Veterans Affairs
The Susquehanna County Veterans affairs office proudly serves the Veterans of our County and their families.
Anyone with questions about the vast array of benefits available is encouraged to contact the County VA office, and we will be happy to answer your questions and provide assistance. The office is located in the County Courthouse at 31 Lake Ave. Montrose, Pa. and the office hours are Monday thru Friday from 8:30 A.M. until 4:30 P.M. except for scheduled holidays or required Certified Veterans Services Officer (VSO) training.
Individuals may also find complete information on veteran's federal benefits by visiting the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs web site at www.va.gov and state benefits at www.dmva.pa.gov/veterans/pages
Veterans in crisis or contemplating suicide may call the Veterans Crisis Line at 988 option 1 or text at 838255 for help
Finally to all our veterans, “thank you for your service” we look forward to serving you.
Veterans Corner
The Susquehanna County Veterans Affairs office writes an article once each month that is published in the Susquehanna Independent (also known as the Susquehanna County Independent). These articles called “Veterans Corner” provide information related to veteran’s issues and benefits. The articles are published once per month and can be found in one of the editions of the Susquehanna Independent. For your convenience we also make the articles available here on the County website.
Anyone with any questions about the benefits available to Veterans and their family members can call the Susquehanna County Veterans Affairs Office at (570) 278-5955
VETERANS CORNER
Submitted By: Jeffery Mead
Susquehanna County Director of Veterans Affairs/Veterans Service Officer
Types of VA Appeals
Higher Level Review
A VA Higher-Level Review* (HLR) is a fast-tracked, de novo review of a denied claim by a more experienced adjudicator, used when you believe an error was made in the initial decision. No new evidence is allowed. You must submit VA Form 20-0996 within one year of your decision, with an option for an informal conference to discuss errors.
Key Features of a Higher-Level Review (HLR)
- No New Evidence: The reviewer can only consider the evidence that was in your file at the time of the previous decision.
- Senior Reviewer: The case is reviewed by a more experienced rating specialist who did not take part in the original decision
- Informal Conference: You can request a one-time telephone call to argue your case, pointing out specific errors of fact or law. Veteran can request morning or afternoon phone conference.
- Time Limit: You must file within one year of the date of the notification letter of your decision.
- Types of Errors Corrected: The reviewer checks for "duty to assist" errors (e.g., missing medical records), or differences of opinion regarding the rating. (Google AI Overview)
*Susquehanna Veterans County Affairs Office can assist with developing and submitting Higher Level Review appeals.
Supplemental Claim
A VA Supplemental Claim* (VA Form 20-0995) is a request for a new review of a previously denied VA disability claim based on the submission of new and relevant evidence. It must be filed within one year of the decision to preserve the effective date and back pay (but can be done anytime), usually taking 5–6 months to process.
Key Details for Supplemental Claims
- New and Relevant Evidence: Evidence must be "new" (not previously reviewed by the VA) and "relevant" (directly supports the claim, such as medical reports, nexus letters, or buddy statements).
- How to File: Submit VA Form 20-0995, Decision Review Request: Supplemental Claim, online, by mail, or in person at a regional office.
- Deadline: File within 1 year of your decision letter to maintain your potential back pay (effective date).
- Process: The VA has a "duty to assist," meaning they will help gather new evidence you identify, such as private medical records.
- Timeline: While the VA aims for faster processing, these often take 125 days or more. (Google AI Overview)
*Susquehanna County Veterans Affairs Office can assist with developing and submitting Supplemental Claim appeals including: providing letters of explanation for medical providers writing nexus letters, nexus Letter samples, assistance in scanning and sending claim evidence, developing additional statements in support of claim etc.
Board Appeal
A VA Board Appeal* allows veterans to challenge a VA Regional Office decision by filing VA Form 10182 (Notice of Disagreement) within one year of their decision notice. Veterans must select one of three lanes—Direct Review, Evidence Submission, or Hearing—to have their case reviewed by a Veterans Law Judge.
Key Aspects of a VA Board Appeal
- Time Limit: Must be filed within one year (365 days) of the decision notice, or 60 days for contested claims.
- How to File: Submit Form 10182 online, by mail, by fax, or via a representative.
- Appeal Lanes (Select One):
- Direct Review: No new evidence, fastest option (approx. 1 year).
- Evidence Submission: New evidence allowed within 90 days of filing; takes longer (approx. 2 years).
- Hearing: In-person, video, or virtual hearing with a Veterans Law Judge; longest option (3-4 years).
- Success Rates: Board appeals (BVA) have an average success rate of around 38%.
What to Include
- VA Form 10182, Decision Review Request: Board Appeal (Notice of Disagreement)
- Specific reasons for disagreement with the decision.
- Supporting evidence (if using the Evidence Submission or Hearing Lane).
