Posts Tagged ‘veterans benefits’

11.11.11: Thanks to all veterans on Veteran’s Day

Thursday, November 10th, 2011

Friday is Veteran’s Day, when we honor veterans of every war. It’s an especially historic Veteran’s Day, however, because the original Veteran’s Day commemorated a cessation of hostilities between the allied nations and Germany on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. This year, we can add the last 11.

Thank you, veterans of every war. Thanks, Grandfather. Thanks, Dad. Thanks, FIL David.

Armistice Day, as Veteran’s Day was originally known, marked the end of World War I, “the war to end all wars.” Isn’t it lovely to think so…….

WWI Victory Medal This is the Victory Medal my grandfather, Elbridge McLean, brought home from France after World War I. It lists the allied nations on the back. My grandfather told stories of stealing a motorcycle from the motor pool and riding across France one night to find his brother Reuben, wounded in a hospital. Both boys arrived back in Maine safely after their service.

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Maine Vets: Bingham Mobile Clinic Remains Open

Tuesday, September 13th, 2011

from the Bangor Daily News, Alex Barber, BDN staff

AUGUSTA, Maine — The Department of Veterans Affairs mobile medical clinic in Bingham will remain open after all, a VA official said Monday.

The VA decided to continue operating the mobile unit in Bingham for now essentially “because of input from various stakeholders and, most importantly, the veterans themselves,” said Ryan Lilly, associate director of the Maine Veterans’ Affairs Healthcare Systems, referring to a meeting last Wednesday at which nearly 150 veterans and citizens voiced their anger about the discontinuation of the mobile health clinic in town.

“It’s democracy at its finest,” he said. “It’s listening to the people that you serve. I think we underestimated the amount of animosity [the closing of the clinic] was going to cause.”

It was announced early last week that the mobile clinic would discontinue operations in Bingham within weeks. Under a pilot program that began in 2009, the clinic provided primary care, mental health and lab services to veterans on a rotating basis in Bingham, Jackman, Greenville and Dover-Foxcroft until last January. Since then it has operated only in Bingham.

U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, ranking member of the Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health, praised the VA for its action.

“This mobile unit is an important part of our efforts to improve access to health care for rural veterans. It helps hundreds of Maine veterans get the health care they need closer to home, and I’m pleased with the VA’s decision to keep it running. Our veterans shouldn’t be forced to drive hours to get basic health care,” the 2nd District Democrat said in a press release. “As I’ve said before, if they ever discontinue the operation of the mobile clinic, the least VA can do is find an alternative means of providing care locally.”

The unit will remain open until either a suitable permanent clinic can be found or until the mobile unit can be better suited for the full-time job. Lilly said the VA is in early discussions on what the next step will be. He couldn’t put a timetable on when a permanent solution will be found.

“I think it’s really going to come down to either making the existing unit more economical or it’s time to explore alternative means,” said Lilly.

The mobile clinic is open in Bingham twice a week and area veterans have been pleased with the care they have received.

“This personal care I get right here in Bingham is phenomenal. Because you call Togus [in Augusta] and you get a machine. They’ll get back to you some day or never, whichever comes first,” veteran Ross Fortier of Guilford during Wednesday’s meeting.

The biggest contention during last week’s meeting was the distance people in the area would have to drive in order to receive health care. Some said it wasn’t possible for elderly veterans to make the trip to Bangor or Augusta, the next closest options.

Kelley Wynne, a member of the Maine Veterans’ Home board of trustees who attended last week’s meeting, was excited to hear the news.

“That’s just terrific. That’s great,” said Wynne. “I’m glad for the veterans up north.”

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StatesideLegal.com Provides Legal Information for Vets

Tuesday, January 11th, 2011

Pine Tree Legal Assistance of Maine and Arkansas Legal Services Partnership have worked together to launch a new website to help veterans and military families with legal problems. It’s a national website with a focus on federal programs, for the time being.

StatesideLegal is a user-friendly website with a couple of interesting and unusual aspects. You can enter general information about  yourself that helps clarify your search, and the site has an “advocate view” that includes more technical articles for lawyers or advocates.

StatesideLegal.com has some great reference and link pages that include connections to many helpful organizations and information useful to vets or active military and their families.

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Thank You, Veterans!

Thursday, November 11th, 2010

WWI Victory MedalThanks you, Veterans! I remember my dad’s stories of joining the Navy in January of his senior year in high school. Malcolm Dennison McLean was not yet 18 and my Grandfather had to sign his enlistment papers. He got a ride home from boot camp (along with several other teen soldiers and sailors) in the middle of the night before graduation, and received his diploma from Stevens High School in Rumford, Maine in his uniform, the envy of his friends. Thank you, daddy, for leaving home and the fun of your senior year to stretch up and be a man, ready to defend his family and country.  The Greatest Generation, indeed!

My Grandfather (Elbridge McLean) certainly knew what war was about. An ambulance driver in France during WWI, he was poisoned by mustard gas and suffered a palsy that shook the tea in his cup his entire life.  His service in France had been in his late 20′s, when both he and his brother Reuben spent several years overseas. This Victory Medal was kept in Grandfather’s tie box, along with a single thin silver dress stirrup  that made its way back from a victory parade. Of all the stories Grandfather told of purloined motorcycles and ambulances racing ahead of clouds of gas, the silver stirrup remained a mystery.

