Veteran Benefits in California

Posted in Uncategorized on February 1, 2017
Tags: city guide, military, state guide, tips for seniors, VA programs, veterans, veterans benefits

California has long lead the nation in the largest number of veterans living within its borders, with more than 1.8 million former servicemen and women calling it home. A veteran’s honorable service has earned a long list of California veterans benefits and services, but finding and accessing these can at times be challenging. Happily, California’s major cities have multiple organizations in place to assist and support its veterans.

Los Angeles

Along with having the largest number of veterans of any state, one of its best known cities – Los Angeles – also has the highest number of homeless veterans, with an estimated more than 400,000 living on the streets. The Los Angeles Housing Resource Center has an entire section of its website dedicated to helping veterans and their families find affordable housing. Another leading organization, New Direction for Veterans, has helped thousands of veterans since its founding in 1992 by two formerly homeless veterans. Today, in addition to running numerous transitional and permanent housing programs, the organization offers substance abuse treatment, counseling, remedial education, job training and placement, and parenting and money management classes, and tax and legal assistance. New Direction for Veterans is headquartered at 11303 Wilshite Blvd., VA Building 116.

For veterans in LA needing health care services, the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System offers two locations, the West Los Angeles Medical Center and the Los Angeles Ambulatory Care Center. Their spectrum of care includes an award-winning Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), women’s health programs, home-based care, hospice services, and programs that assist veteran family caregivers. The social work department at the West Los Angeles Medical Center offers addiction and mental health treatment and support, as well as geriatric-specific psychiatric services.

South of Los Angeles in Newport Beach, CA United Mission for Nonprofits of America has ten beds available at their veteran assisted living home and provide counseling and vocational rehab services. They provide an environment that helps veterans get acclimated back into society.

Visit the LA veteran resource page for additional local services and benefits.

Sacramento

The capital city offers numerous support systems for area veterans, including a local chapter of the Veterans Resource Centers of America, an award-winning community-based organization with a 40-year history of serving veterans. Veterans can visit the center to access services such as behavioral health treatment, housing help and homeless prevention, employment and training, permanent supportive housing, nutrition services, and case management.

The VA Northern California Health Care System has a location in Sacramento, located at 10535 Hospital Way. VANCHCS is an integrated health care delivery system, offering a comprehensive array of medical, surgical, rehabilitative, mental health and extended care to veterans in Northern California. Among their care options, veterans visiting this facility have access to emergency care, primary care, mental health and substance abuse programs and services, palliative care, caregiver support, hospice care, and and in-home care options.

Visit the Sacramento veteran resource page for additional local services and benefits.

San Diego

Known for its warm climate and welcoming beaches, the continuing issue of veteran homelessness prompted the city of San Diego to recently undertake a concerted effort to end veteran homelessness soon. Other organizations have been working on this effort as well, such as The Village Veterans of San Diego, a community non-profit that supports vets who have mental health or substance abuse issues through a five-prong approach that includes prevention, intervention, rehabilitation, aftercare, and employment services.

The VA San Diego Healthcare System provides a wide range of health care services, including primary care, geriatric care, women’s health, in-home care, hospice care, and additional specialized care services. The hospital also features a robust social work and mental health department that helps veterans suffering from PTSD, addiction, or substance abuse. The 40-bed Aspire Center offers treatment and temporary housing for veterans needing rehabilitation.

Visit the San Diego veteran resource page for additional local services and benefits.

San Francisco

One of the state’s most iconic cities is home for many veterans. The organization, Swords to Plowshares, has operated successful transitional, stabilization, and permanent supporting housing programs for more than two decades. With seven different housing sites, it has the capacity to house up to 446 veterans, including 12 veterans with families, from all walks of life and generations of military service. It also offers additional programs including employment training, legal services, women’s services, and income support.

The San Francisco VA Health Care System is located at 4150 Clement Street and offers eye care, dental, and lab services, along with specialized geriatrics and palliative care units for elderly patients. Adult day programs, respite care, and home health options are available for friends and family members who act as caregiver to a veteran. The SFVAMC is home to several National Centers of Excellence, including one for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) treatment.

Visit the San Francisco veteran resource page for additional local services and benefits.

San Jose

San Jose ranks number 6 among the top most expensive cities to live in (along with San Francisco, who ranks number 4 on the list). This can lead to challenges for veterans living on limited incomes or struggling with disability and injuries., including homelessness. It’s estimated that there are around 700 homeless veterans in the Sana Clara County, but in 2015 the local government entities launched “All the Way Home” campaign to work on reducing those numbers. Additionally, the non-profit organization Veterans Housing Facility, located at 10 Kirk Ave. in San Jose, combines emergency/treatment beds, transitional housing, and supportive services (such as case management, vocational rehabilitation, mental health and addiction treatment services, and housing assistance) to serve homeless veterans throughout the Silicon Valley.

The VA also maintains the San Jose Vet Center at 440 North 1st Street, Suite 120, open mornings during the week, and almost all day during the weekends. Vet Centers across the country provide a range of counseling, outreach, and referral services to combat veterans and their families. Vet Centers guide veterans and their families through many of the major adjustments in lifestyle that often occur after a Veteran returns from combat. Free and confidential services for a veteran may include individual and group counseling in areas such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), alcohol and drug assessment, and suicide prevention referrals.

If you are seeking housing options for a senior veteran, you can browse by type of housing or other services here.

To find out what veterans benefits exist in other states in the U.S. please visit our complete Veterans Benefits by State guide here.

