Veterans Benefits Blog | The Rep for Vets™

Courts Reverse 2011 PTSD Ruling

2012-05-15T15:03:00Z

A May 2011 ruling ordering an overhaul of the Veterans Affairs' mental health care system has been reversed by the 9^th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals. An 11-judge panel ruled that changes needed to be ordered by the Congress or by the president, not the courts.

]]> The 2011 ruling had found that the VA exhibited "unchecked incompetence" in dealing with the growing number of post-traumatic stress disorder claims that were flooding the disability claims process. That ruling was in response to a 2007 lawsuit filed by two veterans groups, Veterans for Common Sense and Veterans United for Truth.

The lawsuit alleged that hundreds of thousands of veterans had to wait an average of four years to fully receive the mental health benefits owed them. The veterans' lawyer has said that he will take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The case was tried in 2008 before a judge. Emails between top VA officials were a central part of the case that showed that the plaintiffs said showed the agency's desire to not reveal the number of veterans under the care of the VA who attempted suicide. One VA official noted, privately, that 18 veterans kill themselves daily, on average, or around 1,000 attempts per month.

Other emails have suggested that VA counselors were directed to make as few PTSD diagnoses as possible. Federal investigators have revealed that nearly 50 percent of veterans who seek mental health care wait at least 50 days for evaluation and treatment, rather than the 14 days that the VA has promised.

The VA has said that it has experienced a 35 percent increase in the number of vets seeking mental health services. It has responded to this growth by developing more robust suicide prevention programs, increasing the number of counseling centers and by adding mental health counselors.

If you are having difficulty obtaining disability from the VA for a condition such as PTSD, it is important to obtain an advocate who can guide you through the system. At the Rep for Vets^TM, a national veterans advocacy company, we help veterans obtain the benefits they need and deserve.

Source: MSNBC, "Federal court reverses order for VA system overhaul," by Paul Elias, May 7, 2012.

What's In a Name?

2012-05-09T14:03:00Z

Controversy Erupts Over PTSD Name

The medical community has known for a long time that service in a war zone leaves mental and emotional scars that are often harder to heal than physical injuries sustained in battle. The non-visible consequences of military service have been known by many different names: shell shock, battle fatigue, soldier's heart, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the most current name for psychic injuries. Is the name changing again?

]]> Many in the military and mental health communities advocate for changing the name from post-traumatic stress disorder to post-traumatic stress injury. The primary reason for changing the name is that the word "disorder" has negative connotations, whereas injury is more neutral. As Gen. Peter Chiarelli said, "No 19-year-kid wants to be told he's got a disorder." Moreover, the word "injury" implies that healing is possible, whereas "disorder" suggests that the condition is permanent.

In fact, a change has already been made at the highest levels. Gen. Chiarelli in his communication about military suicide, dropped the word "disorder" altogether and started to refer to the condition as PTS. The Pentagon officially adopted Chiarelli's renaming of the term, but the change never caught on elsewhere. However, it never caught on at lower levels and in the medical community because of concerns that insurance companies and the Veteran's Affairs department would be reluctant to provide disability benefits for a condition that didn't have a word like disease, disorder or injury. Those in favour of changing the name settled on the word injury as the best descriptor.

Those opposed to swapping injury for disorder say that injury is a less accurate term. It suggests healing - the bleeding stops, the wound closes, and the injury goes away, or at least gets better. PTS, as the condition is now called in the Pentagon, can last for decades with little or no improvement. Those advocating for retaining the word "disorder" believe that PTSD is more like bipolar disorder or depressive disorder than a physical injury caused by an IED or gunshot.

Although the mental and emotional consequences of war zone service have been known for centuries, PTSD has only been an official disability since 1980, when the term was first included in the American Psychiatric Association's diagnostic manual. The push for including the condition came from physicians who treated Vietnam War veterans for a condition that caused significant pain and suffering but had no name or formal diagnosis.

The controversy over the name reflects society's continued unease with mental illness. It also underscores the challenges that many veterans face as they seek disability benefits for PTSD. Veterans who are having difficulty obtaining VA disability benefits can contact an advocate at The Rep for Vets^TM, a national veterans' advocacy company.

Source: PBS News Hour, "Psychiatric Community Still Divided Over idea of Changing PTSD's Name," May 4, 2012.

