Tamalyn S. Kuzniar
Yuma,AZ
Summary
Results-driven Senior Veteran Service Representative with extensive experience at the United States Department of Veteran Affairs. Recognized for expertise in legal precedent analysis and a strong commitment to mentoring, leading to enhanced claim adjudication processes and quality assurance. Proven ability to elevate team performance and service delivery through exceptional analytical skills and high-level decision-making.
Overview
33
33
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Veteran Service Representative (Authorizer)
United States Department of Veteran Affairs
08.2020 - Current
- Serving as a team mentor, and a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to Veteran Service Representatives (VSRs) by providing a comprehensive level of technical advice, recommendations for development, training, and guidance on claim adjudication issues
- Participant in working groups and meetings to recommend production solutions to team Coaches, along with participating in discussions, meetings, conferences, and conference calls with management officials and teammates to share information; investigate facts; present conclusions, recommendations for training, and alternatives; obtain concurrence; develop alternate courses of actions; and mutually resolve problems with teammates and Coaches
- As an Authorizer, I have final signature authority to rate and award, terminate, amend, or disallow benefits on unusually complex claims, to include Character of Discharge reconsiderations
- Analyze and develop various quality assurance processes, and request required evidence for claims not requiring a rating decision
- Identify errors in the claims examined, such as failing to address all issues, improperly developing the evidence, or making inaccurate conclusions
- Currently assigned to the Military Sexual Trauma Team (MST) as an Authorizer
- Make determinations on questions relating to adequacy of military service, of medical evidence, and lay testimony to establish a claim
- Employee Learning Inspires True Excellence (ELITE) Master Instructor
- Currently performing individual quality reviews (IQRs) to determine the authorization quality level of entry level VSRs for purposes of individual performance standards in accordance with an established monthly schedule for over a year
- Presently leading formal training sessions, including sessions for newly hired employees, refresher training, and other training as required by new policies, rules, or legal requirements
- Responsible for sharing authorization quality trend information with management on an ongoing basis and with the VSRs during training sessions
- Evaluate and identify deficiencies in the Quality Management System (QMS) for all the elements of a claim from evidence development, income, and dependency issues, to award processing and authorization
- Followed with an explanation of errors to include comments where correction is needed
- Developed several quality assurances processes with emphasis on work procedures and techniques that address unique work conditions and practices
- Conducted assessments of existing wellness services to identify areas for improvement.
- Built and established lasting relationships using encouragement and personal support.
- Advised managers on how best to support their team members' wellbeing.
- Launched wellness plans to reduce stress, boost morale and increase productivity.
- Provided guidance and support to employees in their efforts to improve physical fitness levels.
- Organized health fair to introduce members to health and wellness-related local businesses.
- Conducted needs assessments and surveys to determine interest in wellness and fitness programs, events and services.
- Developed and implemented wellness programs to enhance employee health and well-being.
- Performed administrative tasks related to budgeting, scheduling events, ordering supplies.
- Provided individual support and counseling on general wellness and nutrition.
- Promoted awareness of available services among employees through various channels.
- Collaborated with healthcare providers to arrange screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol levels.
- Maintained records of all participants in the organization's wellness programs.
- Analyzed data from employee surveys regarding health behaviors and attitudes towards wellness initiatives.
- Assisted with the development of a corporate wellness policy based on company needs.
- Organized workshops, seminars, and other activities aimed at promoting healthy lifestyle habits.
