Department Service Officer Newsletter

Volume 3, Issue 1                                                                                                                                                                                 April 2007

Department Service Office Business Hours:  The Department Service Office will be open each Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM.  Appointments are not necessary for visits. You may contact the Department Service Office by calling (603) 222-5784, faxing (603) 222-5787; or by using the following e-mail address:

 Gary.Wayman@VBA.VA.GOV.

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The Department Service Officer provides the following services to veterans: Ensures direct and personalized services to veterans, and their family members, without regard to membership status, are provided for and they are administratively represented before the Department of Veteran Affairs.

 

Claims representation: assist veterans, surviving spouses, and children in filing for the following VA benefits:

 

This includes filing appeals, perfecting appeals, participate in Hearings, and write final appellate brief for the Board of Veteran Appeals (BVA).

 

*Discharge upgrades and Correction of Military Records are handled by the American Legion’s, Washington DC’s VA & R’s office. Please contact me for an Upgrade and Correction package.

 

 

 

 

 

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Tricare User Fees:  The Pentagon’s top health official reiterated 30 JAN the need to increase Tricare fees because across-the-board cuts have not been enough to decrease the Defense Department’s health care costs. Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr., assistant defense secretary for health affairs, said there is no way to cut operating enough to prevent higher fees. “That is a false hope,” he said. “It is not possible.” During a roundtable at the annual Military Health System Conference in Washington, Winkenwerder said the health care budget was at $18 billion in 2000. In 2007, he expects it to grow to about $40 billion. “We don’t see an end to that, in the absence of some appropriate adjustments and changes. We haven’t made any change in the benefits structure in 13 years. The rate of growth, especially with new benefits and the expansion of Tricare for older military retirees and reservists, is twice the rate of inflation and higher than private-sector growth.” He reiterated a list of all the things the Defense Department has done to cut costs: changes to the prescription-drug formulary that saved $5 million in two years, changes in the payment process for care that saved $1 billion, and the conversion of military positions to civilian positions to save several hundreds of thousands of dollars.  In spite of this he noted doing all of these things still does not get DoD anywhere near the amount of savings needed to have a lower-cost growth.  Congress rejected last fall a 2006 proposal to save $11 billion through increased fees for retirees younger than 65 or increasing what they spend out-of-pocket for doctor visits met with strong opposition. The Defense Department had planned to save $735 million this year by increasing Tricare fees. The House defense appropriations subcommittee demanded that Winkenwerder solve the problem by asking the White House to present a request for more money.  [Source: NavyTimes Kelly Kennedy articles 30 Jan 07 ++]

 

The defense budget the Administration submitted to Congress on 5 FEB significantly upped the ante in the Pentagon's campaign to raise Tricare fees.  It assumes even bigger fee hikes for FY2008 than last year's budget submission assumed for FY2007. Last year's budget proposed tripling Tricare Prime and Tricare Standard fees for retired officers and their family members and survivors over a two-year period, and more than doubling them for most enlisted retirees. It also would have increased retail pharmacy fees for all Tricare beneficiaries of all ages by almost 70%.  The Administration projected that those fee hikes would save the Pentagon $735 million in FY2007 and $1.86 billion in FY2008, and cut last year's defense health budget by $735 million on the assumption that Congress would accept them.  Fortunately, Congress did not and barred the Pentagon from increasing fees in FY2007, pending review of alternative options.

 

This year, the Pentagon hasn't published any specific fee increase plan, indicating they are awaiting the results of a DoD-appointed Task Force on the Future of Military Health Care, which is supposed to provide interim recommendations on cost-sharing and pharmacy co-pays in May. But that's disingenuous, because the budget submitted to Congress this week assumes $1.8 billion in savings from Tricare fee increases.  That's almost three times the savings assumed in the FY2007 budget -- and happens to be precisely the amount of savings associated with the second year of last year's fee hike plan.  So the budget puts enormous pressure on the Task Force (all of whose members were appointed by the Secretary of Defense and half of whom work for the Secretary) to propose at least the same fee hikes the Pentagon pushed last year - and assumes that Congress will implement them all immediately, without any two-year phase-in. In essence, the Administration has under funded the defense health budget by presuming the task force's outcome, and has challenged Congress to either change the law to implement fee increases high enough to save $1.8 billion or to find another $1.8 billion from another source to make up for the under-funding.

