

Alright. Um, so if the VA process was a video game, what level would you be on and why?

SPEAKER_05 16:22

I'm gonna say it's uh nightmare mode. Uh to me, it's uh the VA is uh it is a nightmare for a lot of vets that try to do it on their own. Um there are a few vets out, a lot of vets out there that you know do a good job and get to like 90% and they get stuck. Um that's when it gets to the their nightmare mode and they seek for help. And you know, we we look into their stuff and uh we we see secondary conditions that could probably add on. We could see um probably like if they have a back and they have it all maxed, you know, maxed out 40%, but they don't have um, you know, we asked them if they have any nerve issues and stuff, and then they're like, Oh yeah, I do. And that's what kind of gets them over that nightmare mode to get to that to the ultimate goal. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 17:13

What's something you wish someone told you when you were overwhelmed in the process?

SPEAKER_05 17:19

Um, that there's still a chance. You know, you do um there's that don't don't give up, just keep um keep shooting at it, find different avenues. Um when I first got my 60% and I stayed at it, I was like, well, this is it, you know, this is what I get. And you know, I had for like about four or five years, I was there. I tried to do it on my own, um got denied, you know, and then that's I kind of was giving up at that point until you know my brother came along and told me, hey, let me look at your stuff, and you know, you do have other stuff in there, and then kind of eased me, uh eased me off for being overwhelmed on that situation.

SPEAKER_04 18:07

Okay, cool. Uh so just for everybody listening, who's your brother?

SPEAKER_05 18:10

My brother is the host, the owner, the head honcho, Robert Pinero.

SPEAKER_04 18:20

Uh so what's the number one thing uh that's overthink, and it's actually simpler than what they think?

SPEAKER_05 18:29

I I say is more like um uh current diagnosis and uh going actually going to the doctor and you know complaining about the things that um you know getting actually diagnosed for the things they're trying to get an increase on um or or get a service connected. I have a vet that actually I spoke to yesterday and what he had a whole load of stuff on his service treatment records, and he's at zero percent. He's 58 years old, and and I was like, dude, like what were you waiting for? And he's like, I just didn't think I was you know qualified to get anything. And he's like, you know, he even go to he basically didn't go to the VA because he had to pay for the VA. And uh he might most likely just muscled out through his pain, but that'd be definitely so when a veteran feels embarrassed talking symptoms, what do you say to keep it real and comfortable? Uh what I say, I just um I include myself um a lot of the time into our conversation to make them feel comfortable about it. And you know, I tell them, you know, if you you is what you're going through, and this is just you know like something like mental health. And there's some guys that actually like start really getting into talking their mental health with me. And um, I wish the VA would actually hear their voices on the things or stories that they say. It kind of like you you look back and you're like these guys actually need this help, and you know the VA VA is making it tough for them. But um I try to like I involve myself with them and and make them know that uh I I understand um their situation.

SPEAKER_04 20:31

Alright. So just one last question. So if you had to describe your coaching style with a meme, what meme would it be?

SPEAKER_05 20:41

Um the the meme. I need it.

SPEAKER_01 20:51

How do you even the name? Well we'll go back to that. He goes the cat that goes, huh?

SPEAKER_04 21:00

Like Tarkinson? All right. Huh?

SPEAKER_00 21:03

Tark, what time is it?

SPEAKER_04 21:04

Huh?

SPEAKER_00 21:05

Right now.

SPEAKER_02 21:13

The war room by the veterans educating veterans.