Cost of disability benefits is growing rapidly

2012-05-03T17:03:00Z

The VA expects to spend around $57 billion on disability benefits next year, an increase of 25 percent over this year and 400 percent of the amount spent in 2000, $15 billion. What's going on?

]]> Many factors are contributing to this growth. First of all, The United States has been at war for a long time - more than 10 years in Afghanistan, making the conflict there the longest war in U.S. history - longer even than the war in Vietnam. The number of disabled veterans who need help is around 25 percent of the total number who have served in Afghanistan and Iraq, more than 600,000.

Another reason for the growth in the number of disabled veterans is the improvement in the ability to treat catastrophic wounds that would have been fatal only a generation ago. The use of improvised explosive devices (IED) in particular has changed the number and extent of serious brain injuries and other severe wounds. However, even today's advanced medical technology cannot eliminate the consequences of these horrendous injuries. By keeping soldiers alive, we add to the cost of war.

A third reason is that the VA has expanded the number of types of conditions and disabilities that qualify a vet for benefits. PTSD and military sexual trauma (MST) were not considered disabilities in previous wars. However, the VA now recognizes the impact of conditions such as these on a veteran's ability to work and function effectively in the civilian world and in his or her private life.

Most disabled veterans don't care that they may be part of a historical change in the nature of war and its aftermath. They just want help -- help that is sometimes hard to come by. Vets whose application for disability benefits was denied should consult a specialist like those at The Rep for Vets, a national veterans' advocacy company.

Source: CNNMoney, "A cost of war: Soaring disability benefits for veterans," by Aaron Smith, Apr. 27, 2012.

Congress removes uncertainty from VA disability COLA

2012-04-23T22:03:00Z

Vets who are awarded their VA disability benefits, sometimes after a lengthy fight, are always relieved. However, even though the battle may have been won, the war isn't over. There is still the need to demonstrate continued disability, and the anxiety over whether the disability benefits will increase along with the cost of living.

]]> In the past, the cost of living adjustment, or COLA, has been a political football, used as a bargaining chip in Congress as member try to obtain passage of their favorite bills. Neither the VA nor veterans organizations were able to tell vets receiving disability whether and when their payments would increase. A few weeks ago, however, a House subcommittee took steps to ease veterans' uncertainty about their COLAs, approving a bill that would provide for automatic increases without requiring Congressional approval.

Members of Congress have had to pass annual bills to ensure that VA disability benefits increase by the same percent as Social Security Disability benefits. However, Congressional action has been needed every year - since 1983, to be exact. In contrast, military retirement pay and Social Security old age benefits are linked by law to changes in the Consumer Price Index and increase automatically. Until now, that has not been the case with VA disability benefits - Congress has had to take action.

The bill's chief sponsor, New Jersey Republican Jon Runyan, stated that disabled veterans should not have to worry every year about receiving the increase in payment that goes to all other recipients of federal benefits. Runyan is chair of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee disability assistance panel. His legislation, called the American Heroes COLA Act, will take effect in December 2013. The panel also passed a separate bill that would provide a December 2012 increase to take care of disability benefit recipients until the new law kicks in. Both veterans groups and the VA support the measure, which removes the annual COLA from the realm of politics.

If you have questions about your VA disability benefits or application, contact The Rep for Vets^TM, a national veterans advocacy company.

Source: Air Force Times, "House panel approves automatic vets' COLAs," Rick Maze, Apr. 18, 2012.

The history of veterans' benefits is a long and winding road

2012-04-18T21:45:00Z

Patriot's Day, or April 18, is only celebrated in Massachusetts. The Commonwealth closes its offices to commemorate the midnight ride of Paul Revere, when the intrepid silversmith rode from Boston into the countryside to raise the alarm so that the militia would be ready for the advancing British army.

]]> Most people just know this part of the story and maybe some tidbits about the revolutionary battles and skirmishes that ultimately led to the surrender of the British at Yorktown in 1783. They seldom have information about the men who fought in those battles. What, for example, did the grateful young nation - the United States - do for its revolutionary veterans? The facts may be surprising.

Colonies and then states had a variety of veterans programs, and the Continental Congress authorized pensions as a recruiting tool in 1776. However, it turned out the fledgling nation did not have the cash to actually make payments to disabled veterans as promised. The first comprehensive federal Pension Act was only passed in 1818 - 35 years after the end of the Revolutionary War. The first federal home (domiciliary) and hospital for veterans was authorized by Congress in 1811, but did not open in Philadelphia until 1834. Most medical treatment for disabled veterans until well after the Civil War was provided by the states, not the federal government. Some states did not provide benefits at al.

