Pension Insider
By David Austin
November 23, 2018
The Arizona Community Foundation of Yuma's Veterans Recoverable Loan Project is providing Yuma County veterans with interest-free, short-term loans for emergent needs, such as trips to the VA Hospital, school expenses, medical emergencies and deposits for housing and utilities.
The Arizona Community Foundation of Yuma’s Veterans Recoverable Loan Project is providing Yuma County veterans with interest-free, short-term loans for emergent needs, such as trips to the VA Hospital, school expenses, medical emergencies and deposits for housing and utilities. Call 602-381-1400 for details.
Arizona makes it easier for veterans with combat medical training to gain Licensed Professional Nursing certification. Veterans with medical training obtained in the military may use their military education and experience to count as the civilian equivalent for training required to become a Licensed Professional Nurse (LPN).
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VA Hosts Music Therapy Retreat
Aimed at helping former service members process some of their military experiences, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the nonprofit Operation Song recently launched the first of a series of national music therapy retreats that started in Nashville, Tennessee.
Working with VA Voluntary Services and Veterans Canteen Service, the four-day songwriting retreat is designed to connect veterans from around the United States with professional songwriters and VA therapists, as they translate their service experiences into songs, which will be recorded in a music studio for the veterans to keep.
Veterans from all military conflicts such as, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan are encouraged to attend the retreat.
Veterans who wish to participate in the Operation Song retreat program must be referred by their VA health care provider.
Presumptive Disability Categories
Veterans should familiarize themselves with the “presumptive categories” that designate many physical and psychological conditions that are presumed service connected.
Former POWs are eligible for VA compensation for disabilities related to their military service and captivity. Certain conditions are presumed to be related to time in captivity. These presumptive disabilities are based on studies of the long-term effects of captivity, deprivation, trauma, and cold injury on former POWs.
There are two different lists of presumptive conditions depending on the length of time a veteran was a POW. One list of presumptive conditions is for POWs who were held captive for 30 days or more. The other list of presumptive conditions has no specified time frame. Captivity could be 1 day or more.
Service Connection Information
VA’s authority to grant medical care and disability compensation largely depends on statues that establish “presumptions” of a service connection for diseases related to exposure to biological, chemical, or other toxic agents at a particular time and place, such as the Republic of Vietnam during January 9, 1962, through May 7, 1975. The VA uses reports from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and other scientific information available to establish “presumption of service connection,” but that may be difficult to do when exposure data is lacking. Next, VA proposes a regulation regarding the basis of the presumption connection and defines the eligibility criteria. Absent a presumption connection, the individual veteran will have a hard time getting compensation.
Spotlight On Three Updated VA Pension Programs
The Veterans Pension (also known as the Improved Disability Pension) makes payments to certain disabled, low-income veterans. In FY2019, the program paid an average annual benefit of $12,538 to 239,114 beneficiaries.
The Survivors Pension (also known as the Improved Death Pension) makes payments to certain low-income spouses or children of deceased veterans. In FY2019, the program paid an average annual benefit of $8,976 to beneficiaries. A third pension program is available to veterans who received the Medal of Honor. Unlike the other two pension programs, it is not a needs-based or income-based program; the only requirement is having received the Medal of Honor.
The Medal of Honor Pension makes payments to veterans who were awarded the Medal of Honor. There are fewer than 70 Medal of Honor recipients living who qualify for this pension. This pension program pays a monthly benefit of $1,388.68 as of December 12, 2019.