 

The Military Officers Association of America thinks it's wrong to play this kind of budget "chicken" with the defense health program - especially in time of war. They believe strongly that Congress should establish clear guidelines in law about the unique role of military retirement benefits, including health care, as the primary offset for the extraordinary demands and sacrifices inherent in a military career.  They must recognize that military members and families who serve two or three decades under those conditions are making a substantial, in-kind pre-payment for those benefits.  The cash deductibles, enrollment fees and co-pays that they pay in retirement are only a small portion of their very large personal contributions toward their benefits. To help make this case, MOAA is asking their members and all others in the military community member to do the following as applicable:

 

Sign, stamp and mail the four tear-out letters in their February issue of Military Officer magazine (two at page 32 addressed to the House and Senate Armed Services Committee Chairmen and two at page 52 addressed to the Committees' senior Republican).  Similar tear-out letters last year helped turn the tide in Congress when Committee leaders stacked them on a witness table at a TRICARE hearing.  Even more participation is needed this year, now that Congress is facing a far greater budget challenge.

 

Use MOAA's Web site to urge your U.S. representative to cosponsor Rep. Chet Edwards' (D-TX) and Rep. Walter Jones' (R-NC) Military Retirees Health Care Protection Act (H.R. 579).

 

Pass the word about the proposed increases to all of your TRICARE-eligible friends and urge them to send the message available at http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/?bill=9275676

[Source: MOAA Leg Up 9 Feb 07 ++]

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TRICARE Dental Program Update: The TRICARE Dental Program (TDP) is a voluntary dental care plan for eligible active duty family members, National Guard and Reserve members and their families. Eligibility is based on the sponsor’s information in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). If you are an active duty servicemember or a National Guard or Reserve member with active duty orders for more than 30 consecutive days, you are not eligible for the TDP. You must receive dental care through the active duty military dental care system. For more information about dental benefits for National Guard and Reserve members and their families, visit www.tricare.osd.mil/reserve/dental.cfm.

 

For more information on the TDP, visit http://www.TRICAREdentalprogram.com or call United Concordia’s 24-hour line at 1-800-866-8499.

 

To learn more about TRICARE, visit http://www.military.com/benefits/tricare.

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VA DATA BREACH:  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced 2 FEB that an employee reported a government-owned, portable hard drive used by the employee at a Department facility in Birmingham AL and potentially containing personal information on about 48,000 veterans is missing and may have been stolen.  The hard drive also contained highly sensitive information on nearly all U.S. physicians and medical data for about 535,000 VA patients.  The data for the 1.3 million physicians who have billed Medicaid and Medicare, both living and deceased, could result in widespread fraud, such as the creation of fake Medicare and Medicaid invoices.  According to congressional sources, the personal information on patients and the medical data were kept in separate files, but there is enough information that files could be linked.  A VA research assistant was using the physician data to analyze VA health care providers and compare them to non-VA providers, according to a statement from the department. The research assistant used the hard drive to back up information contained on an office computer, and the data is not believed to have been encrypted.  The employee has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of a criminal investigation, which is being conducted by the VA’s inspector general and the FBI. A spokesman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said the agency is aware of the situation and is working with the VA to get more information.

 

The VA announcement said there is no information that the data has been misused. VA spokesman Matt Burns said initial reports show encryption policies were not strictly followed. The incident marks the third major breach at the VA in less than a year.  In MAY 06, the theft of computer equipment containing sensitive information from an employee's home put 26.5 million people at risk for identity theft. Four months later, another breach put at risk the personal data of up to 38,000 people. In both instances, the data was recovered and officials determined it was probably not touched.  Following are actions taken to date or contemplated on this incident:

 

On January 22, the employee at the Birmingham VA Medical Center reported that an external hard drive was missing.  The hard drive was used to back up information contained on the employee’s office computer, and may have contained data from research projects the employee was involved in.  The employee also indicated the hard drive may have contained personal identifying information on some veterans, but asserts that portions of the data were protected.  Investigators are still working to determine the scope of the information potentially involved.

 

On January 23, VA’s IG was notified the external hard drive was missing.  The OIG opened a criminal investigation, sent special agents to the medical center, and notified the FBI.  VA’s Office of Information & Technology in Washington, D.C. also dispatched an incident response team to investigate.

