Department of Veterans Affairs M21-1, Part III, Subpart i Veterans Benefits Administration July 31, 2015 Washington, DC 20420 Transmittal Sheet The table below describes the changes included in this revision of Veterans Changes Included in Benefits Manual M21-1, Part III, Subpart i, “General Claims Process,” This Revision of the Veterans “Structure Service Center (VSC).” Notes: The term “regional office” (RO) also includes pension management center (PMC), where appropriate. Unless otherwise noted, the term the official, “claims folder” refers to numbered, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) repository whether paper – or electronic for all documentation relating to claims that a Veteran and/or – his/her survivors file with VA. Minor editorial changes have also been made to update incorrect or obsolete references update the term to “VCAA notice” “section 5103 notice” update the term to “notification letter” “decision notice” update obsolete terminology, where appropriate remove references to specific claims-processing systems, where doing so does not affect the clarity of the instructions or information provided renumber each topic based on the standard that the first topic in each section is Topic 1 reassign alphabetical designations to individual blocks, where necessary, to account for new and/or deleted blocks within a topic update section and topic titles to more accurately reflect their content clarify block labels and/or block text, and bring the document into conformance with M21-1 standards. Reason(s) for the Change Citation To update instructions in notes sublabel for Step 6 of table concerning M21-1, Part III, actions a Physical Evaluation Board Liasion Officer (PEBLO) should Subpart i, Chapter 2, take on a Section D, Topic 2, “referral package.” Block a (III.i.2.D.2.a) To add Block b which contains a sample copy of the Service III.i.2.D.2.b Department Memorandum of Complete and Current Service Treatement Records (STRs). III.i.2.D.3.a To add the items a proper referral package includes to Step 2 of table. To provide information in Step 4 of table about initial interview completed within 10 days. To add table in Step 5 about determining with embedded “If/Then” Consolidated Veterans Records System (COVERS) if a claims folder
Department of Veterans Affairs M21-1, Part III, Subpart i Veterans Benefits Administration July 31, 2015 Washington, DC 20420 Transmittal Sheet Changes Included in This Revision The table below describes the changes included in this revision of Veterans Benefits Manual M21-1, Part III, “General Claims Process,” Subpart i, “Structure of the Veterans Service Center (VSC).” Notes: The term “regional office” (RO) also includes pension management center (PMC), where appropriate. Unless otherwise noted, the term “claims folder” refers to the official, numbered, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) repository – whether paper or electronic – for all documentation relating to claims that a Veteran and/or his/her survivors file with VA. Minor editorial changes have also been made to update incorrect or obsolete references update the term “VCAA notice” to “section 5103 notice” update the term “notification letter” to “decision notice” update obsolete terminology, where appropriate remove references to specific claims-processing systems, where doing so does not affect the clarity of the instructions or information provided renumber each topic based on the standard that the first topic in each section is Topic 1 reassign alphabetical designations to individual blocks, where necessary, to account for new and/or deleted blocks within a topic update section and topic titles to more accurately reflect their content clarify block labels and/or block text, and bring the document into conformance with M21-1 standards. Reason(s) for the Change Citation To update instructions in notes sublabel for Step 6 of table concerning actions a Physical Evaluation Board Liasion Officer (PEBLO) should take on a “referral package.” M21-1, Part III, Subpart i, Chapter 2, Section D, Topic 2, Block a (III.i.2.D.2.a) To add Block b which contains a sample copy of the Service Department Memorandum of Complete and Current Service Treatement Records (STRs). III.i.2.D.2.b To add the items a proper referral package includes to Step 2 of table. To provide information in Step 4 of table about initial interview completed within 10 days. To add embedded “If/Then” table in Step 5 about determining with Consolidated Veterans Records System (COVERS) if a claims folder III.i.2.D.3.a