Service Related Disability Benefits

By: Dan Meyer

The office hours for the Big Stone County Veterans Service Office are 7:30 am – 4:00 pm Monday through Friday. My office phone number is (320) 839-6398.

Flash News! Did you know I will make house calls and/or home appointments? The winter months can be difficult for some veterans and their surviving spouse’s to travel. If you cannot make it to my office, give me a call and we can schedule a time to meet in your home. Stay warm in your home and I’ll do the freezing part!

This month, I was invited to attention the Campbell-Williams American Legion Post 258 (District 7) monthly meeting. To American Legion Post 258, “A job well done!”

Did you know? Some estimates put the death rate of World War II veterans at nearly 1,600 per day! There were 16.1 million U.S. military personnel who served between December 1, 1941 and December 31, 1946.

Veterans are a unique group of men and women that share a common bond of honor, courage, and commitment. Our Nation’s cities, towns, and communities are losing veterans at an alarming rate. I am respectfully calling on all veterans to talk to local representatives of our county VFW and American Legions, and join us in our fight to maintain our Country’s freedoms and traditions.

In other news. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers two major disability benefits programs for veterans: service-connected disability compensation (compensation) and non-service-connected disability pension (pension). In fiscal year 2008, more than 2,951,600 veteran were receiving compensation benefits and 317,600 veterans were receiving pension benefits. Nearly $42 billion in VA funding went into the compensation and pension programs.

The VA pays a form of compensation to surviving spouses, children, and parents of deceased veterans whose deaths were caused by service-connected disabilities. This benefit is called Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). In fiscal year 2008, more than 333,200 surviving dependents of veterans whose deaths were caused by service-connected conditions were receiving DIC benefits.

DIC for the surviving spouse is not based on the disability or income of the surviving spouse; however, income is a factor when the parents of a deceased veteran have basic eligibility for DIC.

Trivia Question Time. What does the military nickname “G.I.” stand for? The answer next week.

Until next week, take care and “Fair Winds and Following Seas!”