A patchwork system of veterans benefits continued until the United States entered World War I. In 1917, the United States established programs for disability benefits and vocational rehabilitation. However, these and other veterans' benefits programs were administered by three separate agencies, continuing the scattershot approach that prevailed before WWI.

The Veterans Administration was finally established in 1930, incorporating the three agencies that formerly provided benefits - the Veterans Bureau, the Bureau of Pensions of the Interior Department, and the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers.

The consolidated agency - referred to as the VA by millions of veterans worldwide - has had an enormous effect both on veterans' lives and on the culture of the U.S. However, in some ways obtaining benefits is almost as difficult today as it was in the aftermath of the Revolution. The bureaucracy is a maddening puzzle even to the most determined veterans, and many wait months or years for disability benefits. As a result, advocates such as The Rep for Vets^TM have sprung up to help veterans navigate the system and obtain the payments to which they are entitled.

Source: Department of Veterans Affairs, "VA History," April 5, 2012.

VA seeks increase in voucher program for homeless veterans

2012-04-09T23:03:00Z

The government has increased spending in an effort to end homelessness among veterans. There are approximately 22 million veterans in the United States; the federal government estimates that 67,495 of them are homeless. And this is actually good news - the number shows a 12 percent decrease in homelessness from the previous year.

]]> Veterans become homeless for many reasons. Some cannot find or hold a job because of mental illness or other service-related impairments caused or exacerbated by their their tour of duty. Others are unaware of civilian and military benefit programs that could help them, or are reluctant to become involved in the complex bureaucracy of the Department of Veterans Affairs or state benefit programs. Still others are simply victims of a slow economy. Whatever the reason for their homelessness, veterans should know that some members of Congress are fighting to provide them the resources they need.

President Obama and the VA have requested a significant increase - 33 percent --in funds for homeless veterans' programs for 2013. The goal: to end veterans' homelessness by 2015.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, is head of the Senate Veteran's Affairs Committee and has made support for homeless veterans a key piece of her political career. She is pleased that the rate of overall veterans' homelessness appears to be decreasing, and glad that there appears to be bi-partisan support for increasing funding for the voucher program that allows homeless veterans to pay for housing. She remains concerned, however, that the rate of homelessness among female veterans has not decreased. In fact, since 2006, the number of homeless women vets has doubled.

Murray cited several possible reasons for this disturbing statistic. Women who experienced sexual trauma while serving in the military appear to be more likely to remain homeless, even when they are offered housing options. Some facilities for homeless veterans do not have adequate locks on bedroom and bathroom doors or sufficient lighting in stairwells and corridors. Often, there is no accommodation for a woman's children in shelters. It is not surprising that homeless women vets prefer the relative safety of living outside, given the lack of facilities appropriate for female veterans.

Although veterans find themselves homeless for a variety of reasons, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other mental and emotional disabilities rank high among the issues that homeless veterans face. Help is available for disabled veterans - help that can help them deal with their illnesses and find housing that will keep them off the streets. The Rep for Vets ^TM is a national firm focused on helping veterans obtain disability benefits. Homeless disabled veterans can rely on the firm's advocates to get them through the process of getting the benefits they need and deserve.

Source: Boston Herald, "Spending hike sought to help end veterans' homelessness," by Apr. 5, 2012.

Rep for Vets announces Facebook page

2012-04-09T22:05:54Z

The Rep for Vets has recently launched its new Facebook page. Leave us a message or use iFacebook as a portal to enter our website about VA benefits.

Vets of Iraq and Afghanistan have significant mental health issues

2012-04-03T19:52:55Z

2,300 Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) respondents have reported that they suffer from a combat-related mental health condition. 62 percent said they were depressed - eight times more than the general population. This is even four times higher than the number cited in a 2008 Rand Corporation study of head injuries and related conditions among the military.

]]> More than a third of the veterans participating in 2012 survey said that their depression and other mental health issues made it difficult to obtain or hold jobs, connect with their loved ones or integrate into civilian life.

What causes this epidemic of mental health issues among the WWP respondents? It's what they saw. 78 percent said they had witnessed a fatal or catastrophic accident. 77 percent said they had seen dead or severely injured civilians. 63 percent said they had seen these kinds of traumatic incidents six or more times. And it's not only what they saw. 83 percent vets in the study reported that they had a friend who was killed or seriously injured.

