Veteran Service Officers
American Legion Post 141 is here to help. We have a Veterans Service Officer (VSO) who has resources and has connections to other resources for:
Phone: (517) 258-2167
alvso@gmail.com
Accredited American Legion VSOs are specially trained to provide expert assistance, free of charge, concerning VA disability benefits and other VA programs. But the Legion is here to help even if your question is not about the VA. The VSO has access to resources for housing, food, economic help, employment, education, transportation, transition into or out of deployment status, and for many other aspects of life that are experienced differently by veterans than by civilians who have not seen, done or been though what you and your family have.
Just because you took off the uniform doesn’t mean you are no longer part of the US military family. We had each other’s back then. We still do now.
- active duty, guard and reserve service members
- anybody with prior US military service
- immediate family of the above
- caregivers for the above
Phone: (517) 258-2167
alvso@gmail.com
Accredited American Legion VSOs are specially trained to provide expert assistance, free of charge, concerning VA disability benefits and other VA programs. But the Legion is here to help even if your question is not about the VA. The VSO has access to resources for housing, food, economic help, employment, education, transportation, transition into or out of deployment status, and for many other aspects of life that are experienced differently by veterans than by civilians who have not seen, done or been though what you and your family have.
Just because you took off the uniform doesn’t mean you are no longer part of the US military family. We had each other’s back then. We still do now.
PAST REPORTS
July 2022
Mental Health Hotline: No more messing around with dialing a ten-digit number then waiting through an announcement and then dialing “1” to get mental health help in a hurry. Starting now, you should dial “988” instead. You can use this number for yourself or to get help dealing with a veteran who is experiencing a mental health emergency. Be advised, this number is used by civilians as well, so if you want help for a vet related issue, be sure to say so because they can directly connect you to folks who specialize in helping veterans and their caregivers and families.
Vet Fest Last month I said that VetFest will be in Washtenaw instead of in Livingston. Turns out I was wrong. There will also be the Livingstong County VetFest, run by the same group as last year. The event runs from 1200 to 1600 on 13 August at the Fowlerville Fairgrounds. You do need a ticket which you get online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vet-fest-livingston-county-2022-tickets-348925113407?aff=Website
PACT Act If all goes well, the PACT Act will be law by our August meeting. The new law would do a lot of things for veterans, families and caregivers. Congress finally recognizes that military service comes with toxic exposures that cause long term illness, sometimes death too, both for the servicemembers and for their offspring. It beefs up the process for identifying veterans with toxic exposure, it calls for more studies about how offspring are impacted and to what extent and provides for faster and more complete treatment and compensation. Once it passes, you can see me for more details.
Adaptive Housing needs Help You already know that certain disabled vets are entitled to a grant to fixup their house to make it useful for veterans with their particular disabilities. What you might not know is that the VA is looking for contractors to do those modifications and, surprisingly, it needs veterans with disabilities to use up the grant money that is available for those home remodeling projects. Please spread the word.
Pimp my Ride There is also a similar program to adapt your vehicle to your needs in the context of your disabilities. https://www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/special-claims/automobile-allowance-adaptive-equipment/
Quickest way to get your DD-214? Call 800 642-4838 and ask them to send it to you. That number goes to the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency. They have many electronic DD-214’s on file. One of them might be yours. If you are old, you were told to record your DD-214 with the county clerk’s office. If you took that advice, you can get a copy there.
June 2022
Washtenaw Vet Fest will be like the one we attended last year at the Fowlerville fairgrounds but put on by a different group – Veterans Community Action Team 9 (or VCAT9). 23 July from 1100 to 1500. Ticket required, but free. See https://tinyurl.com/washvet22 for details. The other group’s VetFest will be in Roscommon County this year.
Veteran Hiring Event We will be hosting a hiring event on 20 October 2022. To be successful, we’ll need 15 employers who have open jobs they want to fill with veterans. If you know of an employer that might be interested, please let me know or refer them to me. The other half of the event is helping veterans get ready to be hired.
New Life Insurance Program
In January 2023, VA will launch a new program offering, Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife), which provides guaranteed acceptance whole-life insurance coverage to Veterans ages 80 and under with any level of service-connected disability. Although, some Veterans aged 81 and older may also be eligible. For more information, go to https://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/103790/valife-insurance-program-coming-january-2023-veterans-with-service-connection
VA Canteen Offers Discount Eye Wear
Get up to 35% off your next pair of glasses with Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) Rx Eyewear! Veterans enrolled in VA health care, their families, and caretakers have access to discounts on a wide variety of both prescription or regular glasses and sunglasses. Check https://vcsrxeyewear.com for details.
Just Got Back?