 

The OIG has seized the employee’s work computer and is in the process of analyzing its contents.  VA IT staff is providing technical support in this effort.  Analyzing the work computer may help investigators determine the nature of the information the hard drive potentially contained.

 

Pending results of the investigation, VA is prepared to send individual notifications and provide one year of free credit monitoring to those whose information proves compromised.

 

In addition to the ongoing criminal investigation, the OIG has initiated an administrative investigation to determine how such an incident could occur.  VA will provide further updates as the investigation produces additional information.

 

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson, said, “I am concerned about this report. VA’s Office of Inspector General and the FBI are conducting a thorough investigation into this incident.  VA’s Office of Information and Technology is conducting a separate review.  We intend to get to the bottom of this, and we will take aggressive steps to protect and assist anyone whose information may have been involved. VA is unwavering in our resolve to be the leader in protecting personal information, and training and educating our employees in best practices in cyber and information security. We have made considerable progress, but establishing a culture that always puts the safekeeping of veterans’ personal information first is no easy task.  I have committed VA to achieving such reform – and we will.  This unfortunate incident will not deter our efforts, but it underscores the complexity of the task we have undertaken.” Veterans who have lost faith in our government’s ability to protect their personal data are advised to seek personal protection against identity theft through companies like LifeLock www.lifelock.com which will reimburse any losses incurred.  [Source: VA News Release 2 Feb & GOVEXEC.com 12 Feb 07 ++]

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VA CLAIM PROCESSING GOALS:  Admiral Daniel Cooper, VA Undersecretary for Benefits and head of the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), has directed that all claims for benefits from veterans who have served in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) will be given a higher processing priority. In a memo sent to all VA Regional Offices Cooper said, “Effective immediately, the processing of claims received from all OEF/OIF veterans will be a priority for VBA.  This effort will supplement our previous initiative of providing case management for all seriously injured OIF/OEF veterans.  While not every OIF/OEF claim will be case managed, these claims will be given first priority by VBA employees.  These young men and women have recently returned from the combat zone and it is vital that we enter them into the VA system as soon as possible.” Secretary Cooper’s efforts to ensure our returning troops are given this priority are commendable.  Now if only he can find enough employees to help shrink the ever growing claims backlog of the remaining vets.  [Source: NAUS Weekly Update 9 Feb 07 ++]

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VA FACILITY EXPANSION:  The Department of Veterans Affairs’ vet center program, which provides readjustment counseling and outreach services to combat veterans, is expanding into 23 new communities across the nation in the next two years, the Department announced.  These facilities are an important resource for veterans returning from the Global War on Terror and their families. New vet centers will be located in Montgomery, AL; Fayetteville, AR; Modesto, CA; Grand Junction, CO; Orlando, Fort Myers, and Gainesville FL; Macon, GA; Manhattan, Kan.; Baton Rouge, LA; Cape Cod MA; Saginaw and Iron Mountain MI; Berlin NH; Las Cruces NM; Binghamton, Middletown, Nassau County and Watertown NY; Toledo OH; Du Bois PA.; Killeen TX; and Everett WA. During 2007, VA plans to open the new facilities in Grand Junction, Orlando, Cape Cod, Iron Mountain, Berlin and Watertown.  The other new vet centers are scheduled to open in 2008.

 

All vet centers are community-based.  They provide counseling on mental health and employment, plus services on family issues, education, bereavement and outreach, to combat veterans and their families.  They are staffed by small teams of counselors, outreach specialists and other specialists, many of these individuals are combat veterans themselves. Congress established the vet center program in 1979 in recognition that a significant number of Vietnam veterans were still experiencing readjustment problems.  Today, all veterans who served in combat are eligible for care at a VA vet center at no cost, as are their families for military-related issues.  Also eligible are veterans who were sexually assaulted while on active duty and the families of service members who die on active duty. Currently, VA maintains 209 vet centers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. [Source: NAUS Weekly Update 9 Feb 07 ++]