California Veterans Benefit for Assisted Living

The Aid and Attendance pension benefit is available to California senior veterans and their spouses to help pay for senior care like assisted living, home care, or nursing home care. Here is more information on how the Aid and Attendance benefit helps California veterans.

Written by Megan Hammons

 

California Veterans Benefits

Posted in on November 11, 2016

Congress Allows National Cemetery Burials for "Secret War" Veterans

Posted in Uncategorized on June 19, 2018

New legislation has passed in Congress allowing “Secret War” veterans who fought in Laos during the Vietnam War to be buried in U.S. National Cemeteries, with the exception of Arlington National Cemetery.

Learn more about the “Secret War,” the brave veterans that fought alongside U.S. troops in Laos and how they will be honored in burials moving forward.

"Secret War" Veterans Granted National Cemetery Burials

The Laotian Civil War was fought from 1961-1975, in the midst of the Vietnam War. Also known as the “Secret War,” these veterans fought alongside U.S. troops against the North Vietnamese in Laos. Recruited by the CIA, Hmong and Lao soldiers fought against communist forces and at the end of the war, those veterans who came to the U.S. as refugees were provided a pathway to citizenship through naturalization.

Now, more than 40 years after the “Secret War,” new legislation introduced in Congress by Representative Jim Costa, D-California, has passed and will allow Hmong and Laotian-American veterans to be buried in U.S. National cemeteries, with the exception of Arlington National Cemetery. The legislation only applies to veterans who passed away on or after the bill’s passing and would not allow loved ones of veterans who have already passed to move their burial location.

In response to the bill’s passage, Representative Costa hosted a press conference saying:

“These brave men and women fought shoulder-to-shoulder with U.S. Armed Forces during the Vietnam War and they have earned this honor and recognition. I have been working closely with our local veterans leaders and my House and Senate colleagues on a bipartisan basis to secure these benefits for our "Secret War" veterans for nearly 10 years, and seeing our nation finally extend these benefits is a huge victory for our veterans and their families.”

Peter Vang, son of a "Secret War" veteran and executive director of Lao Veterans of America is proud of the legislation. He said, “Lao Veterans of America has been working very hard for many years on this bill. I can now tell my father and the thousands of Hmong veterans who fought with the US. Government during the secret war in Laos from 1961-1975 that now they can choose to be buried at the Veterans National Cemetery. Their children will be very proud… This is making history for us.”

The bill would allow between 6,900-9,700 "Secret War" veterans to qualify for the burial benefit.

Written by Alissa Sauer

Naomi Parker Fraley, Rosie the Riveter, Dies at 96

Posted in Uncategorized on April 24, 2018

Naomi Parker Fraley, better known as “Rosie the Riveter,” featured in the infamous “We Can Do It” war propaganda poster, has passed away at 96.

Rosie the Riveter Dies at 96

In 1942, 20-year-old Naomi Parker Fraley was one of the many women who stepped up to the plate to support the U.S. war effort by joining the workforce.

She worked in the machine shop (performing duties such as riveting and patching the wings of planes) at the Naval Air Station in Alameda, California, when a photographer took a photo of her on the job. Wearing a naval mechanic jumpsuit and a red polka dot bandana around her head, her image later became an iconic poster for the feminist movement of the late 20^th century.

Perhaps one of the most interesting twists in the story is that for decades, Parker Fraley was not acknowledged as the real Rosie the Riveter. Part of the confusion that occurred over Rosie’s true identity stemmed from the fact that the name “Rosie the Riveter,” was used in several artifacts — including a famous Norman Rockwell image and wartime song.

For many years, a woman named Geraldine Hoff Doyle was depicted as Rosie the Riveter, stalling Parker Fraley's claim to fame for more than 70 years, until finally, a professor did some detective work to track down the real Rosie.

The History of Rosie

In 1943 Norman Rockwell designed an image that was featured on the cover of the May edition of the Saturday Evening Post, of a woman in a jumpsuit with a rivet gun and a lunchbox that read, “Rosie.” In Rockwell’s representation of the strong female laborer, Adolph Hitler’s book “Mein Kampf” was featured under Rosie’s foot. The model, who posed for Rockwell’s depiction of Rosie, was known as a woman from Vermont, named Mary Doyle Keefe.

Rockwell’s version of Rosie was associated with a popular wartime song released in 1943 (the same year that the Rockwell image was featured on the cover of the Post). The song was called “Rosie the Riveter.” It was written by Jacob Loeb and Redd Evans and told the story of a munitions worker who is “A part of the assembly line... she’s making history. Working for victory... Rosie the Riveter." But, the song was about a completely different Rosie; a Long Island woman who was a riveter on fighter planes, named Rosalind P. Walter.

At some point in history, between the two famous versions of Rosie, the wartime propaganda, “We Can Do It” poster was produced. The poster was briefly displayed by the Westinghouse company in 1943. The original poster was created by artist J. Howard Miller, to encourage women to join the wartime workforce. It became a famous historical World War II artifact, featuring a representation of a strong female factory worker.

In the 1980’s the “We Can Do It” poster became wildly popular again. The image was reprinted on coffee mugs and other marketing media to commemorate World War II. At the same time, it became a symbol for the women’s rights movement. The woman in the poster became the most widely recognized image of Rosie the Riveter.

From the 1980s, forward, Doyle was identified as the mysterious woman and real-life Rosie the Riveter up until Doyle’s death in 2010.

