Serving Those Who Served
Narrator:
Can you answer “yes” to the following question?
Have you or a loved one ever served in United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, or Merchant Marines? Or in the national guard, or reserves and ordered to active duty by the President of the United States?
If you answered yes and were discharged under honorable conditions – you are a veteran!
Whether you served overseas or stateside; during peacetime or a period of war; whether or not you saw or served in combat – you are a veteran!
As such, you and your family may be eligible for benefits and services available specifically for veterans including health care, vocational or educational training, and disability payments.
If you, yourself, are not a veteran, chances are you a veteran who could benefit from what you are about to hear.
Since the birth of this nation, men and women have set aside their own personal needs to protect and safeguard the freedoms set forth by our founding fathers. If you are among the millions of men and women who have served this country, you have earned the respect and gratitude of a thankful nation.
The sacrifices made in the name of freedom are countless – especially by those who have worn “the uniform.” In recognition of those sacrifices, we are determined to ensure that you know about the benefits and services available to you and your family through the U.S Department of Veteran’s Affairs (or VA for short) the New York State Department of Labor, and the New York State Division of Veterans Affairs.
Unfortunately, these benefits are often under utilized because of a lack of information and awareness of their availability. Because we care about your needs after service, we want to make sure you are kept well informed. So, sit back and in the next few minutes, learn about just some of the benefits you and your family may be entitled to.
Regardless of what branch of service you were in, there are many challenges you may face after being discharged - even if you left the military years ago. For this reason, it’s important that veterans, like yourself, know about all the benefits and services you are entitled to, such as healthcare, compensation and pension benefits, educational opportunities, employment and training assistance, counseling services, substance abuse programs and much, much more.
At this point you may be wondering “Does it matter when I served? And what if I wasn’t in combat? Would I still qualify for veteran benefits?”
Chris Stirling, Training Coordinator, NYS Division
of Veterans’ Affairs:
Anybody who served on regular or active duty in the Army,
Navy Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and in some cases the
Merchant Marines, would qualify. But also Reserve and National Guard
who have been called to active duty by the President of the United
States—they would qualify as veterans for most benefits.
Anybody who has served on active duty, even if it was only a very short time, male or female, in combat or not in combat, outside the country or just stateside. If for instance somebody who was in the reserve or national guard, they typically unless they have been activated by the President, they don’t qualify BUT if they became sick or disabled while they were in training…by all means come in and see our folks.
Narrator:
In the mid 1990’s the VA completely overhauled
its health care system placing greater emphasis on quality care
and service delivery. With its’ numerous hospitals and clinics,
the VA now outpaces private sector providers in both service delivery
and patient satisfaction. In fact, the VA is now recognized as offering
the best medical care in the country. This is based on a broad
spectrum of measures from treating minor health concerns to caring
for the terminally ill.
James Arrington, Manager, Veternas Service Center,
Albany Stratton VAMC:
Well since the VA’s a national program, our veterans can go
to any VA facility in the country. As a mater of fact, there’s
over 1400 VA facilities nation wide.
Catherine M. Napoli, Nurse Manager, Northport VAMC:
Approximately 1990 I believe, there was a change within
the VA system itself. We became a new VA. With that new VA philosophy
is that there was modernization within our technology.
James Arrington:
We have extensive diagnostic laboratory equipment; we
have computerized tomography, MRIs, and PET scanning just to name
a few.
The VA also provides a domiciliary program that provides residential rehabilitation and treatment services for homeless veterans who may be in need of mental health care, medical care, substance abuse or maintenance healthcare.
Testimonial By Chuck Kuertzke, Vietnam Veteran and
Northport VAMC client
My family basically goes back to the uh Civil War. ..my
father was in WWI, my two brothers were in WWII, my one brother
was in Korea and I was in Vietnam.
The VA to me back then was something for people that were weird and strange and Psych patients maybe. You didn’t go there because there was nothing wrong with you.
I just drank to take away the pain and the misery. Walking the streets, uh, how did I get here, how did I get this far down in my life?
When I came to the VA, everybody in the staff was waiting for me. They didn’t have to take care of me, they didn’t have to help me. But they did because they wanted to, not because they had to.
They gave me back my respect they gave me back my honor.
To me its come around 180 degrees, I mean I’m helping vets now and the VA has taught me that there’s other roads to travel besides drinking. Like I said I have a job back. A vet is a vet, period. And you’re entitled to these benefits, you’ve earned them. They’re yours to use, how you use them is up to you. The point is whether you’re a woman vet or a male vet, use the benefits because they’re there for you. They were there for me…
James Arrington:
The Uniformed benefits package is provided to all our
enrolled veterans. Some services tat are included but not limited
to are inpatient services, preventive care services, primary care
services, long-term care, dental benefits, non-VA care.
The myth is that veterans would have to serve in combat to be eligible for VA health care or have a service-related disability. That is totally not true. Any veteran who has an honorable discharge, male or female is eligible for VA healthcare services.
Women veterans are eligible for the same services as our male veterans; the VA does provide gender-specific services for our female veterans.
Catherine M. Napoli:
One of the things I think we’re very proud if is we have assigned
a Women’s Health coordinator for each of the medical centers
and their responsibility is to really look at what the women need
from the medical center and get them those services that they need,
such as mammography, gynecological services, as well as sexual trauma
services if they need it. So this person has been out in place to
manage their care.