- It is highly recommended to work with a VA-accredited attorney, claims agent, or Veteran Service Officer (VSO) for assistance. (Google AI Overview)
*Susquehanna County Veterans Affairs Office can assist in developing and snail mailing the VA Form 10182 (Notice of Disagreement) to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals in Washington DC. If the veteran chooses the Virtual Telehearing option with a Veterans Law Judge, the virtual hearing may be held on the internet-connected device at the Susquehanna County Veterans Affairs Office in the Montrose Courthouse complex.
Upcoming Veteran events:
Gulf War/Global War on Terror Veterans Support Group at Lenox/Elk Mountain VFW Post 8488 every first Monday of Month at 5:30 PM. Next meeting is May 4th at 5:30PM.
Vietnam Veterans Support Group at Lenox/Elk Mountain VFW Post 8488 every 1st and 3rd Monday at 10:30 AM. Next meetings are May 4th and May 18th at 10:30AM.
For Veteran Individual Readjustment Vet Center Counseling at Lenox/Elk Mountain VFW Post 8488 call Rob at 570-239-5191
Java for Joes May 14th & June 10th from 10:00 AM to 12:00 at 798 Erie Ave Susquehanna, Pa at the Erie & Main Coffee House the Second Thursday of the month, contact Melissa Dubas 607-765-1366
Celebrate Independence Day in May with Susquehanna County Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Saturday, May 9th, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. on The Green in Montrose
Montrose, PA 18801, The America250PA Countdown to 250 Mobile Experiential Unit, Location: On the Street beside The Green.
Armed Forces Day Parade- Celebrate our Nation’s heroes on Saturday May 16, 2026, at the Courthouse Square, Scranton. Starting at 9am, the Heroes of all Kinds 5k run and at 11am the Armed Forces Day Parade which is starting at the Gino Merli Veterans Center. Stay up to date on facebook.com/scrantonarmedforcesday
Veterans & Community Partners Wellness Summit – May 28, 2026 – The Veteran Community Partnerships will be hosting their 3rd Annual Veterans & Community Partners Wellness Summit on Thursday May 28th from 9:00AM to 2:30 PM at Marywood University. Breakfast and sign-in will begin at 8:00AM and Vendors can set up starting at 7:45AM. The day will include breakfast and lunch at no cost for attendees. The focus is on financial wellbeing as part of overall mental wellness and wellbeing. The address is 2300 Adams Ave., Scranton, PA. in the Nazareth Student Union Building. Registration and ticket details at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/3rd-annual-veterans-and-community-partners-wellness-summit-tickets-1986210432872
Fort Indiantown Gap Open House – This is a Pennsylvania National Guard Event being held on Saturday June 6, 2026 from 11am – 3pm at Fort Indiantown Gap Annville, PA 17003. There will be a flyover to start the day at 11am. There will also be Army and Air Vehicle Displays, PANG Museum Tour, Climbing wall and bounce house, food vendors, live Army and Air Training Exercises and Live Music. Free admission and open to the public. This is a rain or shine event. For more information go to website: htps://www.ftig.ng.mil/Community/2026-Open-House/
Veterans Assembly on the Green -In the spirit of the 18th and 19th Century tradition of Veterans traveling to the Green adjacent to the Courthouse in Montrose to receive their federal service pension payments, the AMERICA250PA Committee of Susquehanna County invites all Veteran residents of Susquehanna County to the Green on June 14, 2026, at 1400 hours (2:00PM), to be recognized for their service. This event is intended to help build up to the celebration of the Semiquincentennial of the United States on July 4, 2026.
If you are a resident of Susquehanna County and a U.S. Military Veteran, we invite you to RSVP the following information by Sunday, June 6, 2026 to tourism@visitsusqco.com or mail to : Susquehanna County Promotion and Tourism Agency, PO Box 218, Montrose, PA 18801. Please include Veteran’s Name, Rank at Discharge, Branch of Service, Period of Service, and Home of Record in your response.
Memorial Day May 25: Details in next Veterans corner*
*Any local municipality or group in Susquehanna County can have their event including Memorial Day parades put in next month’s Veterans Corner by calling 570-278-5955 or emailing veteransaffairs@susqco.com with details before May 7th.
Susquehanna Veterans Affairs office is always here to assist Veterans in accessing Veterans Administration and State benefits including the above-mentioned appeals.