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VA PRESCRIPTION POLICY:  Ever wonder why so many VA prescribed medications call for splitting pills to meet dosage requirements.  One reason could be that United States Code; 38 USC 1722a. Paragraph (a)(1) subject to paragraph (2), states the Secretary shall require a veteran to pay the United States $8.00 for each 30 day supply of medicine. If the amount supplied is less than a 30 day supply the amount of the charge may not be reduced.  Paragraph (2) states The Secretary may not require a veteran to pay an amount in excess of the cost to the Secretary for medication as described in paragraph (1). VA’s interpretation of this law allows the splitting of pills into smaller dosages and charging the $8.00 co-pay for 15 vice 30 pills which can be split to provide a 30 day supply.  Thus, by purchasing pills in larger dosages at a lower cost and splitting those to fill prescriptions VA can further reduce their overall cost of purchasing medications by doubling the return on each pill purchased.   In other words if VA purchases 900 pills at $1 each and dispenses them as whole pills in 30 day dosage increments VA will collect $240 in co-pays making their net cost for the pills $660. However, if they dispense the same pills in half pill dosages in 30 day increments they will collect $480 in co-pays making their net cost for the pills $420. 

 

     If the Bush budget proposal to raise VA co-pay from $8 to $15 is approved, VA’s net cost for the aforementioned medication would be $450 for whole pills and zero for split pills.  However, since the Secretary may not require a veteran to pay an amount in excess of the cost to the Secretary for medication VA should then be required to reduce the $15 co-pay to equal their purchase cost if the purchase cost does not exceed $15 to comply with the law as it is now written.   This same logic applies to dispensing pills in daily vice monthly increments.  Since 50% of months have 31 days the charge for a monthly supply during those months would be$16.00 vice $8.00. Retirees using the TRICARE Mail-Order Pharmacy (TMOP) managed presently by Express Scripps should ensure their physicians use 30 day increments vice monthly increments in their prescriptions.   If they do not, their Tricare co-pay will double to $6, $18, or $44 for 31 day months.  [Source: Various Feb 07 ++]

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GI BILL INEQUITIES:  The American Legion Economic Division has uncovered am injustice with Financial Aid packages available to recently discharged veterans.  The “Means Test’, or simply a test to assess the income and other education financial aid packages is unfair to veterans.  Veterans education benefits are not used in EFC (Expected Family Contribution) calculation, however the prior years income is used to determine other eligibilities.  This means that members who choose to enroll in school the year following their discharge must count their last year of active duty as their income.  Reservists and National Guard members who are called up on average of 16 months must use this formula even if they were enrolled in college prior to their mobilizations.  The average total tuition, fee, room, and board charges for in-state students at public institutions are $12,796, $3121 more than the $9675 granted annually for the full time MGIB-AD.  The dollar amount of the MGIB-AD entitlement should be indexed to the average cost of college education including tuition, fees, textbooks and other supplies for a commuter student at an accredited university, college or trade school for which they qualify and that the educational cost index should be reviewed and adjusted annually.  [Source: AL Weekly Update 9 Feb 07 ++]

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MEDICARE PART B TAX CREDIT:  On 9 Jan 07 Rep. JoAnn Emerson (R-MO-08) reintroduced H.R.0343, the Military Retiree Health Care Relief Act of 2007. Without much ado, HR 343 would restore “the promise” of free life time health care for all military retirees which were taken away in 1956. This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a refundable tax credit equal to the aggregate Medicare Part B premiums paid under section 1840 of the Social Security Act by the taxpayer during the taxable year for enrollment of that eligible individual under part B of title XVIII of such Act. The term “eligible individual” means military retirees, their spouses, and/or widows.  This legislation is intended for all military retirees when they become Medicare eligible at age 65. While the premiums are effectively not paid by the beneficiary, the Social Security Trust Fund is not at risk because the General Fund would make up the difference.  The previous bill died in committee for lack of cosponsors.  To date this new bill has no cosponsors. To support it and/or contact your Representative with a preformatted message refer to

http://capwiz.com/usdr/index_frame.dbq?url=http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=9329391&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id].  [Source: USDR Action Alert 3 Feb 07 ++]

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INCOME TAX (STATE):  DFAS-Cleveland does not withhold states taxes unless asked to do so by the retiree.  Amounts withheld are not as with Federal Tax (based on marital status and exemptions), but by the dollar amount specified by retiree. To have state income tax withheld from retired pay, contact DFAS-CL in writing or visit local Retirement Services Office to complete a form.  Following is a listing of how states deal with the military community in accessing their income tax. These are merely guidelines, individual states should be contacted to determine if information is still accurate:

 

States with no income tax:  Alaska, Florida (Imposes an intangible personal property tax), New Hampshire & Nevada (Imposes tax on certain capital gains, dividend and interest income.), South Dakota, Tennessee (Imposes tax on certain dividend and interest income), Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.

