MOMS Newsletter Mothers of Military Support

Christmas mission’s flight crews make history.

MOMS News Letter March 2008

This story!

Pilot Program Serving Rural Vets to Start in Montana

FORT HARRISON, Mont. -- Rural Montana veterans will now have easier access to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits information and assistance through an innovative, first-of-its-kind, remote benefits delivery pilot program using video-conferencing technology and staffing support.

OK, folks not so!
For the past 8 months MOMS has been working with the WDVA on a pilot program, "MOMs goes Mobil" unlike the one above were you have to go to a designated place to use "Video Conferencing". Instead Video Conferencing comes to the veteran.

Another part of the "MOMs goes Mobil" is to provide "on site" access at events throughout Washington so veterans can get first hand information and access direct to the VA to sign up for benefits and other available resources.
Just had to set the record stright!

March 26, 2008 You may remember the posting of Special Video's :
All Women Combat Helicopter Crew

Now the rest of the story!

BASE, IRAQ — On Christmas Day 2007, a little less than a month ago, the 2-147th Assault Helicopter Battalion, based in Minnesota, flew a historic Blackhawk mission under combat conditions into, and around, Baghdad.

The mission had the sense of history about it because every soldier in the two Blackhawks all four pilots, all four door-gunners was female. The two major briefings for the mission, by the S2 (intelligence) and S3 (operations), were also done by women.

Chief Warrant Officer Teresa Burgess of Olympia, Wash., was the air mission commander. That put her in charge of the overall mission and in one of the four pilots’ seats. “It was fun,” said the veteran pilot. “We never had a chance to do that before – eight women on two aircraft. Pretty neat.”

Did it worry her? Had she considered the reaction if something went wrong? “I thought about it the night before, but I’ve been training for years. I can do the job professionally and correctly, which is important in a combat zone. The question about competence wasn’t out there. We knew we could fly the mission.” Now’s the time for all good women... Nobody is actually sure where the idea for the mission came from, but it might have Greg Thingvold, of Stillwater. Thingvold is intensely proud of the National Guard, and is adamant about the merits of getting more females into the military. Traditional female roles are fine, he said, “But young women should know that there are more options out there. Lots of them. And the training is available in the military.”

Capt. Andrea Ourada, of Lucan, Minn, said that when Thingvold started to push the idea, the female pilots began to look at the possibility. “We weren’t trying to prove anything, really – it’s just that it hadn’t ever been done, and we had enough women in the battalion to pull it off. We couldn’t find any other flight battalion that ever could have done it. Not under combat conditions, anyway.”

The 2-147th, though based in Minnesota, includes elements from Washington and Hawaii for the Iraq deployment. The mission itself was virtually identical to the missions flown by the 2-147th almost every day of the year – moving out from Balad, the battalion transports troops, officers, politicians (just the other day, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice) and high-value small objects around the country. They get shot at while they’re doing it. Michelle Smith, of Houston, Minn., is a staff sergeant, a crew chief and a door-gunner. She volunteered for Iraq and thought the Christmas mission was “cool.” She has been in the guard for more than 17 years, and when not on active duty, commutes to Ft. McCoy, Wis., where she works as a firing-range safety officer and is more than familiar with weaponry.

She’s one of the people who thinks that the Blackhawks are frequently fired at, even if not often hit: “Fortunately,” she says wryly, “the enemy has not been trained really well on their weapons systems.” She leaves the impression that if Michelle Smith were training the insurgents, the Blackhawks would be in a lot more trouble. “Women should do more in the military than just pushing paper, and the Christmas mission was a chance to show off a little,” she said. Smith has an immediately engaging smile, an earnest smile. She volunteered for Iraq because she’d been training people for deployment. “This is my second family out here. I volunteered to come because I knew the rest of my people were going, and if I didn’t, who was going to take care of them?”

