THE BDD TIMELINE

You are about to ETS or retire and you’ve learned that the VA offers a program called ‘Benefits Delivery at Discharge.’ The name implies that you will get your VA benefits AT discharge and this is true; but what does that mean?

VA defines the BDD claim as a completely developed claim that includes all of the filing requirements set forth by the program, submitted between 180-90 days from ETS. VA states that if the service member is available for exams within 45 days of filing, they will aim to issue a Ratings Decision within 30 days of separation. Notice there is no promise made here. In fact, VA’s wording is very noncommittal stating, “The BDD program may help speed up the VA claim decision process so you can get your benefits sooner.” So, how does it work in reality?

In the vast majority of cases where the service member does everything correctly, including being fully available for exams AT ANY TIME in the process, VA will complete a Ratings Decision to get the new veteran paid on time. ‘On time’ looks like the following example and is prescribed by law:

ETS/Retirement 9/30/2027
1st day as a ‘Veteran/Civilian’ 10/1/2027
Effective Date of Disabilities 10/1/2027
Effective Date of Pay 11/1/2027
First Pay Deposited 12/1/2027 for the month of November. VA pays end of month.

Although most BDD claims are rated within days of ETS, occasionally they will run longer. I have seen Veterans get exams a few days AFTER ETS and still get paid on time. I advise my clients that in the vast majority of cases, exams are complete 1-2 months before discharge and decisions are published -2/+5 business days surrounding ETS. 

Transition is hard. I’ve been there, and I understand the stress of providing for a family, walking into the unfamiliar, and dealing with uncertainty as you go from Ranger to Veteran. I’ll conclude with four key points that can really help to reduce that stress:

1.) Do not include VA Compensation in your budget planning. There are too many variables that can skew a VA Rating. It is not wise to plan for a complete unknown.
2.) Be patient. Claims can be delayed, speed up, and slow down again. A good VSO will update you regularly (at least once per month) and will watch over the process to reduce sticking points. 
3.) Use a reputable VA Accredited Service Officer to assist you and preparing, submitting, and monitoring your claim. VSOs have access to systems within the VA that ‘pay to play’ and costly scam organizations do not have. Trust that your VSO has your best interests and goals in mind and will work hard to ensure you receive your earned benefits. 
4.) Limit ‘claim checking’ on VA.gov. The information that VA puts on this web interface does not accurately reflect what is happening with your claim. The ‘steps’ will fluctuate based on what work is being done with your claim, and if you watch too closely, you’ll become anxious. Refer to the timeline information in this article and the wisdom of your VSO.

I wish you a low stress transition and success as a Ranger for Life! RLTW!