 

States Which Exempt All Military Disability Retired Pay: Arkansas, Arizona, California,  Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia,  and Wisconsin.

 

States Which Exempt All Military Retired Pay: Alabama, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan (Does not exempt USPHS or NOAA retired pay), New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, and  Wisconsin (Full exemption for those in Armed Forces as of 31 DEC 63, or those who retire as of 31 DEC 63).

[Source:  Ft. Gordon Retiree Newsletter Jan 07 ++]

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RESERVE GI BILL:  Some citizen soldiers returning to college from duty in the war are being misinformed about their eligibility for continued GI Bills payments after they stop drilling with the Guard or Reserve. In 2005, the government enacted new GI Bill benefits (known as 1607 or “REAP”), which makes Guard and Reserve troops who return from the war eligible for education payments similar to active duty troops. “The problem starts when war veterans return to their Reserve or Guard unit and their unit leadership tells them if they stop drilling, then they automatically lose their education benefits,” said Jack Mordente, president of the National Association of Veterans Program Administrators (NAVPA). Mordente, director of veteran’s affairs at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, has assisted veterans with education benefits for 31 years. In May 06, Mordente found returning troops were getting the wrong information. Colleagues from other colleges around the country are reporting similar situations.  Through discussions with ranking personnel at the Department Of Veterans Affairs, Mordente confirmed that 1607 recipients could revert back to the original Reserve GI Bill – known as 1606 or MGIB-SR - upon discharge from paid drill status. They can then use their remaining entitlement for the number of months they were activated plus four more months. Furthermore, multiple periods of activation can be added together. “State and unit-level military leaders and school veterans’ counselors don’t know the facts because the VA and the Department of Defense have not made the legal rights of these war veterans widely known,” Mordente said. Recently, as a result of Mordente’s discovery, the VA changed their website to reflect the correct information.

 

     The DoD, however, disagrees with the VA’s interpretation of the law. Select Reserve members are told they lose their GI Bill if they leave paid drill status. Yet, if they file a claim with the VA they will be paid? “What’s wrong with this picture”? “How does the DoD get away with ignoring a law they signed?” Mordente said.  The government owes Guard and Reservists access to accurate information to help them make decisions – especially when pursuing a costly higher education program. How many veterans are affected? It’s unknown exactly, but the DOD can determine who are eligible. The VA can then notify those who continued in school and pay them retroactively. (When veterans’ personal information was compromised from a stolen computer, the VA spent more than $17 million to send out mass mailings to inform veterans).  What about those who didn’t go to school because they were misinformed? How can they be compensated? NAVPA is seeking legislation to extend the provision of the law and direct the DOD and VA to coordinate a major endeavor to contact eligible veterans and afford them the opportunity to use the benefits they earned. Meanwhile, veterans have been waiting up to four months to receive their GI Bill payments.  “With the implementation of 1607 and the beginning of the school year, the VA has not been able to keep up with demand”, Mordente said. “I have veterans who have to live on credit cards while they wait for their checks. Who will pay the interest?” For more information or to schedule interviews with veterans, contact (203)484-2343; relations.press@gmail.com.  For more information on the REAP program refer to RAO Bulletin Update 15 Jan 05. [Source:  NAVPA Press Release 29 Jan 07 ++]

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CRDP UPDATE:   The Senate majority leader on 31 JAN said that he would continue his seven-year push to eradicate the government’s policy of reducing military retired pay for retirees who also receive veterans’ disability compensation.  Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, who became majority leader in January when Democrats took control of the Senate, said that while he may be busy working on hundreds of other issues in his new role, concurrent receipt of disability and retired pay “remains one of my highest priorities. I am committed to a goal so that 100% of disabled veterans get what they deserve. I’ll continue fighting until we succeed. We need to continue to chip away at this policy.”

 

     In reintroducing his bill, the Retired Pay Restoration Act (S.439), Reid said it would end once and for all the dollar-for-dollar offset in retired pay required for veterans also receiving disability compensation.

Reid’s sponsorship of legislation to end the ban on so-called concurrent receipt of full retirement and disability pay has kept the issue alive, as year after year the Senate has adopted Reid-sponsored amendments to the annual defense authorization bill. What had once been a complete prohibition on receiving both payments in full has slowly eroded to the point that the offset has been reduced or eliminated for thousands of veterans, including those who served 20 years in the military who have combat-related disabilities, and those with 20 years of service whose disabilities are rated at 50% or more.

