Sheila Floyd
Department of Veterans Affairs – VBA Regional Office 315
Chesapeake,Ohio
33
years of professional experience
Professional service expert with significant experience in customer interaction and issue resolution. Strong focus on teamwork and achieving desired outcomes. Known for adaptability, reliability, and effective communication. Skilled in conflict resolution, problem-solving, and delivering high-quality service.
Work History
Super Senior Veteran Service Representative (SSVSR)
14 Years 5 Months- Adjudicate claims, authorize payments, input data necessary to generate awards/notification letters to Veterans/claimants describing decisions to include reasons for decision
- Serve as Authorizer reviewing all work of other VSRs when second signature is required
- Review and approve work for technical accuracy, clarity, thoroughness, and sensitivity of notification. Ensures notice of decisions are prepared using empathic tone and are completed and phrased in terms claimants can understand when not using VBMS or VBMS-A automated notifications. Familiar with rating procedures to ensure proper notification to claimants.
- Explains final decision if claimant expresses dissatisfaction with a determination (in person, via telephone, or by mail)
- Use electronic data processing (EDP) systems to input data related to claims adjudication, processing, monitoring and correspondence preparation
- Act as advocate for Veterans and their beneficiaries in dealings with other VA elements and organizations that affect their claim
- Review reconsideration cases, providing final review of claims for factual/legal accuracy, adequacy, and acceptability according to applicable laws, regulations, precedents, or other criteria; and successfully approve award documents allowing/disallowing payment of money to claimants, or the certification of eligibility or ineligibility for VA benefits administered by the VBA
- Responsible for providing technical guidance, some individual training, and the quality of claim determinations made by lower-grade VSRs ensuring consistent application of laws, regulations, and other criteria
- Served as senior tester for Cost of Living (COLA) testing including release testing which is a crucial part of the software development process that ensures software is ready for release to users. This involves a variety of testing activities to ensure the software:
- Meets quality standards
- Functions as intended
- Is stable for use in production environments
- Is free of errors/bugs. Release testing is performed by a separate testing team in a simulated production environment and is different than user testing where user or potential user test the system in their own environment
- Completed all special duties assigned for Social Security Administration (SSA) Prison Matches, Bureau of Prison Matches, Fugitive Felon Matches, Audit Error Worksheets (AEW), and SSA Death Matches in a timely manner in accordance with designated policies/procedures until these tasks were removed to the BEST stations
- Prepare correspondence to members of Congress and special interest groups on case assignments and other ‘controlled’ correspondence
- SME for Office of Inspector General Criminal Investigation Division
- Hours per week: 40
- Series: 0996 Veterans Claims Examining
- Grade: GS12
Supervisory Senior VSR
3 Years 6 Months- Ensured team’s quality and timeliness of service met VBA’s organizational goals
- Directed day-to-day activities of claims processing team in the Veteran Service Center (VSC) which is responsible for both customer service and claims adjudication for benefits under VA’s Compensation and Pension programs
- Ensured benefits/services were provided in timely, objective manner with respect to speed, accuracy, employee development, and customer satisfaction
- Ensured national policy and procedural changes were distributed expeditiously, accurately communicated, and effectively implemented; Actively supported, promoted, and implemented policies as interpreted by VA and VBA leadership
- SME to Office of Inspector General – ensured all potential fraud and fraud cases were reviewed, reported, and followed through with providing support to the Agents until cases were either settled or prosecuted
- Hours per week: 40
- Series: 0996 Veterans Claims Examining
- Grade: GS12
Senior VSR
2 Years- Adjudicated claims, authorized payments, inputted data necessary to generate awards/notification letters to Veterans/claimants describing decisions to include reasons for decisions
- Served as Authorizer reviewing all work of other VSRs when second signature is required
- Reviewed/approved work for technical accuracy, clarity, thoroughness, and sensitivity of notification. Ensured notice of decisions are prepared using empathic tone and are completed and phrased in terms claimants can understand. Familiar with rating procedures as Authorizer to ensure proper notifications were sent to claimants.
- Made administrative decisions and special determinations relating to qualifying military service, character of discharge (COD), domestic relations, contested claims, homicide, presumed death, line of duty, willful misconduct, corpus of estate, and violations of US Penal Code, related attorney fees, administrative error, and fraud. Successfully adjudicated and authorized claims of Veterans and survivors involving unusually complex or novel issues.
- Authorized administrative decisions made by other VSRs including COD, line of duty, willful misconduct, corpus of estate, and apportionment decisions.
- Explained final decision when claimants expressed dissatisfaction with a determination (filed in person, via telephone, or by mail)
- Used electronic data processing (EDP) systems to input data related to claims adjudication, processing, monitoring and correspondence preparation
- Acted as advocate for Veterans and their beneficiaries with other VA elements and organizations that affect their claims
- Reviewed reconsideration cases, providing final review of claims for factual/legal accuracy, adequacy, and acceptability according to applicable laws, regulations, precedents, or other criteria; and successfully approved award documents allowing/disallowing payment of money to claimants, or the certification of eligibility or ineligibility for VA benefits administered by the VBA
- Responsible for training, providing technical guidance, and the quality of the claim determinations made by lower-grade examiners ensuring consistent application of laws, regulations, and other criteria; preparing reports and conducting special studies as requested by leadership
- Frequently made decisions where (1) it may be highly arguable which precedents are applicable because of the complexity of the facts or the different possible constructions which may be placed on either the facts or precedents involved; or (2) there was a need to resolve basic conflicts in jurisdiction, fundamental differences in application of governing laws, regulations, and precedent decisions, and/or inconsistencies in intent or application of the guidelines.