Our office can be reached at the following:
P.O. Box 218 /31 Lake Avenue Montrose, PA 18801 (Courthouse-side entrance facing the green)
Phone: 570-278-5955 or 570-278-4600 Ext. 3045
Fax: 570-278-5977
Warning letters from VA, Programs that Allow Veterans to receive VA Compensation and Military Retirement Pay & Major Richard Star Act Update
Submitted By: Jeffery Mead
Susquehanna County Director of Veterans Affairs/Veterans Service Officer
Companies receiving warning letters from Department of Veterans Affairs
Many veterans have come into the Susquehanna County Veterans Affairs Office asking for assistance AFTER being taken in by companies that charge them for assistance in applying for claims but only provide minimal and/or substandard claim development to the veteran, yet still take part of the veterans claim money when it is awarded. The one that we hear about the most in our office from local veterans is Trajector Inc., whom several veterans have told us feel that they have been taken advantage of, and wish they had known there were free VA claim services available by qualified people before they were taken in by Trajector Inc..
PA has a Veterans Affairs Office in every County with Veterans Service Officers (VSOs) trained by the PA Department of Military and Veterans Affairs that provide claim development and support for FREE to all veterans. Veterans also have FREE VSOs available from Veterans Service Organizations including: Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), American Legion, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), AMVETS, Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) and many more.
VA Warned These Companies They May Be Breaking the Law. Most Are Still in Business
VA has told nearly 40 companies to stop charging veterans for assisting with disability benefits claims. The firms insist that veterans want their help.
Helping veterans get through the red tape of applying for VA disability benefits has become a multibillion-dollar industry over the past decade. Which might be surprising, because charging vets for such help may be against federal law.
An investigation by The War Horse and NPR reveals that over the past 10 years, the Department of Veterans Affairs has sent more than 40 letters to dozens of claims consulting companies, sometimes called “claims sharks” by critics, warning them to review their practices and “immediately cease” any illegal activities. Yet this hasn’t stopped them; on the contrary, many of these companies have only gotten bigger and bolder.
These companies exist in a wild west, raking in huge sums as lawmakers and regulators struggle to keep up with legal loopholes. Some of them are multimillion-dollar firms with more than 100 employees on their payroll, while others are small, family-owned businesses. Many are founded and run by veterans, who claim that their primary goal is to help other veterans get the benefits they deserve. But under federal law, only representatives accredited by VA—such as lawyers and nonprofit veterans service organizations—can provide such help, and the department has been trying for years to crack down on unauthorized firms with little to no success.
“We just focus on our client,” said Chas Sampson, an Army veteran and CEO of Seven Principles, who insists he never received the warning letter that VA sent his company last year. “If the VA ever comes out and said, ‘Hey, you’re going to prison for this tomorrow,’ we’re going to stop doing it. Until then, we’re going to continue servicing the people.”
The War Horse obtained dozens of warning letters from VA in response to a Freedom of Information Act request for all cease-and-desist letters sent to claims consulting companies over the last 10 years. An analysis of the letters and an investigation into the recipients show:
At least 29 of the 38 companies that were warned in letters that they may be engaged in unlawful activities appeared to still be operating as of late November. Twenty-nine still have active business registrations, and a total of 34 have an active website or social media account. At least nine of the companies were registered as nonprofits. Some of the biggest companies, including VA Claims Insider, Trajector Inc., and Veterans Guardian VA Claims Consulting, received multiple letters over the 10-year period, all the while growing their companies to hundreds of employees and collectively spending millions of dollars on lobbying efforts and political endorsements. (From The War Horse “VA Warned These Companies They May Be Breaking the Law. Most Are Still in Business” by Leah Rosenbaum, December 2, 2025)
The following companies received warning letters from the Department of Veterans Affairs about their questionable practices-(therefore I recommend: DO NOT USE THESE COMPANIES): Trajector Medical, VA Claims Insider, VDC Bootcamp, Veterans Disability Help, Veterans Guardian VA Claim Consulting, 180 Comprehensive Veteran Services, 360 Veteran LLC, A-1 VA Ratings, American Veteran Consulting, The Fulfilled Veteran Project, Behavioral Health Consulting Inc, Blue Cord Veteran Services, C&P Garage, Delta Medical Care Eagle Rising Veteran Consulting, Forever Our Heroes, Freelance Veterans Advocates, Gem Ratings, Global Tekmed, Just4Veterans, KMD89 VA Claims Consulting, REE Medical, Seven Principles, The Freedom Law Group, United Veteran Benefits Agency, VetComm, Veteran Adviser Consulting, Veteran Benefits Guide, Veteran Ratings, Veteran Advocacy Associates, Veterans Claims Consulting, Veterans Claims United, Veterans for Veterans LLC, VetLink Solutions3, Vets for Action, Winning Strategy for Disabled Veterans, Working Warriors Today, and Zeke's Vets Helping Vets.
Can you receive VA Disability Compensation and Military Retirement at the SAME TIME? It depends.
There are two programs, CRDP (Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay) and CRSC (Combat-Related Special Compensation) that allow some veterans to receive both.