The Wounded Warrior Project is a non-profit organization that works to identify gaps in benefits and medical care and raise awareness of veterans' needs after service in Iraq and Afghanistan. It conducts annual surveys such as this one. The existence of this organization reflects the challenges that many Iraq and Afghanistan veterans experience as they seek to recover from their wartime trauma.

Because of their mental and emotional impairments, many veterans are eligible for VA disability benefits. However, obtaining these benefits can be difficult and time-consuming. Having the support and assistance of a knowledgeable advocate, such as those at The Rep for Vets ^TM, can make the task easier and allow wounded warriors to focus on their recovery from the trauma of war.

Source: ArmyTimes, "80% of wounded veterans cite mental health woes," by Patricia Kime, Mar. 24, 2012.

Are Female Military Personnel More Susceptible to PTSD?

2012-03-29T23:03:00Z

Post-traumatic stress disorder affects soldiers and veterans, men and women, in increasing numbers. According to the latest Military Times poll, 14 percent of males on active duty reported receiving PTSD diagnoses, up from nine percent in last year's poll. The rate even higher for active-duty females: now 22 percent, up from 15 percent.

]]> PTSD does not necessarily result from physical injury. It can arise when a person is subjected to a traumatic event. In one female signal officer's case, she did not acquire PTSD during her first three deployments, even though the helicopters she flew on came under attack regularly. In her last tour of duty, she developed anxiety and sleep disorder characteristic of PTSD after a soldier was blown up in a mortar attack near her building.

It is unlikely that the diagnosis rate for military women is higher simply because they might be more willing to report PTSD symptoms. Servicewomen want to be considered equal to the men they work with, and for that reason they are likely to resist a PTSD diagnosis as a sign of weakness. The higher rate for military women is consistent with statistics among civilians, where females also seem more likely to suffer from PTSD after traumatic events such as sexual assault and incidents of domestic violence.

Women who develop PTSD in the military receive drugs like antidepressants and sleep aids about twice as often as men with the same disorder. One reason may be that men resist taking these drugs because they can impair sexual performance. Also, a soldier cannot serve in the field for three months after receiving a prescription for psychiatric medications, and more men than women are in positions that entail field deployment.

Female and male veterans who are living with PTSD do not have to face this condition alone. Help is available. One source of assistance is a veteran's advocate who can help injured vets obtain VA disability benefits for their PTSD and and point them toward help with SSD benefits as well. At The Rep for Vets^TM, our benefit specialists help veterans throughout the United States obtain all the benefits they need after being diagnosed with PTSD. Help is available.

Source: Navy Times, "PTSD Diagnosis Rates Rise Among Female Troops," Mar. 12, 2012.

Soldiers and Suicide - A Sobering Story

2012-03-23T14:03:00Z

An Army study recently reported that suicides among U.S. soldiers rose significantly from 2004 to 2008, with more than a third of the suicides occurring among soldiers with combat experience in Iraq. However, another third of the suicide victims saw no combat service at all, the study found.

]]> The study reported that Army suicide rate between 1997 and 2003 was slightly less than the rate for the general population. The study reveals how this has changed in the years since. In 2007 and 2008, 255 soldiers committed suicide, a rate of 20 per 100,000 people, while in the general population, 12 out of every 100,000 people committed suicide. Betweewn 2005 and 2010,

The study found that a majority of the soldiers were low ranking and almost half were young - between 18 and24 years of age. Soldiers who committed suicide were more like to have been diagnosed with a mental illness in the year before their deaths.

Simon Rego, a psychologist at Montefiore Hospital in New York, observed, "While suicide remains a relatively rare event, the results of this study suggest it is increasing at an unprecedented rate and, unlike any other time in history, U.S. military suicide rates now appear to have surpassed those among comparable civilian populations."

What about suicide among veterans? The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates 18 veterans die by suicide each day, although it is not clear how accurate the figure may be, because suicides among veterans may go unreported because of the stigma attached to their actions. The stigma sometimes attached to mental illness in the military may also stop veterans for seeking the help they need that could prevent suicide. In fiscal year 2009, 1868 veterans of the Afghan and Iraq wars attempted suicide. And this number can only go up, as the U.S. continues to draw down its troop levels .

