I have to say I am still--because I talk to veterans--really worried.

when somebody goes over and serves our country and then--simply because somebody does not write something on a form--comes home and is denied their care, to me is just really unjust.

This is extremely important. I am hearing from a lot of women who have been in Iraq, some in Afghanistan, who have come home and do not have the proper documentation saying that they were in combat areas.

Thank you very much for holding today's hearing to discuss VA's disability claims and appeals process.

One of the things I hear from veterans all the time is that their paperwork is lost.

One piece of paper lost, one piece of evidence, is too many.

I am frequently reminded that a lot of veterans see the VA as their adversary, not as an advocate.

The problem begins in DOD where women--particularly, but also some men who are in combat--experience their records being notoriously incomplete or vague.

We still have a lot of work to do, because I think the veterans often see that when they go to file a claim, the deck is stacked against them.

OK. Well, we have had experience in the past where the VHA has recognized the need for increased resources.

One of his top priorities is to transform the VA into a truly 21st century organization.