Navigation The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all departments of the Social Security Administration, including the ability to hold in person hearings before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). Since April, the Office of Hearing Operations has been holding hearings via telephone for those that have the capability to do so. The hearing office and local Social Security […]
'Gardberg & Kemmerly Blog' Category Archives
VA Using Technology to Speed Mail Processing Times
The Veterans Benefits Administration (“VBA”) has long been known for inefficiency and delay in their processing of claims, appeals, and correspondence from Veterans. VBA currently processes mail manually when it is submitted to VA for association with claims and appeals files. However, now VBA is beginning to use Artificial Intelligence to sort mail more quickly […]
Contamination at K2 – Part 2
In 2015, the Army published an in-depth look at illnesses reported at Karshi-Khanabad, known by soldiers as K2, an old Soviet base leased to the United States from the Uzbek government after September 11, 2001. As mentioned in my first blog regard K2, the study found that at least 61 service members deployed at K2 […]
Contamination at K2 – Part 1
Karshi-Khanabad, known by soldiers as K2, was an old Soviet base leased to the United States from the Uzbek government after September 11, 2001 because it was just a few hundred miles from al Qaeda and Taliban targets in northern Afghanistan. However, it is believed by many that served there that K2 was contaminated […]
The View from a Military Spouse
This blog was written by Jan Lipske, VA legal assistant at Gardberg and Kemmerly: My name is Jan and I am a proud spouse of a military veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard. Recently I went to renew my ID card at ATC Mobile. As a military spouse, I have learned over the years that […]