- Completed all special duties assigned for SSA Prison Matches, Bureau of Prison Matches, Fugitive Felon Matches, Audit Error Worksheets (AEW), and SSA Death Matches in a timely manner in accordance with designated policies/procedures.
- Served as senior tester for Cost of Living (COLA) testing including release testing which was a crucial part of the software development process that ensured software was ready for release to users.
- Hours per week: 40
- Series: 0996 Veterans Claims Examining (Authorizer)
- Grade: GS11
Veteran Service Representative
5 Years 4 Months- Served as the primary contact for the Veteran and his/her representative or advocate and the decision-maker for compensation or pension claims
- Made eligibility determinations as to the type of benefits sought and fully analyzed, developed, and requested required evidence for certain claims requiring a rating decision
- Successfully and accurately promulgated compensation, pension, appeals, burial, dependency and indemnity compensation and survivor pension claims
- Prepared correspondence to members of Congress and special interest groups on case assignments and other ‘controlled’ correspondence
- Utilized various EDP systems for inputting data related to claims adjudications, processing, monitoring, and correspondence preparation
- Acted as advocate for Veterans and their beneficiaries in their dealings with other VA elements and organization that affect their claims
- Explained benefit programs and entitlement criteria, conducted interviews, identified issues, gathered relevant evidence, adjudicated claims, and authorized payments for cases that do not require rating decisions, and inputted data necessary to generate awards and notification letters to Veteran and survivors describing the decision and the reason for decision
- Successfully provided mentoring and training to new VSRs
- Hours per week: 40
- Series: 0996 Veterans Claims Examining
- Grade: GS07
Claims Assistant
1 Year 2 Months- Processed all incoming mail from the mailroom; Established claim control for all claims received to include compensation, pension, burial and survivor benefits
- Adjudicated burial benefits to pay the proper funeral home or family member of the Veteran using the BDM Delivery system
- Hours per week: 40
- Series: 0998 Claims Assistance and Examining
- Grade: GS05
File Clerk
1 Year- Pulled claim files and attached incoming mail to the claims file.
- Searched for claims files to route to the next division.
- Hours per week: 40
- Series: 0998 Claims Assistance and Examining
- Grade: GS03
Work Study
1 Year 11 Months- Printed VAMC exams and attached to appropriate files
- Ordered VAMC exams in the AIME exam system
- Hours per week: 25
Combat Field Medic
2 Years 6 Months- 25th Infantry Division 325th Medical Company. Participated in live fire demonstrations and provided medical coverage for all field operations
- Participated in Cobra Gold - an international training with the Thailand military for 35 days in Thailand
- Hours per week: 40
Education
AAS, Associates - Applied Science
Skills
25 years with the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)
Current GS12 Super Senior VSR; 16 years at GS12 in various roles
Extensive knowledge of VBA programs
databases
procedures
policies
and regulations and considered subject matter expert (SME)
Served and/or supervised in various roles including Development
Authorizing
Promulgation/Post
Congressional contact liaison
Public Contact
Knowledge of and/or Super User of: VBMS
VBMS-A
SHARE
etc.
Experience supervising others and with organizing/planning/self-management
Army Veteran
Customer support
Customer relations
Organization
Complaint handling
Account updates
Customer relationship management
System updates
Database maintenance
Database management
Accomplishments
- Conflict Resolution - Responsible for handling customer account inquiries, accurately providing information to ensure resolution of product/service complaints and customer satisfaction.
Affiliations
- WV Gold Star Mothers – Committee Member
- VETSNET Awards Super User 2007 until sunset 2023
- VETSNET Awards Tester 2007 - 2012
- Senior Tester for COLA 2007 - 2019
- SHARE Superuser 2007- present
- DFAS/MIAP Liaison for Regional Office
- Women’s Veteran Coordinator 2001 - 2006
- SME to Office of Inspector General-CID 2009 - present
- MST Female Assistance Coordinator 2019 - present
Timeline
Super Senior Veteran Service Representative (SSVSR)
Department of Veterans Affairs – VBA Regional Office 315
01.2012 - CurrentRead More
Supervisory Senior VSR
Department of Veterans Affairs – VBA Regional Office 315
07.2008 - 01.2012Read More
Senior VSR
Department of Veterans Affairs – VBA Regional Office 315
07.2006 - 07.2008Read More
Veteran Service Representative
Department of Veterans Affairs – VBA Regional Office 315
03.2001 - 07.2006Read More
Claims Assistant
Department of Veterans Affairs – VBA Regional Office 315
01.2000 - 03.2001Read More
File Clerk
Department of Veterans Affairs – VBA Regional Office 315
01.1999 - 01.2000Read More
Work Study
Department of Veterans Affairs – VBA Regional Office 315
02.1997 - 01.1999Read More
Combat Field Medic
US Army
11.1993 - 05.1996Read More
Marshall University
AAS, Associates from Applied Science
Read More