DoD is not timely in providing the Veterans Benefits Administration with electronic service treatment records, the VA inspector general has said.
It said that from January until early June VBA submitted 7,278 STR requests to DoD for veterans who submitted claims and separated from military service on or after January 1, 2014, but that DoD only completed 2,111 requests (29 percent) and 5,167 requests (71 percent) were pending.
Of the 2,111 completed STR requests, 377 requests (18 percent) were received by VBA within 45 calendar days of the veterans’ separation from military service, the IG said.
It said DoD has reported experiencing challenges and delays implementing the process of transmitting electronic STRs to VBA.
VBA has also been so focused on clearing its disability claim backlog that its new claims process is experiencing delays. The IG reviewed 400 original disability claims from last year and found delays (totaling 131 days) within VBA’s processes, with delays occurring with staff establishing claims, requesting STRs, and receiving them from DoD.
Report: http://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-14-00657-261.pdf