🎖️ VALOR

Specialist Ross A. McGinnis: The Youngest Hero of the Iraq War 

Ross Andrew McGinnis was born June 14, 1987, in Meadville, Pennsylvania, and grew up in the small town of Knox. The youngest of three children, he was known for his humor, energy, and love of mechanics. McGinnis spent his early years tinkering with engines, playing sports, and cracking jokes that could light up a room. Friends and teachers remembered him as the kind of person who could fix your bike, make you laugh, and beat you in a basketball game the same afternoon.  

McGinnis talked about joining the military from a young age. While many kids dreamed about what they wanted to be, he seemed to know. He respected service members quietly and often spoke about wanting to do something meaningful. By his junior year at Clarion County High School, he had decided. At 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Army through the Delayed Entry Program with his parents’ consent. 

After graduating in 2005, McGinnis attended basic and advanced individual training at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he qualified as an infantryman. His technical interests led him to become a vehicle gunner, a position that combined his mechanical skills with his drive to protect others. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, based in Schweinfurt, Germany. His easygoing nature and quick humor earned him affection from his fellow soldiers, who described him as “the funny guy in the room” and “the one you could count on when things got rough.” 

In August 2006, McGinnis deployed to Iraq to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. His unit operated in the Adhamiyah district of northeast Baghdad, one of the most volatile areas in the city at the time. Day after day, he manned his .50-caliber machine gun atop a Humvee, providing overwatch for convoys moving through streets filled with danger and tension. 

On Dec. 4, 2006, while on patrol, an insurgent on a nearby rooftop threw a grenade into his vehicle. McGinnis made a different choice in that split second when instinct tells most people to save themselves. He shouted a warning to his crew, but when he saw that the grenade had landed between the radio mount and the armor plating, leaving his fellow soldiers no time or space to escape, he acted without hesitation. McGinnis threw his body onto the grenade, absorbing the full force of the explosion. His four crewmates, Staff Sgt. Ian Newland, Sgt. Lyle Buehler, Sgt. 1st Class Cedric Thomas and Spc. Sean Lawson, survived because of his sacrifice. McGinnis was killed instantly. He was 19 years old. 

For his actions that day, McGinnis was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration. Then-President George W. Bush presented the medal to his parents in a 2008 White House ceremony. His other awards include the Silver Star, Bronze Star and Purple Heart. His Medal of Honor citation states that he acted “above and beyond the call of duty,” a phrase that, while fitting, only begins to describe the magnitude of his sacrifice. 

Ross A. McGinnis’s legacy is a testament to selfless service and extraordinary courage. In his final moments, he embodied the Army’s core values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage. 

Honor veterans like Ross Andrew McGinnis and watch more stories on our YouTube channel.

⚖️ EXPERTS

How Far Back Does VA Disability Back Pay Go? 

VA disability back pay, also called retroactive benefits, compensates veterans for the period between when they became eligible for benefits and when VA approved their claim. The amount of back pay a veteran receives depends largely on the effective date, which determines how far back compensation can be paid. 

How Effective Dates Determine Back Pay 

The effective date is the key factor in calculating VA back pay. In most cases, it is: 

• The date VA receives the claim. 

• The day after discharge, if the claim is filed within one year of separation. 

• Up to one year before filing for an increased rating if medical evidence shows the condition worsened. 

• The date new evidence is submitted for reopened claims. 

Different claim types and exceptions can result in earlier effective dates, which increases retroactive compensation. 

Back Pay by Type of Claim 

For initial claims, filing within one year of separation preserves the earliest possible effective date. Veterans who file later generally lose that earlier back pay. Submitting an Intent to File can lock in an effective date while the veteran gathers evidence, provided the full claim is completed within one year. 

For increased rating claims, VA may assign an earlier effective date if medical records show that the condition worsened within the year preceding the claim's filing. For appeals, back pay can return to the original claim date if the appeal is continuous. Reopened claims typically receive a new effective date unless special rules apply. 

Situations That Can Increase Back Pay 

Certain claims allow back pay to go further back. Clear and Unmistakable Error (CUE) claims could restore benefits to the original claim date if VA made a significant error. Some presumptive conditions, including those tied to Agent Orange exposure under Nehmer rules, may also qualify for earlier effective dates. 

Veterans may also receive back pay for dependents, but only if dependents were properly added using VA Form 21-686c. If dependents were not listed in time, VA may exclude them from retroactive payments. 

Why This Matters 

VA disability back pay can total thousands of dollars, but only when effective dates and claim details are handled correctly. Understanding how VA sets effective dates helps veterans protect their retroactive benefits and avoid losing compensation to which they may be entitled.

If you’re facing challenges with your claim and need assistance, reach out for a free case evaluation.

🦅SUPPORT

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Join us to get your questions about VA disability law and the claims process answered by our legal team. Comments open 1 hour prior to the Livestream starting, so get there early to get your question in. We try to answer as many as we can!

Were You Exposed to Asbestos During Military Service?

Many U.S. veterans were exposed to asbestos during their time in service, often without knowing the risks. Years later, this exposure has led to mesothelioma and other asbestos-related lung cancers for countless veterans.

If you served in the military and have been diagnosed, you may qualify for compensation. Our firm proudly helps veterans and their families pursue the benefits and justice they deserve.

Act now. Contact us today at (855) 494-1298 to learn more about your options or to begin your claim. You’ve served your country; let us serve you.

🗺️ TACTICS

Effective Dates Define Your Backpay, Do You Know How They Work? 

In this video, Hill & Ponton Attorney Stacey Clark and Senior Attorney Shelly Mark address one of the most important yet often misunderstood aspects of VA benefits: effective dates, the factor that determines how far back your compensation can be paid. 

While the general rule is that benefits start from the date a claim is filed, they explain why that rule doesn’t always tell the full story.

They walk through key exceptions veterans should know, including situations where a diagnosis comes after a claim is filed, filing within one year of discharge, and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation claims filed by surviving spouses within a year of a veteran’s death. In each case, the effective date may be earlier than expected, which can mean significantly more back pay.

The conversation then explores how reopened claims and appeals affect effective dates, particularly under the Appeals Modernization Act. Attorneys Clark and Mark explain when earlier dates are still possible, including cases where service records were missing during the original decision but later uncovered. They close by focusing on TDIU effective dates, an area where VA frequently falls short.

The attorneys explain that unemployability is often an inferred benefit and show how overlooked evidence, such as Social Security Disability awards, Vocational Rehabilitation records, or unaddressed secondary conditions, can unlock earlier effective dates and additional past-due compensation.

“There are a lot of conditions [where this applies] ... for almost any condition a veteran has, you have to be looking at what other things this condition caused to see whether or not you can get an earlier effective date for all of those various conditions. And that really helps,” Attorney Clark concludes.  

Need Help with an Appeal? Hill & Ponton is Here for You

At Hill & Ponton, we specialize in helping veterans navigate the VA appeals process to secure the benefits they rightfully deserve. Whether you're facing a denied claim, an appeal for a higher rating, or need assistance gathering critical evidence, our team is ready to advocate for you.

Use our VA Disability Calculator to see if your current rating aligns with your level of disability and explore potential increases based on any secondary conditions you may have. Calculate Your VA Disability Rating Now!