Overview VA Benefits and Services National Veterans Training

Overview VA Benefits and Services National Veterans Training Institute

VA benefits can affect you now, and for the rest Of your life…

VETERANS CENTER #14 d (page 11) Opened across the nation in 1978 GWOTs satellite centers PTSD, sexual trauma and bereavement counseling for veteran and families By the end of 2010, there will be 300 Vet Centers across the US and surrounding territories (US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, and American Samoa). 3 WWW. VA. gov/rcs

VA HOME LOAN GUARANTY #15 d (page 47) ü No down payment ü Limitations on closing costs ü The right to prepay without penalty ü Funding Fee (Fee ranges from. 5% to 3. 35%, depending on loan type and if first time or subsequent user) ü Special assistance for veterans experiencing difficulty in making loan payments

Some Reasons for a VA Home Loan Ø Buy a home Ø Build a home Ø Refinance existing loan Ø Repair, alter, or improve a home Ø Use only for property located in the US, its territories or possessions

Some Requirements & Information Ø Must occupy the property as your home within a reasonable period of time Ø Maximum loan – generally, lenders limit the maximum VA loan to 4 times the VA guaranty amount. Currently, this results in amounts ranging from $417, 000 to $729, 750 (These amounts can change yearly) Ø Veterans and some spouses www. homeloans. va. gov 6

Eligibility Generally, must serve 24 months of continuous active duty or the full period for which called or ordered to active duty Service must be at least 90 days during a period of war (181 during peacetime), unless discharged earlier due to a service connected disability* Certificate of Eligibility (COE) required for home loan process * Currently-it is still the “Gulf War” period

Eligibility (continued) Must update Loan Certificate upon separation/discharge Apply for COE by completing VA Form 26 -1880 and submitting to Eligibility Center at P. O. Box 20729, Winston-Salem, NC 27120 OR, have your lender apply online through the VA Portal – www. vip. vba. va. gov

It’s a new generation. 9

Department of Veterans Affairs #17/#18 b Compensation for Service-Connected Disabilities (page 23) Benefit paid for incurred injuries and diseases while on active duty Ø Primary Ø Secondary Ø Presumptive (page 24) Ø Form 21 -256 http: //www. vba. va. gov 10

Compensation A service-connected disability is a disease or injury incurred or aggravated while on active duty. The disability does not have to be combat or wartime related.

COMPENSATION Issues related to Iraq & Afghanistan Service Ø TBI/Headaches Ø Heart Burn/GERD Post traumatic stress (including the result of sexual trauma) Ø Ø Positive TB Test

VA DISABILITY COMPENSATION o Disabilities are rated from 0% to 100% o VA rating is independent of any military rating o Payments begin with 10% ratings o Additional allowance for dependents with 30% or higher rating Consider working with a Service Organization — VFW, AL, DAV, MOPD, PVA, etc. 13

COMPENSATION - RELATED BENEFITS (CONTINUED) Specially adapted homes (page 29) ** v $60, 000 grant for cost of building, buying, remodeling, or paying indebtedness on home already acquired v Grant for actual cost, up to $12, 000, for adaptations to residence determined by VA to be necessary **For certain types of disability For certain cases of serious disability, and may be used while on active duty

COMPENSATION - RELATED BENEFITS (CONTINUED) Automobile grant ($11, 000) (page 31) and adaptive equipment** Military commissary & exchange privileges*** ** For certain cases of serious disability, and may be used while on active duty *** For 100% disability cases

PENSION

Pension Eligibility Requirements ü At least 90 days of active military service (generally, 24 months for enlistments after September 7, 1980) ü At least one day of wartime service (combat service not required) ü Totally & permanently disabled, or attained age 65 ü Within income limits to qualify for this benefit

VA Medical and Dental (page 1) #17 Veterans who served in the active military, naval or air service and who were discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable Former Reservists who served full-time and for operational or support (excludes training purposes) Former National Guard members if mobilized by a Federal order 18

Eligibility (continued) Most veterans who enlisted in the Armed Forces after 9/7/80 must have completed: ü 24 months continuous active service, or ü the full period for which they were called or ordered to active duty A service-connected condition is not necessary to receive VA health care

Veterans of Operations Enduring & Iraqi Freedom (page 3 & 4) VA provides free health care for: Veterans who served on active duty in a theater of combat operations after November 11, 1998, for any illness possibly related to their service in that theater. A veteran has five years from date of discharge from active duty, if discharged from active duty on or after January 28, 2003.

Dental (page 17) Care provided: ü Generally, for any service- connected condition ü While participating in VA vocational rehabilitation program ü For veterans in some other categories; e. g. , former prisoners of war

Dental (continued) For recently separated veterans ü who served for 90 days or more, and ü who apply within 180 days of separation Note: This is for one time treatment of dental conditions if the veteran’s separation document does not indicate that necessary dental care was received within 90 days prior to release or discharge

ENROLLMENT To receive VA health care, a veteran must enroll in the VA health care system unless: ü veteran has a 50% or more service-connected VA disability rating ü less than one year has passed since veteran was discharged from the military for a disability that was incurred or aggravated in the line of duty but VA has not yet rated ü the veteran is seeking care for a service-connected disability Once enrolled, veteran will be assigned to one of 8 priority groups. Depending on veteran’s status, a co-payment for services may be required 23

