Question:

I am scheduled for a hearing in front of a Decision Review Officer. What exactly is a Decision Review Officer?

Answer:

A Decision Review Officer (DRO) is a senior technical expert who is responsible for holding post-decisional hearings and processing appeals. The DRO is a member of the Appeals Team but is under the direct supervision of the Veterans Service Center Manager (VSCM) or assistant VSCM. The DRO has many responsibilities including:

Holding informal conferences

Evaluating the evidence of record including the need for additional evidence

Making a decision

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