Applying for SSDI...New to the process

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AMeadows1984

PEB Forum Regular Member
Registered Member
Good morning,

My husband is getting ready to file for SSDI, but we are stationed at Osan AB, Korea. He is currently being med boarded (they're about to send him TDY to Travis AFB, CA in order to complete his ratings) out of the military at almost 17 years. We're pretty bummed about it, but are interested in applying for SSDI as all of his injuries are service-related and debilitating. We do not want to file online as we would like to present all the documentation with the application. Would it be possible for him to file at the Embassy here in South Korea or would it be best to file when he visits California (as I understand it does not have to be your home state to apply)? Also, we can't seem to find any information on what forms we should print and have ready to file? Can anyone help me with this? It's seems like it's always a bit harder to do things like this when overseas...


Thanks!
 
AMeadows1984 said:
Good morning,

My husband is getting ready to file for SSDI, but we are stationed at Osan AB, Korea. He is currently being med boarded (they're about to send him TDY to Travis AFB, CA in order to complete his ratings) out of the military at almost 17 years. We're pretty bummed about it, but are interested in applying for SSDI as all of his injuries are service-related and debilitating. We do not want to file online as we would like to present all the documentation with the application. Would it be possible for him to file at the Embassy here in South Korea or would it be best to file when he visits California (as I understand it does not have to be your home state to apply)? Also, we can't seem to find any information on what forms we should print and have ready to file? Can anyone help me with this? It's seems like it's always a bit harder to do things like this when overseas...


Thanks!
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Welcome to the PEB Forum! :)

Well, it would seem that your husband should have the option of either applying in military uniform at a local SSA Field Office nearest to Travis AFB, CA upon going on TDY to complete his specific DoVA C&P examinations; need to bring a hard copy of ALL medical records/evidence/documentation to speed up the process for Wound Warriors.

Or, by using the SSA's Office of Earnings & International Operations' Foreign Country Service Information from contacting the below U.S. Embassy responsible for assisting with applying for SSA benefits while in the Republic of South Korea:

Korea, South
American Embassy
1201 Roxas Boulevard
Ermita, Manila 0930
Philippines
Phone: 632-301-2000
Fax: 632-708-9714 or 632-708-9723
Email: [email protected]

Also, for SSA informational support, please review my URL http://www.pebforum.com/site/thread...disability-insurance-ssdi-compensation.24005/ to obtain a comprehensive understanding about the entire SSA SSDI process. Hope this information is helpful; stay safe and please take care!

Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer!"

Best Wishes!
 
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Having had to deal with Social Security for my wife, I would highly recommend waiting until you are settling at your final destination before filing.

The reason why is because if you end up having to go through appeals in court, its going to become quite a headache to get things transferred.

My wife and I filled her SSDI paperwork in Kansas. We ended up getting PCS orders to Wright-Patterson before her case ever made it through the wickets. When the time came to hear her case, she was told she needed to appear in court in Kansas. Since that wasn't an option her court date slipped while they arranged for video-conferencing. My true belief is that having to video conference in hurt her in court.

We filed the appeal in Ohio, but then got orders to Scott AFB. Luckily her attorney said he was going to withdraw the appeal and re-file clean here in Illinois, but he did recommend we stop moving until we have final resolution.
 
jahlon said:
Having had to deal with Social Security for my wife, I would highly recommend waiting until you are settling at your final destination before filing.

The reason why is because if you end up having to go through appeals in court, its going to become quite a headache to get things transferred.

My wife and I filled her SSDI paperwork in Kansas. We ended up getting PCS orders to Wright-Patterson before her case ever made it through the wickets. When the time came to hear her case, she was told she needed to appear in court in Kansas. Since that wasn't an option her court date slipped while they arranged for video-conferencing. My true belief is that having to video conference in hurt her in court.

We filed the appeal in Ohio, but then got orders to Scott AFB. Luckily her attorney said he was going to withdraw the appeal and re-file clean here in Illinois, but he did recommend we stop moving until we have final resolution.
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Why would an active duty soldier wait to apply when you can get expedited processing as a wounded warrior as well as approval while still on active duty?
 
Thank you so much for the help concerning which route to take in this confusing process. We both really appreciate it!
 
If you are very close to a separation date, waiting to file is a good idea. Your first time application will be approved or denied by your local DDS office. Moving with an application pending will make it more difficult.

My first time applying I was denied. Not for any medical reason but because The local DDS sent me a letter to which I had 10 days to reply. As bad luck would have it, I went on leave for ten days the day the letter arrived. Ironically, I took ten days leave. Upon my return, it was the due date. I immediately responded but it was too late. They denied for a lack of response. I did not appeal because I was very close to my final out retirement date. If a mere ten days leave caused a denial, how much more challenging would a PCS move 4 states away be?

So I waited and applied again at my final destination and was approved in a few months. Your results may vary.
 
Do you get wounded warriors expedited process if you've never been in combat? Is it a combat thing or just a service connected thing?
 
mr pig said:
Do you get wounded warriors expedited process if you've never been in combat? Is it a combat thing or just a service connected thing?
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Military service members can receive expedited processing of disability claims from Social Security. Benefits available through Social Security are different than those from the Department of Veterans Affairs and require a separate application.

The expedited process is used for military service members who become disabled while on active military service on or after October 1, 2001, regardless of where the disability occurs. Take care!

Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer!"

Best Wishes!
 
Warrior644 said:
Military service members can receive expedited processing of disability claims from Social Security. Benefits available through Social Security are different than those from the Department of Veterans Affairs and require a separate application.

The expedited process is used for military service members who become disabled while on active military service on or after October 1, 2001, regardless of where the disability occurs. Take care!

Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer!"

Best Wishes!
Click to expand...

Thank you. cheers!
 
mr pig said:
Thank you. cheers!
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Indeed, you are welcome! :) Take care! :cool:

Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer!"

Best Wishes!
 
It only took them 4 months to deny my claim. Hooray for me!
 
mrando69 said:
Why would an active duty soldier wait to apply when you can get expedited processing as a wounded warrior as well as approval while still on active duty?
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Ho long does the expedited process normally take? I'm 100% PnT. Just applied and was placed on the expedited process. What's the time frame? Thanks in advance
 
I was approved in less than 60 days. They called with 3 business days of receiving my application, sent a form within a month regarding ADLs, and approved me in about 45 days. My only suggestion is to be complete on the application. It took me three days to do the application (not full days). I would skip what I didn't know, write myself a note, look it up and added it the next day. Second day, I still had some empty boxes, so repeated the same process.
 
I just received the work and functional forms to fill out.

Did you use examples to guide you in forming your answers? I have cognitive issues and often is hard to put things together, and I don’t want to make mistakes.
 
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