In This Section

Introduction

• receiving valid notice of a change of contact or direct deposit information
• updating contact and/or direct deposit information in the Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS)
• changing contact or direct deposit information when a fiduciary is assigned, and
• homeless Veteran address resources.

Change Date

II.iii.3.B.1.a.  Receiving Valid Notice of a Change of Contact or Direct Deposit Information

• the definition of a pre-discharge intake site, see M21-1, Part X, Subpart i, 6.B.3.a
• identifying if a beneficiary has a fiduciary, and the required actions upon receiving a valid change of contact notice or direct deposit information, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 3.B.1.c
• address changes for incompetent Veterans by a power of attorney or fiduciary, see M27-1, Part I, 7.5.j
• undeliverable mail procedures, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart i, 2.C
• change of contact information and direct deposit request procedures, see
  • M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 3.B.1.b, and
  • M27-1, Part 1, 3.12, and
• reviewing claimant data in VIS, see the VIS User Guide.

II.iii.3.B.1.b.  Updating Contact and/or Direct Deposit Information in VBMS

II.iii.3.B.1.c.  Changing Contact or Direct Deposit Information When a Fiduciary Is Assigned

• VETERAN PROFILE screen in VBMS when the FIDUCIARY INFORMATION field populates
• DEPENDENTS screen in VBMS when the FIDNAME and FIDTYPE fields populate (for survivors), and
• FID CATEGORY on the GENERAL INFO tab in Share.

• adding tracked items, see the VBMS Core User Guide
• hub jurisdiction and contact information, see M21-1, Part X, Subpart ii, 6.C.1.d, and
• jurisdiction of claims, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart ii, 3.1.

II.iii.3.B.1.d.  Homeless Veteran Address Resources

• Homeless Shelter Directory
• Regional Office Homeless Coordinator Directory, and
• HUD Exchange.

• M21-1, Part X, Subpart i, 1.2, and
• M27-1, Part II, 3.

Introduction

• evidence required for name changes
• processing name changes, and
• updating gender identity.

Change Date

II.iii.3.B.2.a.  Evidence Required for Name Changes

• the general scope of a representative’s authority, see M21-1, Part I, Subpart i, 2.A.4.a
• evidence requirements for name changes, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 3.B.4.a, and
• types of acceptable evidence for vital information changes, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 3.B.4.b.

II.iii.3.B.2.b. Processing Name Changes

II.iii.3.B.2.c.  Updating Gender Identity

Introduction

Change Date

II.iii.3.B.3.a.  Military Service Verification

• duty periods, see
  • 38 CFR 3.6, and
  • 38 U.S.C. 101(24)
• evidence that is acceptable for the purpose of verifying service, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart i, 1.B.3.a and c
• information required to verify military service, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 3.B.3.b
• active military service by reason of award of SC, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart i, 1.A.2.i-k, and
• updating military service in VBMS, see the VBMS Core User Guide.

II.iii.3.B.3.b.  Information Required to Verify Military Service

• entered on date (EOD)
• date of release from active duty (RAD)
• branch of service
• character of service, and
• separation reason.

• verifying military service in VBMS, see the VBMS Core User Guide, and
• handling cases involving a former service member with an uncharacterized separation from service, see M21-1, Part X, Subpart iv, 1.B.

II.iii.3.B.3.c.  Updating VA Systems for Active Service Based on a Single Day of ADT or IADT

II.iii.3.B.3.d.  Updating VA Systems for Active Service Based on Multiple Periods of ADT or IADT

• a subsequent claim for SC based on a specific period of service is received, and
• verification of the period of service is necessary to decide the claim, as discussed in M21-1, Part III, Subpart i, 1.A.2.k.

• annotate the rating decisions to reflect the timespan of the periods of ADT and IADT upon which the grant of SC for disability or death is based, and
• update only the initial period of ADT (normally, the period of initial military training) as active service in VBMS.

• updating periods of active service in VBMS, see
  • M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 3.B.3.a, and
  • the VBMS Core User Guide, and
• adjudicating claims for SC for hearing loss and/or tinnitus associated with ADT or IADT service, see M21-1, Part V, Subpart iii, 2.B.1.c.

II.iii.3.B.3.e.  Updating VA Systems for Claims When ADT or IADT Is the Only Service

• In the BRANCH field, enter the actual branch of service such as Army Reserve or Air National Guard.
• If the separation reason is not known or not indicated on the record of service, enter Unknown.
• If the character of service is not known or not indicated in the record of service and the
  • evidence indicates the separation was an administrative separation, then follow the procedures at M21-1, Part X, Subpart iv, 1.B to determine the appropriate character of service entry, or
  • separation was not an administrative separation, then enter Unknown in the CHARACTER field.
• Choose the appropriate type of service in the SERVICE TYPE field.

• Enter the first period of ADT if the claimant does not specify the period of service upon which the claim is based.
• Do not enter a period of ADT or IADT into VBMS as a period of verified active service.
• These procedures apply only for claims in which there is no period of active service verifiable.
• If VA grants any of the claimed issues, change the ADT and/or IADT to active service after the rating decision is complete, as discussed in M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 3.B.3.a and c.

II.iii.3.B.3.f.  Updating VA Systems for Active Service Based on Multiple Title 10 Activations of Seven Days or Less

• multiple periods of Title 10 service, or
• a single period of Title 10 service in which the injury or death occurred.

• annotate the rating decisions to reflect the timespan of the periods of Title 10 service upon which the grant of SC for disability or death is based, and
• update only the initial period of Title 10 service (normally, the period of initial military training) as active service in VA systems.

• M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 3.B.3.a, and
• the VBMS Core User Guide.

Introduction

This topic contains information about changing or correcting existing vital information about a beneficiary, including

• evidence requirement to change or correct existing vital information about a beneficiary, and
• types of acceptable evidence for vital information changes.

Change Date

II.iii.3.B.4.a.  Evidence Requirement to Change or Correct Existing Vital Information About a Beneficiary

• name
• date of birth (DOB), and
• Social Security number (SSN).

• Veteran
• surviving spouse
• surviving parent, and
• surviving child (who is entitled to benefits in their own right).

II.iii.3.B.4.b.  Types of Acceptable Evidence for Vital Information Changes

Introduction

• necessity for tracking immediate, underlying, and contributory causes of death
• populated cause of death information in VBMS, and
• viewing and updating cause of death information in VBMS.

Change Date

II.iii.3.B.5.a.  Necessity for Tracking Immediate, Underlying, and Contributory Causes of Death

II.iii.3.B.5.b.  Populated Cause of Death Information in VBMS

II.iii.3.B.5.c.  Viewing and Updating Cause of Death Information in VBMS

• The authorization activity should not rely on the information within these fields when making award determinations.  The report of death document must be reviewed to ensure the most accurate information is being utilized.
• Do not abbreviate the cause of death unless abbreviating is necessary to fit the cause of death within the VBMS field.
• The authorization activity must review all evidence of record which may require requesting the scanning of a paper claims folder held by a Federal records center.  If after the review is complete, it is determined that cause of death information is not of record, add a VBMS note stating, All evidence of record was reviewed and there is no documentation of the Veteran’s cause of death.