November 21, 2009
What's Inside:
Veterans air concerns at listening post
Photo by Jessica Stewart / St. Joseph News-Press / Purchase this photo
Veteran Robert Beaver listens to speakers Wednesday night at a Veterans Town Hall/Listening Post at the Mayes Memorial Armory.
Staff Sgt. Daniel Salcedo wants to find out all about accessing the benefits due him upon his impending military retirement.
Sgt. Salcedo was injured in March when an improvised explosive device detonated while he performed duties with the Missouri Air National Guard in Afghanistan. On Wednesday night, he used crutches to walk around the Mayes Memorial Armory — in search of answers to questions about veterans’ benefits.
“And also to make some connections with people, so I know who to talk to,” he added.
Still on active duty, he expects to be medically retired once he heals from his injuries.
More than 100 local and area veterans attended a listening post sponsored by the Missouri Veterans Commission and other veterans groups. Commission deputy director Larry Kay said the forum’s purpose was simple: to obtain veterans’ opinions that can be transcribed into a report for Gov. Jay Nixon.
Parts of the discussion, however, featured criticism by veterans on obtaining benefits and frustration from the service they received at various offices. Note cards with questions were submitted anonymously to a panel of officials.
“That woman ought to be yanked out of there and bushwhacked,” one man said of an experience he had at one of the offices.
Mr. Kay said the response and length of the forum ranked at the top of eight listening posts held so far across the state. A total of 21 veterans’ forums are scheduled for Missouri.
Other veterans asked about health insurance eligibility and the appeals process of denied benefits.
“Just because they said no the first time doesn’t mean you don’t have appeal rights,” one panelist said.
Additional questions focused on prescription coverage, waiting lists for admission to the state’s veterans’ homes, and aid for homeless veterans.
Mr. Kay said the listening posts’ other goals include health program enrollments and linking veterans with service officers.
Col. Mike Pankau of the Air Guard’s 139th Airlift Wing spoke on potential issues that face returning veterans.
“It’s a tremendous challenge keeping abreast” of benefits changes, he told the audience. “It’s more good than bad these days.”
Veterans’ listening posts were held last week in Chillicothe and Maryville.
Ray Scherer can be reached at rscherer@npgco.com.
CORRECTION: The position of an official with the Missouri Veterans Commission was incorrect in Thursday’s edition, because of a reporter’s error. Larry Kay is the organization’s executive director.
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The fight for what we deserve is way too slow of a process and I've been turned down many times for compensation due to me. I have been waiting 1 1/2 years on an appeal for an increase and the answer is always the same"these things take time, we're overloaded with other claims." I say put more people on the review staff and even though some PLAY the system that doesn't mean we all do. Only one time was I ever granted compensation on the first attempt. I think they deny claims to clear their desk off and figure we'll go away, and many do but you can't give up like that if you are right and they are wrong. I started with 10% and it's taken me 29 years of paperwork to get to 40% that I deserved back then. Keep sending paperwork and follow up with calls, calls, calls to let them know that you aren't going to go away.
Veterans should not be told no on anything as far as I am concerned they put their lifes on the line for us everyday and protect our country everyday. And to not listen to them and provide for them is just a shame. Where would we be without them stop and think about that one for a minute.Although I do not know the circumstances of what Jimrsmith is going through it seems as if this is just crazy that he and other alike have to go through this to get what they are entitled to.And we are in two different wars right now and the claims are going to go up so why do they not hire more people to handle this overload?This is just a shame for our vetsa to have to go through this.
If you are a vietnam veteran and diagnosed with leukemia, soft cell sarcoma, non-hodgkins lymphoma, hodkins disease contact the VA. These are all on the list of diseases caused by agent orange exposure.
If you are a retiree with a spouse it will mean that if you die as a result of any of the listed diseases, your death can be ruled as active duty. Its the difference in retiree pay and active duty pay & full military benefits to your surviving spouse.
I have to shed a tear when I think that we house our conficted criminals in very nice lodgings, with cable, and all kinds of other comforts, we give illegial aliens free housing, food stamps, utility assistance, and free medical care. However, When it comes to our proud United States Military Veterans, we give them nothing, except the run around, and eventually the boot.
These proud men and women sacrificed all to defend our great nation and give us the freedoms we enjoy today.
I have to wonder how many of them would have enlisted if they had known what a lazy, spoiled, and greedy society America has turned into.
We, as a whole, owe everything to these Veterans. If there are not enough funfs to provide for our UNITED STATES MILITARY VETERANS,Convicted murderers, and illegal aliens, Shouldnt the choice be obvious, as to who gets taken care of first?
sorry for the typos, in the above comment, I was a little worked up, and did not proof carefully before i hit send
It really bothers me that our veteran's get so much crap. I am married to a retired US Marine whom fought in Operation Iraqi Freedom and when he was not only denied medical treatment and benefits I learned to become a fire-cracker. I fought for all his benefits and today when I hear our men and woman don't have a voice who is gonnna stand up for them they put their lives on the line so what we can sit back and watch them get screwed over I think not!! Your right our in mates are treated better than our veteran's and that is very sad!!!!!!!!!! I am willing to help any veteran that needs help getting their benefits granted I'm just a 33yr old mother of 4 but I have a voice that gets heard usually on the first time so if any one wants my help just write back and thank you a million times for the sacrafice you gave for me!!!!!!!!! I love my husband and the gift he gave my children and I can never have a price tag but its sad that freedom costs so much!!!!!!
what a bunch of nice comments in these post. kinda renews my faith in mankind. as a nam vetern let me just give a wholehearted thank you an god bless all.