The Real Rosie the Riveter

James J. Kimble, an associate professor at Seton Hall University, in New Jersey, developed an interest in historical World War II propaganda used in the United States. The “We Can Do It” poster become an item of great significance to Kimble, who began a six-year search to find the person in the original illustration of Rosie the Riveter. The search for the real Rosie started in 2010, “It turns out that almost everything we think about Rosie the Riveter is wrong,” Kimble, told The Omaha World-Herald in 2016.

Kimble’s search for women who had worked in a Naval machine shop in the second world war, ruled out Doyle and eventually led to the discovery of Parker Fraley. In a 2016 article in the journal Rhetoric & Public Affairs, Dr. Kimble’s findings of “Rosie’s Secret Identity” were published. The report resulted in her being acknowledged at long last.

In 2016, when Kimble finally tracked Parker Fraley down, she was very happy to learn that someone was willing to acknowledge her as the real Rosie the Riveter. “The women of this country these days need some icons,” Parker Fraley said in a 2016 People magazine interview. “If they think I’m one, I’m happy.” She told People Magazine, “I didn’t want fame or fortune, but I did want my own identity.”

In an interview with the Omaha World-Herald newspaper, Naomi was asked what she felt about the public discovering that she was the real Rosie; her response was, “Victory! Victory! Victory!”

Sadly, less than two years after Parker Fraley received recognition for being the infamous Naval worker in the photograph, on January 20, 2018, she died at the age of 96.

This article is a tribute to her and to all the women who worked diligently to support the efforts of those who fought and served so bravely in World War II.

Written by Sherry Christiansen

Veterans Pensions – What Is and Isn't Taxable at the Federal and State Levels

Posted in Uncategorized on February 27, 2018

When it comes to taxes, navigating regulations and terminology are difficult, but even more so for our nation’s veterans. That’s because there are many different types of veterans benefits and pensions, and each one is treated differently at tax time.

In most cases, you’ll need to know which benefits should be included as income (and taxed) and which benefits should not be included as income (and not taxed). To further complicate issues, while there are some federal tax benefits for veterans, there are also many state-specific tax benefits, because each state controls its Veterans’ Affairs office.

What You Need to Know at the Federal Level About Veterans Pensions

Changes happen each year, so it’s important to check the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Internal Revenue Services (IRS) websites every year to make sure you’re not missing out on a tax benefit or neglecting to include taxable income on your return.

Include These Benefits in Your Income (They’re Taxable)

Military Retirement Pay: According to H&R Block’s Monica Welsh, “If you receive military retirement pay – based on age or length of service – this income is taxable and is included in your income as a pension.”

Severance Pay: Veterans who received a lump-sum disability severance payment upon discharge may need to include it as income. However, the Combat-Injured Veterans Tax Fairness Act of 2016, which went into effect in 2017 may mean that your severance pay is not taxable.

According to the IRS, “Under federal law, Veterans who suffer combat-related injuries and who are separated from the military are not to be taxed on the one-time lump sum disability severance payment they receive from the Department of Defense. More than $78 million is owed to an estimated 14,000 Veterans. This law instructs DoD to identify Veterans who were taxed in order for them to file an amended return to receive their refund.”

Veteran’s Affairs Health Care Services: This includes reimbursement for a wide variety of services like:

• Alcohol and drug dependency treatment
• Dental coverage
• Hospital stays
• Nursing home coverage
• Readjustment counseling

Unemployment Compensation: Welsh says that “the military provides Veteran unemployment compensation under certain programs for ex-military personnel. Unemployment compensation received under these specialized programs is treated the same as any other unemployment benefits and is taxable to you as a recipient.”

Don’t Include These Benefits in Your Income (They’re Not Taxable)

According to Welsh, in 2017 “any reductions in your retirement pay, including what’s paid via survivor annuity under the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP), should not be included in your income.”

In addition to these reductions, there are seven federal tax benefits available to Veterans and their families that should not be included in your income because they are not taxable. These include:

• Disability Compensation
• Disability Pension
• Education and Training Benefits (like the Post-9/11 GI Bill)
• Housing Grants (like the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant)
• Life insurance benefits from specific groups like the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance Traumatic Injury Protection, Service-Disabled Veterans’ Insurance and Veterans’ Mortgage Life Insurance.
• The Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) Program.

Dependents and survivors of veterans can receive tax benefits for:

• Death gratuity
• Survivor’s pension
• The Veteran Affairs’ Dependency and Indemnity Compensation payment

What You Need to Know at the State Level About Veterans Pensions

Again, changes happen each year, so it’s important to check the VA and IRS websites every year to make sure you’re not missing out on a tax benefit or neglecting to include taxable income on your return.

Property Tax

Some states, like California, have reduced or eliminated property tax for disabled Veterans. For example, according to Mike Jelinek of The Simple Dollar, with “California’s Disabled Veterans’ Exemption, as long as the property is the veteran’s primary place of residence; the full value of the residence does not exceed $150,000; and total household income does not exceed $40,000, a 100% disabled veteran is allowed to claim a full property tax exemption.”

Click here for a full list of property tax exemptions by state.

There are a couple of ways that you can figure out which Veterans benefits are taxable at the state level and what ones aren’t:

1. Visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and click on your state or territory for your regional office. Give them a call if you can’t find the information that you’re looking for.
2. Join the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs and the Department of Defense’s eBenefits.va.gov which, according to Jelinek, allows Veterans to “search and apply for benefits, view their disability compensation claim status, access official military personnel documents, and register for an update direct deposit information for certain benefits, among others.”

Veterans Benefits Don’t Qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit

If Veterans benefits are your only source of income, then you may not qualify for other tax credit programs. “Unfortunately, Veterans’ benefits do not qualify as earned income for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Therefore, if the only income you receive would be classified as Veterans benefits, you would not have any earned income to qualify you for the EITC,” Welsh says.