You must be retired to be eligible for CRDP or CRSC (served for 20 years or received a medical retirement, including the Temporary Early Retirement Act). This retirement can be from Active Duty, Reserves, or National Guard. Regular Reserve and Guard retirees usually aren’t eligible for either CRDP or CRSC until they receive retirement pay at age 60. However, if you’ve been medically retired or have met certain active-duty deployment criteria, you could be eligible for CRDP before age 60, depending on how many total years of service you have. To receive either CRDP or CRSC, your monthly VA disability pay must be causing your DoD retired pay to decrease.
CRDP, or Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay, is a program that allows retirees to receive both their military retirement pay and their VA disability benefits. The Veteran must have a 50% VA Combined disability rating and receive compensation to qualify for this program. DFAS (Defense Finance and Accounting Service), the department that pays the military retirement, will automatically enroll eligible veterans in this program when they either start receiving retirement or start receiving VA compensation over 50% which ever one happens second.
CRSC, or Combat-Related Special Compensation, is a program signed into law in 2002 that provides monthly tax-free payments to eligible veterans. CRSC provides tax-free payments to retired veterans with combat-related disabilities. The Veteran must have a 10% VA Combined disability rating and receive compensation to qualify for this program. One additional requirement for CRSC that doesn’t exist for CRDP is that your disability must be related to combat. Examples include:
• Armed Conflict (Combat PTSD, gunshot wounds)
• Hazardous Duty (Flight, diving, parachute duty)
• An Instrumentality of War (exposure to Agent Orange, vehicles, or weapons)
• Simulated War (Exercise training)
You Must Apply for CRSC
To apply for CRSC, you will need to fill out an application with your branch of service and provide documentation of your service-related disability rating.
You’ll fill out DD Form 2860. (Susquehanna County Veterans Affairs can assist with filling out DD Form 2860) The form is the same for every branch, but where you send it will differ based on your branch of service.
Include the following in your application for CRSC:
• Medical records related to your combat-related disability
• Purple Heart citations, if relevant
• Other documentation proving your condition is combat-related, official records if possible
• Your DD-214 or retirement orders
Open Season and CRSC
Traditionally, CRSC Open Season is when DFAS sends you a letter explaining your eligibility for both programs. The letter should explain the differences and amounts you’ll receive with both entitlements. This is your chance to switch your entitlement without filling out Form DD 2860.
(vaclaimsinsider-Last Updated on December 22, 2022)
Major Richard Star Act Update
The Major Richard Star Act (H.R. 2102/S. 1032) is a proposed bipartisan amendment aimed at allowing over 50,000 combat-injured veterans with less than 20 years of service to receive their full military retirement pay alongside VA disability compensation. Currently, these veterans face a dollar-for-dollar reduction in retirement, a "tax" on their benefits that this legislation seeks to eliminate.
As of March 2026, the Major Richard Star Act (H.R. 2102/S. 1032) is facing renewed, intense pressure for passage, with veterans' organizations lobbying to include it in the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Key Updates (March 2026):
- Active Lobbying: Veterans groups are actively pushing Congress to pass the legislation to allow 54,000 medically retired combat veterans to receive full retirement pay and VA disability compensation simultaneously, without the current "offset".
- NDAA Amendment: The bill has been filed as a bipartisan amendment (Amendment 4056) to the FY2026 NDAA to force action.
- Legislative Hurdles: Despite strong support, the bill has faced setbacks, including being blocked in the Senate as of early March 2026, frustrating advocates who argue the "double-dipping" argument is actually "double sacrifice".
- Status: While it holds strong bipartisan support, it has historically failed due to cost concerns in previous sessions.
Key Objectives
- End the "Wounded Veteran Tax": Currently, these veterans face a dollar-for-dollar offset where their retirement pay is reduced by the amount of disability compensation they receive.
- Expand Concurrent Receipt: Under current law, only veterans with at least 20 years of service and a disability rating of 50% or higher can receive both benefits without an offset. The Act would extend this right to approximately 54,000 combat-injured medical retirees.
- Financial Impact: Affected veterans could see an average increase in their monthly compensation of approximately $1,200. (google AI)
Current Legislative Status (as of March 2026)
The bill remains a high priority for major veteran service organizations, including the Wounded Warrior Project, MOAA, and the VFW.
- Recent Setbacks: In early March 2026, attempts to pass the bill via unanimous consent in the Senate were blocked, with some lawmakers citing concerns over the projected cost—estimated by the CBO at roughly $9.75 billion over 10 years.
- Bipartisan Support: Despite these hurdles, the bill has massive support in the 119th Congress, with over 313 cosponsors in the House and 77 in the Senate.
Contact Information
Veterans Affairs
Department of Veterans Affairs
31 Lake Avenue (PO Box 218)
Montrose, PA 18801
Telephone: (570) 278-5955
Fax: (570) 278-5977
Jeffery Mead, Director / VSO