Pressure and perspective CWO Angie Barros, from Monticello, Minn., another of the pilots on the Christmas flight, said that when the idea for the mission was first floated, “I got a little stressed about it.” “This was going to be a supposedly historical event. Then I began thinking about why it should be historical. We do this. This is routine. I was amazed that it hadn’t

been done before. After I started thinking that way, I was fine.” The mission was fine, she said. “Showtime” – when the pilots and crew show up for the first morning briefings – was at 4:20 a.m., with “wheels-up” a little after 7. “We took off on time, made the stops on time – just a very smooth mission, overall,” she said.

Capt. Phoebe Inigo, from Hawaii, was the pilot most excited about the symbolic aspect of the flight. She comes from a “not very good neighborhood” on Oahu, she said, and the National Guard paid for her college education. “More girls need to know they can do this. That there are opportunities.

Other people from my neighborhood who went to college, if they could even get through, they’d have debts like $30,000. I had zero. And I got to fly. And here I am. I like it.” Inigo had worked extensively with the Guard in recruiting efforts in Hawaii, especially in her old neighborhood, going around to the schools, telling people what was available through the military. “That’s where the Christmas mission can be valuable. You say, ‘Look, this happened. I flew it.’ Would you like to do something like that? What would you like to do?”

Changing roles, attitudes In addition to the pilots and Sgt. Smith, the Christmas mission included crew chiefs Leilani Aho, from Washington, and Michelle Aina and Crisaron Voeuth, from Hawaii. Crew chiefs are qualified to do maintenance on the helicopters, in addition to working as door-gunners during the flight. They were on leave or unavailable for comment for this story.

Burgess, the air mission commander on Christmas, said one unhappy aspect of the landmark mission was that she missed her husband and two sons, ages 16 and 12, on the holidays. “They miss me, but they don’t really express it much. This is sort of old-hat for them — they’ve been with the military as long as they’ve been alive, and they know that this happens.”

Burgess has been in the military, in one way or another, for 25 years — 10 on active duty, 15 with the guard — and has seen things change over the years. “Attitudes [toward females] have changed. There are still some problems, but not like it used to be. I’ve had people get out of my helicopter when they found out a woman was flying it. I still have people say, ‘You know, you’re the first woman I’ve ever flown with.’ A lot of things have changed that over the years. The Christmas mission was another step in the process.”

John Camp is a Pulitzer Prizewinning journalist and best-selling novelist who writes under the pen name John Sandford. He can be reached at jcamp@minnpost.com.

VA to Open 14 New Clinics in Seven States

Peake: Health Care Closer for Veterans
WASHINGTON -- Veterans in seven additional states will have easier access to world-class health care under a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) plan to open 14 new outpatient clinics in 2008. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake today announced that VA will establish new clinics in Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Washington.
“VA is dedicated to providing the best in health care to the men and women who have served this nation in uniform,” Peake said. “These new clinics will bring that care closer to veterans who have earned it through their service.”
Locations for the new clinics are:
•    Arkansas – Phillips County
•    Illinois – Coles County
•    Indiana – Scott County
•    Kentucky – Carroll County, Christian County and Graves County
•    Oklahoma – Stillwater
•    Tennessee – Bolivar, Campbell County, Dyer County, Roane County, Sevier County and Warren County
•    Washington – Lewis County
The new clinics are scheduled to activate in 2008. The exact locations of the new facilities, along with their opening dates and the health care services they will provide, have to be determined. VA has previously approved 50 additional clinics that will begin providing services in 2008 for a total of 64 new clinics throughout the country this year.

VA Travel Nurse Corps

Travel, adventure and health care are all part of a VA nurse employment opportunity called the VA Travel Nurse Corps. Now you can be a travel nurse and a VA federal employee!

This exciting new program establishes an internal pool of registered nurses (RNs) who can be available for temporary, short-term assignments at VA medical centers throughout the country. The VA Travel Nurse Corps meets nurses’ needs for travel and flexibility while meeting VA medical center needs for temporary top quality nurses! VA medical centers are located in every state around the country.

