michael sternberg did finally receive an answer about some of his lods and the guard denied his request for service-related benefits. now, he plans to appeal. the guard did acknowledge problems meeting deadlines in recent months, though, a new focus has produced results. the guard says it has reduced the overdue lods by 70%. >>> now, when we return, a group says it's all about giving to veterans in need. >> the majority of the funds that go into this box will provide outreach money to get to veterans who are living outdoors to the va. >> but is the group taking more than it's giving? we investigate its claim and have enough questions for one of the co-founders. of grocery stores asking for money. but we question just who are they? dressed in camouflage claim to go help veterans. are they legitimate and where exactly is that money going? vic gee nguyen investigates. >> that's fallean mintz, we caught up with him after a viewer called us with questions about his organization. >> who are you with? >> gift a vet. >> gift a vet? >> mintz and a man who identified himself as bob told our under

>> yes. >> reporter: michael sternberg finally received an answer about some of his l.o.d.s. during our investigation the guard issued a series of decisions in july and august, four and a half years after sternberg says he submitted those requests. ultimately his l.o.d.s were denied. now he plans to appeal. the guard has acknowledged problems meeting deadlines but says it has reduced the overdue l.o.d.s by 70%. the guard also says it's taking steps to address the delays but declined to provide any specifics. they do plan to ask questions of general baldwin. with the investigative unit, i'm tony kovaleski. >> if you have a tip for our investigative unit call us at 1-888-996-tips or send us an e-mail. soon getting your california drivers license will automatically register you to vote. when drivers get a new license or renew an old one at the dmv they are also registered as voters. the move follows a similar one in oregon earlier this year. that state is the first in the nation with an automatic voter registration law. >>> tobacco industry is take on a small town in the north ba

. >> my name is michael sternberg. >> ryan -- >> my name is daniel dres zen. >> i've been waiting for more than four years for a completed line of duty. >> six years. >> two years. >> is centers on illness and injuries they sustained while in service to their country and on a l.o.d., line of duty. think of it as a workers' comp decision. financial support for service members injured on the job. >> here's the problem. regulations state the guard must complete l.o.d. investigations in 75 days or less. >> does the guard meet that deadline? >> not by a long shot. >> stern berg made his first official l.o.d. request in 2011. he cited a series of medical conditions and injuries he says he sustained while serving on active duty and in the guard. in total, he's requested seven l.o.d. investigations. he said none met the military deadline. >> the reason i'm coming to you is because i've exhausted pretty much every administrative remedy that i can. >> he says numerous letters to the guard and state and federal lawmakers fail to produce answers. in may, the guard responded to an inquiry from u.s

. >> now, michael sternberg finally received an answer about some of his l.o.d.s. nvestigation, the guard issued a series of decisions in july and august. 4 1/2 years after sternberg says he submitted the request. ultimately, his l.o.d.s were deposited. you know plans to appeal. now, the guard has acknowledged it has problems meeting deadlines, but says it has reduced the overdue l.o.d.s by 70%. the guard says it is now taking steps to address the delays, but declined to provide any specifics. finally, we do plan to ask questions to general baldwin. more to come. >> waiting all that time and then to have them denied after four years? >> they served our country. why can't they get answers? that's what our investigation asks tonight. >> thank you very much, tony. if you have a tip for tony tony or anyone in our investigative unit, give us a call. 1-888-the 96-tips. >>> let's turn things over to chief meteorologist jefr rr anieri. >> we have some great wlr coming our way as we head throughout the next five days, despite the fact that we need that rainfall so bad. let's

. >> michael sternberg finally received an answer about some of his l.o.d.s. during our investigation, the guard issued a series of decisions in july and august, 4 1/2 years after sternberg says he submitted those requests. ultimately his l.o.d.s were denied how he plans to appeal. the guard has acknowledged problems meeting deadlines, but says it has reduced the overdue l.o.d.s by 70%. the guard also says it's taking steps to address the delays but declined to provide any specifics but do plan to ask questions of general baldwin. with the investigative unit, tony kovaleski, nbc bay area news. >> if you have a tip, give us a call 888-996-tips or send the unit@nbc bayarea.com. >>> governor brown signed a bill allowing terminally ill people to end their lives. >> california becomes the fifth right-to-die state following oregon, washington, montana, and vermont. nbc bay area's terry mcsweeney has more details on the polarizing issue. >> reporter: california's now the fifth state in the union to all allow physicians to prescribe lethal drugs to terminally ill patie