IRS Programs for Veterans and Their Families

As you can see, the intricacies of filing taxes for veterans, from what is and isn’t considered income to what regular tax benefits do and do not apply is difficult to keep track of. The programs mentioned here only scratch the surface of what’s available, and remember, most states have their own rules. That’s why in 2015 the IRS and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs created a “Memorandum of Understanding.” Often referred to as MOU, the goal of this program is to “provide free tax preparation services to veterans and their families.”

This program, which is eligible to veterans and their families “whose incomes are low to moderate” connects partnering organizations and IRS-certified volunteers with Veterans. Visit the IRS’ website for more information.

The IRS has a variety of additional resources that are helpful for Veterans and their families, including their:

• Free Financial Coaching for Veterans program (call 1-844-90-GOALS or click here for more information).
• Military OneSource Resources for Transitioning Service Members and Families which provides MilTax online software for free for qualified Veterans
• Outreach Corner (which is not veteran-specific but which includes updates on the newest tax changes)
• Programs to help homeless Veterans including offering tax and financial advice at neighborhood Stand Down events.

You can find more information on tax breaks and programs for military personnel and veterans here:

1. "Full List of Property Tax Exemptions By State"
2. "On Veterans Day, A Look At Special Tax Rules, Including Tax Breaks, For The Military"
3. "State Veterans Benefits"
4. "Taxes on Disability and Retirement Pensions"
5. "The Ultimate Tax Guide for Veterans"
6. "Veterans Day: Are Veterans Benefits Taxable?"
7. "What States Are Tax-Free for Disabled Veterans?"

Written by Kimberley Fowler

2017 Veterans Benefits Scholarship Winners Announced

Posted in Uncategorized on January 31, 2018

Editor's note: We are no longer offering this scholarship.

VeteranAid.org Announces 2017 Veterans Benefits Scholarship Winners

After over 100 applicants submitted their essays, three emerged as clear winners in this year’s scholarship program.

VeteranAid.org is the leading free resource for information on the Veterans Aid and Attendance pension benefit. VeteranAid launched its annual scholarship program in 2017 as part of an initiative to bring awareness to younger generations of the unique benefits and challenges of being a senior veteran, while helping to fund the costs of higher education for the recipients.

Though it was difficult to choose winners from the many incredible essays received from over 100 U.S. and Canadian students who were asked to write an essay giving an example of a known veteran’s benefit and how it helps senior veterans; and then to propose a new benefit that would help seniors. VeteranAid.org is pleased to announce the winners of the second Veteran Benefits Scholarship.

Three students were chosen to receive the $2,000 Veterans Benefits Scholarship award and the winners are:

Luke Dixon

Luke comes from a military family and is currently an undergraduate at Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, where he is majoring in mechanical engineering. His proposal for a new benefit involves providing social support and mentoring opportunities for veterans interacting with ROTC students or children of veterans.

Luke’s essay:

The Veterans Benefits Administration offers numerous opportunities to veterans of all ages. The amount of benefits available specifically to senior veterans is more limited, but may be doubly impactful. One benefit to help senior veterans is Aid and Attendance (A&A), which relates to veteran pension programs.

The A&A benefit was initiated as a part of an Improved Pension Benefit, which is less renowned than other Veteran Benefits. A&A is akin to the monthly Pension benefit, in which a fixed amount is paid to a veteran or surviving spouse. However, A&A provides funding in addition to the regular Pension, for veterans in need of the attendance of another person to help with daily activities. This benefit is designed for elderly veterans who struggle with adjusting prosthetic devices, have a physical or mental incapacity requiring care, or need help staying safe from hazards in their environment. A&A also aims to facilitate life for elderly veterans who need help eating, dressing, going to the bathroom, getting out of bed, or moving about their home. A&A is intended to help offset the cost of having a personal assistant to help with these activities. Bedridden veterans, visually impaired veterans, and veterans living in nursing homes are also eligible for the A&A benefit.

The most obvious benefit of A&A is its monetary value. If an elderly veteran had to pay the federal minimum hourly wage for help with daily activities for eight hours each day, it would cost them roughly $1600 monthly. Thus, without A&A, critical help with daily activities could be completely unaffordable to elderly veterans. The presence of an assisting person also improves the daily life of elderly veterans. A veteran who was previously lonely benefits from having someone to talk to and share their stories with. A&A not only provides help with basic aspects of daily life but improves an elderly veteran’s overall quality of life.

Although there are many Veteran Benefits that provide money for living expenses and healthcare, many elderly veterans need mental and emotional support or rehabilitation. Existing programs for such mental and emotional support are largely impersonal, providing services through medical institutions or basic monetary stipends. Medical institutions may fall short of fully supporting veterans due to the difficulty in fully comprehending each veteran’s unique challenges when caring for thousands of patients. Monetary stipends for emotional health may also fail because elderly veterans may not know how to best invest the funds. In addition to these options, I propose a new Veteran Benefit for elderly veterans in need of mental or emotional rehabilitation. This new benefit would provide funding to Veteran-specific retirement communities or assisted living centers to allow a selected young adult to live among the elderly veterans. The selected youth would be a non-scholarship ROTC cadet or a child of a veteran seeking inexpensive housing during college. The youth would provide the elderly veterans with mental and emotional rehabilitation in the forms of artistic, musical, or technological support and assistance.