Reid specifically mentioned that he will fight this year to provide full concurrent receipt for veterans whose inability to work is a factor in their disability rating. By law, disabled veterans who are unemployable can be considered fully disabled even though their actual disability ratings may be as low as 70%. Although these “individual unemployability” veterans receive VA disability pay at the 100-percent-disabled rate, the extra pay does not count for the purposes of concurrent receipt and is still offset from their retirement pay.

Reid said some progress has been made, calling the past seven years “good but not really good” for disabled retirees. The offset in retired pay, a legacy of a law passed in the late 19th century, is still mostly in effect.

 

     Reid said that when he first learned about the law on military retirement and veterans’ disability pay from an aide, he thought the aide did not know what he was taking about. But he did. In many cases, this ban takes away a veteran’s full retirement pay, wiping away benefits he or she earned in 20 or more years of service, and it’s wrong. Few disabled retirees “can afford to live on their retirement pay alone. They are often denied any post-service working life. They receive disability compensation to pay for the pain and lost future earnings caused by a service-connected injury.” He called the offset in retirement pay a “special tax on the very men and women who keep us safe.”  [Source: NavyTimes Rick Maze articles 31 Jan 07 ++]

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New Claim Form Makes it Easier to Apply for CRSC:  Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) provides dual compensation for eligible military retirees with combat-related injuries. This benefit provides a monthly tax-free compensation for certain military retirees that supplements VA disability payments and military retired payments.  DoD has made several improvements to the CRSC claim form. The new form makes it easier than ever to apply for this compensation. The form can be found at http://www.crsc.army.mil or by calling the CRSC Service Center at 1-866-281-3254. To learn more, read the full article at Military.com. http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,124464,00.html

 

To learn more about CRSC, visit the Military.com Benefits Channel.

http://www.military.com/benefits/military-pay/special-pay/combat-related-special-compensation

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GOVERNMENT OVERPAYMENTS:  IT doesn’t matter whose fault the error is, you’re responsible for reporting it and can be held liable for any money overpaid for pay, allotment, compensation, pension, etc. Members of the military community who suspect they are drawing too much in pay or allowances because of a clerical error or computer glitch should alert pay officials rather than ignore the situation. When the government finds the error as it almost certainly will it will want that extra money back. Waivers of overpayments are granted on occasion.  However, more often, recipients are found responsible for reporting pay errors and thus liable for any money overpaid.  If you want to review repayment policies refer to the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) web site www.dod.mil/dodgc/doha/ and read decisions on claims brought by fellow service members or retirees to the DOHA’s Claims Appeals Board. Cases are interesting because they often involve thousands of dollars. They are instructive too because recipients routinely are advised that they should have caught the overpayments even though the error originated elsewhere. The claims division of the DOHA handles disputes regarding pay allowances, travel, transportation, unused accrued leave, retired pay, and survivor benefits. It also settles disputes between transportation carriers and uniformed service members concerning transit loss or damage on military moves. Claims actions usually uphold long-standing military pay principles applied to individual circumstance. Claims board decisions published on the DOHA Web site withhold the names of claimants to protect their privacy.  [Source: Online Tom Philpott articles 7 Jan 07 ++]

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VA HEADSTONES & MARKERS:  The VA furnishes upon request, at no charge to the applicant, a Government headstone or marker for the grave of any deceased eligible veteran in any cemetery around the world. For all deaths occurring before 11 SEP 2001, the VA may provide a headstone or marker only for graves that are not marked with a private headstone. For deaths after that date a headstone or marker will be provided regardless of whether the grave is already marked with a non-government marker. Headstones and markers are provided for eligible spouses and dependents of veterans only when buried in a national, military post/base, or State veterans cemetery.  Flat markers in granite, marble, and bronze, and upright headstones in granite and marble are available. The style chosen must be consistent with existing monuments at the place of burial.  Emblems of belief for placement on Government Headstones and Markers are available can be viewed at www.cem.va.gov. Niche markers are also available to mark columbaria used for inurnment of cremated remains. 