If you just got home from service and are wondering about VA benefits, transition assistance and other related services, check out this online resource guide: https://www.va.gov/welcome-kit/?utm_source=footer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=VetResources
This 51 page booklet is not anything you want to read from cover to cover, but it will outline your benefits and some resources available to you. If a topic interests you, there are additional details about it and how to apply for it, etc.
May 2022
Need A Big Turnout Michigan attorney Lisa H Beatty will be here at 1830 on 25 May. She’s coming here on her own time to help you understand the 5 most important documents everyone should have and to answer your questions about living wills and estate planning.
Nine New Presumptives for Sandbox Vets On April 26, VA announced the addition of nine rare respiratory cancers to the list of presumed service-connected disabilities due to exposure to fine particulate matter for Veterans who served any amount of time in Afghanistan, Djibouti, Syria or Uzbekistan during the Persian Gulf War, from September 19, 2001, to the present, or The Southwest Asia theater of operations from August 2, 1990, to the present.
Veterans and survivors who had claims previously denied for any of the below respiratory cancers are encouraged to file a supplemental claim for benefits;
Squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx;
Squamous cell carcinoma 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.
Learn Free Job-Ready Skills with Career Forward
Veterans, transitioning service members, military spouses and military caregivers are eligible to participate in Career Forward for free. Learn job-ready skills and start a new career in under six months with help from Google Career Certificates available in data analytics, IT support, project management, or user experience design.
https://www.hiringourheroes.org/career-services/education-networking/career-forward/
Travel Benefit Expanded As of July 2021, all Veterans with a discharge status of honorable or general under honorable conditions are eligible to shop for a wide selection of discounted rates on hotels, air fare, rental cars, vacation packages, cruises and much more on www.AmericanForcesTravel.com.
American Forces Travel is the Department of Defense’s official Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) platform offering bookings for leisure travel. A portion of all bookings go back to support military quality of life programs.
April 2022
Estate Planning
Rain Replay Michigan attorney Lisa H Beatty will be here at 1830 on 25 May. She’s
coming here on her own time to help you understand the 5 most important
documents everyone should have and to answer your questions about living wills and
estate planning. We didn’t have a good turn out last time due to weather and short
notice. Please help get the word out.
Commissary Benefit In 2020, commissary shopping benefits expanded to include
more Veterans:
Veterans with any VA-documented service-connected disabilities; Purple Heart recipients;
Former prisoners of war; and Individuals assessed, approved and designated as primary family caregivers to eligible Veterans under VA’s Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. Veterans and designated caregivers are encouraged to check their commissary privilege qualifications. The benefit can be used on line to some extent.
Together We Served: This is a VA website that will help you connect with the people
with whom you served. While it is offered to help you connect with those you survived
with and probably still can relate to today, another reason to be aware of it is in case
you need a buddy statement for your VA compensation claim. The military records
you think are being kept may not be accessible. If you need help proving where you
were, when you were there or what happened while you were there, this website can
help you find people who were there with you. There are over two million veterans
on this site so far. https://join.togetherweserved.com/va
Job Fair Plans: Our plans to hold a job fair are still underway. I believe details will
start coming together yet this month.
March 2022
Need A Big Turnout Michigan attorney Lisa H Beatty will be here at 1830 on 23 March. She’s coming here on her own time to help you understand the 5 most important documents everyone should have and to answer your questions about living wills and estate planning.
Veterans Employment Services (VES) The concept of veterans helping veterans is a trademark of the VES team and one of the keys to its success. Veterans face many challenges when transitioning out of the military – finding meaningful employment should not be one of them.
• Veterans in need of employment assistance should contact the nearest Michigan Works! One-Stop Service Center by calling 800-285-WORKS (9675) or visiting https://www.michiganworks.org/.
• More information about Veterans’ Employment Services is available at https://www.michigan.gov/leo/0,5863,7-336-94422_95539_98962---,00.html.
• Register today and start your job search at Pure Michigan Talent Connect at https://www.mitalent.org/.
Sand Box Presumptive Cancers: If you served in the southwest Asia theater of operations - Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, and the airspace above these locations, you should file a notice of intent to file a claim with the VA if you have one of these cancers:
February 2022
Benefit Recalculation: It is true that certain benefit ratings are being recalculated. However, the changes will not apply retroactively. Your current rating will not be changed unless you do something like as for a new rating. The changes are based on the science and the data associated with aspects of illnesses as they are becoming better understood. Hearing and PTSD ratings are among those that will change. The changes are only proposed at this point anyway.
