At a family gathering, a relative once noted that I was not a “real” veteran. The rationale for this declaration seemingly related to the fact that I never served in combat. I’d like to say that I had a pithy retort, but as often happens my immediate response was not even a particularly articulate one. During my time with the 101st Airborne Division and the Virginia National Guard, I was a peace time soldier. I have never claimed or intimated otherwise. Doing so would be desp

In early 2025, the 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act (“Elizabeth Dole Act”) went into effect. The Act brings significant changes to how veterans can access care outside the VA system. Among the most important updates is the removal of the requirement for a second review of a clinician’s decision to refer a veteran to community care (care outside the VA). In other words, the Act makes it, so veteran patients don’t have to wait for another doctor or

When priorities change for our clients, it matters to us too. Here at Rawls Law Group, we handle FTCA claims against the VA from start to finish on a constant and regular basis, and we have been doing so for decades. Naturally, we know better than anyone that navigating FTCA claims is usually not a quick process. In our experience, claims can often take a year or more depending on how (un)responsive the agency is. However, not everyone has time to waste. We filed a recurrent