Veterans Administration Benefits Essay Example for Free

Veterans Administration Benefits Essay Veterans Administration now known as U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was founded on the 21st of July 1930. It has been established in order to coordinate and consolidate the activities of the government that affects the war of veterans. The functions of the Interior Department and National Home for disabled volunteer soldiers functions were incorporated in the Veterans Administration. President Reagan signed legislation on the 25th of October 1988 creating a new federal cabinet-level department of Veterans Affairs. This legislation replaced the Veterans Administration on the 15th of March 1989. The mission statement of Veterans Administration is what Abraham Lincoln said on his inaugural address, â€Å"To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan. † His statement reflects the principles and philosophy that guides the department in its endeavor. It focuses on serving the Nation’s veterans and their families. â€Å"Its goals is to deliver world-class service to veterans and their families by applying sound business principles that result in effective management of people, communication, technology, and governance. † According to Peter Stenberg, who have served the military camp for 45 years said that the veterans Administration provides different types of services to the citizens of United States. In order to be eligible to this service, an individual must be a veteran, or a dependent of a veteran. If the veteran has died already, the child, parents, or even the spouse is eligible to the service. Active military service member who is on duty and a reserve or National Guard member are also considered eligible. The compensation service is being used if the eligible individual is at least ten percent disabled because of any military service. Eligible member will receive monthly compensation from VA. Pension benefits do not have any time limits for service availment. A veteran must have limited income and who is permanently and totally disabled because of war. Wartime veteran should at least be 65 years old. Educational training is conducted if necessary to be able to finish the rehabilitation goal. VA provides assistance in finding and maintaining suitable employment to eligible individuals. Rehabilitation Services renders rehabilitation and counseling support. Major Craig Wilhelm added that the VA offers different kinds of health care services. It provides dental, outpatient medical, hospital, prosthetic and pharmacy services. It gives nursing home, domiciliary, and community based residential care. It also provides sexual trauma counseling. It specialized health care for female veterans. The department also provides an alcohol and drug dependency treatment. Medical evaluation for military personnel who became disabled because of their military service in the Gulf War, exposure to Agent Orange, radiation, and other environmental hazards. Educational Training is being provided to the active duty service and the reserve/guard service. Active duty service can avail by those whose duty became active from the 30th of June 1985. Eligible individuals can avail on the Montgomery GI Bill. While individuals, whose duties became active from the 1st of July 1985 and before the 1st of July 1985 can avail the Veterans Educational assistance Program (VEAP). The reserve/guard service is being provided to Reserve and national Guard members who are under the Montgomery GI Bill, who have signed a commitment for six years with a reserve unit after the 30th of June 1985 and remain actively drilling and in good standing with their unit. Dependency and indemnity compensation to certain survivors of service members who died during the service duty, who died from service related disability, and VA members how are considered 100% disabled at the time of death are being assisted. Home loan services to veterans, military personnel, and surviving spouses who are eligible for this kind of service are also offered. Jennifer Jones who have been one of the surviving spouses whose husband died during his military service in Afghanistan have availed a home loan provided the different types of home loans. Refinancing Loan is eligible to individuals who have a Veterans Administration mortgage. The department can help in refinancing the loan. An individual may also apply in refinancing a non-Veterans Administration loan. The department also provides guarantee for home improvement, home repair, and for building a home. Special Grant is provided to veterans and military personnel who are handicapped or disabled. They can receive a grant to acquire a house that is suitable in their needs. Veterans Administration is offering different kinds of life insurance depending on the extent of the disability of an individual. Eligibility would range from $10,000 up to $400,000. VA provides certain burial benefits to eligible VA members like making a monument to mark the grave of a veteran, provides presidential memorial certificates, burial in a VA national cemetery, Burial flag or even a reimbursement of burial expenses. A veteran who was disabled because of his service will be able to avail this type of service from VA. This helps eligible veterans in finding, preparing and keeping an employment that is suitable with their current capabilities. For individuals who have serious disability because of his service are offered services improving their ability to live independently. Pat Tillmann, whose almost all of his family served the military not to mention his great grandfather who was assigned in Pearl Harbor, provided the different benefits this type of service can offer. He said that vocational Evaluation is being offered to eligible veterans who are evaluated in terms of their abilities, skills, needs and interests. Vocational Training for non-paid work and on the job training is conducted if it is necessary. Eligible veterans are undergoing vocational planning and counseling. A veteran is eligible either for the full benefits or just a potion depending on the length of military service and discharge or release from active service under different conditions except dishonorable. According to statistics in 1995, VA has met its targeted performance of its service by showing the increased statistical records of veterans with special needs to have improved their health of which includes those members who are considered handicapped and disabled. It was recorded that in 2005 VA have exceeded the 79 percent target to 82 percent in the goal of improving VA members’ social well being, mental functions as well as their ability to function independently. This increased have placed veteran members to have a quality life. The Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 has increased significantly both the complexity and length of claims development. VA’s notification and development duties increased, adding more steps to the claims process and lengthening the time it takes to develop and decide a claim. Mustering-out payment act is a federal law that was passed in 1994. This legislation provided military service men that are returning from the Second World War then were provided with money to start again with their life as a regular citizen. G. I. Bill of Rights was passed on the same year, which is in favor to military service men that returned from a service military duty. They are being offered for a vocational education and a one-year unemployment compensation. It also provides home loans to eligible veterans to start their own business and buy homes. The Department of Veterans Affairs Act of 1988 provided a new name to Veteran Administration. The law made a major reorganization to VA.