The Travel Nurse Corps is an opportunity to provide quality nursing care to the nation’s veterans in state of the art health care facilities while seeing the United States. To learn more about the VA Travel Nurse Corps, send an email to TravelNurse@va.gov. To start the application process, fax your resume to (602) 200-2391 or call toll free (866) 664-1030 or in Phoenix (602) 200-2398 . We will respond to you promptly within 24-48 hours!
http://www.travelnurse.va.gov/

VA Reaches Out to Vets, Families in Need

WASHINGTON -- To support veterans and their families during major emergencies, especially natural disasters, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has begun to deploy mobile pharmacies that will provide vital medicine when patients are unable to fill their prescriptions. VA will also open up the facilities to help communities during major disasters and other emergencies.

“The mobile pharmacies give VA the ability to provide critical medications to veterans when disaster strikes,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake. “VA is committed to ensuring our veterans receive their care and prescriptions as soon as possible during an emergency.”

Each VA mobile pharmacy is housed in a 40-foot-long solid steel trailer built to withstand winds in a Category 3 storm. The units include a satellite connection with VA’s Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy system, a computerized, automated state-of-the-art mailout pharmacy that can process more than 1,000 prescriptions hourly.

Pharmacists can use the satellite system to obtain a veteran’s prescription data to dispense the drugs on site. In addition, VA can send replacement medications during an emergency by mail or another carrier to a veteran’s home or temporary address.

VA recognized the need for mobile pharmacies in 2005 after hurricanes Katrina and Rita severely damaged VA medical centers along the Gulf Coast. The Department deployed several mobile medical clinics as part of its response to the disasters.

The first mobile pharmacy was unveiled on Sept. 11, 2007 in front of VA’s Washington, D.C., headquarters. The unit was displayed recently at a meeting of the American Society of Health System Pharmacists in Las Vegas. A second mobile pharmacy is expected to be delivered in March 2008.

To ensure rapid response to a wide range of emergencies, VA’s mobile pharmacies will be strategically placed across the nation. Plans now call for one of the three mobile pharmacies to be stationed at Dallas; Murfreesboro, Tenn.; and Charleston, S.C. The Department also expects to acquire a fourth unit that will be placed in the western part of the country.

Each mobile pharmacy is divided into five compartments, including a work area for pharmacists, an entryway accessible to patients and a sleeping area with a bath and shower for VA personnel.

Pharmacy personnel from across the country have already volunteered to staff the units in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency. Six pharmacists who were part of a regional disaster drill have already completed their training and can deploy on short notice.

“Our mobile clinics enabled us to provide critical services during hurricanes Katrina and Rita not only to veterans but also to thousands of others in the area who were adversely affected by the storm,” said Michael Valentino, VA’s pharmacy chief. “These new mobile pharmacy units will ensure that we are even better prepared for future emergencies.”

Dear Elizabeth,

The American Legion Auxiliary would like to recognize you and Mothers Of Military Support
(MOMS) program as one of our Public Spirit Award winners for 2008. This award, established
in 1983, recognizes outstanding individuals and/or organizations for contributions that positively
impact our communities. We especially honor those efforts and contributions that directly or
indirectly benefit our military and veteran community and their families.

Some past recipients of the American Legion Auxiliary Public Spirit Award are Ronald Regan,
Jeanne Kirkpatrick, Ann Landers, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Miss America Heather Renee French
and Colin Powell. As the largest patriotic women's service organization in the world, we are
particularly proud to count you among these shining examples as we recognize our own
members as winners of the award this year.

The award presentation will take place at the Awareness Assembly luncheon in Washington,
D.C. on Monday, March 31. Since it is a stipulation that the recipient must accept the award in
person, I am most hopeful your schedule will permit you to be with us on this occasion.

I hope you can arrange to be with us; on behalf of our membership, I would be very pleased to
recognize your work and the MOMS program.

Sincerely
Jan Pulvermacher
National President

More Education Benefits Coming to Reservists, Guardsmen March 3, 2008 Changes Affect Those with Multiple Tours

WASHINGTON – Some members of the National Guard and the Reserves who serve on active duty will see a significant increase in their educational benefits, thanks to improvements announced today by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

“Reservists and National Guardsmen who serve multiple tours on active duty may get an increase in their educational benefits, in keeping with the value of their service to our nation,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake.