My own personal veterans, to remember and thank and praise.


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Maine Vets Get Increased Psychiatric Services

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

Togus, the Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center near Augusta, has unveiled a renovated  18,000 square foot ward that triples the space dedicated at Togus to psychiatric care. The ward, which has expanded from 16 to 24 beds,  includes four beds designated as short-term geriatric care beds. The new ward provides short-term care and assessments for veterans suffering acute psychiatric episodes. Patients generally stay between 5-10 days.

old army boots webThe renovations, which cost $5.5 million, began in March 2009. Patients are expected to begin moving into the facility Monday.

Staff writer Chris Crosby at the Kennebec Journal interviewed Togus staff.  “I can’t express to you how excited I am,” Medical Center Director Brian Stiller told him. “We have great staff and veterans committed to helping themselves. Now we have the environment to pull it all together.” He continued, “It’s a huge improvement. It’s patient-centered. It’s a clean, clear atmosphere to heal in.”

Crosby also reports that the current facility has three to four beds per room, while most of the rooms in the new ward have a single bed. None of the rooms has more than two beds. Unlike the current ward, each room has its own bathroom. The new ward also features larger and more group rooms than the current facility, which has just one day room. The pastel colors and numerous windows allow lots of light and give the entire floor a comfortable, home-like feeling.

The rest of Crosby’s story is a little darker, because he notes that veterans commit suicide more frequently than the population at large. Safety was important in the renovation, and every aspect of each room was designed to be comfortable, but thoughtfully constructed to keep patients from injuring themselves.

Depression is a serious illness in elders, and a frequent result of military service for the men and women in the armed forces.  While recent veterans and their families are getting a little more assistance in recognizing symptoms of depression and other mind-based, chemical-based or traumatic illnesses, many of our older veterans and their families suffer in isolation.  The Togus site has contact information if you think a loved one needs a little help.

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Veterans Improved Pensions: Navigating the Application Process, Part II

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

My previous post discussed the application process for veterans pensions. In this posting, I will be talking some more about the service requirements behind the VA Improved Pension.   But before I get to that, you cannot apply for the Pension if you don’t know what forms you need to apply.  The following are the two basic applications needed to apply for Veterans benefits:

VA 21-526 Veteran’s Application for Compensation and/or Pension: Use this form if you are a veteran applying for any level of the Improved Pension

VA 21-534 For Application for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, Death Pension and Accrued Benefits by a Surviving Spouse or Child: Use this form if you are the surviving spouse or child of the veteran and are applying for any level of the Improved Pension.

Depending on your circumstances, these two forms may not be sufficient.  For instance if you have dependent children, which most of my clients do not have as they are older, there are multiple additional forms that you might need to fill out.

Each of these forms comes with a thorough instruction page which includes important notes and frequently asked questions.  I recommend reading the instructions in their entirety before proceeding with filling out the form.

Common Service Requirements

For each level of the VA Improved Pension, that includes Basic, Housebound and Aid & Attendance, there is a common service requirement.  The veteran must have served a minimum of 90 consecutive days in the military with at least one of those days being served during the following war times:

World War II: December 7, 1941 through December 31, 1946

Korean War: June 27, 1950 through January 31, 1955

Vietnam War:  August 5 1964 through May 7, 1975, ALSO, February 28, 1961 through August 5, 1964 is an eligibility period for those who served in the Republic of Vietnam.

Gulf War:  august 2, 1990 through a date not yet determined, but to be set by law of Presidential Proclamation.

Check in next week to read a comparison of the financial requirements behind each level of the Pension.

As always, don’t hesitate to contact me with questions, and I’ll help as best I can. Have a great day, Lynn

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Veterans Improved Pension: Navigating the ApplicationProcess, Part I

Thursday, May 6th, 2010

VA resources webThe process of applying to the VA for Pension benefits is like any other application process to a government agency.  It is confusing.

There is so much information circulating online and yet it seems there are always questions that cannot be answered with a google search.  This is why I strongly recommend seeking out government sponsored resources.  As a matter of law, agencies specializing in filing VA forms for Pension benefits are not allowed to charge fees for advising you on filing your application.  Not only is the advice free, but it may also get you a larger benefit package than you might get on your own without assistance.

There is a whole rulebook that applies to providing information or assistance in the preparation, presentation or prosecution of a benefits claim to the VA.

For instance, though I may have knowledge of certain parts of the application process, I am not legally allowed to provide direct information or advice in regards to a specific claim.  That information must come from a government accredited agency.  I can, however, provide general information and advice on benefits and qualifications for benefits.  This stipulation exists for the protection of veterans, to ensure they do not get scammed or do not receive false or misleading information.

Over the next few weeks I will be blogging about the eligibility criteria and application documents needed to apply for the Veterans Improved Pension.  At the end of each blog I will include a list of helpful government-sponsored resources.

For starters, the Improved Pension includes 3 levels of benefits.

  1. Basic Pension
  2. Housebound Benefits
  3. Aid & Attendance

To qualify for a portion of any of these benefits you must be permanently disabled, either as a result of military service or unrelated to your service.  The government considers all veterans and their spouses over the age of 65 to be permanently disabled for the sake of this application process.

Check in next week to find out more about the forms involved and the service requirements for applying.  Best, Lynn

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