Memorial Day

Memorial Day is approaching quickly and activity has been picking up in my office as American flags are picked up by service organizations and individuals. Henry County makes available the funds to purchase over 5,000 graveside flags. Every veteran grave in Henry County has a flag placed beside it before Memorial Day. This is just one way our veterans are honored.

Many schools invite veterans to attend Veterans Day programs. Restaurants give veterans discounts or free meals. Stores give discounts on purchases with proper ID.  A military Honor Guard is present at most veterans funerals.  These are just  a few ways that our veterans are remembered.

But what makes a veteran?  He is the teenager that crossed the ocean in the bowels of a transport ship to fight the Germans during WW II.  The young lady that cared for wounded soldiers at the battle front as they were brought into field hospitals. The young B-25 belly gunner who had his canopy shot from under him by German fighters planes and ended up hanging under the plane in his harness. The bomber continued to the target and returned to its airfield in England safely. The young lieutenant who led his platoon through the jungles and swamps of Vietnam looking for Viet Cong.

The young woman Marine who traveled across Iraq from village to village promoting good will and handing out soccer balls to children. The Air Force crew chief  who flew aboard bombers that dropped atomic bombs during Operation Teapot in the 50's. The teenage sailor who was aboard a warship that was sunk during a WW II sea battle in the Pacific.  Was rescued, assigned to another ship that was torpedoed. Survived still again, and yes, his last ship was sunk. All these veterans are Henry County residents and have done things a non veteran can't imagine. 

Not all of us were involved in combat but were an important element that supported the troops in harms way: supply, medical, training, intelligence, finance, chaplains, flight crews, electronics, mechanics, judicial, munitions, technicians, etc. The list goes on and on.

The young mother of two in the checkout line, or the elderly gentleman sharing coffee and conversation with friends at a local restaurant just might be veterans. Think about that this Memorial Day and everyday.
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A documentary about PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is coming to Indianapolis  on Tuesday May 24 at 7 p.m. for one night only. "Soledad O' Brian Presents: The War Comes Home - The New Battlefront." This film follows two veterans on the edge of suicide as they attend a life-changing boot camp. Healing, meditation and team-building exercises are part of the treatment over the course of five days, with the cameras recording their recovery.

The documentary will be shown at AMC Indianapolis 17 at 4325 South Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN. Call (317) 784-0989 for ticket information.

Short and To The Point: Filling Out Claim Forms

  Many times when a veteran or his spouse comes into my office to file a claim, but they want to take the forms home. They have another appointment, don't have the information with them, etc. I try to help everyone I can plow through the paperwork on site, but that is not  always possible.

   My advice to anyone filling out their own forms goes like this:
   
        Read each question carefully.
                   Don't guess at the answers. If you are not sure, bring the forms to you Service Officer.
     
        Print all your answers plainly. Do not use cursive.
                  You may know what you have written but the VA Grader that processes your claim might not be able to read your scribbles.
     
        Fill in all the blanks.
                  Example: Many VA forms ask for morning & evening phone numbers. Today it is common for people to have cells phones and no home phone. They put their cell phone number in the 'morning' box and same in the 'evening' box. Put the number in both boxes.

        Get all your financial information together before completing claims that require it.

        Gather up the necessary certificates you might need: discharge, death, marriage, etc.

        Know your doctor's full name, address and phone number and what they treated you for.

        Disability comp claims require What, When, Where & Why types of information.
                  Their needs to be a cause and effect. Yesterday a vet came in and wanted to file an "Agent Orange" claim. There is NO such thing. You have to have a disability related to you time in Vietnam, on the ground or serving in the Blue or Brown water Navy.

   When you have completed the forms and gathered all the necessary documents together, bring them to your county Veteran Service Office so they can check them over before they are shipped off to your Regional VA Office.

