By THOM STODDERT
Veterans Life correspondent

In June, I wrote about how a claim for benefits is made, what paperwork is needed, and what to do with the forms (“Vets can power through the VA claims process,” page 12, June Veterans Life).

Now, let’s look at what the major benefit programs are and the differences between them. Lastly, let’s look at the various levels of benefit payments for these programs. This last part may be helpful; there are a lot of patriotic-sounding organizations that are really businesses, confusing the programs and exploiting vets.

Understand, the Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA) and the Veterans Hospital Administration (VHA) are two different agencies within the VA. The Army drives tanks and the Navy drives ships. A buck sergeant rarely communicates with a petty officer. Thus it is with the various staff of each agency — different missions. So this article is focused on the VBA.

Disability Compensation is the first and most familiar benefits program. If a chronic medical condition was incurred or made worse while in the service, it can now be compensated for with free medical treatment and financial payment.

To draw a picture, a service member fell under some equipment when the ship rolled. As a result, she tore some ligaments in her right knee. The injury was documented along with the treatment and after a few days she was returned to full duty.

Getting out of the service, the vet makes a claim with the VA. She is assessed and found that the knee problem is not really a problem, yet. So it is “service connected” at zero percent. Yes, there is no money, but it does have the legal qualification of being “service connected.”

Years later, the vet needs a knee replacement. She will be rated at a higher percentage afterward by another claim to the VBA and paid accordingly. The final assessment for the rating percentage will be determined with medical evidence and the VA’s Rating Schedule.

To sum this up, a chronic medical condition must be shown by evidence to have a link to military service and be chronic. Disability Compensation often extends to other benefit programs for the vet and/or family members with education, medical care, and financial support. There are too many vets who miss this point and blow off any claims they could and should make.

Dependents Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a program for surviving spouses that can be awarded and, in some cases, can be extended to other family members. It comes with educational benefits and higher levels of payments when the need is shown. There are several categories of eligibility that will qualify a beneficiary; briefly explained, they are:

— The veteran dies on active duty.

— The veteran dies for any reason within five years after active duty, while rated as being totally and permanently disabled because of a service-connected issue(s).

— The veteran dies for any reason and while rated as being totally and permanently disabled because of service-connected issue(s) for 10 years or more at any time.

— The veteran dies of any service-connected condition at any time in his or her life.

There is also consideration for military retirees who have elected to pay into the military’s Survivor Benefits Plan (SBP). The two different programs can offset each other. Do contact the closest Military Retirement Office.

Pension is another benefits program that may be awarded to either the veteran or family member. The purpose is to help financially strapped vets/family reach the federally set poverty line. The eligibility requirements, basically explained, are:

— The veteran must have a discharge other than dishonorable, 90 days of service with at least one day of it during a period of conflict as set by Congress.

The beneficiary must be disabled usually due to non-service connected medical conditions or older than 65.

The veteran must be able to show financial need, generally having a financial worth of less than $80,000.

Caution here: There are innumerable businesses posing as advocates that will try to make a potential beneficiary eligible by lowering the claimant’s financial worth with the purchases of poor quality financial products. The vet or family member then appears impoverished for VA purposes, yet may be breaking federal law.

Working with these pension poachers — as they are now called — will lead to major headaches and the probable loss of benefits from the VA and/or Medicaid. Stay with a “nationally chartered veteran service organization.”

The state Legislature recently enacted laws to curtail false advocacy of pension poachers. On the other side of the same coin, lawyers will assist in filing VA claims but you’ll be charged for legal fees. Filing a claim with the VA is by law a free service, still these business people use loopholes around the law.

Aid and Attendance (A&A) is an often heard about benefit, but it is not a benefit program as indicated by businesspersons. In reality, it is a much higher level of payment for any of the benefit programs. It requires medical evidence for a need of a higher level of skilled medical care. Usually, it must be shown that the recipient of one of the benefit programs is in need of help/protection with the activities of daily living (ADLs), essentially higher skilled medical care.

Housebound is an intermediate level of payment between a basic program and A&A. This is granted when the medical evidence shows that the recipient is unable to leave their place of habitation without the aid of another person.

These are the most basic programs available. If you have a question, do call the VA at 1-800-827-1000 or the state Department of Veterans Affairs at 1-800-562-2308 to see if there is a benefit to meet your need.

— Thom Stoddert is a combat veteran and former VA rating specialist with four years’ experience making decisions on veterans claims. He helps veterans file claims under the auspices of several groups. Contact him at stoddertwork@gmail.com.

FOR ASSISTANCE
The American Legion Post 245 Veterans Service Office can help you apply for benefits and claims. The Veterans Service Office is located at 19068 Jensen Way, Suite 3A, downtown Poulsbo. 360-779-5456. Hours: Every Thursday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.