Under new provisions, members who accumulate three years on active duty, regardless of breaks in service, may be eligible for the maximum payment under the Reserve Education Assistance Program (REAP). Previously, reservists and guardsmen had to serve two continuous years on active duty to receive the highest payment.

The new eligibility rules are retroactive to October, 1, 2007. The top payment under REAP is currently $880.80 per month.

The new law, part of the National Defense Authorization Act, also expands the period of eligibility for certain Guard and Reserve members who complete their service obligation before separation from the selected reserve.

Members meeting these criteria may be eligible to use REAP benefits for a period of ten years following discharge. Benefits typically end upon separation for members who do not complete their full, obligated service.

Additionally, some REAP-eligible National Guard and Reserve members may now make an extra contribution to the Department of Defense to increase their monthly benefit rates.

Service members receive an additional $5 per month for each $20 contributed. With the maximum $600 contribution, this option can add up to $5,400 to a member’s total 36-month education benefit package.

Beginning on October 1, 2008, participants in REAP and the Montgomery GI Bill program for the Selected Reserve who pursue non-degree programs lasting less than two years may also be eligible to receive accelerated payments.

During FY 2007, more than 60,000 National Guardsmen and reservists were paid under REAP, more than 41,000 were paid under the Montgomery GI Bill program for the Selected Reserves, and approximately 344,000 participants were paid under the Montgomery GI Bill for active-duty members.

For more information on changes to VA’s GI Bill benefits, go to www.GIBILL.va.gov or contact VA directly at 1-888-GIBILL1 (or 1-888-442-4551).

MOMS News Letter January 2008

VA Is Leader in Hospice and Palliative Care January 8, 2008

Consultations for Veterans Nationwide

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is providing hospice and palliative care to a growing number of veterans throughout the country as the need continues to rise for care and comfort at the end of life.

VA provides palliative care consultation services at each of its medical centers and inpatient hospice care in many of its nursing homes throughout the country. VA contracts with community-based hospice programs to enhance VA’s ability to provide this critical service when and where needed.

“Wherever veterans receive their health care, VA has a system in place to address their hospice and palliative care needs,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake. “We are dedicated to providing compassionate care and personal assistance to the thousands of veterans and their families who face terminal illnesses.”

Nearly 9,000 veterans were treated in designated hospice beds at VA facilities in 2007, and thousands of other veterans were referred to community hospices to receive care in their homes.

The number of veterans treated in VA’s inpatient hospice beds increased by 21 percent in 2007. In addition, the average daily number of veterans receiving hospice care in their homes paid for by VA increased by 30 percent this past year.

Because of the large number of World War II and Korean era veterans and a tripling of the number of veterans over the age of 85 from 2000 to 2010, the increase in the need for hospice care is expected to continue. The proportion of Vietnam-era veterans over the age of 65 will continue to increase through 2014, when Vietnam veterans will account for nearly 60 percent of all veterans in that age group.

VA’s expansion of its hospice and palliative care capabilities came about through a collaboration with community-care providers. In 2001, the National Hospice-Veteran Partnership Initiative began to build partnerships between VA facilities and community hospice providers, funded in part by the VA and by nonprofit groups such as the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and the Advanced Illness Care Coordination Center.

To date, VA has partnered with community hospice programs in 35 states to promote hospice services that are not provided directly by VA staff. These partnerships help veterans transition from VA hospitals to their homes in the community.

Palliative care adds a focus on quality of life and comfort to veterans with life-limiting illness, and their families. Palliative care consultation teams include physicians, nurses, social workers and chaplains. Additional support may be provided by pharmacists, rehabilitation therapists, recreation therapists, mental health professionals and other specialists.

VA provides palliative care consultation teams at all of its hospitals nationwide, although such services are provided at only about one-fourth of all American hospitals. Nearly half of all veterans who died in VA facilities received care from a palliative care team prior to their deaths.

“VA is committed to helping veterans spend their final days with dignity and comfort, in the setting that best fits their needs and wishes,” Peake said.