We engage our patients at time of admission, to discus what they want, what they need, what their expectations are.
We encourage all our veterans to use the opportunity of the medical centers to see what benefits are available to them. They need to sit down with our counselors, they are available to speak to, and they need to look in what is available to them, and Medicaid like we said is a supplement
James Arrington
Matter of fact, Medicaid may be able to help veterans
with transportation to and from the VA medical center for the VA
appointments. The veterans should contact a Medicaid worker for
more information
Catherine M. Napoli
I think we learned from Vietnam that when our vets came
back, that they didn’t have point of contact. And
we have taken that lesson very strongly and we have made sure there
is a point of contact at each of our medical centers to make sure
that they get the medical care that they deserve, to make sure
that they’ve been assessed appropriately so that we can look
for what their future needs are. It is a new system, it is a new
VA.
Narrator
As you can see, the VA’s health care system has made monumental
advances in technology, patient care and accountability.
Now let’s discuss other entitlements that you may qualify for. There are many benefits available through the Veterans Benefits Administration, such as: Education and Training, Dependent and Survivor, Home Loan Guaranty, and Burial benefits. Some of these, such as Disability Compensation and Pension benefits, could result in an increase in your household’s income.
For example, did you know that veterans who suffer from an injury, illness or disease that was incurred or aggravated while on active duty may be eligible for service- connected compensation payments? In many instances, even if the condition isn’t diagnosed until many years later.
For instance, veterans exposed to Agent Orange while serving in Viet Nam may develop Type II diabetes many years after initial exposure.
In fact, the VA has determined that Type II diabetes is among 10 other conditions, including prostrate cancer, Hodgkin’s Disease, and Non- Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, presumed to be service-connected as a result of exposure to Agent Orange.
Service-Connected compensation payments are based upon the severity of a condition. A qualifying disability could be rated anywhere from 0% to 100%. Payments begin at the 10% level. As of 2007 payments range from $115 for a 10% rating to $2,471 dollars per month for a disability rated at 100%. Additional benefits are provided for spouses and dependent children of veterans with a disability rated at 30% and higher. What’s more, these benefits are tax free and adjusted annually.
It’s also important to note that you could receive a monthly benefit if you are a wartime veteran with limited income, and you are permanently and totally disabled or at least 65 years old. These payments are referred to as Disability Pension Benefits or non-service connected benefits
In other words, even if a disability occurred after separation from service, you may be eligible to receive non-service connected pension benefits. It’s worth noting that the amount of this monthly benefit is higher than Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. Therefore, for those veterans currently in receipt of SSI, it would be to their advantage to pursue eligibility for this VA entitlement.
In today’s, highly competitive labor market, veterans have a supportive partner in finding and securing a job through the New York State Department of Labor. Each local office assists veterans who are unemployed, under-employed, displaced, or perhaps just transitioning from service.
Veterans looking for a job can take advantage of a number of employment assistance programs, such as career assessment, job search planning, training initiatives, resume preparation and much more.
Local employment representatives contact potential employers to advocate on behalf of veterans. If you are a veteran with a disability you may even qualify for employment through New York State’s 55b/55c program. That’s why it’s beneficial for veterans seeking employment to connect with a Veterans’ Employment Representative. To locate one nearest you, call the Veterans Labor Help Line at 1-800-342-3358.
So far you’ve heard about just some of the benefits available to veterans and their families. At this point you may be asking yourself “what do I qualify for?” and “how do I go about receiving benefits?”
We suggest you begin by contacting the NYS Division of Veterans Affairs. The Division is a strong advocate for veterans, and its Benefits Counselors are recognized among the best in the nation - offering services to veterans and family members free of charge
Chris Stirling
The Division of Veterans Affairs has counselors, state
veteran counselors, in most counties throughout the state, and
we assist veterans with claims for benefits from VA, other federal
agencies the state and other local governments and also we assist
the spouses and the families, dependents of veterans.
Most veterans are not even remotely aware of the scope of benefits available. Its just such a wide array of benefits at different levels and with different eligibility criteria that it just doesn’t get out to the people well enough so we’re often the first point of information for a great many of these benefits
Even if somebody has a dishonorable discharge they may still be eligible for some benefits and we can also see if it can be upgraded. And that applies for a dishonorable discharge, a bad-conduct discharge, a discharge under other than honorable conditions, even a general discharge can be upgraded in some case.
So part of it is playing to the clients and just exactly what they’re facing and then preparing them for the process. Sometime they have to go thru a medical exam at VA and they should know what’s involved in that.
All of our counselors and much the same in the county veterans service agencies, they’re all veterans and in fact most of our folks are also disabled veterans. It is important because it means that we can empathize and sympathize with the problems they’re going thru. Many of us have gone thru the same situations so we’re familiar with it
Narrator
A lot of veterans are not receiving benefits or services
because they don’t that they are eligible.
Please! - Don’t let this happen to you!
You earned them. You deserve them. They are there for you to use them.
See a veteran benefits counselor today. Call 1-888-VETS-NYS for more information - or to locate the counselor nearest you.
We hope you will pursue your entitlement to the benefits and services you heard about today.
Veterans have unselfishly served and sacrificed to protect the freedoms of this great nation. Now it is time to “Serve those who Served!”