Veteran Health Care Reopened: Post 9/11 veterans were given 5 years of VA healthcare when they left active duty. Due to the passage of a slimmed down burn pit bill, all post 9/11 veterans will get one more year of free healthcare at the VA. Those who apply will be screened for all of the known problems associated with burn pits and other toxic exposures they may have experienced down range. Even if you like your private pay healthcare, still sign up and go through the screening.
Post 9/11 Veterans Dying Fast: Post 9/11 veterans are dying at a faster rate than Americans overall. Those who experienced traumatic brain injury are the most at risk. Post 9/11 veterans are committing suicide at double the rate of the American population. Please keep your eye on our post 9/11 brothers and sisters.
Speaking of Veteran Suicide: The VA has a new suicide prevention strategy. You can read about HERE.
Goal 7 of the plan is to provide training to community and clinical service providers on the prevention of suicide and related behaviors. The VA thinks all community-based and clinical suicide prevention professionals whose work brings them into contact with Veterans at risk for suicide should be trained on military culture, how to address suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and how to respond to those who have been affected by suicide. Once this training becomes available, I’ll let you know. We should get this training.
January 2022
From the Veterans Benefits Newsletter: Solid Start
The VA is calling every newly separated service member three times during their first year of separation. From help getting a home loan, to health care, to returning to work, to mental health support – the VA is here for you. It’s your call. Qualified VA representatives will be reaching out to help you better understand the benefits available to you and help you get a solid start on your civilian life. VA is on the line – take the call!
https://benefits.va.gov/transition/solid-start.asp
National Personnel Records Center Update:
Since covid, the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) has been running at less than 15% capacity. It increased to 25% in September and is now up to 45%. Due to the lack of personnel, NPRC is processing requests that were made in November of 2019. If you need something from your records in a hurry, go to your e-benefits website and look there. Not signed up yet? Click here:
https://myaccess.dmdc.osd.mil/identitymanagement/registration.do?execution=e1s1
Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency may have what you need, including your DD-214. Contact them at 800-642-4838. Also, your DD-214 may be on file in the county you came home to after your service. Check with the register of deeds there.
Free Premium Linked In: LinkedIn offers U.S. veterans a free one-year Premium Careers subscription, including access to LinkedIn Learning.
To be eligible for this offer, you must meet all of the following requirements:
https://socialimpact.linkedin.com/programs/veterans/premiumform
VA Response Time Rules Change:
I’ve had a couple people ask what to do when they receive a letter that was dated months ago and says they have 30 days or more to respond. The delay is a dual problem. The company that is contracted by the VA to produce the letters is having difficulty. When the documents finally get to the post office, they are also held up longer because of the post office delivery timeframe. The VA is aware of both issues. They have said they are automatically extending the deadlines for any of the letters it sends by an additional 90 days. When you receive something that requires a response, complete it immediately and send it back as quickly as you reasonably can. Most forms have a “comment” box on them. It’s a good idea to mention the date you received the demand letter and the date of the demand letter in the comments box of your reply form.
July 2022
Mental Health Hotline: No more messing around with dialing a ten-digit number then waiting through an announcement and then dialing “1” to get mental health help in a hurry. Starting now, you should dial “988” instead. You can use this number for yourself or to get help dealing with a veteran who is experiencing a mental health emergency. Be advised, this number is used by civilians as well, so if you want help for a vet related issue, be sure to say so because they can directly connect you to folks who specialize in helping veterans and their caregivers and families.
Vet Fest Last month I said that VetFest will be in Washtenaw instead of in Livingston. Turns out I was wrong. There will also be the Livingstong County VetFest, run by the same group as last year. The event runs from 1200 to 1600 on 13 August at the Fowlerville Fairgrounds. You do need a ticket which you get online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vet-fest-livingston-county-2022-tickets-348925113407?aff=Website
PACT Act If all goes well, the PACT Act will be law by our August meeting. The new law would do a lot of things for veterans, families and caregivers. Congress finally recognizes that military service comes with toxic exposures that cause long term illness, sometimes death too, both for the servicemembers and for their offspring. It beefs up the process for identifying veterans with toxic exposure, it calls for more studies about how offspring are impacted and to what extent and provides for faster and more complete treatment and compensation. Once it passes, you can see me for more details.
Adaptive Housing needs Help You already know that certain disabled vets are entitled to a grant to fixup their house to make it useful for veterans with their particular disabilities. What you might not know is that the VA is looking for contractors to do those modifications and, surprisingly, it needs veterans with disabilities to use up the grant money that is available for those home remodeling projects. Please spread the word.
