Access to Veteran Services

[TheOperative]

This link here is a great resource for helping our troops, it has most if not all the links to organizations that help.

http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/

if you have any please post them.

[rhmorgan]

If you are military, military retired, or a dependent of a military person, the following are sites are for you:

http://www.dav.org/
http://vva.org/
www.legion.org
http://members.aol.com/veterans/warlib6.htm
http://www.va.gov/
http://www.vba.va.gov/
http://www.cem.va.gov/
http://www.cem.va.gov/grants.htm
http://www.militaryonesource.com/
http://www.military.com/spouse
http://www.tricare.osd.mil/reserve/reserveselect/
http://www.trdp.org/
http://www.vetwatchnw.com/
http://www.vetsrollcall.com/home2.asp
http://www.defenselink.mil/sites/
http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/
http://www.jpac.pacom.mil/
http://www.militaryliving.com/
http://www.militarymascots.org/
http://www.military.com/Resources/ResourceSubmittedFileView?file=Forms.htm
https://www.myhealth.va.gov/MHV.portal?JSESSIONID=CjQLyZgyvYcVk4Q3LQTlG52rdvm4 PdvHf2sLq0H23RgzlQxd1yGy!-2146319557!-1122898027&_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=myHealtheVet

[rhmorgan]

Double Dippers

One of the most irritating things I hear from, and especially politicians, is the belief that vets receiving disability compensation and retirement pay are “double-dipping.”

This is such a false premise.

First, when a vet completes his military career earn their retirement pay.

Second, disability compensation is awarded for wounds, diseases or conditions caused by military service.

Each serves a separate and distinct purpose, and neither should be offset by the other.

The uniformed services have, since the War of Northern Aggression, paid for soldier’s disability compensation out of their retirement pay. This absolutely ludicrous concept was provided us by the Lincoln Administration and Congress.

Soldiers in that era received almost no respect from any quarter.

Subsequent administrations and congress saw very little reason to change this situation. It would cost tax dollars better spent on pork-barrel projects. Veteran organizations could never muster the political influence to force a change in policy. It was as if the policy of forcing disabled vets to pay their own disability with their own retirement pay was written in stone. For the last several years, this was called the “Disability Tax.”

Soldiers are the only group of government employees having this arrangement. If a congressman should become permanently disabled while in office, he would receive his full retirement check plus disability compensation for life. This is true for all other government employees.

It is time this injustice ended. It is time people recognize compensation for “time served” and compensation for “service connected disabilities” are two completely separate issues. This is not “double-dipping.”

The term “double-dipping” started in the ‘70’s when it was a practice for military personnel in certain positions would retire from the military one day and the next day change hats, starting a “new” career doing the same job in a GS capacity. This way he would be drawing his military retirement while getting a GS paycheck too. He could work toward another retirement as a “government employee”, with military time counting toward his second retirement from government service as a civilian.

[rhmorgan]

OFFICE OF THE MEDICAL INSPECTOR
THE OFFICE OF THE MEDICAL INSPECTOR (OMI) CARRIES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF HELPING TO RESOLVE MEDICAL PROBLEMS AND ISSUES VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES MAY ENCOUNTER WITH THE VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION. MANY VETERANS ARE NOT AWARE OF THIS OFFICE OR WHAT TYPE OF SERVICES THEY PROVIDE. OMI IS NOT PART OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL; THEY DO NOT CONDUCT CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS NOR DO THEY ADDRESS BENEFITS ISSUES, RATHER, THEIR MISSION IS CENTERED ON ASSURING GOOD HEALTHCARE FOR VETERANS. OMI IS PREPARED TO ADDRESS ANY PATIENT CARE ISSUE THAT ARISE IN A VA MEDICAL CENTER (VAMC).

OMI's CONTACT INFORMATION IS FURNISHED BELOW FOR YOUR USE AND DISSEMINATION:

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
OFFICE OF THE MEDICAL INSPECTOR (OMI)
810 VERMONT AVENEU, NW
WASHONGTON, D.C. 20420
800-634-4782 OR (202) 501-2000
OMITRIAGE@MAIL.VA.GOV

[rhmorgan]

System Helps Veterans Get Awards and Decorations

Army veterans and their families can have an easier time tracking and receiving medals and decorations thanks to an automated system used by the Clothing and Heraldry Product Support Integration Directorate (PSID). The Web-based system eliminates extensive paperwork, reduces processing time and has capabilities such as allowing each veteran the opportunity to find out the status of his or her request or make address online. These types of inquiries that used to be handled telephonically or by letter can be entered online at http://veteranmedals.army.mil/. Award criteria and background for the different service medals can also be found on the Web site. Requests for medals are initiated through the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis. Eligible veterans or the next-of-kin of a deceased veteran can request medals from NPRC at http://vetrecs.archives.gov/.

[rhmorgan]

Veterans' Records Accessible Online

The National Archives now has a webpage where veterans can request a copy of their DD-214. A military veteran, or the next of kin of a deceased, former member of the military can use this webpage. The next of kin can be any of the following: surviving spouse that has not remarried, father, mother, son, daughter, sister, or brother. Other individuals with a need for documents must still complete the Standard Form 180, which can be downloaded from the online website. For more details, also see Records Overview at Military.com.

[edog30]

Dont forget the American Legion at www.legion.org.

Easy to join if you served during wartime.