   The people that rate claims are not sitting waiting for your claim to land on their desk. They already have a stack of folders they are working on. If they have not their morning coffee or were stuck in traffic on the way to work, they not be in the best frame of might when they look at your claim that is full of scribbles and missing forms. They already have a stack of claims on their desk that they can turn to.

    Be concise, neat and have everything you need. If not sure, go to your VSO office and ask.  
 
  Remember www.va.gov  or email me at jguglielmi@henryco.net with you questions or write a comment on this blog.         

       

     

     
     

     

Military Family Relief Fund

   IN 2007, the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) began accepting grant applications from the families of deployed or recently deployed Indiana National Guard members and members of the Selected Reserves. Effective April 30, 2009, certain active duty service members are eligible.

   The emergency grants may be used by the families for needs such as food, housing, utilities, medical services, transportation and other essential family support expenses which have become difficult to afford. Grants up to $5,000 will be awarded to families to alleviate these needs and may be applied for up to one year after the period of active duty.

1.                                 Requirements                      
2. 1. The service member must be serving honorably or must have received an honorable discharge.
3. 
   2. The need for financial assistance must have occurred during the time the individual is engaged in pre-deployment training or while serving on active duty (no pre-existing financial difficulties will be considered).
   
   3. The qualified individual has served at least 30 continuous days of active duty (also eligible during the pre-deployment training). Grants will also be awarded for families still suffering hardships for up to one year after the period of active duty ends.
   
   4. There is a documented need for financial assistance for necessities of daily living that include food, clothing, housing, utilities, medical service, prescriptions, insurance payments or other needs.
   
   5. National Guard members must be a member of the Indiana Army or Air National Guard and must be a resident of Indiana. Reservists must be a resident of Indiana.
   
   6.  In order to be eligible the applicant must show that the need has arisen since notification of pending active duty orders or since receipt of active duty orders during a time of national conflict or war.
   
   7. National Guard & Reserve members must have proof of  pre-deployment training or active duty orders. Active duty members must show orders to prove they are being, or are currently, deployed during a period of national conflict or war.
   
   8. The applicant must sign and date the application and provide all required proof and documentation.
   
   9. The qualified individual or family member can receive $5,000 per year in grants from the family relief fund. The year starts with the date the grant is approved and continues as long as the service member is otherwise eligible. The Director of the Indiana Dept. of Veterans Affairs may waive the requirements for emergency cases only upon written request indicating the circumstances justifying such a waiver. 

To apply:
Contact your local County Veterans' Service Officer or call toll free:1-800-400-4520 to have an application mailed, or download the application at:

• Download IDVA - MFRF Application (MS Word Version)
• Download IDVA - MFRF Application (pdf)

Please submit completed applications to:
                               Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs
                               Attn: Military Family Relief Fund
                               302 W. Washington St. Room E-120
                               Indianapolis, Indiana 46204

Applications and documentation may also be faxed to 317-232-7721. For more information, please contact Noelle Wikert at 317-232-3922 or email nwikert@dva.in.gov

• How do I obtain a copy of my discharge papers (DD-214)?
• Who do I contact for information regarding federal veterans programs?
• What are some Indiana Veterans' Organizations website links?
• What service organizations are accredited to represent veterans and their dependents in the filing of claims?

Henry County, Indiana Veterans Information

Veterans of Henry County, Indiana have access to information and benefits they might be eligible for through the Veterans office located in the Henry County Courthouse Room 114. I, John Guglielmi, am the Veterans Service Officer for Henry County. My position is to help Veterans research information, file claims and help them fill out the many forms that are required when working with any federal and state entity.


The Veterans Administration in Washington, D. C. can be found at http://www.va.gov/ and is a wealth of information and updates about what is going on with and for Veterans. The state of Indiana has a comprehensive site at www.in.gov/dva.


The Veterans is open Tuesday thur Friday from 7:00 a.m. till 12:00 p.m. My email is jguglielmi@henryco.net and phone is 765 529-4305.