Both the veterans and the youth have much to benefit from this arrangement. The elderly veterans would experience rehabilitation through the presence and help of the young adult. The young adult would bring vibrancy to their lives by living in their community. Further, the elderly veterans would feel a heightened sense of purpose through opportunities to interact with the young adult and provide advice. Elderly veterans would have someone new to share their stories with, which further strengthens their mental and emotional stability.

Likewise, the ROTC cadet or veteran’s child would benefit from free housing during higher education. Many youths, especially those facing the prohibitive costs of living on a college campus, would eagerly accept this opportunity for free housing while giving back. Further, they would have the opportunity to learn from the experience of the elderly veterans. For example, an elderly retired officer could provide advice to a cadet on how to build a successful career in the military.

This Veteran Benefit is sure to be successful because a similar idea has been implemented in colleges throughout the world. For example, a music student at Drake University receives free room and board at a nearby nursing home in return for musical entertainment. In this Proposed Benefit, Veterans Affairs would provide free room and board to selected students in participating veteran retirement communities in exchange for the student’s help in rehabilitating the veterans while building relationships. Both the veterans and the youths would find immense value in the opportunity to learn from a different generation.

Roger Ourthiague Jr.

Roger is a U.S. Navy veteran earning his Masters of Fine Art in Printmaking at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. His passion and proposed new benefit involves helping others by sharing his story and artistic expressions as a way of healing.

Roger’s essay:

Among many truths about veterans is the fact that the veteran population faces higher rates of substance abuse and mental health issues than that of the civilian population. It is a tough pill to swallow. Reassuringly, the Veterans Administration attitudes towards this problem have changed for the better and our government has made marvelous strides in recognizing the epidemic we face as a country. The resources that have been allotted to battle these ongoing issues are significant and reassuring. After all, admitting you have a problem is the first step in any recovery. For senior veterans, the duel-diagnosis model of treatment for those that suffer from a substance abuse problem in congruency with a mental health disorder is of particular importance. A co-occurring disorder can include PTSD, early dementia, depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder and are all too common among veterans, especially those with combat experience. The triple-whammy of being an older veteran, having mental or cognitive issues, and suffering from addiction is, no doubt, a heartbreaking challenge for the VA.

One benefit for senior veterans that I tout above all others regarding the duel-diagnosis model of recovery is the VA’s Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC). This is a comprehensive inpatient program addressing many forms of mental disorders, drugs and alcohol addiction, prison recidivism, physical health, and/or homelessness. The program is a hub for new clinical ideas and creative energy. Dr. Jennifer E. Boyd, who runs the San Francisco program, says veterans of any age can “select from dozens of activities that help them with social skills, self-expression, coping with symptoms, and striving for personal goals. In addition to offering classes, the program also pairs Veterans with staff Recovery Advisors who help them define and strive towards those personal goals.” The facility is on the frontlines of new approaches and fresh modes of educating patients. The course catalog for the PRRC offers dozens of classes such as “Community Discovery,” “Veteran’s Art Guild,” “Building Relationships,” “Duel Recovery,” and “Ending Self-Stigma.” Seniors are taught the values of different therapies and works for them and health workshops are offered on a weekly basis. They are able to address mobility issues through physical therapy and previously neglected medical needs while at the PRRC.

Inspired by my research into the PRRC, I want to propose an equally lofty benefit to help senior veterans, but rather than a facility for those in recovery, the goal will be on the quality of life for older vets. My proposed benefit to help senior veterans is the Golden-Aged Creativity Center for Veterans (the GACC for acronym-loving former service members). For decades, the research into creative activities such as art, music, and dance has shown that creativity is one of the healthiest actions for the well-being of older individuals. Artistic expression creates confidence and self-awareness, music is calming to listen to and great for the brain to learn or play, and dance (or any low-impact creative movement) does wonders for strength, balance and dexterity. The benefit I propose is a model to address three things: to educate in the positive impact of creative expression to deal with trauma, provide space and materials for that expression, and be a nationwide network of ideas for art therapists, psychologists, doctors, teachers, and volunteers with ties to the center. The focus of the GACC will be to create community and long-lasting relationships to avoid the degenerative pitfalls of isolation common in older veterans. The center will offer classes and assistance for all vets of a certain age and older. For those with mobility issues, offsite case management and assessment for elderly veterans in late stages of decline would be available. If deemed necessary, volunteers and art therapists making hospital room, retirement center, or house visits making sure all vets that want to participate will be permitted. Volunteers trained at the GACC would be able to make house visits or teach classes at Veterans of Foreign War (VFW) establishments. With a particular emphasis on creativity, community, case management, I am hopeful that a benefit such as this could do wonders for senior veterans. I know if it existed that I would be excited to join the center in my own golden years.

“Art is a constant agent of transformation and is indeed the soul’s drive to health.” - Cathy Malchiodi, "The Soul’s Palette"

Shane Guzman

Shane is an active service member in the Air National Guard and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in computer science at Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio. His new veterans benefit involves harnessing the strong leadership background and tenacity of veterans to power volunteer programs with a system that allows for corporate sponsorship to reward veterans based on their volunteer work.

Shane’s essay:

An important benefit for all veterans is for burial & memorial services. Plainly, there is one absolute certainty in this life and this veteran benefit helps lift this morbid weight not just for veterans but for their families as well. I know this is a topic that people tend to shy from but it is a necessity because it is the common junction in all of our lives. My father and I have both served in the armed forces and these are things that both of us will eventually have to confront. It means a great deal to me that when the time comes for our passing, our family will not be terribly burdened with the costs of funerals on top of their grieving.

