What's New for Veterans
Recent veteran-law and VA-policy updates the MTT news watcher has surfaced. We monitor the Federal Register, VA.gov press releases, and major veterans-law blogs daily. AI-filtered for what actually affects benefits, claims, and transition planning.
Directly affects MTT content
- Hill & Ponton · Nov 5, 2026CUE Claims: Proving a Clear and Unmistakable Error
CUE (Clear and Unmistakable Error) claims are a critical VA disability appeals mechanism; data on winning grounds (effective date, rating schedule, service connection rules) directly informs claimant strategy and MTT content on claim adjudication.
- Hill & Ponton · Nov 4, 2026Asbestos on Navy Ships: How Navy and Marine Veterans Can Prove Exposure for VA Claims
Guides veterans on documenting asbestos exposure for VA disability claims, covering evidence collection and claim substantiation—directly applicable to MTT's VA disability claims content.
- CCK Law · Oct 28, 2026CCK Win: VA Must Stop Applying Intent to File to Wrong Claims
Federal Circuit decision (Hoffman v. Collins) clarifying that VA cannot apply intent-to-file dates to Supplemental Claims when it produces no earlier effective date—directly affects how VA adjudicates claims and effective dates, a core MTT topic.
- Hill & Ponton · Oct 30, 2026Myelodysplastic Syndrome: VA Ratings, Service Connection and the Link to Agent Orange
Explains VA disability rating criteria for myelodysplastic syndrome (DC 7725), including presumptive service connection to Agent Orange—directly applicable to MTT's VA disability claims content.
- Hill & Ponton · Oct 30, 2026Agent Orange Exposure at Johnston Atoll: VA Disability Eligibility Under the PACT Act
Johnston Atoll added as Agent Orange exposure location under PACT Act; affects VA disability claim eligibility and presumptive conditions for veterans exposed at that site.
- Hill & Ponton · Oct 27, 2026How Do I Get a 60 Percent VA Rating for Prostate Cancer?
Explains VA disability rating criteria for prostate cancer (38 CFR § 4.115a), directly applicable to MTT's VA disability ratings content and C&P exam preparation.
- CCK Law · Oct 22, 2026Does VA Automatically Consider Increased Rating Claims for TDIU?
VA's legal obligation to automatically consider TDIU eligibility during increased rating claims directly affects VA disability claims adjudication and veteran compensation strategy.
- Hill & Ponton · Oct 21, 2026Porphyria Cutanea Tarda and Agent Orange: Winning a VA Claim Even Without a First-Year Diagnosis
Addresses VA disability rating criteria for Porphyria Cutanea Tarda (PCT) as an Agent Orange presumptive condition, directly relevant to MTT's coverage of presumptive conditions and VA disability ratings under 38 CFR Part 4.
- CCK Law · Oct 14, 20262027 VA Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) Rates
2027 SMC rates increase 3.6% via COLA; MTT disability benefits content must be updated with new monthly payment amounts for all SMC categories.
- Hill & Ponton · Oct 19, 2026VA Ratings for Hemorrhoids in 2026: What Does It Take to Win Disability Benefits?
Explains 38 CFR 4.114 (DC 7336) rating criteria for hemorrhoids, directly applicable to VA disability claims adjudication and C&P exam preparation.
Worth a skim
- VA News · Nov 7, 2026VA teams up with National Association of REALTORS® to promote homeownership
Awareness campaign about VA home loans; not a policy change but relevant to veteran benefits education that MTT could reference contextually.
- VA News · Nov 6, 2026More than new skills: How Tech4Vets builds confidence and connection
General VA digital literacy program; no direct impact on MTT's core content areas (disability claims, VR&E, GI Bill, federal hiring, retirement), but tangentially related to VA benefits access
- VA News · Nov 5, 2026How women Veterans won the right to healthcare
Historical retrospective on women Veterans' healthcare advocacy; no immediate policy change but contextualizes VA benefit access that MTT may reference for educational purposes.
- VA News · Nov 4, 2026Your next mission starts here: Free Salesforce training for Veterans and military spouses
VA-backed skills training initiative; potentially relevant to VR&E Chapter 31 eligible veterans seeking vocational rehabilitation and employment services, but lacks specifics on eligibility, funding mechanism, or formal integration with VR&E programs.
- CCK Law · Nov 5, 2026Ages 65–74: Important VA Benefits, Conditions & Challenges for Late-/Post-Vietnam Veterans
General guide to VA benefits for older veterans; may cover relevant topics (disability ratings, presumptives, secondary conditions) but appears to be educational content rather than news of policy/rule changes affecting MTT.
- CCK Law · Nov 3, 2026Veterans Aged 55-64: Important VA Conditions and Benefits
General overview of VA disability compensation and CRSC eligibility for a specific age cohort; educational content but no new policy changes or MTT-specific updates to disability rating rules, presumptives, or benefit eligibility criteria.
- VA News · Oct 28, 2026VRCN connects Veterans to employment resources and opportunities
VRCN is a VA employment resource program; monthly connect events may announce new opportunities, VR&E partnerships, or SkillBridge updates relevant to MTT, but this particular item is a routine program announcement without specific policy or benefit changes.
- CCK Law · Oct 27, 2026Navy Brain Injuries: What the House Report Means for Veterans
House report on Navy aviator brain injuries may lead to new TBI presumptive conditions or claims guidance, affecting VA disability ratings and C&P exams, but impact depends on VA implementation and doesn't constitute an announced policy change yet.
- VA News · Oct 22, 2026Transportation careers that move Veterans forward
General VA-DOT partnership announcement on veteran employment opportunities; may signal new federal hiring initiatives or SkillBridge expansions in transportation sector worth monitoring for MTT updates.
- VA News · Oct 22, 2026VA’s Federal EHR introduces 15 improvements to support Veteran care this fall
Relevance scoring failed; flagged for manual review.
- Hill & Ponton · Oct 22, 2026VA Disability for Asbestos Exposure: Who Is Eligible?
Educational content on asbestos exposure and VA disability eligibility by MOS; useful reference material but not reporting a change to VA policy, presumptive conditions, or rating criteria.
- VA News · Oct 15, 2026Turn your military experience into a civilian-ready resume
Resume Engine is a free career transition tool that may help service members prepare for federal/civilian hiring covered by MTT, but it's a third-party resource announcement rather than a change to benefits, programs, or policies MTT directly covers.
- CCK Law · Oct 14, 2026Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) Rates for 2027
DIC is a VA benefit for survivors of deceased veterans, but MTT's primary focus is service member and veteran benefits (not survivor benefits); however, this COLA announcement may warrant a single reference page for completeness.
- Hill & Ponton · Oct 15, 2026Rainbow Herbicides: Defoliants Used in the Vietnam War
Historical reference on Agent Orange and Rainbow Herbicides; potentially relevant if tied to new VA presumptive conditions or disability claims guidance, but this excerpt appears to be general educational content without policy updates.
Sources monitored:Federal Register (VA Department filings), news.va.gov press releases, CCK Law blog, Hill & Ponton blog. Items rated by Claude Haiku for relevance to MTT content (38 CFR ratings, M21-1, presumptives, GI Bill, VR&E, BAH/BAS/pay, federal hiring).