Hey Veterans, Did You Know?

... Death certificate conditions may affect benefits?

With the increased number of veterans being treated for COVID-related conditions, if a veteran passes away from this virus, please ask the hospital, medical center, or hospice care professionals assisting in the creation of the Death Certificate to list one or more of the veteran's service-connected conditions as contributing causes of death along with COVID, such as coronary artery disease, lung cancer, diabetes mellitus type II, Parkinson's disease or similar service-related conditions.

The veteran's service-connected conditions must be listed on the Death Certificate in order for the surviving spouse to receive Dependency Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and Service-connected Burial Benefits (one-time payment of $2,000).

... COVID requires National Personnel Records Center to operate at reduced capacity?

Due to the resurgence of COVID-19 infection in local communities, the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) is operating at a reduced capacity. As of Aug. 2, 2021, the NPRC has reduced its on-site staffing to 10% of the workforce.

Until things change, the center staff will continue to service emergency requests associated with medical treatments, burials, and homeless veterans trying to gain admittance to a homeless shelter. The staff requests refraining from submitting non-emergency requests such as replacement medals, administrative corrections, or records research until it returns to pre-COVID staffing levels.

COURTESY PHOTO

The Eligibility Team at Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center incudes, back row, Sarah Boardman, VA Associate Director; and Bennett “Tray” Traylor. Front row, Ronnie Dietrick, Reid Bryan and Heather Groom. ... Different VA cards are available?

A basic Veteran ID card (VIC) is used to identify you as a veteran and to obtain discounts at various businesses. It can’t be used to obtain VA healthcare.

Visit www.va.gov/records/ get-veteran-id-cards/vic/.

You will need to upload your DD214, a copy of your driver’s license or state ID card, and a jpg type photo of yourself.

There is also a Nonser-

vice-connected Veterans Health Identification Card

(VHIC). This card is for veterans who were not injured or had a serious illness while on active duty but can meet certain low-income eligibility standards. The qualifying dollar amounts will vary according to the community where you live and must be calculated by the VA. Many veterans are eligible but never take the time to apply. You use your card for medical purposes at the VA, to show your veteran status and receive discounts at various businesses. You obtain this card at your local VA Medical Center.

A third card is the Ser-

vice-connected Veterans Health Identification

Card (VHIC). This card is for veterans who were injured or had a serious illness while on active duty. VA Disability Ratings range from 0% to 100%. Also eligible are veterans who received a Purple Heart, have POW status or are Medal of Honor recipients. You use your card for medical purposes at the VA, to show your veteran status and to receive discounts at various businesses. You also have access to Department of Defense and Coast Guard commissaries, exchanges and MWR. Your VHIC card will identify your specific eligibilities and will be printed on your card. You obtain this card at your local VA Medical Center.

The final card is a 100% Permanently and Totally Dis-

abled Service-Connected

Card. This card can be obtained from a local military installation. Spouses of these veterans are also eligible for this ID card and can shop at commissaries, exchanges and use MWR without the veteran present. The spouse can continue to use the card if the veteran dies.

... There’s an Eligibility Team to help?

The team, located on the 7th floor of Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane is where you can go to sign up for your VHIC and to learn about all the benefits available to veterans. Tray Traylor, Ronnie Dietrick, Reid Bryan and Heather Groom are well trained to walk you through the process and get you enrolled.

Many veterans have struggled to qualify for benefits until this team went to work and completed the paperwork. Tray said many veterans fail to bring all their required paperwork for an interview and that a few have more than one DD214.

Some veterans have been denied on one DD214 and then get approved when they produce the second DD214. The team sometimes must search for information not available from the veteran and his/her paperwork. Many veterans become frustrated with the process, but this team takes the time to find solutions – and they get results.

BENNETT “TRAY” TRAYLOR:

Tray is a retired Air Force veteran and a Vietnam veteran who has been working at the VA for 20 years. He says he does his very best to advocate for our veterans in the Spokane VA. He wants to make sure all veterans get the healthcare they deserve. Tray has a can-do-will-do attitude to make it happen.

RONNIE DIETRICK: She grew up in Kodiak, Alaska, as an Army brat and met and married her husband in Kodiak. He was in the military, and years after his discharge they found out how difficult it was to navigate the VA. She gave up 10 years of healthcare work in the private sector and joined the VA to help veterans like her husband. At the VA, she has worked in the Office of Community Care and Veteran Eligibility while pursuing a Bachelor of Psychology degree from Washington State University. She hopes to become a counselor someday but right now is blessed to make a difference in people’s lives.

REID BRYAN: Reid is married with two children and two step-children. He started with the VA as a volunteer in 2019 and was hired full time in July 2020. His prior work experience was in the manufacturing field. Reid calls himself a true Washingtonian who is an avid Mariners and Seahawks fan and likes to play golf. He is very excited to help veterans receive the care they deserve.

HEATHER GROOM: She has lived in Spokane all her life and is retired from the Washington Army National Guard after 20 years. Heather was stationed in Ephrata with the 1161st Transportation Company and at Fairchild AFB with C 1-112 Aviation Unit. She was deployed to Iraq twice. Her employment at the VA has included 1 year and 3 months at Community Care and 9 months on the Eligibility & Enrollment Team. Written by Darrel Maddux, Veterans Help Net Correspondent and American Legion Department Public Relations Committee Member.

Looking for local help? See the “How Can I Get Help?” section on Page 5 of this publication.