My family has a special interest in veterans since four of our sons served in the military during the Vietnam War. Some still don’t call it a war, but they weren’t there. Believe them, it was a war.

I try to keep up on military news, always checking for information on benefits, changes and the like to pass on to them. All four joined the service instead of waiting to be drafted. Each joined at age 17. Two chose Air Force and the other two the Army. Thus, I have the greatest respect for our vets of that era.

It is hard to come to grips with all the greed concerning scamming these vets, especially our older ones, by people who say they are there to help them. There are warnings in newspapers and magazines to be cautious with mortgage modification scams. In other words, know who and what you are dealing with. Some of these scam outfits ask for immediate payments for their service. They also tell a vet who is using a VA loan not to talk to his or her mortgage service. (I think that alone would give me the smell of something rotten in Denmark, to use an old bit from Shakespeare). Never pay a third party, but only discuss business with a modification service for assistance and ask their costs.

Washington state has its share of scams hitting our veterans. When they go for information and ask for help from some of these smooth-talking advisers, veterans find they have been pulled in. These advisers have talked some vets into transferring assets to an irrevocable trust, thereby making it look like the person is able to qualify for certain benefits. This is wrong on both counts and could tie the veteran’s assets up for many years before they could get any benefits, and lose possible medical benefits later on. The adviser could go on his way with thousands of dollars for his commission — as much as $75,000 for a $5,000 annuity, according to one AARP article.

Right now donations to the “Disabled Veterans Organization” are being questioned. Where are the millions of dollars being used? We should know more after this is checked into. I want to make it clear that this is not the “Disabled American Veterans” (DAV) group. We have donated to them for some years.

There are online scams, especially for older vets not up on computer knowledge — for example, Craigslist, where sellers ask for money to be wired. Credit card fraud, auction fraud, mail scams and telephone scams asking for donations. The Department of Defense’s Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has a new program, or soon will, having compiled hundreds of tips on different kinds of fraud for further reference. This from the “How to Avoid Scams Targeting Veterans” information sheet.

For information on benefits and help for veterans, call the Suquamish Warriors veterans group and talk to Joel, (360) 373-2397. He is a DAV service officer.

Some of these Vietnam vets I remember as 17- and 18-year-olds with hardly a whisker to shave. We see some of these boys in their 60s today with gray beards and pony tails, riding motorcycles and raising funds for charities and helping one another. Among the many health problems they have are Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). They have scars from terrible injuries. They’ve endured amputations. They have dental problems and suffer late effects from Agent Orange.

And to think these are the guys — and yes, gals too — these shysters want to scam. That’s almost as low as it gets.

— Jacque Thornton is a long-time columnist for the Kingston Community News. Contact her at jacque jt@centurytel.net.