Erik Shepherd Email and Phone Number

Serve as a principal advisor to the Deputy Undersecretary for Disability Assistance, coordinating and exercising oversight over the Compensation, Pension and Fiduciary, Survivors, and Insurance programs, as well as VBA's Benefits Assistance Service. Detailed in to supervisory position as DA Executive Management Officer from January to May 2014.Graduate and Community Committee Chair, Federal Executive Institute, Leadership for a Democratic Society (LDS) 417, March 2016.

Analyzed, created, modified VBA compensation procedures to maximize agency efficiency in delivering service-connected benefits. I also oversaw VBA production of evidence during the discovery phase of VVA v CIA, et al, an action against VA and other federal agencies out in Northern California. Performed additional duties instructing VA raters and decision review officers on difficult technical issues, such as entitlement to total disability due to individual unemployability (TDIU) and National Guard and Reserve service.

Reviewed and resolved complicated, multi-issue, decades-old appeals.

Helped veterans and survivors prepare, present, and prosecute claims and appeals for a spectrum of VA benefits: compensation, pension, vocational rehabilitation, education, health care, etc. Represented veterans in personal hearings before VA's Board of Veterans Appeals and the service departments' discharge review and record correection boards.

Airborne!!