VietNow National Magazine

Vet to Vet: Veterans Affairs

By Bob Gutsche – National VA Committee Chairman

Bob Gutsche

So you want to file a claim

Recently I was made aware of a web site that outlines the procedure to effectively getting your ducks in a row to file a claim. This site was developed by a wife of a disabled veteran, after years of attempting to deal with the VA and the claims process.

This site will give you step-by-step procedures to follow in developing your claim. The site can be accessed by going to www.howtoassemblevaclaims.com.

Take some time and give the site a look-see, and use the information that she has provided. It will definitely make the process easier to complete. Then remember it becomes a waiting game with VA, but if you follow the steps the process should be speedier.

The non-service-connected pension

If you are a veteran who is low income (or no income), and you are permanently and totally disabled, or are over age 65 and have served for a period of 90 or more days with at least one day where the country was in a period of war, you may qualify for monetary support from the VA. Enlisted members who entered active duty after 9/1/1980, and officers who entered after 10/16/1981, may have to meet a longer period of service.

The monetary monthly amount is established by Congress, and it is established at a set amount that may not be exceeded by other forms of income such as Social Security, retirement, or spousal income.

It is also important to note that as a single vet should you be hospitalized at the VA hospital for a period of in excess of three months, the amount of the pension decreases to $90.

So often I encounter veterans who are notified by the VA that they have been overpaid and the VA is in the process of recouping the overpayment, which is usually done by withholding a significant portion of the NSC check until the
overpayment is rectified. Should you find yourself in such a situation it is extremely important that you contact the VA either through a County Service Officer or in person, by mail, or phone, and attempt to reach a solution where you can work out a payment plan so you are not without any funds to live on.

Can I please have my country back?

As a veteran you are entitled to a military burial with the ceremonial folding of the flag which is presented to the family from a grateful nation for your service. The ceremony includes the 13-fold recital, which details the historic symbolism of each fold of the flag.

Oh, wait a minute! That seems to have changed after someone complained to the VA that they were offended by the reference to God during the reciting of the meaning for the 11th fold of the flag. So the VA (National Cemetery Administration), made a decision to ban the entire recital at all national cemeteries.

A spokesman for the cemetery administration said that the recital of the folding of the flag is not part of the U.S. Flag Code, and therefore is not government approved.

Well, all hell broke loose, as across the country the veterans and other sane-minded folks took the VA to the woodshed about this asinine decision.
What did the VA do in response to the public outcry? Well, they did not fully rescind the edict, but they modified it to state that the ceremony can be conducted if the family of the deceased veteran requests it.

I do not believe this is a big enough step in the right direction. To lay another burden on a grieving family to have to remember to officially request that the recital be conducted is unjust.

Let’s let the VA know how we feel. The secretary’s office phone number is 202-273-4800.

BOHICA

Just what is it with the VA and computer security? Over Veterans Day weekend three computers were stolen from the VA hospital at Indianapolis, Indiana. The computers contained information on 12,000 veterans. An auditor for the VA has stolen 1.8 million Social Security numbers of veterans. The VA stated that only 185,000 were at risk. So does that make it ok?

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After over 20 years in the U.S. Navy, Bob Gutsche worked as a counselor in the VA system for many years. He holds a Masters in Social Work degree. Contact him at gutsche@mwt.net.

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