SERVING
Those That
SERVED
Faster Disability Claims Decisions
Did you know the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) officials are hoping a new automated system that helps render decisions on disability claims will accelerate the process and decrease the backlog of claims applications? The automated system being considered by the VA has proven to shorten the disability claims review process from 100 days to two under certain circumstances and conditions, according to the agency. VA officials said the program is part of a plan to address 260,000 current disability claims, including 59,000 that are older than 125 days and are considered backlogged.
COVID-19 Vaccines
Did you know all veterans, spouses and caregivers can get a COVID-19 vaccine at most VA facilities by appointment or walk-in clinic?
Tax-Exempt Pay
Did you know income earned in a combat zone is tax-exempt? You won’t have to show that amount of income earned from combat on your tax return. DFAS will list both taxable and tax-exempt incomes on your W-2 if you have qualifying time in a combat zone.
San Bernardino County Ranks High
Did you know San Bernardino County Veterans Affairs office is the initial point of contact for veterans who seek benefits earned through their military service? Despite a challenging year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, department staff worked diligently for veterans and their families securing a variety of benefits, such as disability, compensation, VA pensions for wartime service, and college tuition/fee waivers. Due to the hard work of Veteran Service Officers, San Bernardino County Department of Veterans Affairs ranked highest in the state of California for total new cash awards obtained in Fiscal Year 2020-21, with more than $45 million in new monetary benefits for veterans.
Type 2 Diabetes AO Connection
Did you know the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) considers Type 2 diabetes—which most often develops in adults due to several factors, including genetics, physical inactivity, and environmental factors—to be associated with exposure to herbicides used in the Vietnam War? VA does not assume the same association exists with Type 1 diabetes, for which the exact causes are unknown but most often develops in children and teens.
Automatic DIC Claims
Did you know VA will process DIC claims automatically for survivors of veterans rated 100 percent disabled for 10 years or more, upon notification of the death? Apart from these cases, VA benefits and services are not automatically awarded to survivors. There is a bureaucratic process that requires specific forms and documentation necessary for each of the different benefits. A survivor may go through the process to arrange the burial of the veteran, but will have to go through a completely separate process to apply for DIC and another process to access the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
Pilots At Higher Risk
Did you know military pilots are getting the first acknowledgment that they are at higher risk of certain types of cancers? Pilots still don’t know why, whether it’s something in the cockpits or on the flight decks—or something completely unrelated—that they were exposed to during their flying careers. But one study is betting the answer may be found in their cells and DNA.
VA Will Propose Adding To The Presumed Service-Connected List
Did you know veterans, dependents and survivors who had claims previously denied for any of the below respiratory cancers would be encouraged to file a new or supplemental claim for benefits:
- Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the larynx;
- SCC of the trachea;
- Adenocarcinoma of the trachea;
- Salivary gland-type tumors of the trachea;
- Adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung;
- Large cell carcinoma of the lung;
- Salivary gland-type tumors of the lung;
- Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung and;
- Typical and atypical carcinoid of the lung.
Any veteran who had one of these cancers manifest to a degree of 0% or more at any time during or after separation would be eligible for service-connection.
Did You Know?
[ Back ]
Chapter 35 Benefits
Did you know Chapter 35 is a monthly stipend paid to the dependents of veterans who have died or been permanently disabled in the line of duty, while they are in school? As of March 2022, Chapter 35 Benefits are paid out monthly in the amount of:
- Full time = $1,298.00
- ¾ time = $1,026.00
- ½ time = $753.00
- less than ½ time and more than ¼ time = $753.00
- ¼ time or less = $324.50
Americans Joining In War Effort
Did you know thousands of American veterans are now preparing to join the fight in Ukraine? Emboldened by the invitation of the country’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, who earlier this week announced he was creating an “international legion” and asked volunteers from around the world to help defend his nation against Russia.
Military Brats
Do you know how the term military “Brats” got its beginning? In 1921, British Regiment Attached Travelers (BRAT - as they were called) traveled abroad with British troops. BRAT soon became a term only for children of those troops. The name just stuck and, since it's obviously so perfect, was adopted elsewhere, including the United States.
Brats Twice As Likely To Join Military
Did you know military children are twice as likely to join the military when they become adults? In 2016, 80% of troops who joined the military between 2012 and 2013 came from a family with at least one military-connected family member.
Discharge Upgrade
Did you know Discharge Review Boards have the authority to upgrade a dissatisfactory military discharge classification, change a service member's reentry code, correct the narrative reason for separation, and even change the separation authority? This could result in a veteran becoming eligible to reenlist in the military or avoiding having to explain why their DD Form 214 lists things like "drug abuse" or "serious misconduct" under the narrative for separation.
Veterans Poorly Compensated
Did you know in 2022 a totally disabled veteran with no dependents is compensated at the ridiculous rate of $39,984.72 dollars annually? The National Average Wage Index for 2020 was $55,628.60 dollars per annum and the median income for 2020 was $67,521.00. The per capita GDP in 2020 was $63,416.00 dollars, among the highest in the world. Disabled veterans are only compensated for projected lost wages and not including a ‘loss of quality of life’ payment which is now the norm.
Veterans Affected By PTSD
Did you know an estimated 30% of Vietnam veterans suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during their lifetime, according to the 1988 National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study? Still, 97% of Vietnam veterans hold honorable discharges, and the unemployment rate for veterans of the Vietnam War was only 4.8% in 1987, compared to the 6.2% rate for the rest of America.
VA Home Loans
Did you know the federal law for VA home loans changed in 2020 to make it easier for veterans to buy homes in areas with high real estate values, and taking away the loan limit maximums previously required in certain areas of the country?
Fast-Track Update
Did you know thousands of veterans exposed to Agent Orange while serving in the United States will for the first time be eligible for fast-track disability benefits under plans unveiled by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)? The move represents another major expansion of toxic exposure benefits for veterans, this time for individuals suffering from illnesses dating back to the Vietnam War era. The changes follow mandates included in the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act — better known as the PACT Act.
Mobile Vet Center Program
Did you know Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) sponsors the Mobile Vet Center (MVC) program to reach veterans in under-served areas? More than 80 MVCs provide services across the country. The MVC offers confidential help in a non-medical setting. If you would like the MVC in your community call 877-927-8737 today.