Category: Benefits

From the Auxiliary: Vacationing Vet!

By Auxiliary President Donna Limric

 

One of the perks available for those who serve their country are DEALS: Goodwill, Dairy Queen, cell phone companies, cars, etc. We should always ask if a vendor has these discounts. We have earned them. When we buy items and services from these vendors we are also thanking them for supporting us.

 

When it comes to travel there are lots of deals.

 

The auxiliary is responsible for helping military personal, veterans, and families lead healthy and happy lives. Most of us take it for granted and think vacation time is a luxury or a frill. The truth is that self-care is crucial. I would like to offer our post members a few options that are available to veterans. There are cruises, camp grounds, hotels, and airlines that support veterans by offering discounts. There are hotels and other places to stay that are for active and retired military.

 

Here is a small sample of vacation deals and discounts I have found: Best Western, Choice Hotels, Comfort Inn, Embassy Suites, Hampton, Hawthorn Suites, Hilton Hotels and Resorts, La Quinta, Marriott, Motel 6, Red Lion Hotels, Red Roof Inn, and Sleep Inn all offer various discounts.

 

Sandals Beach Resorts, an all-inclusive resort in various ports of calls, has a 10% discount for veterans and active military personnel.

 

Caesars Entertainment International has a program called Total Rewards. This program offers discounts at all their properties (not just in Las Vegas but all around the world). This includes Caesars Palace, The Flamingo, Harrah’s, and Baily’s. They offer free parking on any of their properties, dinner deals, and more.

 

The Hale Koa is a resort on the island of Oahu. This is only for active military, veterans, and family members. In addition to room accommodations they also offer discount tickets to events.

 

Similar to the Hale Koa is the Shades of Green Lodge resort near Disney World.

 

Closer to home is Jim’s Creek, a camp ground in Snohomish county. This campground requires military ID.  However, one can bring guests.

 

Many Military bases have lodges and hotels available for those with DOD benefits.

 

Get out there have fun, relax, and enjoy the offers provided here. Also ask for discounts at airlines, car rentals, and attractions. It always pays to ask.

 

Tips From the Post Service Officer

By Gail Engler

 

As Ballard Eagleson Post 3063 Service Officer I am here to educate and inform veterans and their family members about their benefits, assist them in requesting military records, and submitting applications for benefits such as for disability, compensation and burial benefits. I can also provide a resource or referral for additional needs. Since I am not an accredited service officer, I cannot sign off on the forms as a veteran service organization (VSO) representative or submit the claim.

 

I can, however, help you request military records and obtain and complete the correct forms for submission to the VA. Claims are submitted by accredited VSOs located on the 10th floor of the Jackson Federal building at 915 2nd Avenue, Seattle. Any of the VSOs at the VFW, DAV, VVA and American Legion can submit a claim to the VA. An accredited VSO will review and submit the claim, and make sure it is well documented and that you have a fully developed claim. This ensures that your packet is not returned for minor things such as missing or incomplete form or missing documents.  They can also track your claim once it is submitted to the VA.

 

An important part of submitting a claim, especially for a service connected disability claim, is having all the required documentation prior to meeting with the service officer. Do you have a copy of your discharge papers from the service (DD 214 or equivalent) and your medical records from military service (which may document a service connected injury)? Do you have civilian medical records from your physician or other civilian medical professionals that further supports a service connected injury or illness?

 

Military discharge papers, personnel and medical records can be requested online by going to the VA website (http://www.va.gov) and completing an SF 180. Depending on your branch of service and when you served will determine where you send the request. If you do not have your discharge papers, do not procrastinate in getting a copy of it because it provides proof of eligibility for your veteran’s benefits.  Your spouse and/or family members or Power of Attorney should also know where you keep this important document.

 

Another important thing for veterans to keep in mind is making sure their loved ones are taken care of and that they know what benefits they are eligible for when the veteran passes away. For instance, if a veteran has filed a disability claim with the VA and passes away before the claim has been approved or disapproved, a “substitution of claimant” can be submitted that allows the VA to process the claim that was filed before the veteran’s death.

 

Also, the veteran’s widow is not automatically entitled to the veteran’s disability check. They must apply for a survivor’s pension, which is based on the veteran’s wartime service and must meet the income threshold of $80,000 in assets. The primary residence is not included but checking/savings accounts, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and real property are included. Some expenses, such as unreimbursed medical expenses, may reduce your countable income. The VA will determine if there are any accrued benefits are paid to the surviving spouse.

 

If a veteran is age 85 or older, or if the veteran has a terminal diagnosis, a request for the claim to be expedited will be included. A surviving spouse may also be eligible for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) if the veteran died from service connected disability (SCD) or the SCD contributed to their death. The SCD must be listed on the death certificate.

 

It may seem overwhelming to file a claim or you may think you are not eligible for any benefits but it is important to discuss this with a service officer and get their assistance in filing a fully developed claim.  The VA must then do their due diligence to determine the eligibility of the claim.  The claim process can take months but it may be worth your time.

 

I can be reached at [email protected] to set up an appointment to meet with you.

Why Use Vetverify.org and ID.me?

By Bill Griffith

 

There are two new hoops for us vets to jump through: https://www.vetverify.org/ and https://www.id.me/. Why should you bother? Well at Vetverify you can shop at the exchange. The exchange lets you buy online at the same price as active military and at the same time you save the sales tax.

 

The other website, id.me, is now used by the VA for secure messaging and access to the VA system. An added benefit of id.me is that you can get online discounts at many stores. You can also use id.me to prove to stores in person via your smart phone that you are a vet. If you have served since 1985 the process of signing up is straight forward. If you are like me and you served before 1985 you will need to provide your DD214 to both verify.org and id.me.

 

If you are having trouble getting these benefits please contact the post where several of us can help you with the process.

Quartermaster’s Update (November 2017)

By Harold Rodenberger

 

Last week another visitor came into my office asking where to find our clubroom. As always, I tell such visitors we don’t have a bar but that we do many other things for veterans, their families and our community.

 

For those readers who haven’t had a chance to attend meetings or join in our outreach efforts, here’s how our national headquarters describes out mission:

 

Our Mission: To foster camaraderie among United States veterans of overseas conflicts. To serve our veterans, the military and our communities. To advocate on behalf of all veterans.

 

Locally, we help fulfill this mission in many ways.

 

First, we take care of our own members and their families. Last month, for example, we donated from our relief fund to help a member whose young daughter is being treated for cancer; we routinely subsidize the meals served at our social and meeting nights; we maintain a library on military subjects for veterans; and our service officer gives top priority to helping our members get the benefits they have earned from the VA and other government agencies.

 

For other veterans and members of the community we operate a website, manage a Facebook page and publish a newsletter publicizing specialized information for our community; we visit the VA Hospital to bring a little cheer to the patients; we allow other veterans’ organizations to use our hall at no cost and allow nonprofit organizations of many kinds to rent our hall at minimal rates.

 

For the larger local community, we accept unserviceable flags for proper retirement and disposal, we donate food and other items to our local homeless camp and we visit local retirement homes. Our Color Guard has performed color-posting ceremonies in several venues and is scheduled for more.

 

Next time someone asks you what our members do besides drink and tell war stories, please let them know the many ways we support the VFW mission by serving veterans and our community.

 

We have been publishing this newsletter for almost three years now. It draws praise from members, other VFW members and readers in the community but we have found that those who receive the on-line edition don’t read the paper as much as we would like. To encourage more people to read the newsletter we are going to a quarterly printed publication mailed to all our members.

 

Our website and Facebook page will carry breaking stories as they develop. The printed newsletter will consolidate that news and carry it to all members.

 

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families.