The VA provides disability benefits to military personnel suffering depression, anxiety and other problems that, left untreated, could lead to suicide. However, getting those benefits can sometimes be a challenge. Having an advocate like those at Rep for Vets^TM, a veteran's advocacy firm serving veterans across the country, can make a big difference. To veterans seeking help for non-physical disabilities, having knowledgeable assistance can mean success instead of failure.

Source: Huffington Post, "Veteran Suicide: Are We Losing The Battle?" by Eleanor Goldberg, Nov. 22, 2011 and U.S. News and World Report, "US Army suicides rising sharply, study finds", Mar. 8 2012.

The Check's in the Mail? Not Anymore.

2012-03-21T17:40:59Z

Veterans who receive disability and other VA benefits will soon receive their payments electronically. Effective March 1, 2013, vets will get their disability benefits via direct deposit to a bank account or by using a debit card available from a number of sources. In addition to affecting veterans who receive disability checks, this change will also apply to recipients of Social Security, SSI, Railroad Retirement Board and federal employee pensions.

The Treasury Department authorized the change in a rule issued in December of 2010. Veterans with questions about VA disability benefits may wish to contact an advocate specializing in veteran's benefits matters. The national firm, Rep for Vets ^TM, is a national firm that helps veterans throughout the United States. In addition to providing advocacy for veterans, Rep for Vets® shortly will offer a pre-paid debit card so that veterans without bank accounts can receive benefits electronically and comply with the new Treasury Department rule.

]]> This change is part of the federal government's efforts to streamline its programs. Eliminating paper checks will save the federal government one billion dollars over ten years, according to the Director of the government's Financial Management Services, Walt Henderson. Ten percent of recipients of federal benefits still receive paper checks.

Henderson urges vets and others who receive government benefits to establish direct deposit sooner rather than later. "We don't want them all waiting until the last minute this time next year. We want to get the word out that there's an easy way to sign up," Since last May, new applicants for VA benefits must chose either direct deposit or the debit card option. And about four million people have already converted to electronic delivery of federal benefits.

However, many recipients of government benefits still receive payment in the mail. Making the change before the deadline will allow any problems to be resolved before the change becomes mandatory. Switching to electronic delivery now will ensure that benefits continue with no interruption.

The Treasury Department authorized the change in a rule issued in December of 2010. Veterans with questions about VA disability benefits may wish to contact an advocate specializing in veteran's benefits matters. The national firm, Rep for Vets ^TM, is a national firm that helps veterans throughout the United States. In addition to providing advocacy for veterans, Rep for Vets shortly will offer a pre-paid debit card so that veterans without bank accounts can receive benefits electronically and comply with the new Treasury Department rule.

Source: Washington Post, "Countdown begins on feds ending paper benefit checks," By Eric Yoder, Mar. 1, 2012.

Did you know? Info about VA disability benefits

2012-03-05T15:03:00Z

Most veterans are generally aware that they may be eligible for disability benefits for service-related injuries or illnesses. However, they don't always know the details of the VA disability benefit program, and they may never even apply for benefits they need and deserve.

]]> For example, did you know:

§ Disability benefits are tax free; veterans don't owe Uncle Sam anything.
§ Veterans who need the assistance of a caregiver may be eligible for Aid and Attendance (A&A) benefits in addition to their regular disability pension.
§ Seriously disabled veterans who cannot leave their homes may be eligible for Housebound benefits in addition to their monthly disability payment.
§ Veterans who lost a limb or organ or who became blind as a result of their service may be eligible for additional benefits.
§ Veterans with specific service-connected disabilities may be eligible for a Specially Adaptive Housing (SAH) grant to making their living spaces more accessible.
§ Veterans with specific types of mobility problems may be eligible for a grant to purchase and adapt a car or van.
§ Veterans who suffered sexual trauma such as rape while in the service may be eligible for disability benefits.
§ Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange and other herbicides may be eligible for benefits.
§ Disabled veterans with disabled spouses or dependent children may be eligible for additional benefits.
§ Veterans who receive public assistance such as SSI can still receive disability benefits.
§ Veterans who were prisoners of war are in a special benefit category.

The variety of programs for disabled veterans makes it critical for vets to have knowledgeable advocacy so they can obtain all the benefits for which they are eligible. The Rep for Vets^TM is a national firm of veterans' advocates with a commitment to helping veterans who have served our country and now need our help.

Source: Department of Veterans Affairs, "VA Disability Compensation," Sep. 29, 2011.