Pimp my Ride There is also a similar program to adapt your vehicle to your needs in the context of your disabilities. https://www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/special-claims/automobile-allowance-adaptive-equipment/
Quickest way to get your DD-214? Call 800 642-4838 and ask them to send it to you. That number goes to the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency. They have many electronic DD-214’s on file. One of them might be yours. If you are old, you were told to record your DD-214 with the county clerk’s office. If you took that advice, you can get a copy there.
June 2022
Washtenaw Vet Fest will be like the one we attended last year at the Fowlerville fairgrounds but put on by a different group – Veterans Community Action Team 9 (or VCAT9). 23 July from 1100 to 1500. Ticket required, but free. See https://tinyurl.com/washvet22 for details. The other group’s VetFest will be in Roscommon County this year.
Veteran Hiring Event We will be hosting a hiring event on 20 October 2022. To be successful, we’ll need 15 employers who have open jobs they want to fill with veterans. If you know of an employer that might be interested, please let me know or refer them to me. The other half of the event is helping veterans get ready to be hired.
New Life Insurance Program
In January 2023, VA will launch a new program offering, Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife), which provides guaranteed acceptance whole-life insurance coverage to Veterans ages 80 and under with any level of service-connected disability. Although, some Veterans aged 81 and older may also be eligible. For more information, go to https://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/103790/valife-insurance-program-coming-january-2023-veterans-with-service-connection
VA Canteen Offers Discount Eye Wear
Get up to 35% off your next pair of glasses with Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) Rx Eyewear! Veterans enrolled in VA health care, their families, and caretakers have access to discounts on a wide variety of both prescription or regular glasses and sunglasses. Check https://vcsrxeyewear.com for details.
Just Got Back?
If you just got home from service and are wondering about VA benefits, transition assistance and other related services, check out this online resource guide: https://www.va.gov/welcome-kit/?utm_source=footer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=VetResources
This 51 page booklet is not anything you want to read from cover to cover, but it will outline your benefits and some resources available to you. If a topic interests you, there are additional details about it and how to apply for it, etc.
May 2022
Need A Big Turnout Michigan attorney Lisa H Beatty will be here at 1830 on 25 May. She’s coming here on her own time to help you understand the 5 most important documents everyone should have and to answer your questions about living wills and estate planning.
Nine New Presumptives for Sandbox Vets On April 26, VA announced the addition of nine rare respiratory cancers to the list of presumed service-connected disabilities due to exposure to fine particulate matter for Veterans who served any amount of time in Afghanistan, Djibouti, Syria or Uzbekistan during the Persian Gulf War, from September 19, 2001, to the present, or The Southwest Asia theater of operations from August 2, 1990, to the present.
Veterans and survivors who had claims previously denied for any of the below respiratory cancers are encouraged to file a supplemental claim for benefits;
Squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx;
Squamous cell carcinoma 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.
Learn Free Job-Ready Skills with Career Forward
Veterans, transitioning service members, military spouses and military caregivers are eligible to participate in Career Forward for free. Learn job-ready skills and start a new career in under six months with help from Google Career Certificates available in data analytics, IT support, project management, or user experience design.
https://www.hiringourheroes.org/career-services/education-networking/career-forward/
Travel Benefit Expanded As of July 2021, all Veterans with a discharge status of honorable or general under honorable conditions are eligible to shop for a wide selection of discounted rates on hotels, air fare, rental cars, vacation packages, cruises and much more on www.AmericanForcesTravel.com.
American Forces Travel is the Department of Defense’s official Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) platform offering bookings for leisure travel. A portion of all bookings go back to support military quality of life programs.
April 2022
Estate Planning
Rain Replay Michigan attorney Lisa H Beatty will be here at 1830 on 25 May. She’s
coming here on her own time to help you understand the 5 most important
documents everyone should have and to answer your questions about living wills and
estate planning. We didn’t have a good turn out last time due to weather and short
notice. Please help get the word out.
Commissary Benefit In 2020, commissary shopping benefits expanded to include
more Veterans:
Veterans with any VA-documented service-connected disabilities; Purple Heart recipients;
Former prisoners of war; and Individuals assessed, approved and designated as primary family caregivers to eligible Veterans under VA’s Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. Veterans and designated caregivers are encouraged to check their commissary privilege qualifications. The benefit can be used on line to some extent.
Together We Served: This is a VA website that will help you connect with the people
with whom you served. While it is offered to help you connect with those you survived
with and probably still can relate to today, another reason to be aware of it is in case
you need a buddy statement for your VA compensation claim. The military records
you think are being kept may not be accessible. If you need help proving where you
were, when you were there or what happened while you were there, this website can
help you find people who were there with you. There are over two million veterans
on this site so far. https://join.togetherweserved.com/va
Job Fair Plans: Our plans to hold a job fair are still underway. I believe details will
start coming together yet this month.
