As one can see from the varied responses,
there are all levels of satisfaction with VA
services - depending on one's own
experiences. Of course it is those who
have much difficulty in getting results that
we hear from more loudly and more often.
I would advise women whose husband's
have high levels of disability, especially
Vietnam vets, to do everything you can to
be financially prepared for living on your
own. Be familiar with what DIC is and that
if you do not have additional income you
will be living at close to poverty level. Lucky
us who are old enough to have social security
as well! If you are retirees who bought the Survivor Benefit Plan and the veteran dies of 100% service connection...are you aware that it is offset by the widow's DIC? That means that what the two of you planned on for the widow to have as income...well, it just doesn't happen.
Have all of you Vietnam vets had body
scans in your agent orange screenings?
Please don't tell me that you are a VV and
not had an agent orange exam because
I can tell you about women who
became widows very unexpectedly. If you
or anyone you know is a widow by
service-connected cause, please be aware
that Gold Star Wives of America is an
organization that can provide information,
resources, and support. Laws regarding
remarriage have changed in recent years;
many older widows do not know.
Are all of you veterans aware of the A & A
benefit and the Housebound benefit for
those who need assisted care, even at home?
You're welcome. Glad to share whatever I can. Let me know if you have
other questions that I might be able to help with. If you know 100% service connected veterans or their widows, please refer them to me or to Gold Star
Wives of America for support and assistance. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/accuse_write?qid=20081010182426AAOr2lR&kid=LccnXXjdKlWWyHaE_jfw&s=comm&date=2008-10-12+20%3A46%3A51&.crumb=
As a Vietnam vet who had to sue the government to get promised benefits..... I would be the last person to claim the government does everything it should for Americas finest patriots..... but many of these stories are myths....
I know a few real vets on the streets but most of them chose that lifestyle..... one has his disability check go to the bank and he lives out of his back pack..... but these are exceptions not the rule
Vietnam veterans have a lower unemployment rate than the same non-vet age groups.
Vietnam veterans' personal income exceeds that of our non-veteran age group by more than 18 percent. There is no difference in drug usage between Vietnam Veterans and non-Vietnam Veterans of the same age group (Source: Veterans Administration Study)
Vietnam Veterans are less likely to be in prison - only one-half of one percent of Vietnam Veterans have been jailed for crimes.
85% of Vietnam Veterans made successful transitions to civilian life.
By census, FOUR OUT OF FIVE WHO CLAIM TO BE Vietnam vets are not.
Myth: The media have reported that suicides among Vietnam veterans range from 50,000 to 100,000 - 6 to 11 times the non-Vietnam veteran population.
Fact: Mortality studies show that 9,000 is a better estimate. "The CDC Vietnam Experience Study Mortality Assessment showed …After an initial post-service period, Vietnam veterans were no more likely to die from suicide than non-Vietnam veterans. In fact, after the 5-year post-service period, the rate of suicides is less in the Vietnam veterans' group.
Are you kidding me? There are so many programs and benefits out there for vets, it's unreal. Many of the veterans (especially of this era) that end up on the streets are there because they have refused help that is available to them. They don't want to seek help at a VA or Vet Center, or obtain professional counseling (which IS available to them FREE of charge) so they don't know how to cope with life after war. It's as the old saying goes, "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink". You can only offer up the resources, but if the veteran doesn't do take it, there's nothing you can do about it.
That being said, yes, it can take a while to get your veteran's benefits, and that is definitely something that needs to be fixed. However, there are a ton of organizations out there that will help get you through the tough times while waiting on your benefits. At the very least, they should speak to a Veterans Service Officer or a Transition Assistance officer to find the resources they need.
Alot of the vets that become homeless have mental disorders that the government does everything in their power to avoid paying out for. There are a lot of young veterans being denied disability for things like TBI and PTSD. Most of these soldiers have issues they need help for and once denied, they aren't entitled to any non service connected services. They cannot get a job or hold one anyways and find themselves eventually homeless. Turning to drugs once on the street. Others who do have a support network in the beginning, again after being denied, begin to search for another way to deal. all the while growing further from the ones they love. Eventually it also leads to homelessness.
I agree with "Kojak". I did a year as a VISTA volunteer dealing with the homeless in my community. Most of the "homeless vets" were either guys who never served or were discharged shortly after joining for personality disorders which existed prior to entry and should have disqualified them in the first place. No one writing these stories in the media would know a DD-214 from a Dead Sea Scroll. So, they have no way of verifying the story of that "homeless vet" who just "came back from Iraq". All the reporter knows is that the editor loves a story which activates the "emo" button.
What is truly pitiful is the number of cases where even the VA seems incapable of checking the DD-214 to see if the "vet's" story rings true.
The classic here in the Southwest was the guy who got 40 years of medical care, including nursing home care, along with a burial in a veterans' cemetery in Phoenix. Only one trouble with that. He never served one day!
As a wife of a Viet Nam Vet I know the VA does take care of their own. My husband didn't know about the benefits until he went to his local board and got all kind of info and help. The list is almost endless of what they do for him. He has excellent care (disabled). We get free license tags til death. I have Champva which is an excellent insurance and can go to dr of choice. I am on SS and champva is my secondary provider now. I have absolutely no money out of pocket for medical. I have a military id card which has a lot of perks. Also he gets a substantial check for 100% disability. We have many more benefits I haven't mentioned here.
He has a friend that was wounded in 1969 and medically discharged. This man had no clue the VA would help him from hearing all the negative stories. He went to the VA office and guess what ???? He got 100% disability beginning in 1969 through 2006. Now how is that for help for a Vet?
Get off your butt and get to the VA office. They are some good folks !
Is the Government the only one responsible for their welfare? What about family or friends. If I had an aquintence in dire need I would try to find an option for them. I certainly wouldn't want them to wade through paperwork and bureaucracy to find assistance.
We're all familiar with the Katrina debacle and I remember seeing people in the shelters saying where's the government? Why aren't they helping us. Shortly after there was a devastating earthquake in Pakistan that killed thousands and destroyed many villages. News coverage from there showed people picking through the rubble looking for survivors and rebuilding their lives. Not one was crying for help.
honestly this is still America which is capitalist which means you must work to get what you want, even a veteren needs to work for a lifestyle he wants, true it is unfortunate but we are not socialists
now if he was a disabled veteran i would agree with you that he should be taken care of because he got hurt serving his country
people must work, nothing is free
USMC
They have the GI bill, if injured they have rehab. Some drop out of Society (do to personal and mental problems) and don't use their benefits > OUR government can't make them use these they have to want to!
Vet-USAF
Ad: Education helps you pull yourself up by your bootstraps so no-one else has to do-it for you = GI Bill
I agree that the government should do something to help them out a little more. But alot of these people believe that because they are vets they should get a free ride. If the government helps them out they need to take the first step and help themselves.
absolutely...history keeps repeating itself.
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