Veterans formed a single-file line down the center aisle of a packed room at the Eugene J. Towbin Healthcare Center in North Little Rock on Wednesday morning, each wanting the chance to talk directly with Lisa Breun, the director of veterans benefits at the Department of Veterans Affairs' Little Rock regional office.

Most, such as 69-year-old Danny Carter, asked why their benefit claims were denied or had yet to be settled.

Carter, a Vietnam War veteran, said he has been working since 1988 to settle a claim involving Agent Orange, a defoliant U.S. forces sprayed on Vietnamese jungles. He said a VA doctor verified that his skin cancer -- which has recently worsened -- was linked to the chemical. Carter is also seeking retroactive pay for the years he was denied benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder and injuries suffered during a parachute jump from a C-141.

Carrying a 6-inch pile of papers documenting his participation in Vietnam, Carter slowly walked toward the microphone to pose his question.

"Will you assure with me today that you will meet with me and resolve this issue after so many years?" Carter said. "I'm not getting any younger. I'm running out of time."

The open forum was hosted by Little Rock's Veterans Benefits Administration, which is part of the Veterans Affairs Department and one of 56 regional offices nationwide that determine entitlement to disability compensation for service-related injuries or illnesses and other benefits.

U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald, appointed in July, ordered each VA region in the country to hold such events by the end of September in an effort to restore the public's trust after recent scandals. Wednesday's meeting was preceded by a forum Tuesday hosted by the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System regarding health care and attended by about 100 veterans.

More veterans attended Wednesday's meeting, where they passed through security before lining up in front of a microphone instead of speaking from their seats. Breun listened to the veterans' comments and then pointed them toward booths where they could check the status of their individual claims. After hearing from all of the veterans in line, Breun wished them all the best, adding: "I hope you appreciated the chance to give comments today."

"Our real grievances were not addressed today," said Larry Flowers, a former Marine who attended both forums. "We didn't get any answers to the questions we asked."

Carter, Flowers and about 150 other veterans, congressional representatives and VA staff members attended the hour-long meeting, during which speakers contended with constant background chatter and Breun was intermittently interrupted by booing.

In the past year, the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department has rushed to cut backlogged disability claims -- those that have been in the system for more than 125 days -- which peaked at 611,000 in March 2013 and are now down to 267,000.

Breun updated veterans before the forum began, saying the Little Rock office has decreased its backlogged claims to 5,800 after a peak of 8,700 in April 2012.

This year, the regional office has completed about 12,000 claims in seven months, more than what is usually completed each year.

Breun attributed the improvements to adding three decision review officers and requiring her 176 employees to work overtime for the past two years. The office also started processing its new claims electronically.

In response to a veteran asking why it takes two to three years to add dependents onto claims, Breun said she is in the process of hiring 20 temporary employees who will focus solely on that issue.

In January 2013, the VA set a goal to have zero backlogged cases by the end of 2015.

However, with an increase in completed claims came an increase in processing errors -- resulting in overpayment and underpayment to veterans, according to a report from the VA Office of Inspector General last month. The report said these errors have caused an increase in the number of appeals veterans are filing.

"Our appeals process is very delayed," Breun said. "We know it's too long and we're working to improve it. We need your help. This is why we're here today, to hear your thoughts, opinions and ideas."

Cheri Arnold, a Desert Storm veteran, filed an appeal in December for an error made by a Veterans Benefits Administration physician last summer.

While serving as a medical technician in the Air Force, Arnold suffered a spinal injury that left her catastrophically disabled. The "catastrophic" designation entitles Arnold to more compensation; however, the classification wasn't included on an evaluation performed by a physician last summer.

"My home is not accessible, and because of the error I'm currently without benefits," Arnold told Breun. "I'm now on my fourth appeal. When there's an error made on behalf of the interviewer, the veteran shouldn't have to suffer additional delays."

"If you believe there is an error on your claim, I suggest you submit new evidence," instead of filing an appeal, Breun replied.

Breun said the errors are decreasing, noting that the Little Rock office's current accuracy rate is 93 percent. The VA's 2013 Transformation Plan sets a goal of 98 percent processing accuracy by the end of 2015.

One veteran called the benefits claim process a "maze."

Mike Ross, a retired colonel with the Army National Guard's 39th Infantry Brigade, spoke Wednesday on behalf of the soldiers he commanded in Iraq. He said veterans are having problems with proving their illnesses or diseases are connected to their active duty.

"I have had too many veterans lose their homes, their families, and it all comes back to this," Ross said, others in the crowd applauding him. "My soldiers didn't have time to go to the doctor over there unless they got an arm cut off or were hit by shrapnel. There are so many veterans out here today. They're suffering, and it's not getting better."

After his speech, Ross was greeted with a hug from Joey Walton, a 30-year-old veteran with PTSD who served under him in Iraq.

A day earlier, Walton teared up at that forum as he explained that his benefits claim has been processing for more than three years.

"Everybody who worked for the 39th can attest we had a hell of a tour," Walton said Tuesday. "I respect Vietnam veterans. They had a hell of a time, but I want to give the younger veteran perspective. War is war. You might not be able to see my wounds, but I'm screwed up. When are we going to get help?"

Metro on 08/21/2014