LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Each year, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs delivers care to millions of retired service members. But many veterans report facing difficulties when it comes to applying for and receiving benefits through the department.
Anyssa Bohanan shares how veterans can get help with the complex benefits process through Veteran Benefits Guide:
Las Vegas resident and veteran Edgar Rodriguez served in the U.S. Marine Corps for eight years.
"My time was right after 9/11. I was fortunate enough to do four deployments in four years," Rodriguez said.
After leaving the military, Rodriguez says he immediately began applying for disability benefits through the VA. But he said the process wasn't an easy one.
"I started my process in fighting with the VA, trying to figure out, like, 'Hey, how do I navigate and what do I qualify for?'" said Rodriguez. "I fought them for about 10 years and, finally, one day, just gave up."
The VA reportedly awarded benefits to more than 1 million veterans and their survivors in the first quarter of the 2024 fiscal year, and says it granted benefits for 64.6% of claims.
Despite this, Lisa Kalkes, chief marketing officer and vice president of public affairs at Veteran Benefits Guide, says stories like what Rodriguez went through aren't unusual.
"Denials are common," said Kalkes. "A lot of veterans just get tripped up and exhausted from fighting the system."
And as a veteran herself, Kalkes says, the daunting application process isn't the only thing that stops veterans from applying.
"Some of us don't want to apply for benefits because they feel like they're taking from other veterans who they think had it worse off than they did," Kalkes said.
But, she added, that's simply not true.
"Anybody who's served in the military is eligible to apply for their disability benefits," Kalkes said.
Since its creation by veteran Josh Smith 10 years ago, the Veteran Benefits Guide has helped more than 55,000 veterans with a 90% success rate. The organization walks veterans through the VA process, helping them get benefits that might have otherwise been denied.
"One of the benefits of working with a company like VBG is we'll go through the veteran's military records, as well as their medical records from the time they were in service, and see what they might be eligible for that the veteran has no idea they even qualify for," Kalkes said.
Rodriguez says after 10 years of fighting, the VBG won his case in about four months.
"It was a sigh of relief," Rodriguez said.
Kalkes and Rodriguez both have a message for veterans who are still unsure about applying:
"Don't wait the 10 years like I did," said Rodriguez. "Jump in right away; these are the benefits we deserve."
"It's worth it," said Kalkes. "Not just for yourself, but for your family."
If you're a veteran who needs help applying for your disability benefits, you can visit the Veteran Benefits Guide website here for more information.
