Beginnings

In 2008, a former Green Beret Medic working at the VA (John Armezzani) noticed that his brothers in arms were being denied what were almost certainly valid disability claims due simply to a lack of paperwork. He discussed the problem with other Green Beret Medics (Bart Heimeness and Walt Hetzler) and in 2009, they founded OASIS, an organization with the goal of getting all SOF personnel, current and former, the benefits they had earned. At times the task seemed insurmountable, but by 2010 OASIS was in action, reviewing and submitting claims for SOF members. It’s one resolute promise; never charge anyone for the service that they provide, which is still the case today!
By 2011, the organization was in full swing, having board members, an established working doctrine and getting the opportunity to brief separating SOF personnel before their disability claims could be corrupted because of lack of documentation.
Six hundred SOF personnel were briefed that year at nine different locations. OASIS has come a long way in a short time. With the help of groups like the Green Beret Foundation, the Heart of a Warrior Foundation, The Navy Seal Foundation and other corporate and private funding, in 2015 1324 current and former SOF personnel received our presentation in 17 seminars conducted at 13 different locations. What’s more, 2016 is on pace to surpass 2015!

“I Didn’t Know...”

Agent Orange is a term used to describe a wide array of herbicides in use during the Vietnam war. The name “Agent Orange” came from the orange identifying stripe used on the 55-gallon drums in which it was stored. More than 19 million gallons of various “rainbow” herbicide combinations were sprayed, but Agent Orange was the combination the U.S. military used most often.

In order to be granted service connection for exposure to “agent orange”, a veteran must have literally “stepped foot” in a known treated area. Former Navy members have been fighting this notion with the VA for years and recently lost the battle again as the VA upheld their requirements.

About 40% of our operating budget comes from individual donations! Click the picture or the link below to donate now!
 

The OASIS Business Model

What many people don’t realize is dollar for dollar, we are one of the safest places to make charitable contributions. Here are some facts:.

• We have never charged anyone for a consultation or assistance with filing a claim and we never will.
• OASIS has no payroll. Everyone who performs service in helping SOF personnel and their families obtain VA benefits does so voluntarily.
• There are no paid board members.
• When OASIS Personnel travel they are reimbursed only for lodging, meals, and incidentals, and we use the government rates.

This is not to say that someday we won’t have employees. In order for OASIS to grow into a truly independent Veteran Service Organization, the VA demands that the organization have at least one full-time employee. Even then we will always provide free counseling, free seminars, and free assistance. Want to see what we are up to? Visit our website where you’ll find the listing of upcoming seminars, where they’re located and how you can attend.

What is ALS

(And Why You Need To Know)

In 1939, Lou Gehrig brought national and international attention to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Ending the career of one of the most beloved baseball players of all time, the disease is still most closely associated with his name. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed.

Military veterans, regardless of the branch of service, the era in which they served, or whether they served during a time of peace or a time of war, are at a greater risk of dying from ALS than if they had not served in the military. For reasons as yet unknown, veterans are, in fact, twice as likely to be diagnosed with ALS as the general population.

In 2008, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) implemented regulations to establish a presumption of service connection for ALS, thanks to the efforts of The ALS Association, key members of Congress, and advocates. Under the regulations, the VA presumes that ALS was incurred or aggravated by a veteran’s service in the military. As a result, veterans with ALS and their families and survivors are eligible for “service connected” benefits.

“...veterans are, in fact, twice as likely to be diagnosed with ALS as the general population.”

Hospitalization

If you are ever hospitalized for more than 21 days for a service-connected injury or illness, and you are not rated at the 100% level already, you are authorized the 100% rate for the period of hospitalization.

According to the Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) 38 Part 4 “this increased rating will be effective the first day of continuous hospitalization and will be terminated effective the last day of the month of hospital discharge (regular discharge or release to non-bed care) or effective the last day of the month of termination of treatment or observation for the service-connected disability. “

Call us for more information.

File a Claim

Putting off filing a claim can cost you tens of thousands of dollars and here’s how: Imagine having never filed a claim for that “clicking” knee, then one day tearing it up in a pickup basketball game. You’re stuck going to a civilian doctor where treatment could be anything from a simple scoping to a full-blown knee replacement. That treatment could have been covered through the VA for nothing had it been claimed and service connected. Instead, you’ll be faced with at least some of the costs of the surgery and after care.

And think of it this way. Your injuries are more likely to be service connected the closer you are to that service. After service, skiing and motorcycle accidents, an injury from your passion for running, or any of life’s little injuries can make it more and more likely that your disability stems from the abuse your body has taken post-service. The closer to ETS/Retirement you are, the more likely it is that doctors will determine your disabilities are service-connected.

Call us and we’ll make filing a claim painless and you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing that what the military damaged the VA can cover.

Your VA Examination

Every month someone calls the office to lament that they have been unfairly assessed at their VA examination. Yet most often, the problem isn’t the examination as much as misunderstanding of the purpose of the examination. Here’s how it works: When you file a claim for benefits you are basically pointing out to the examiner what areas to examine/measure. Had a sprained knee in service? The examiner will determine what limitations there are to your knee at the time of the examination. Where people get confused is when their claim comes back with a zero, or even a paltry 10% for a knee that was “blown out” on a jump, required surgery and is a constant source of discomfort.

The key to the examination of joints is range of motion. If you have full range of motion of a joint, the movement of that joint isn’t limited so as to keep you from using it in another job. According to CFR 38 Part 4 Paragraph 4.1 “The percentage ranges represent as far as can practicably be determined the average impairment in earning capacity resulting from such diseases and injuries and their residual conditions in civil occupations.” In other words, compensation isn’t recognition for what you have been through, but payment to offset lost earning capabilities based on limitations from injury or illness.

If you have full range of motion of any joint (to include the spine) expect a zero percent rating, unless you experience pain on movement of the joint (which will be awarded 10%). Don’t forget to tell the examiner when it hurts. The VA examination isn’t the time to suck it up in silence.

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