The department of veteran’s affairs offers a plot for burial, headstone or marker, a burial flag, and a Presidential memorial certificate at no cost to the family (VA). If the family does not want a burial at a national cemetery, the VA has a burial allowance maximum of $2,000. With the average cost of a funeral between $7,000 and 10,000, the burial allowance would mitigate costs of a traditional funeral service (Parting). Furthermore, the VA will furnish a headstone or marker at no cost upon request, mitigating a huge cost to the families. The benefit also honors the veterans service to country with military honors and a Presidential memorial certificate. What is really given here is not a benefit or financial ease but peace of mind.

As a veteran, I take advantage of benefits such as the VA home loan and sometimes a military discount from vendors. I use military discounts to buy presents for my family that I would not be able to afford otherwise. Some veterans, young and old, may not be financially sound or be struggling to afford minute gifts for their families. I propose a catalog based volunteering program that is sponsored by corporations that rewards veterans based on volunteer work. Specifically, I would like the rewards to favor the senior veterans overall to prevent any financial difficulties affecting their retirements or pensions. Using the following equations, reward points could be earned and spent on a reward catalog sponsored by businesses that support the armed forces.

This system will favor senior veterans as their age approaches L or is past it while still maintaining the spirit of volunteer work amongst younger veterans. Beyond the veteran, this program would benefit the sponsors with visibility, the armed forces with good publicity, the community with needed support, and the possibility of fostering wisdom and leadership in youths from participating veterans. Sometimes, certain veteran-only benefits are well deserved but other times the real benefit is growing prosperity among the veterans, the community, and those who support both.

Veterans have a strong background in leadership, workmanship, and are driven to do a job to their fullest. A volunteer program powered by veterans would be a powerhouse to the community. Providing this system would draw more veterans into charity and renew their sense of purpose in life while provisioning a system to reward and not financially impact senior veterans. I do believe that no good deed goes unpunished. Especially when it comes to our eldest of veterans.

Congratulations to all of our winners, thank you for your service and your passion for serving veterans. We wish you the best of luck in your future!

The Makeup of the Military: Who is Serving Now

Posted in Uncategorized on October 9, 2017
Tags: military

It’s been more than 40 years since the end of the Vietnam War and the subsequent shift of the United States Armed Forces to an all-volunteer organization from a draft model. With the ending of the draft, it was obvious that a change in military demographics would naturally follow, and in 1974, Congress that the Department of Defense (DOD) produce an report – The Population Representation in the Military Services (Pop Rep) – to document the historic and current characteristics of U.S. military personnel. The most recent published version, published by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Personnel and Readiness (the Pentagon’s HR department), was released in 2015 and gives insight into some interesting trends and demographics evolving in the U.S. military. This data helps the U.S. government ensure that the country is always prepared and able to recruit as needed in times of necessity.

Perhaps not surprising is the drastic decrease in size of the U.S. military over the last 40+ years. At the end of 1974, the active component (AC) of the military stood at more than 2.2 men and women. At the end of 2015, the total AC number hovered around 1.3 million, a 41% reduction. The greatest decrease took place in the Air Force, followed by the Marine Corps, and the Navy. The Army’s strength over the past 40 years remained relatively flat.

The end of the Cold War in the early 1990s led to a significant drop in force size and, 1997 to 2015, the enlisted force fluctuated between 1.1 million and 1.2 million servicemembers. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan increased the size of the Army and the Marine Corps, but this increase was at least partly offset by decreases in the size of the Air Force and the Navy. And while the Army’s strength drop rather dramatically between 2013-2015, it remains significantly larger than the other branches (47 percent larger than the Navy and 54 percent larger than the Air Force).

Interestingly, the origin of new recruits has shifted, as far as which states are providing the greatest number of new recruits. California and Texas today provide the U.S. military with the most new recruits, at 13.5 and 10.2 percent of the total, respectively. However, compared to state population, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina provide the most new recruits pre capita. Washington, D.C., North Dakota, and Massachusetts provide the fewest new recruits per capita.

Similarly, over the last 40 years, the geographical home region of active duty servicemembers has shifted southward and westward. The percentage of active duty members from northeastern states fell from 18.1 to 12.6 percent, and north-central states, from 27.2 to 18.7. Over the same time period, the number of active duty members calling the south home has increased from 35.3 percent to 43.8, and those from the west have grown from 18.7 percent to 23.7 percent.

Another interesting shift in demographics has been an increase in a traditionally under-represented population: female servicemembers. The ratio of women to men in both the officer corps and the enlisted ranks has grown steadily over the past four decade, with the biggest increase being seen in the Navy where the ratio of newly enlisted females grew from 3 percent to 25.1 percent. In the Air Force, female officer commissions increased from 7.5 percent to 26.7 percent, giving the Air Force the highest ratio of female officers.

Additionally, some branches, like the Army, have seen a significant proportion of female new enlistees coming from the African American population. Among new female enlistees in the Army who have not previously served, 37.2 percent are black (a significant in proportion when compared to civilian women in the similar age group (18-24), where 16.1 percent are black).

The Pop Report also points out that while overall size and strength numbers have decreased over the years, the recruitment environment has remained favorable most recently due to weakness in the civilian labor market in the years since 2009. Traditionally, when young people have more difficulty finding employment in the civilian world, they are more interested in learning about opportunities in the Armed Forces. With more people applying at recruitment offices, the branches can be more selective in hiring, seeking out the “high-quality enlistees,” as defined as those who have completed high school and score well on a qualification test.

