establishing an NOD in VACOLS, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart ii, 3.E.1.c. 4 Did the appellant request the Decision Review Officer (DRO) review process on his/her NOD? If send the appellant the yes, DRO Process Explanation Letter. If go to Step 5. no, The September 2015 version of includes Note: VA Form 21-0958 an option for the appellant to choose either the DRO review process or the traditional appellate review process. Go to Step 6 if the option checkboxes are left blank on the September 2015 version of VA Form 21-0958 NOD is on an older version of and the VA Form 21-0958 appellant does not specify which appellate review process he/she prefers, or NOD is not on a prescribed form because the decision was sent prior to March 24, 2015, and the appellant does not specify which appellate review process he/she prefers. For more information on establishing requests for a Reference: hearing, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart ii, 3.D.4.a. 5 Did the appellant request the traditional appellate review process on his/her NOD? If send the appellant the yes, Traditional Process Explanation Letter. If go to Step 6. no, The September 2015 version of includes Note: VA Form 21-0958 an option for the appellant to choose either the DRO review process or the traditional appellate review process. Go to Step 6 if the option checkboxes are left on the September 2015 version of VA Form 21-0958 NOD is on an older version of and the VA Form 21-0958 appellant does not specify which appellate review process he/she prefers, or NOD is not on a prescribed form because the decision was sent prior to March 24, 2015, and the appellant does not specify which appellate review process he/she prefers. 6 When the appellant does not specify on the NOD whether he/she desires the DRO review process or the traditional appellate review process, regardless of valid NOD format or form version, then send the appellant the and Appeal Process Request Letter,
establishing an NOD in VACOLS, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart ii, 3.E.1.c. 4 Did the appellant request the Decision Review Officer (DRO) review process on his/her NOD? If yes, send the appellant the DRO Process Explanation Letter. If no, go to Step 5. Note: The September 2015 version of VA Form 21-0958 includes an option for the appellant to choose either the DRO review process or the traditional appellate review process. Go to Step 6 if the option checkboxes are left blank on the September 2015 version of VA Form 21-0958 NOD is on an older version of VA Form 21-0958 and the appellant does not specify which appellate review process he/she prefers, or NOD is not on a prescribed form because the decision was sent prior to March 24, 2015, and the appellant does not specify which appellate review process he/she prefers. Reference: For more information on establishing requests for a hearing, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart ii, 3.D.4.a. 5 Did the appellant request the traditional appellate review process on his/her NOD? If yes, send the appellant the Traditional Process Explanation Letter. If no, go to Step 6. Note: The September 2015 version of VA Form 21-0958 includes an option for the appellant to choose either the DRO review process or the traditional appellate review process. Go to Step 6 if the option checkboxes are left on the September 2015 version of VA Form 21-0958 NOD is on an older version of VA Form 21-0958 and the appellant does not specify which appellate review process he/she prefers, or NOD is not on a prescribed form because the decision was sent prior to March 24, 2015, and the appellant does not specify which appellate review process he/she prefers. 6 When the appellant does not specify on the NOD whether he/she desires the DRO review process or the traditional appellate review process, regardless of valid NOD format or form version, then send the appellant the Appeal Process Request Letter, and
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