 

When burial or memorialization is in a national cemetery, a headstone or marker will be ordered by the cemetery officials based on inscription information provided by next of kin.  When burial is in a private cemetery VA Form 40-1330, application for Standard Government Headstone or Marker (PDF), must be submitted by the next of kin or a representative, such as a funeral director, cemetery official, or veterans counselor, along with veterans military discharge documents, to request a government-provided headstone or marker.  Do not send original documents as they will not be returned. Application for National Guard or Reserves who are entitled must include a copy of the Reserve Retirement Eligibility Benefits Letter with the application. Use of the Fax service at 1(800) 455-7143 can save up to seven days in obtaining a marker. This toll free fax service is only available for headstones or markers being placed in private cemeteries. All state veterans, military and post cemeteries must submit their applications by regular mail. The form and instructions are available at www.cem.va.gov. The application form on the website can be filled in and printed for submitting by mail or fax. If you mail forward to: Memorial Programs Service (41A1),

Department of Veterans Affairs, 5109 Russell Road, Quantico, VA 22134-3903. Questions about a headstone or marker application can be directed to VA’s Memorial Programs Service applicant assistance unit at (800) 697-6947.  Persons not eligible for a headstone or marker are:

 

      (1) Reservists and National Guard members who, at time of death, were entitled to retired pay under Chap 1223, title 10, United States Code, or would have been entitled, but for being under the age of 60. Specific categories of individuals eligible for retired pay are delineated in section 12731 of Chap 1223, title 10, United States Code.

     (2) Members of reserve components who die while hospitalized or undergoing treatment at the expense of the United States for injury or disease contracted or incurred under honorable conditions while performing active duty for training or inactive duty training, or undergoing such hospitalization or treatment.

     (3) Members of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps of the Army, Navy, or Air Force who die under honorable conditions while attending an authorized training camp or on an authorized cruise, while performing authorized travel to or from that camp or cruise, or while hospitalized or undergoing treatment at the expense of the U.S. for injury or disease contracted or incurred under honorable conditions while engaged in one of those activities.

     (4) Members of reserve components who, during a period of active duty for training, were disabled or died from a disease or injury incurred or aggravated in line of duty or, during a period of inactive duty training, were disabled or died from an injury incurred or aggravated in line of duty.

 

Headstones and markers previously furnished by the Government may be replaced at Government expense if badly deteriorated, illegible, stolen or vandalized. They will also replace the headstone or marker if the inscription is incorrect, if it was damaged during shipping, or if the material or workmanship does not meet contract specifications. If a Government headstone or marker in a private cemetery is damaged by cemetery personnel, the cemetery should pay all replacement costs. Marble and granite headstones or markers that are permanently removed from a grave must be destroyed, ensuring that the inscription is no longer legible. Bronze markers must be returned to the contractor. For guidance on obtaining a replacement headstone or marker, you may call the Memorial Programs Service Applicant Assistance Unit between the hours of 08-1700 (EST), M-F at 1(800) 697-6947 or click on the "Contact the VA" link on their website to contact the office via e-mail. Be sure to include the veteran’s name, social security and/or service number, and date of death. Special Pre-World War I Era Headstones and Markers can also be obtained. Refer to www.cem.va.gov/cem/hm_hm.asp for additional info on this subject.

[Source www.cem.va.gov  Feb 07 ++]

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VET GRAVESITE LOCATOR:  At http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/j2ee/servlet/NGL_v1 you can search for burial locations of veterans and their family members in VA National Cemeteries, state veterans cemeteries, various other military/Department of Interior cemeteries, and private cemeteries when the grave is marked with a government grave marker. The Nationwide Gravesite Locator includes burial records from many sources. These sources provide varied data; some searches may contain less information than others. Information on veterans buried in private cemeteries was collected for the purpose of furnishing government grave markers, and VA does not have information available for burials prior to 1997. Erroneous information can be corrected, but there is no way to add to the information contained in the existing record. If your search returns incorrect information about a veteran or family member buried in a national cemetery, contact the cemetery directly to discuss your findings. To report incorrect information about a veteran buried in a private cemetery, click go to https://iris.va.gov.  Names cannot be added to the listing if a government grave marker was not furnished for the grave, or if the existing government grave marker was furnished prior to 1997. For more complete information concerning individual records contact the cemetery or local officials.

 

The American Battle Monuments Commission provides information on service members buried in overseas cemeteries. If you cannot locate the person you are searching for, provide the following information on each individual: