#169: Benefits Breakdown - Appeals Modernization

Executive Director of the Veterans Benefits Administration’s (VBA) Appeals Management Office (AMO) and Army Veteran David McLenachen talks about the appeals modernization process.

McLenachen briefly discussed his service in the Army with counterintelligence. He later left the Army to pursue a career in law. He worked as law clerk for a federal judge before he eventually came to work at the VA.

Before becoming executive director of the VBA’s AMO, McLenachen acted as deputy under secretary for disability assistance. While in this position, he began helping the VBA improve their appeals system in order to better assist Veterans.

The Appeals Modernization Act took effect Feb. 19, 2019. Congress created the act in 2017 to help solve problems VBA had with appeals and claims. The act created three new ways to help Veterans submit appeals and get their results at a quicker pace:

• Higher-level review
• Supplemental claim
• Board of Veterans’ Appeals

McLenachen and the VBA continue to strive to find ways to improve the appeals process. You can reach them through Ask a Question on the Veterans Affairs website. Additional Helpful Links:

• https://www.va.gov/disability/file-an-appeal/
• https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5207
• https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/62997/four-important-things-know-appeals-modernization/
• https://benefits.va.gov/BENEFITS/factsheets/appeals/Appeals-Brochure.pdf
• https://benefits.va.gov/benefits/appeals.asp
• https://www.cencstudy.org/
• https://msepjobs.militaryonesource.mil/msep/home
• https://www.blogs.va.gov/nvspse/national-veterans-creative-arts-festival/#BtBattle Veteran of the Week:
• Air Force Veteran Mary Weiss Hester