The VA Regional Office denied the appellant's claim for VA death benefits because the decedent served in the Merchant Marine, which was not considered service in the U.S. Armed Forces for VA benefits purposes.
The deciding factor: The RO found that the decedent served with U.S. Army Transportation Corps but their service separation document and other personnel records were needed to determine the exact dates and organization of their service.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 26, 2008
- Citation
- 0821004
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0821004.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
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