However, as the economy improves and more young people go directly to college after high school, the military recognizes it is important not to weaken the recruitment forces; since there is no lateral entry into the military, it is imperative to have experienced, knowledgeable recruiters in place to face fluctuations and ensure that high quality recruits are retained (i.e., future officers) and that the branches remain suitably staffed.

For more findings from the Pop Report, you can review the 66-page Executive Summary.

Written by Megan Hammons

 

10 Largest National Veterans Cemeteries in the U.S.

Posted in Uncategorized on October 2, 2017
Tags: history, military, veterans

The Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) National Cemetery Administration maintains 135 national cemeteries in 40 states (and Puerto Rico) as well as 33 soldier's lots and monument sites. These sites range from very small – less than a half acre in size – to more than a 1,000 acres. Regardless of the size, these serene locations offer a chance for veterans and civilians to pay their respect, reflect, and honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Below are the 10 largest national veterans cemeteries in the United States.

Calverton National Cemetery

Location: Calverton, NY

Size: 1,045 acres

Not only is Calverton National Cemetery the largest of any national cemetery in the U.S., it is also one of the busiest, conducting more than 7,000 burials each year. Constructed in 1978, it became the third national cemetery located on Long Island, after the existing cemeteries were reaching capacity and the state needed a new regional cemetery to serve the greater New York area, home then to nearly three million veterans and their dependents. The site was originally designed with an innovative “wheel” of committal shelters, radiating out from a center location, so that multiple burial services could be held simultaneously. Today, the walls of these shelters have been converted into a columbaria for the inurnment of cremated remains. The cemetery also features a memorial pathway lined memorials that honor America’s veterans, most commemorating soldiers of 20th century wars.

Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery

Location: Elwood, IL

Size: 982 acres

Located about 50 miles southwest of Chicago, this cemetery was dedicated in 1999 and became the 117th national cemetery within the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration. When fully developed, it will provide 400,000 burial spaces. The cemetery is named after President Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States and founder of the National Cemetery system, who worked and lived in Illinois. A life-sized bronze statue of Lincoln stands in the cemetery, along with a Blue Star Memorial Marker, and an 18-foot granite obelisk topped by a bronze eagle commemorating the 2,403 Americans who died in Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

Riverside National Cemetery

Location: Riverside, CA

Size: 921 acres

Since the year 2000, this cemetery has been the most active cemetery in the National Cemetery system, based on the number of interments. Established in 1976, its rolling landscape features a central boulevard with memorial circles, lakes, indigenous-styled committal shelters, and a memorial amphitheater. It is home to the Medal of Honor Memorial – whose walls feature the names of all Medal recipients. The cemetery is the final resting place of five Medal of Honor recipients, a Distinguished Cross recipient, and several members of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen, America’s first aviators of African descent. Numerous dramatic and beautiful memorial sculptures grace the cemetery, including the POW Memorial bronze statue which depicts an American serviceman on his knees with hands bound by his captors, surrounded by black marble pillars that evoke imprisonment.

Georgia National Cemetery

Size: 775 acres

Location: Canton, Georgia

Located in Cherokee County, this cemetery was opened in 2006 and has been undergoing development with the intention of servicing the interment needs of U.S. military veterans and their families for the next 50 years. Offering views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Lake Allatoona, it includes a total of 33,000 full-casket gravesites, 3,000 in-ground sites for cremation remains, and 3,000 columbaria niches for cremation remains. The property on which the cemetery rests was donated by Scott Hudgens, the late Atlanta World War II veteran, land developer and philanthropist.

Fort Custer National Cemetery

Location: Augusta, Michigan

Size: 770 acres

Fort Custer was named after General George Armstrong Custer, a native of the state of Michigan. The establishment of Fort Custer Post Cemetery took place on Sept. 18, 1943, with the first interment; the site became officially the Fort Custer National Cemetery in September 1981 with its first burial under the new classification taking place on June 1, 1982. Today the cemetery is the final resting place to more than 30,000 veterans. The cemetery features a memorial pathway lined with more than 30 memorials that honor America’s veterans, donated by various organizations, and an impressive Avenue of Flags composed of 152 flagpoles located along the main road, and an additional 50 flagpoles arranged in a semi-circle at the head of the thoroughfare.

Massachusetts National Cemetery

Location: Bourne, MA

Size: 749 acres

Located 65 miles southeast of Boston and adjacent to the Otis Air Force Base, this land became the first parcel acquired by the National Cemetery System for the specific purpose of building a new national cemetery since 1949. When it was dedicated on October 11, 1980, it became the third new national cemetery to open in nearly 30 years (after Calverton, New York, and Riverside, California, were the first and second, respectively). More than 46,000 interments have taken place here, including two Medal of Honor recipients, and one burial of an Unknown Soldier from the Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry whose body was unearthed during a highway excavation in South Carolina in the 1980s. The cemetery also is home to a memorial trail featuring 47 memorials and a carillon erected in memory of veterans from World War I to the modern era.

Quantico National Cemetery

Location: Triangle, VI

Size: 725 acres

Quantico National Cemetery is located on land that has been used by the military for over 200 years: first, around 1775 by the Commonwealth of Virginia for Navy operations, and later, as a blockade point for the Confederate army during the Civil War. In 1918 a permanent Marine base was established at Quantico, and the Marine Corps donated land for the cemetery in 1977; the cemetery was formally dedicated in 1983. The cemetery is home to nine memorials, including those honoring Edson’s Raiders, Purple Heart recipients, well-known Marines, and Virginia veterans.