EDUCATION BENEFITS (beginning on page 37) CHP 30 Montgomery GI Bill CHP 33 Post 911 GI Bill CHP 31 Voc. Rehab ü 1 -888 -GI Bill 1 (1 -888 -442 -4551) ü Information Is Available ü 24 Hours a Day/ 7 Days a Week 24

MGIB-AD – General (page 40) o Eligibility based, in part, on active military service o Up to 36 months of benefits o Benefits payable for up to 10 years following release from active duty o Various education and training program options o May be used while on active duty

MGIB-AD - General (continued) Required: üCharacter of service must be honorable üA high school diploma or equivalent prior to applying Benefits may be used for: üCollege courses leading to a degree üBusiness/technical/vocational courses leading to a certificate or diploma

MGIB-AD - General (continued) ü Tests for a license or certification ü Apprenticeship or on-the-job training programs ü Correspondence courses ü Foreign schools (degree programs only) ü Entrepreneurship courses ü Flight training (need private pilot license first) ü Tutorial assistance (if shown to be necessary)

The Post-9/11 GI Bill (page 37) Chapter 33, Title 38 United States Code

Eligibility Criteria Individuals who served on active duty after 09/10/01 will be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill if the individual — Served at least 30 continuous days and was discharged due to a service-connected disability, or Served for an aggregate period ranging from 90 days to 36 months.

Eligibility Criteria (continued) Individuals will generally receive 36 months of benefits. However, individuals are limited to 48 months of combined benefits under educational assistance programs administered by VA. NOTE: Individuals transferring to the Post-9/11 GI Bill from the Montgomery GI Bill (chapter 30) will be limited to the amount of remaining chapter 30 entitlement. In general, individuals can receive benefits for 15 years from the date of last discharge or release from active duty of 90 days or more.

Benefit Payments Individuals are eligible for the applicable percentage (based on aggregate active duty service) of the lesser of Established ch arges; or q Highest amount of est ablished charges for fu ll-time, under graduate training at a public Institu tion of Higher Learni ng (IHL) in t he State the student is attending. q

Monthly Housing Allowance Equivalent to Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for an E 5 with dependents – Amount determined by zip code of the IHL where the student is enrolled – Prorated based on the percentage of the maximum benefit payable – Active duty and anyone training at ½ time or less, and those pursuing distance learning are not eligible for the monthly housing allowance

Books and Supplies Stipend ü Up to a $1, 000 per year ü Paid proportionally for each quarter, semester, or term attended ü Prorated based on the percentage of the maximum benefit payable ü Active duty members are not eligible WWW. GIBILL. VA. GOV Call 1 -888 -442 -4551

DTAP OVERVIEW #18 a Provides information on VA’s Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment Program as well as other programs for the disabled. q Chapter 31 Preview: * Service Connected Disabilities q Voc Rehab: * Employment Program/Outcome 34

What Is Vocational Rehabilitation? (page 23) Vocational Rehabilitation / Chapter 31: Title 38, USC Designed to assist disabled veterans in qualifying for and obtaining suitable, entry level employment. www. vetsuccess. gov 36

Do you qualify? Armed Forces service member who has a 20% or higher memorandum rating from the VA. Or a Veteran who has: – a 10% Final Rating from VA, or – a 20% or higher Memorandum Rating from VA – applied for and completed the VR&E program within 12 years of VA notification of eligibility – a discharge other than dishonorable A service member or veteran must also have an employment handicap 37

Use of two benefits 1. 2. 38 You may not use GI Bill and Chapter 31 at the same time. Voc Rehab/Chapter 31 can make 48 months of entitlement available

HOW DO YOU GET VOC REHAB SERVICES? Entitlement is not automatic. Ø Employment Handicap Ø Serious Employment Handicap If eligible, you must participate in an evaluation with a counselor A VA counselor must make several decisions related to aptitude, interests, abilities, education, current situations, history, etc… 39

VR&E Programs Five Tracks To Employment 40

RE-EMPLOYMENT Do you want to return to a former civilian job? Can you return to your former civilian job VR&E can help you understand your rights under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act (USERRA) of 1994 41

RAPID ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT For those who want a job now 42 Are you job ready?

EMPLOYMENT THROUGH LONG TERM SERVICES For those who need specialized training and/or education Do you need to be re-trained? VR&E provides valuable services such as: ü OJT ü Apprenticeships ü Internships ü Job Shadowing ü Higher Education 43

SELF-EMPLOYMENT For those who want to be selfemployed Do you have what it takes to run your own business? VR&E assistance varies based on severity of disability 44

INDEPENDENT LIVING For those who can’t go to work right now. Are you so severely disabled that you can’t go to work right now? VR&E can help! 45

Financial Benefit • Tuition and Fees • Books and Supplies • Equipment • Loans • Subsistence Allowance: – Single = $547. 54 – 1 Dep = $679. 18 – 2 Dep = $800. 36 46 – Each additional dependant = $58. 34

Other Services While Participating In Voc Rehab Medical Dental Specially Adapted Housing Optical Vocational/Educational Counseling Mental Health Treatment Special Hiring Authority Vet Centers 47

State and Local Health Care #15 a(4) • Research the state • Explore options

State Veterans Benefits #21 • State benefits vary state to state • Eligibility and examples • Website resource

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