I’m an Advocate. I’m Not the Government.

We need to clear something up before someone asks me (again) to locate a missing medal, approve a VA claim, and fix the Pentagon’s printer before lunch.

I am not a casualty assistance officer. I do not work for any government agency.

I also do not work for a nonprofit that processes applications, manages individual cases, or distributes benefits.

I am an independent military and veteran advocate.

Apparently, that title occasionally gets translated into: “Woman who can fix anything involving the government.”

Bless your heart. I cannot even get the government to consistently agree on my own paperwork.

My Website Did Not Come With Federal Credentials

I research policy, read legislation, write about issues, and ask questions that occasionally make people reconsider putting me on the invitation list.

What I do not have is access to your application, your claim, or the mysterious office where your paperwork has been “under review” since the invention of the stapler.

There is no secret government portal behind my blog.

Mostly, there are unpaid bills, too many browser tabs, and a Diet Mountain Dew holding this operation together.

Knowing how a system is supposed to work does not give me the authority to make it work.

If it did, we would have a very different situation around here.

“Can You Just Call Someone?”

Sometimes I can suggest an office to contact. Sometimes I know someone who might explain the process.

But knowing a person in Washington does not mean I can call and say:

“Hello. It’s Tori. Please release the benefits, locate the medal, and straighten out that regulation. Yes, all before Thursday.”

My contacts are people with jobs, responsibilities, and limits. They are not government vending machines where I insert a strongly worded email and receive an approved application.

Although I would support funding for that machine.

I Understand Why You’re Asking

When nobody answers, your paperwork disappears, and every office refers you to another office, you start looking for anyone who seems to understand the maze.

I understand. I have spent considerable time in that maze myself.

There should be a loyalty program.

“Congratulations! After your tenth transfer, you qualify for a complimentary eye twitch.”

There is nothing wrong with asking for help.

But I need to give you an honest answer about whether I can provide it. If something falls outside my expertise, I will say so.

You deserve useful information. I will not manufacture an answer simply because I have a keyboard and opinions.

The internet has that department adequately staffed.

This Is a One-Woman Operation

Having a website does not mean I have a staff.

There is no intake department. No claims division. No employee named Brenda who can pull your file.

There is me.

If you contact management, you get me.

If you escalate to senior management, I may put my glasses on, but you still get me.

Much of this work is unpaid, and it happens alongside family responsibilities, a job search, and my ongoing attempt to convince household expenses to show some restraint.

My time and capacity have limits. A concern can be important and still fall outside what I can handle.

Please Start With the Office That Took Your Application

If you need an application update, contact the office or organization that received it. Keep your correspondence and ask about its follow-up process.

And please do not send me Social Security numbers, medical records, or an entire folder of sensitive documents because my biography says “advocate.”

My inbox is not a government case portal, nor is it secure for Personally Identifiable Information .

It is barely a functioning inbox.

Caring Comes With Boundaries

I care about military families, veterans, caregivers, and survivors. I want people to receive accurate answers and meaningful support.

That is why I will not pretend to have credentials, access, or authority that I do not possess.

Sometimes my answer will be:

“I’m sorry, but this is outside my area of expertise.”

That answer may be disappointing, but it is honest. Pretending I can help would only give you another person to wait on.

I will keep reading the bills, asking the questions, and pushing for a system that works better.

But if you need someone to locate your government file, you will need the office responsible.

My current clearance level is “allowed to operate my own website.”