Indiantown Gap National Cemetery

Location: Annville, PA

Size: 677 acres

Indiantown Gap derives its name from the various Native American communities that resided in this region of Pennsylvania; the first inhabitants were Susquehannocks, an Iroquois tribe. In the 1930s, it became a training area for the U.S. Army and control of the facility was turned over to the Pennsylvania National Guard in 1998. In 1976, a section of Fort Indiantown Gap Military Reservation was selected as the national cemetery for the states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia, and West Virginia. Today it is the final resting place for more than 44,000 veterans. The cemetery’s elaborate Pennsylvania Veterans’ Memorial is the largest monument in VA’s National cemeteries. The combination open-air space and building stands 107 feet high and 360 feet long, and recreates the feeling of a war-torn building in a land of solemnity.

Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery

Size: 638 acres

Location: Dallas, TX

Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery is the sixth national cemetery in Texas and the 118th in the national cemetery system. Currently, more than 1.5 million veterans live in the state of Texas and approximately 460,000 reside in the cemetery's service area. When fully developed, the cemetery will serve as a final resting place for more than 280,000 eligible veterans and dependents. The cemetery features a memorial walkway lined with more than 50 memorials that honor America’s veterans, donated by various organizations, most commemorating events and troops of the 20th century wars.

Fort Jackson National Cemetery

Size: 585 acres

Location: Columbia, SC

This cemetery is located on property formerly held by Fort Jackson and will serve veterans' needs well into the next century. The Fort Jackson National Cemetery joins two existing civil war cemeteries in South Carolina, the Florence National Cemetery and the Beaufort National Cemetery. The 50-acre interment area provides space for 5,704 full-casket gravesites, including 4,224 pre-placed crypts, 1,085 in-ground cremation sites, and 2,000 columbarium niches. The cemetery also includes an administration and public information center, public restrooms, a maintenance facility, a cemetery entrance area, committal shelters for funeral services, a flag assembly area, and supporting infrastructure such as roads.

Written by Megan Hammons

 

States with the Most and Fewest Members of the Military

Posted in Uncategorized on August 3, 2017
Tags: military, state guide, veterans

The United States military is – based on statics like military spending, manpower, and number of aircraft carriers and nuclear warheads – arguably the number one fighting force in the world. Along with these statistical comparisons, the US. military maintains an impressive 800 bases in 150  countries around the globe, many of which establish “little Americas” on foreign soil.

That said, the overwhelming majority of active duty military as well as reservists live in the United States and its territories. In the year 207, according to the U.S. Department of Defense, almost 1.9 million active duty military members and reservists are living in U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

The Department of Defense regularly releases statistics listing the populations of active and reserve military members in each state, and in March 2017, the top states based on military personnel (ranked by total active duty plus reservists) included:

• California – 125,000 active duty; 56,000 reservists
• Texas – 111,000 active duty; 54,000 reservists
• North Carolina – 96,000 active duty; 22,000 reservists
• Virginia – 91,000 active duty; 25,000 reservists
• Florida – 55,000 active duty; 36,000 reservists
• Georgia – 60,000 active duty; 26,000 reservists
• Washington – 44,000 active duty; 19,000 reservists
• South Carolina – 33,000 active duty; 18,000 reservists
• New York – 21,000 active duty; 28,000 reservists
• Colorado – 34,000 active duty; 13,000 reservists

In the same data, the states with the fewest number of active duty and reservists included:

Vermont – 135 active duty; 3,711 reservists

Maine – 793 active duty; 3,859 reservists

• New Hampshire –777 active duty; 4,084 reservists
• Wyoming – 3,143 active duty; 2,848 reservists
• Montana – 3,3142 active duty; 4,331 reservists
• Rhode Island – 3,318 active duty; 4,339 reservists
• South Dakota – 3,268 active duty; 4,459 reservists
• Idaho – 2,635 active duty; 5,364 reservists
• West Virginia – 204 active duty; 8,034 reservists
• Delaware – 3,350 active duty; 4,937 reservists

Perhaps not surprisingly, many of the states with the largest number of servicemembers also had the highest populations per state. California, Texas, North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, and New York lead the states in total population, so it makes sense that they would also have more servicemembers than states with smaller overall populations. Other indicators that might influence the overall number of servicemembers is the number of military bases in the state; for example, West Virginia has two bases while Texas has 31. Finally, some experts believe that a familiarity with the military – resulting from having a large military and veteran population – increases the chances that residents will enlist and/or become reservists, making the cycle self-sustaining.

Interestingly, when comparing the lists of top servicemember-populated states to our recent article on the best and worst states for retired veterans, the correlation between high military presence and a good quality of life for veterans does not necessarily stand up. While a few of the states with the most active duty and reservists did rank well for veterans – such as Florida and South Carolina – other lower-populated states like Alaska and South Dakota actually ranked higher for veteran health care, quality of life factors, and economic environment.

For additional research, see our article on the best and worst states for senior veteran health care.

Written by Megan Hammons

 

Veterans Benefits by State

Posted in Uncategorized on June 13, 2017
Tags: military, state guide, VA programs, veterans, veterans benefits

While the federal veterans benefits are more widely known, the local benefits can vary greatly depending on the state. Some state benefits may include support groups, local VA facilities, discounts, and education benefits.

As far as the quality and quantity of the benefits they provide, some states are ranked more highly for state veterans benefits while others need some work. For senior vets in particular we have already featured an article about the best and worst states for veterans senior care.

VeteranAid.org has made it easier for you to find the state veteran's benefits you are looking for. Find your state below. You never know what benefits you could be missing out on!

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado 
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin