Unless you are a United States veteran, you might be surprised at how challenging it is for wounded and injured veterans to get their due retirement benefits and government health care. There are thousands of cases of injured and wounded vets left hanging without government health care or retirement benefits.

The story goes like this: they are wounded, they are let go as unfit to serve, they are told their disability is not bad enough for long-term military care, their health care is turned over to the Department of Veterans Affairs, and all of the sudden they have no retirement benefits or health care.

This issue has not gone unnoticed. Last year, after advocates protested unfair, manipulated disability ratings, Congress ordered the Pentagon to accept and review appeals from wounded and injured troops, but so far no cases have been examined.

The board was supposed to be ready within 90 days of the signed bill, but unfortunately that didn't happen.

While some speculate that the Pentagon just doesn't want to get the board ready and doesn't want to pay wounded soldiers because of their budget, the Defense Press Office at the Pentagon denies these claims and says that it is taking longer because an application process had to be created, training programs had to be developed for new staff, new staff had to be hired, and information websites had to be created. They clearly stated that funding was not the issue, nor had it ever been.

Many vets are eligible for a rating review. A rating of disability below 30 percent qualifies veterans for a taxed severance payment and Veterans Affairs healthcare, while their family no longer receives government healthcare. A rating of 30 percent disability and above qualifies veterans for a monthly retirement check and military healthcare, including for their families.

These ratings are crucial and until they are given, many vets are struggling without help. In the meantime, advocates and organizations are keeping an eye on the board's progress and suggesting that veterans keep great records and stay organized so they can inundate the board when they are finally ready to begin the process.