March 2022
Need A Big Turnout Michigan attorney Lisa H Beatty will be here at 1830 on 23 March. She’s coming here on her own time to help you understand the 5 most important documents everyone should have and to answer your questions about living wills and estate planning.
Veterans Employment Services (VES) The concept of veterans helping veterans is a trademark of the VES team and one of the keys to its success. Veterans face many challenges when transitioning out of the military – finding meaningful employment should not be one of them.
• Veterans in need of employment assistance should contact the nearest Michigan Works! One-Stop Service Center by calling 800-285-WORKS (9675) or visiting https://www.michiganworks.org/.
• More information about Veterans’ Employment Services is available at https://www.michigan.gov/leo/0,5863,7-336-94422_95539_98962---,00.html.
• Register today and start your job search at Pure Michigan Talent Connect at https://www.mitalent.org/.
Sand Box Presumptive Cancers: If you served in the southwest Asia theater of operations - Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, and the airspace above these locations, you should file a notice of intent to file a claim with the VA if you have one of these cancers:
- 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.
February 2022
Benefit Recalculation: It is true that certain benefit ratings are being recalculated. However, the changes will not apply retroactively. Your current rating will not be changed unless you do something like as for a new rating. The changes are based on the science and the data associated with aspects of illnesses as they are becoming better understood. Hearing and PTSD ratings are among those that will change. The changes are only proposed at this point anyway.
Veteran Health Care Reopened: Post 9/11 veterans were given 5 years of VA healthcare when they left active duty. Due to the passage of a slimmed down burn pit bill, all post 9/11 veterans will get one more year of free healthcare at the VA. Those who apply will be screened for all of the known problems associated with burn pits and other toxic exposures they may have experienced down range. Even if you like your private pay healthcare, still sign up and go through the screening.
Post 9/11 Veterans Dying Fast: Post 9/11 veterans are dying at a faster rate than Americans overall. Those who experienced traumatic brain injury are the most at risk. Post 9/11 veterans are committing suicide at double the rate of the American population. Please keep your eye on our post 9/11 brothers and sisters.
Speaking of Veteran Suicide: The VA has a new suicide prevention strategy. You can read about HERE.
Goal 7 of the plan is to provide training to community and clinical service providers on the prevention of suicide and related behaviors. The VA thinks all community-based and clinical suicide prevention professionals whose work brings them into contact with Veterans at risk for suicide should be trained on military culture, how to address suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and how to respond to those who have been affected by suicide. Once this training becomes available, I’ll let you know. We should get this training.
January 2022
From the Veterans Benefits Newsletter: Solid Start
The VA is calling every newly separated service member three times during their first year of separation. From help getting a home loan, to health care, to returning to work, to mental health support – the VA is here for you. It’s your call. Qualified VA representatives will be reaching out to help you better understand the benefits available to you and help you get a solid start on your civilian life. VA is on the line – take the call!
https://benefits.va.gov/transition/solid-start.asp
National Personnel Records Center Update:
Since covid, the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) has been running at less than 15% capacity. It increased to 25% in September and is now up to 45%. Due to the lack of personnel, NPRC is processing requests that were made in November of 2019. If you need something from your records in a hurry, go to your e-benefits website and look there. Not signed up yet? Click here:
https://myaccess.dmdc.osd.mil/identitymanagement/registration.do?execution=e1s1
Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency may have what you need, including your DD-214. Contact them at 800-642-4838. Also, your DD-214 may be on file in the county you came home to after your service. Check with the register of deeds there.
Free Premium Linked In: LinkedIn offers U.S. veterans a free one-year Premium Careers subscription, including access to LinkedIn Learning.
To be eligible for this offer, you must meet all of the following requirements:
- Be a current or former U.S. military service member (non-US military are not eligible).
- Have not used the LinkedIn veteran promotion previously (one promotion per service member).
- You must not have a current LinkedIn Premium subscription.
https://socialimpact.linkedin.com/programs/veterans/premiumform
VA Response Time Rules Change:
I’ve had a couple people ask what to do when they receive a letter that was dated months ago and says they have 30 days or more to respond. The delay is a dual problem. The company that is contracted by the VA to produce the letters is having difficulty. When the documents finally get to the post office, they are also held up longer because of the post office delivery timeframe. The VA is aware of both issues. They have said they are automatically extending the deadlines for any of the letters it sends by an additional 90 days. When you receive something that requires a response, complete it immediately and send it back as quickly as you reasonably can. Most forms have a “comment” box on them. It’s a good idea to mention the date you received the demand letter and the date of the demand letter in the comments box of your reply form.