Rating Veteran Service Representative (RVSR)
United States Department of Veteran Affairs
07.2019 - 08.2020
- As a Rating Veterans Service Representative (RVSR) I am a decision maker for claims involving rating decisions
- Current job duties include determining service-connection, percentage of disability, permanent and total disability, entitlement to compensation, pension, vocational training, medical and dental treatment, automobiles, or other conveyances, insurance, specially adapted housing, dependent education allowances, and other ancillary benefits
- Responsibilities include analyzing claims to determine if diseases and injuries were incurred in or aggravated by the military service in the line of duty for purposes of compensation, hospital treatment, prosthetic appliances, and related employment and compensation benefits
- Determining claims in need of examinations or re-examinations for observations of Veterans and their dependents and the character of such examinations and determine the permanent incapacity and/or the competency of Veterans and their dependents
- Appling the VA's Schedule for Rating Disabilities (Rating Schedule) and prepare rating decisions informing the Veterans Service Representative and/or claimant of the decision and reasons and basis for it
- As each case is differentiated by the circumstances of the claims case, may directly communicate, and interact with Veterans and their representatives/advocates
Veteran Service Representative (VSR)
United States Department of Veteran Affairs
01.2017 - 07.2019
- As a Veteran Service Representative (VSR) the responsibilities of my position entail the explanation of benefit programs, entitlement criteria, conduction of interviews, identifying issues for beneficiaries, gathering of relevant evidence, adjudicating claims, inputting data that is necessary to generate the award with the notification letter to the veteran describing the decision, and the reason for it
- Conducted the Management Quality Assurance Service (MQAS) nationwide review of VBA’s recoupment of military separation payments for Veterans in receipt of VA compensation or pension benefits
- Responsible for awarding ancillary benefits to Veterans and their dependents, process Audit Error Worksheets (AEWs) for retirement pay and concurrent VA compensation, update awards annually for the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA), verify the status of dependents, and process the computation dates for drill pay and allowances
- Apply equitable judgment that is consistent and conscientious to stated laws, regulations, policies, and procedures to ensure accurate information is disseminated to Veterans, and accurate decisions are provided on all benefit claims administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs
- Serve as the primary contact for the Veteran and his/her representative or advocate, and the decision-maker for compensation or pension claims
- Explain the full range of VA benefits and all related programs
- Make determinations as to eligibility for the type of benefit sought and completely explore, acquire, and retrieve the required evidence for certain claims requiring a rating decision
- Decide the necessity for and type of examinations, reexamination, or opinions to determine the existence of or to evaluate disabilities resulting from diseases or injuries
- Develop comprehensive requests for examinations/opinions to ensure appropriate evidence is received from which to adjudicate the claim
- Evaluate apportioned awards, analysis of a veteran’s parent’s corpus of estate for monetary support and determine character of discharge for VA benefits
- Prepare correspondence to members of Congress and special interest groups on case assignments and other sensitive correspondence
- Assess all correspondence to private attorneys; acknowledge and revoke designations for private attorneys
- Place phone calls as needed and take all appropriate actions at one time to provide the best service to Veterans
- Utilizes electronic data processing (EDP) systems for inputting data related to claims adjudication, processing, monitoring, and correspondence preparation
- Work in tandem with Rating Veteran Service Representatives (RVSRs), along with members of my team, in providing consultative advice and assistance as a decision maker for claims involving rating decisions
- Analyze claims to determine if diseases and/or injuries were incurred or aggravated by military service in the line of duty for purposes of compensation, treatment, or hospitalization
- Determine service-connection percentages of disabilities permanent and total disability and entitlement to compensation, pension, and vocational training, and create and assign appropriate End Products (EP’s) to correlate to the description of the claim, or category of claim
- Render proper application of the rating schedule and other applicable instructions, and fully account for proper analysis, appropriate development, and final rating determinations
- Expert knowledge in medical terminology with the professional application of anatomy and physiology, along with proficient knowledge and familiarization with the etiology and pathology of diseases to assess determinations regarding the degree of a veteran’s claimed disability
- Engage in change management, remain flexible in a dynamic work environment to adjust to new tools, policies, or procedures in support of VA’s goals