Pay in Vets’ Work Program Ruled Tax-Free January 7, 2008

Ruling on Compensated Work Therapy Retroactive Three Years

WASHINGTON -- Payments provided to veterans under two specific programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) --

the Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) and Incentive Therapy (IT) programs -- are no longer taxable, according to the Internal Revenue Service. Veterans who paid tax on these benefits in the past three years can claim refunds.

Recipients of CWT and IT payments no longer receive a Form 1099 (Miscellaneous Income) from VA. Veterans who paid tax on these benefits in tax years 2004, 2005 or 2006 can claim a refund by filing an amended tax return using IRS Form 1040X. Nearly 19,000 veterans received CWT benefits last year, while 8,500 received IT benefits.
The IRS agreed with a U.S. Tax Court decision earlier in 2007 that CWT payments are tax-free veterans benefits. In so doing, the agency reversed a 1965 ruling that these payments were taxable and required VA to report payments as taxable income.

The CWT and IT programs provide assistance to veterans unable to work and support themselves. Under the CWT program, VA contracts with private industry and the public sector for work by veterans, who learn new job skills, strengthen successful work habits and regain a sense of self-esteem and self-worth.
Veterans are compensated by VA for their work and, in turn, improve their economic and social well-being.

Under the IT program, seriously disabled veterans receive payments for providing services at about 70 VA medical centers.

New VA Rules for Specially Adapted Housing Grants January 4, 2008

Program Aids Most Seriously Injured

WASHINGTON – A change in the law that allows certain seriously injured veterans and servicemembers to receive multiple grants for constructing or modifying homes has resulted in many new grants, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today.

Before the change, eligible veterans and servicemembers could receive special adaptive housing grants of $10,000 or $50,000 from VA only once. Now they may use the benefit up to three times, so long as the total grants stay within specified limits outlined in the law.

“Veterans seriously disabled during their military service have earned this benefit,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake. “This change ensures that every eligible veteran and servicemember has the chance to use the maximum amount afforded to them by our grateful nation.”

In order to ensure all previous recipients are aware of this opportunity, VA has mailed more than 16,000 letters to eligible veterans, reaching out to those who used only a portion of their grant or who decided not to use the grant even after initially qualifying.

The response over the past year has been dramatic, with more than 4,600 applications received thus far. Of these, approximately 3,900 veterans have been determined eligible under the new law, and more than 200 grants already awarded.

VA has averaged about 1,000 adaptive housing grant applications per year during the past 10 years. Since the program began in 1948, it has provided more than $650 million in grants to about 34,000 seriously disabled veterans.

To ensure veterans’ and servicemembers’ needs are met and grant money is spent properly, VA works closely throughout the entire process with contractors and architects to design, construct and modify homes that meet the individuals’ housing accessibility needs.

Eligible for the benefit are those with specific service-connected disabilities entitling them to VA compensation for a “permanent and total disability.” They may receive a grant to construct an adapted home or to modify an existing one to meet their special needs.

VA has three types of adapted housing grants available. The Specially Adapted Housing grant (SAH), currently limited to $50,000, is generally used to create a wheelchair-accessible home for those who may require such assistance for activities of daily living.

VA’s Home Loan Guaranty program and the Native American Direct Loan program may also be used with the SAH benefit to purchase an adaptive home.

The Special Housing Adaptations (SHA) grant, currently limited to $10,000, is generally used to assist veterans with mobility throughout their homes due to blindness in both eyes, or the anatomical loss or loss of use of both hands or extremities below the elbow.

A third type established by the new law, the Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) grant, is available to eligible veterans and seriously injured active duty servicemembers who are temporarily living or intend to temporarily live in a home owned by a family member.

While the SAH and SHA grants require ownership and title to a house, in creating TRA Congress recognized the need to allow veterans and active duty members who may not yet own homes to have access to the adaptive housing grant program.

Under TRA, veterans and servicemembers eligible under the SAH program would be permitted to use up to $14,000, and those eligible under the SHA program would be allowed to use up to $2,000 of the maximum grant amounts. Each grant would count as one of the three grants allowed under the new program.

“The goal of all three grant programs is to provide a barrier-free living environment that offers the country’s most severely injured veterans or servicemembers a level of independent living,” added Peake.

Other VA adaptive housing benefits are currently available through Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Service’s “Independent Living” program, the Insurance Service’s Veterans Mortgage Life Insurance program, and the Veterans Health Administration’s Home Improvement and Structural Alterations grant.

For more information about grants and other adaptive housing programs, contact a local VA regional office at 1-800-827-1000 or local veteran service organization. Additional program information and grant applications (VAF-26-4555) can be found at http://www.homeloans.va.gov/sah.htm

MOMS News Letter December 2007

Question? What is a Veterans Service Officer and are they needed?
December 10, 2007, 5:21 AM

Veterans Service Officer------Veterans Benefits Specialist

Mission Statement: In recognition of the special sacrifices that veterans have made, Veterans Service Officers are dedicated to providing the highest quality service to Veterans and their family members utilizing all available resources including federal, state, county and civic. They strive to keep veterans and their family members informed of all pertinent information through the use of all available technologies and actively work for the protection of veterans benefits.

Quote! VFW

http://www.vfw.org/index.cfm?fa=vets.home&tok=1

If you are eligible for federal benefits, but never have applied, you still can. Let a professionally trained VFW service officer help you. In fact, by turning to the VFW to help you file a claim, the chances for approval are much better than if you go it alone.

Quote! American Legion

http://www.legion.org/?section=our_legion&subsection=ol_departments&content=ol_dsodir

Veterans need not be alone in their battles for benefits and medical care. Veterans are often forced to wage war against the paperwork and bureaucracy of government in order to get medical care or benefits. Here's some good news: American Legion Service Officers (DSO) offer free advice and guidance for veterans who need to deal with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

This directory provides contact telephone numbers and addresses for the service officers in your area. Direct all correspondence to Department Service Officer.

Veterans Administration

Directory of Veterans Service Organizations

Welcome to the online Directory of Veterans Service Organizations. This is published as an informational service by the Office of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. This up-to-date, database driven Web site allows you to View VSO information in a variety of ways.

Inclusion of an organization in the directory does not constitute approval or endorsement by VA or the United States Government of the organization or its activities. Some V.S.Os are "chartered", which means they are federally chartered and/or recognized or approved by the VA Secretary for purposes of preparation, presentation, and prosecution of claims under laws administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Inclusion of non-chartered organizations does not constitute or reflect VA recognition of said organization and its representatives for purposes of representation of VA claimants.

Do you really need a V.S.O? Are V.S.Os really needed? Why you do not really need a V.S.O.

VA Health Care Eligibility & Enrollment

VA provides a Medical Benefits Package, a standard enhanced health benefits plan available to all enrolled veterans. This plan emphasizes preventive and primary care, and offers a full range of outpatient and inpatient services within VA health care system.

VA maintains an annual enrollment system to manage the provision of quality hospital and outpatient medical care and treatment to all enrolled veterans. A priority system ensures that veterans with service-connected disabilities and those below the low-income threshold are able to be enrolled in VA’s health care system.

Medical Benefits Package

Medical Benefits Package (Standard Benefits)

http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/coveredservices/StandardBenefits.asp

enrollment

http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/Library/Glossary/index.asp#enroll

low-income threshold

http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/Library/Glossary/index.asp#lowincome

Benefits on the Go

VA enrollment allows health care benefits to become portable throughout the entire VA system. Enrolled veterans who are traveling or who spend time away from their primary treatment facility may obtain care at any VA health care facility across the country without the worry of having to reapply.

All Veterans are Potentially Eligible

Eligibility for most veterans’ health care benefits is based solely on active military service in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard (or Merchant Marines during WW II), and discharged under other than dishonorable conditions.

Reservists and National Guard members who were called to active duty by a Federal Executive Order may qualify for VA health care benefits. Returning service members, including Reservists and National Guard members who served on active duty in a theater of combat operations have special eligibility for hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care for two years following discharge from active duty.

Health Care eligibility is not just for those who served in combat.

Other groups may be eligible for some health benefits.

Veteran’s health care is not just for service-connected injuries or medical conditions.

Veteran’s health care facilities are not just for men only. VA offers full-service health care to women veterans.

Click here to get started in determining your eligibility for VA health care benefits or click on a menu button to the left to learn about specific programs and benefits.

http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/eligibility/DetermineEligibility.asp

Step 2. Enrollment in VA Health Care System

Generally, you must be enrolled in VA health care system to receive benefits offered in the Medical Benefits Package.

http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/coveredservices/StandardBenefits.asp

Information About Enrollment

To apply for VA health care benefits, including enrollment you must fill out an application. We use the application to determine:

Whether you have qualifying service as a veteran

What your veteran status is so that you can be placed into one of the enrollment priority groups

http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/eligibility/PriorityGroups.asp

The number of veterans who can be enrolled in the health care program is determined by the amount of money Congress gives VA each year. Since funds are limited, VA set up priority groups to make sure that certain groups of veterans are able to be enrolled before others.

Once enrolled, most veterans remain enrolled from year to year without further action on their part. However,

Some veterans need to provide updated financial information to continue their enrollment in a certain priority group

You may cancel your enrollment anytime

Changes in VA’s available resources may reduce the number of priority groups VA can enroll in a given year. If that occurs, VA will publicize the enrollment changes and notify affected enrollees.

Enrollment Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/Library/FAQs/EnrollmentFAQ.asp

Applying for Care

http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/application/

Applying for VA health Care, Nursing Home, Domiciliary or Dental Benefits

You can apply for VA health care, Nursing Home, Domiciliary or Dental Benefits by completing VA Form 10-10EZ, Application for Health Benefits. Be sure you sign and date the application. You can obtain this form by:

Accessing our web site, www.va.gov/1010EZ.htm, or

Visiting, calling or writing any VA health care facility or Veterans Benefits Office. or

Calling VA’s Health Benefits Service Center, toll free at 877-222-VETS (8387), Monday through Friday between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. eastern

Domiciliary

A VA facility that provides care on an ambulatory self-care basis for veterans disabled by age or disease who are not in need of acute hospitalization and who do not need the skilled nursing services provided in a nursing home.

VA Form 10-10-EZ

https://www.1010ez.med.va.gov/sec/vha/1010ez/

VA Form 10-10EZ - Application for Medical Benefits (Enroll)

The primary purpose of this form is to request enrollment in the VA Health Care System (Apply for Medical Benefits). Typically, veterans who have NOT previously enrolled or applied for VA health care benefits should use this form.

Instructions for Completing VA Form 10-10EZ On-Line

At Your Fingertips

Before beginning the online submission process, we suggest viewing or printing the 10-10EZ to assist you in gathering all the information required to complete it. This is a "smart" form in that it will route you around sections of the form you do not have to complete which is based on the information you enter. To navigate this form, use the buttons provided on each page. Do not use the browser "Back" and "Forward" buttons.

https://www.1010ez.med.va.gov/sec/vha/1010ez/Form/vha-10-10ez.pdf

Update/change your information

http://www.va.gov/vaforms/medical/pdf/vha-10-10ezr-fill.pdf

Start Application for Enrollment Benefits

I have read this page and want to go to the Online Submission Form

https://www.1010ez.med.va.gov/sec/vha/1010ez/

ON the above page is BUTTON when you click on this button

You will “GO TO THE ONLINE SUBMISSION FORM”

So this poses the question as to WHY? Do I need a V.S.O.?

What Evidence Is Needed to Apply?

To reduce processing time, you may submit the following paperwork

a copy of your discharge papers (DD-214 or “WD” form) if you are not currently receiving benefits from VA,

military service records indicating that you received a Purple Heart Medal, or

evidence that you received hostile fire or imminent danger pay or a a combat medal after this date if you indicated that you were in combat after November 11, 1998

Duty to Assist

Veterans Claims Act of 2000 and Duty to Assist

The new law requires that the VA obtain any records in the VA's possession, or within any other Federal agency. The law also mandates the VA tell the claimant what evidence is needed to support their claim. The VA now must make several efforts to obtain any evidence identified by the claimant.

Evidence to support a claim

By law, the burden of proof falls on the veteran or dependent. Even though the VA is now required to look for evidence, this may take many months. You can help your claim and speed up the process if you can obtain supporting evidence. Evidence can be any number of items:

The veteran's statements, especially those of combat veterans claiming a "combat related" injury or illness;

Statements from friends, relatives or anyone that has knowledge of your disability and its relationship to service; Medical evidence.

Any lay statements must fit certain criteria and are not always helpful. Some can be harmful to your claim. You should discuss any statements (remember they are not lawyers) with your veterans representative before submitting it to the VA.

What if I Need Assistance?

If you need assistance completing the form, contact:

The Enrollment Coordinator at your local VA health care facility.

VA’s Health Benefits Service Center at 877-222-VETS (8387),

A State or County Veterans Service Officer,

http://www.dva.wa.gov/

A Service Officer with a Veteran Service Organization If Available!

Directory of Veterans Service Organizations

http://www1.va.gov/vso/ Just because an organization is “chartered” does not mean they are great at what they do.

This is where we started the top.

http://www1.va.gov/vso/index.cfm?template=view

If you need assistance completing the form contact: If one is available! (Research reference data document, Mothers of Military Support. A call to all Veteran Service Organizations claiming to have a Veteran Service Officers, in Washington State over 90% not available. Date, Support doc. Aug, Dec, 07)

For those that are in doubt of our findings by all means go to V.S.O List http://cvcwashington.org/General/StateMap.aspx and give them a call.

Nowhere does it state that you are required to contact a V.S.O. In fact is just the opposite follow the flow of information and you will see it.

Are suggestion to a Veteran: Do Not use a Veterans Service Officer------Veterans Benefits Specialist, other than a State mandated government agency such as the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA)

We also suggest that you “GO TO THE ONLINE SUBMISSION FORM” first. Why? Because the form itself helps you find out what you will need for “evidence”.
Once you have submitted and depending upon the response you received back, then if needed go to your state Veterans Benefits Specialist with your situation you will find that you inquiry will move along a lot faster.

SO, Are V.S.O.’S really needed? Answer: Yes, but the middleman is not!

And don’t for get VONAPP http://vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp/about_vonapp.asp

The VONAPP (Veterans On Line Applications) Web site is an official U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Web site, that enables veterans to apply for benefits using the Internet. U.S. military veterans and some service members within six months of separation or retirement can apply for compensation, pension, and vocational rehabilitation benefits.

U.S. military veterans, service members with two years of service, and members of the Selected Reserve can apply for education benefits.

VONAPP also has a link to VA Form 10-10EZ, Application for Health Benefits

Who Can Sign the Form?

You or the person acting as your Power of Attorney must sign and date the form.

If your Power of Attorney signs and dates the form you must submit a copy of the Power of Attorney with the form.

If you sign with an “X”, then two people that you know should witness you as you sign. They must also sign and print their names on the form.

Where Do I Send My Completed Application? (Does not say give to a Veteran Service Organization, if fact they are not even listed in this section.)

Mail the original application with a copy of your supporting materials to your local VA health care facility.

http://www1.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp?isFlash=1

When Will I Receive A Decision On My Application?

Once your application for enrollment in VA health care system is processed, VA’s Health Eligibility Center will send you a letter informing you of your enrollment priority group assignment and whether you were enrolled.

The letter will also give you instructions on how to appeal the decision if you do not agree with it.

Do I Need to Reapply Annually?

Veterans who are enrolled will remain enrolled without having to reapply for benefit annually. However, some veterans will need to update their financial information yearly to keep their enrollment priority current. VA will contact these veterans when it is time to update their financial information

Instructions for Mailing/Faxing the Form

You can also submit VA Form 10-10EZ by mailing or faxing the completed (signed and dated) form to the VA Medical Center or Clinic of your choice. Click here for a listing of VA Medical Facilities and Clinics.

http://www1.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp?isFlash=1

Facilities Locator & Directory

Washington State

http://www1.va.gov/directory/guide/state.asp?State=WA&dnum=ALL

Print A copy Doc, VSO-Are-They-Needed-MS-Word-Doc-97-2003-Dec-07.doc

Download MS WORD VIEWER