Veteran's daughter seeks info about father's
benefits
February 11, 2013
Sgt. Shaft
Dear Sgt. Shaft:
My father has applied for VA benefits and is
currently waiting for a response. It’s been a few months now, and
he’s starting to worry. If there’s any way you could check
on the status of the application or find out if there’s a
processing problem of any kind, we would both be most grateful.
He served in the U.S.
Army from 1945 to 1970, exclusively in military music. He
retired as a lieutenant colonel and the associate conductor of the United
States Army Band in Washington, D.C. With the band, he
co-founded the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets who play at the White
House, and he started the military tattoo originally called
“Prelude to Taps” but now called “Spirit of
America.” His recording of bugle calls was used around the world
at Army
installations until fairly recently.
He will be 88 years old in April and currently
lives in an assisted-living facility in Camp
Hill, Pa. He is having to draw from his savings to cover his
expenses after paying the monthly fee to the facility. VA benefits would
ease his mind considerably, even if they were a small amount.
Please let me know if you need any other
information to find out the status of his application. Any information
is better than none.
Thank you so very much in advance for any
assistance you can provide.
Sincerely,
Lisa G.
Via the Internet
Dear Lisa:
I have referred your inquiry to the powers that
be at the Department of Veterans Affairs and by now you
should have received assistance from a local VA representative.
Shaft notes
• Congratulations to Reps. John
Carter, Texas Republican, and C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,
Maryland Democrat, who will serve as co-chairs of the prestigious HouseArmy Caucus
for the 113th congressional session. The caucus includes more than 100
members from both parties and works to educate their fellow House
members on Army needs and advocate for those needs in
the legislative process.
Mr. Carter — whose district includes
the Army’s largest base, Fort
Hood — has served as co-chair of the caucus since 2009.
He is chairman of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee and
also sits on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction
and Veterans Affairs.
“At this especially stressful time for the
Army due
to sequestration, we must have a strong bipartisan voice to support the
needs of our soldiers and their families,” Mr.
Carter said. “This caucus can and should continue to
provide that support, and I am honored to serve as co-chair for the
113th Congress.”
Mr.
Ruppersberger, who has served on the caucus since 2007, will
replace outgoing Rep. Silvestre Reyes as the Democratic co-chair. Mr.
Ruppersberger’s district is home to two Army bases:
Fort Meade and Aberdeen Proving Ground. He is the ranking member of the
House Intelligence Committee and is a former member of the House Armed
Services Committee.
“Knowledge is power,” Mr.
Ruppersberger said. “It’s imperative that all
members of Congress understand and appreciate the work
that the Army does for our country so that we can
ensure the men and women in uniform have the resources they need to keep
us safe. This is an honor and responsibility I will take
seriously.”
• The American legion has reacted cautiously to the
announcement that the U.S. military plans to expand combat roles for
women in the military.
“Women in the military are performing magnificently in
Afghanistan and in U.S. military units throughout the world,” American
Legion National Commander James E. Koutz said. “Women
comprise nearly 15 percent of our active forces, and we simply would not
be able to accomplish our missions without them. That said, we do not
believe that the administration should precipitously change
long-existing policies without careful review and oversight from Congress.”
Delegates to The American Legion National Convention last
August passed a resolution that called on all branches of the military
services to maintain the current physical and mental requirements and
qualifications for acceptance into military service that has
“created the best and most respected military in the world.
…” It further called on all military personnel, regardless
of gender or age to be held to a single standard based on their MOS
(Military Occupation Specialties) and that the elimination of the combat
exclusion clause for women come only after congressional approval.
The most important aspect to consider in changing existing policy, Commander
Koutz said, is if it enhances the military’s
war-fighting capability. “Political or career considerations
should not enter into the equation,” he said. “The bottom
line is: ‘Will it make us a more capable fighting force?’
“
Membership in the American Legion has been open to women who
are serving or have served during wartime periods since the
organization’s founding in 1919. Women Legionnaires were eligible
to vote for their national commander before they could vote for the
president of the United States.
• The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently
released a comprehensive report on veterans who die by suicide. In the
past, data on veterans who died by suicide was only available for those
who had sought VA health care services. This report also includes state
data for veterans who had not received health care services from VA,
which will help VA strengthen its aggressive suicide-prevention
activities.
The report indicates that the percentage of veterans who die by
suicide has decreased slightly since 1999, while the estimated total
number of veterans who have died by suicide has increased.
“The mental health and well-being of our courageous men and
women who have served the nation is the highest priority for VA, and
even one suicide is one too many,” Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Eric K. Shinseki said. “We have more work to do, and we will use
this data to continue to strengthen our suicide-prevention efforts and
ensure all veterans receive the care they have earned and
deserve.”
• Send letters to Sgt. Shaft, c/o John Fales, P.O. Box
65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900; fax 301/622-3330, call 202/257-5446
or email sgtshaft@bavf.org.
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