- Contribute to the group effort by supporting coworkers with technical expertise, open communication, and request constructive feedback and mentoring
- Raise concerns, identify problems, and offer solutions in a constructive manner to improve service to Veterans, and the overall performance of the organization
- Skilled with the use of databases required in retrieving records from CAPRI, DIPRIS, SHARE, VBMS, VBMS-A, VBMS-R, VETSNET, VIS, and highly proficient with Microsoft suite products
- Constant monitoring of changes and updates to the Code of Federal Regulations (38 CFR), and the M21-1 Adjudication Procedures Manual to maintain the correct action for Veteran’s benefits delivery
- Verify correct work measurement to substantiate proper staffing requirements, determine productive capacity, and formulate the annual budget submission to the Secretary, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the President, and Congress
Customs and Border Protection Technician
Department of Homeland Security
05.2016 - 01.2017
- Properly interpret laws, regulations, and agency policy and directives in the accounting and safeguarding of assets, and for overall accuracy of the information entered into the automated information systems
- Identifies ways to improve and enhance current services, along with ensuring the services meet management’s business objectives
- Evaluate situations that are complicated by ambiguous, disputed, conflicting or incomplete data, which requires significant renovation to mitigate issues or problems
- Broad learning of the concepts, principles, regulations, and policies related to budget development and implementation in DHS sufficient to plan, organize, evaluate, and improve budget services and processes
- Capable of planning, scheduling, and conducting projects and studies to evaluate and recommend ways to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of work operations, to include preparing project papers, staff reports, organize and deliver briefings to managers to better comprehend and understand the findings of recommendations made during audits and inspections
- Identify trends or patterns and gather information to correlate data into the proper accounts to ascertain if the correct procedures were implemented
- Knowledgeable on the regulations, standards, procedures, methods, and techniques applicable to a broad range of safety and occupational health duties in one or more specific areas of safety and occupational health, to include identifying, evaluating, and controlling a wide variety of industrial hazards related to the full range of work operations
- In-depth knowledge of specialized areas that analyze difficult contract issues and identity alternative actions, modify standard contracting procedures and terms to satisfy specialized requirements, and solve a variety of contracting problems, including those requiring significant departures from previous approaches
- Ensures that classified information and material are properly classified and managed
- Conduct security assessments to ensure proper classification, handling accountability, safeguarding and destruction
- Initiate requests for security clearances and maintains personnel security records
- Attend training and keep current on handling requirements for classified information
- Report apparent suspected attempts to access classified information by unauthorized persons and assists in official inquiries
- High level of analytical ability to research, interpret and evaluate information, precedent cases, and statutes and regulations to identify issues, recommend actions and reengineer processes
- Experienced in establishing priorities, identifying facts, organizing pertinent precedents, applying them to current situations, and providing completed staff work in the form of advice, guidance, integrated work plans, documents ready for signature, etc
- Responsible for scheduling, maintaining operational reports, maintenance approval, and purchase records
- Maintain service records for maintenance and upcoming examinations on assets assigned to multiple divisions on a monthly, quarterly, and yearly basis
- Perform reconciliations of monthly expenditures
- Approve credit card transactions for purchases
- Establish new vendors for preservation of assets, along with maintaining current vendors’ compliance with agency policy
- Monitored, reconciled, and approved over 80 mobile assets, and a 250K budget in SAP for fleet related repairs, modifications, recalls and retirements, avoiding potential fraud
- Applied safeguarding methods for the agency with government purchase cards and complied with all policies and procedures for over 100 purchase requests totaling over $100,000
- Assist with administrative support in budgeting, logistical support and procurement, and records and files management
- Gather data for daily expenditure reports, maintain transaction logs for Mission Support Specialists, and order routine equipment and services
- Review and categorize documents for completeness and create detailed graphs and charts to facilitate in tracking and maintaining the correct accountability of assets
- Provide routine program guidance and information to CBP Officers, Agricultural Specialists, Mission Specialists, Supervisors, and Managers
