WASHINGTON — Disabled veterans and active-duty troops run into a bureaucratic gantlet in trying to collect compensation for their injuries, with delays ranging from months to years — when the money is needed for many of them to survive.

Joe Violante, national legislative director for Disabled American Veterans, believes medical care received by veterans is some of the best — it's just getting access to it that's the problem.

As of March 3, the VA had almost 401,000 pending cases for disability compensation, with almost 115,000 languishing for six months or more.

Violante, a former Marine who served in Vietnam, said delays in disability decisions keep many veterans from gaining access to the VA healthcare system or receiving compensation for their injuries or illnesses.

Part of the problem is that the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have seen more than 1.45 million active-duty, National Guard and Reserve troops deployed. Of those, about 685,000 have since been discharged.

Recent news reports also have highlighted the long periods some injured soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center have waited for decisions from medical boards to rejoin the military and, if not, to collect their compensation.

Q. What are your thoughts about the treatment that veterans and active-duty troops have received?

A. I believe the healthcare treatment they are receiving both at the Defense Department and at the VA has never been better.

The problem is accessing that care.

When these active duty military members are transferred back home and using VA facilities, it becomes a little harder to get in and get that care when needed. Unfortunately, older veterans are feeling the impact because right now the priority has been on taking care of these newer veterans.

Q. What is the impact on veterans from the long time it takes the VA to rule on the disability compensation claims?

A. They're looking for benefits that will compensate them for their disabilities that they received as a result of their military service.

In many cases, that may be the only income they have coming in at the time, and the longer that is delayed, the harder it is for them to get their lives back on track and to take care of their families.

Q. What happens when disabled veterans face long delays in receiving their disability compensation?

A. In many cases, a veteran will become homeless because of the delays in getting those monetary benefits.

It could cause bankruptcy and other financial hardships.

Reach Dennis Camire at dcamire@gns.gannett.com.