Three Regional Offices to Help With VA Disability Benefits Backlog

2012-02-27T21:06:00Z

The VA has announced that it will begin operations at three sites nationwide to address the backlog of veterans' disability claims. The announcement was made by Veterans Affairs Secretary Gen. Eric Shinseki on February 15.

The three sites are Fort Harrison, Montana; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Wichita, Kansas. The effort to reduce the claims backlog is part of the VA's Transformational Plan that is being rolled out to deal with the growing number of disability claims as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan wind down.

]]> The current VA disability claims backlog is at least 800,000. Moreover, it expects to receive 1.25 million disability claims in the next fiscal year, a 4 percent increase. President Obama's budget proposal includes a request for funding to accomplish the backlog reduction.

Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are filing disability claims at nearly twice the rate of veterans of previous wars. Moreover, as Vietnam vets age, they are developing symptoms arising from their exposure to Agent Orange and other chemicals used in that war. Veterans must wait many months or even years to receive needed benefits.

The existence of the backlog - even as the VA takes steps to address it - makes it critical for veterans to have assistance as they seek the disability benefits they deserve. The Rep for VetsTM is a national firm of veterans' advocates with a commitment to helping veterans who have served our country and now need our help.

Source: Helena Independent Record, "Fort Harrison to help with VA disability claims backlog," Feb. 17, 2012.

Severe Injuries Mean More Complex Claims

2012-02-21T20:14:45Z

The Department of Veterans Affairs has requested a significant increase in its funding because of an increase in all claims and growth in the severity of disabilities among veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The severity of disabilities means higher ratings and larger benefit checks for recipients.

In addition to being more severe, veterans' disabilities have become more complex. The average disability claim lists 8.5 disabilities, double the number of disabilities claimed by veterans a generation ago. The average annual pay for disabled veterans in 2000, adjusted for inflation, was $8,927. Today, the average disability pay is $11,737.

]]> The complexity of veterans' disability claims means more than an increase in cost. It also means that claims take longer to process. It also means that the number of disabled veterans receiving care at VA facilities has grown.

Strangely, the complexity of the injuries suffered by returning veterans reflects the improvements in protective gear and treatment of severe injuries - injuries that would have killed soldiers in past wars. The improvements save lives, but the soldiers who survive are often severely damaged with both physical and mental injuries. For example, soldiers and sailors have always suffered brain injuries in war, but in past wars they did not survive. Now they do, and the number of returning veterans with traumatic brain injury is up.

The number of amputations is also up over past wars. Kevlar vests and other protective gear protect vital organs, keeping people alive in bomb blasts and other attacks. However, Kevlar does not protect the limbs, which are often damaged beyond repair. Again, technology keeps soldiers alive but leaves them with more severe injuries.

Because of the increasing complexity of claims, veterans can benefit from having an advocate to guide them through the process. The Rep for Vets ^TM is a nation-wide veterans' advocacy firm dedicated to helping veterans with disability claims.

Source: AirForceTimes, "VA disability claims grow more complex, costly," by Rick Maze, Feb. 15, 2012.

Never Give Up: One Vet's Quest for Benefits Rewarded After 60 Years

2012-02-14T15:03:00Z

This story about a WWII veteran falls into the Better Late Than Never category. A southern Ohio veteran who fought at the Battle of the Bulge finally got his full disability benefits. He almost froze to death in January of 1945 and sat out the remainder of the war. His daily reminder of that time is the severe stiffness and skin disorders caused by extensive frostbite. And he fought for 60 years to get benefits for his injuries, finally receiving full disability benefits in 2005.

]]> During one of his many trips to the Cincinnati VA, an official saw his cigarettes and told him that the numbness, discoloration and blisters on his legs came from smoking. Despite encounters like that, Tim Dolan kept on fighting.

The problem, it appears, was the lack of medical records. Records from battlefield hospitals are often sketchy at best, with many veterans' records lost entirely. Moreover, VA offices moved, burned or were closed. Tim Dolan is not the only veteran to find his quest for disability benefits frustrated y the lack of records.

However, the story has a happy ending. Dolan gradually had his disability pay increased, from 30 percent to 80 percent and finally to 100 percent. He received back benefits from 1988 on.

There is a moral to this story: Don't give up. Tim Dolan kept on fighting and finally received his due. You can too with help from advocacy groups such as The Rep for Vets.

Source: Morgan County Herald, "Battle for Benefits: World War II veteran wins 60-year fight for his rights," by Leona Jewell, Feb. 8, 2102.