just to update...when i finally got transferred to the right department, all the lady could tell me to do was reapply. she was very hesitant and it seems like she didn't know what to do, or what she was talking about.
i told her i didn't want to reapply because all that was missing was a hyphen in my name, in order to match my ss card/driver's license. but she was just silent and later told me all she could say was reapply.
so basically the conversation went nowhere; i will try my letter.