- Monitor transactions for processing requests for services, along with problem solving emergency purchases for the agency and compliance with applicable regulations
- Investigate accidents in collaboration with co-workers and personnel from other agencies constructively and in an organized efficient manner to meet common goals
- Ensure all notifications and work orders are completed or created in the systems/databases in order to capture asset maintenance/repairs that are performed for planned and unplanned preservation
Fitness Specialist
Marine Corps Community Services
12.2009 - 05.2016
- Implementing fitness and nutrition programs for clients with physical and medical disabilities including high blood pressure, diabetes, neuropathy, arthritis, fibromyalgia, herniated discs and movement limitations from previous injuries and conditions
- Educate clients on the importance of realistic goals to safely achieve their personal objective and promote lifelong adherence to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, physical fitness and personal empowerment
- Business and administration functions including accounting, writing and executing marketing and advertising strategies, research and development, and completing continuing education courses to achieve and maintain mandatory and additional useful certifications
- Developed and tracked client physical fitness progress utilizing comprehensive pivot table excel spreadsheets for tracking their personal training
Case Worker & Chair of Volunteers (Volunteer)
Navy Marine Corps Relief Society
07.2001 - 07.2012
- Ensured quality customer service care to military service members and their families
- Served as the Chair of Volunteers, managing nine caseworkers for a two-year period
- Served as a Level II caseworker with approval permission to grant up to $10,000.00 of emergency funds to service members and their families
- Reviewed and approved relief assistance forms
- Provided financial counseling to active service members and their families
Munitions Technician
United States Marine Corps
10.1991 - 03.2001
- Monitored all ordnance allowances, operation schedules, replenishment, and mission essential equipment to maintain required readiness levels
- Led subordinate Marines in the safe handling, assembly, storage and transportation of high explosive munitions in support of aircrew training
- Coordinated ammunition shipments in support nine separate training exercises
- Managed the Weapons Department annual budget of over 1.2 million dollars used to purchase both repairable and consumable parts for support equipment
- Enforced security measures concerning classified material and sensitive information pertaining to aviation ordnance and aircraft weapons equipment
- Successfully led U.S
- Marine Ammunition Technicians during military operational support deployments to include a combat deployment in Taszar, Hungary in support of Operation Noble Anvil in 1999
- Served as Explosive Handling Qualification and Certification Board Member for over 100 explosive handlers in MAG-31
- Participated in weekly maintenance and operational meetings to support training operations
- Performed duties as a Collateral Duty Inspector for airborne weapons support equipment
- Authored several Conventional Ordnance Deficiency Reports (CODR) to report deficiencies related to ammunition and handling equipment
- Directed team activities, establishing task priorities, scheduling, and tracking work assignments, and ensuring availability of resources
Education
Bachelor of Science - Health and Wellness
Kaplan University
11-2014
Associate of Science -
Arizona Western College
12.2010
Skills
- Analytical
- Evaluative
- Mentoring
- Legal Precedent Analysis
- Subject Matter Expert
Educationcertificationsawards
05/01/24, Individual Cash Award, $1,500.00, 12/01/23, Individual Cash Award, $2,900.00, 09/01/23, ICARE Award Citation, 12/01/22, Individual Cash Award, $2,900.00, 05/01/22, Individual Cash Award, $500.00, 08/01/16, Special Act Award from Department of Homeland Defense, $1,000.00, 11/01/16, Special Act Award from Department of Homeland Defense, $1,200.00, 11/01/14, Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness Magna Cum Laude Kaplan University, 12/01/10, Associate of Science Cum Laude Arizona Western College, 11/01/12, American Council on Exercise (ACE) certified Personal Trainer, 11/01/13, American Council on Exercise (ACE) Lifestyle Weight Management Coach, 10/01/97, Quality Assurance Safety Observer in the Explosive Handling Program, 01/01/96, Team Leader in the Explosive Handling Program, Held DOD Security Clearance at the Secret Level until military discharge.
Timeline
Senior Veteran Service Representative (Authorizer)
United States Department of Veteran Affairs
08.2020 - Current
Rating Veteran Service Representative (RVSR)
United States Department of Veteran Affairs
07.2019 - 08.2020
Veteran Service Representative (VSR)
United States Department of Veteran Affairs
01.2017 - 07.2019
Customs and Border Protection Technician
Department of Homeland Security
05.2016 - 01.2017
Fitness Specialist
Marine Corps Community Services
12.2009 - 05.2016
Case Worker & Chair of Volunteers (Volunteer)
Navy Marine Corps Relief Society
07.2001 - 07.2012
Munitions Technician
United States Marine Corps
10.1991 - 03.2001
Bachelor of Science - Health and Wellness
Kaplan University
Associate of Science -
Arizona Western College
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