My mom is the widow of a veteran and getting her aid through the VA is daunting to say the least. Why can't they pull the vet info they need?

Of course they make it difficult. Illegals flood across the border and our government stands there and gives them free phones, fly them around the country, give them free housing, medical care, education, etc. But our veterans, it’s like pulling teeth to get help for them. If they even “qualify”. I’ve been in your shoes so I feel your pain and truly empathize.

Everyone I know that got A&A said it took a minimum of 18 months to get.

You have to admit, if it is designed to get people to just give up, it works.

Mhousto, do you have any idea how large the VA is and how much data it has on those who served, at least as far back as WWII (I don't know if it goes back to WWI)?

Babs suggests what we did:  we went to the County VA office and got the help we needed.  The counselor had Internet access to records sources and streamlined the process immensely.

But you should at least have the DD214; all Veterans should keep that handy.

I contacted the State Veterans Service Officer at the State of Colorado (where I live) Dept of Military & Veteran's Affairs Office. She filled out the forms FOR me, but asked that I bring in dad's discharge papers, birth certificate, etc. Aid & Attendance benefits were approved within 2 months for him *on behalf of himself and my mother*; after he passed, I contacted the same Officer to apply for mom's widow's benefits to be continued; same thing happened; within 2 months, those benefits were approved and continued via direct deposit until the day she died. I, however, had to jump thru a few hoops to be appointed Federal Fiduciary to oversee the funds were being used properly (she had dementia and lived in Memory Care AL).

See if you can contact your state's Dept of Military and Veteran's Affairs and be put in contact with the Service Officer there specifically to help you accomplish what you are trying to accomplish. You will need the service documents, however, along with other forms as the Federal government LOVES red tape and documents, as we all know *and hate*

I hope you can get this all figured out. Mom was getting $1318 a month in 2022 which helped a lot.

GOOD LUCK

The Veterans Assistance Commission could help you with much of this.
There is a BIG problem with some of the information though. There was a fire in St Louis in 1973 at the National Personnel Records Center that destroyed many records of Veterans of the Army and Air Force. So other necessary information might be scattered.

We filed and were successful getting 20% service connected disability for my husband by working with a benefits counselor in a local County Veterans Affairs Office. This is all we had to do…
1. Made a phone call and was told what documents would be needed.
2. Brought the documents to an in-person appointment.
3. At the appointment, we answered questions while counselor completed the application online for us. She even pulled info from his online records when needed.
4. We went for the medical appointment to verify issues.
5. He was approved, received the back-pay from date of application and began getting his monthly benefits.
6. There was never a fee for services and I think it only took 6 months.

Several years ago we applied by ourselves for Aid and Attendance and it took months to complete the forms and then after waiting months longer he was denied. I now know more about what it will take to qualify and I plan to go back to the benefits counselor again for help and expect it will take a lot less time to go through the application process. We now have a trust for our retirement funds, etc. In six more months it will be beyond the 3 yr. look back period and we can reapply with it not counting against us and in 2 1/2 years it won’t count against us for Medicaid if there is a need. Hopefully with Aid and Attendance and what we have saved we can have more choices and delay Medicaid for a long time.

When my husband applied for SS disability, we went to the SS office…. a rep completed his application for us and just like working with the County Veterans Affairs Office, he was approved the first time around, all with no attorney fees.

Never try to work through a government application alone or use a paid service until you have exhausted the free services of the agency involved.

Never deny yourself of benefits you are entitled simply by not applying. Find your local County Veterans Affairs Office and hopefully you will find a good benefits counselor like we did to file the application for you.

Yes, the County Office. I was lucky, my Dads Military records were all in the same envelope he got them in. I had info the rep said he never saw before. I had a paper saying Dad was eligible for benefits. My Mom had been married before at the age 18 and for a year. She had been married to my 57 years but I had to get that first marriage certificate. The rep sat down with me and filled out the paperwork. I had to get forms from her AL and doctors. In the end, she got turned down, something to do with 13k. She only had her SS and very small pension. The assets she had would only keep her in the AL one year. I didn't appeal because she was going on Medicaid and u can't have both.

Yes, they make it hard.

Can you find the DD 214 form in your parent's belongings?
You need this form.

I am a little confused here. Do widows of veterans necessarily get benefits?

There was a large fire in St. Louis in 1973 that destroyed many get records, including my dad's.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Personnel_Records_Center_fire

80% loss to records of U.S. Army personnel discharged November 1, 1912, to January 1, 1960;[2]