Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 07/07/2003

Dear Sgt. Shaft:
I thought your readers might be interested in the story of Army Sgt. Casaundra Grant, a 25 year-old single mother of a 2 year-old, who lost both of her legs when she was accidentally pinned under a tank on March 14 in Kuwait. A San Antonio Express-News story is the only one about Sgt. Grant that has appeared in any newspaper to date.

During a telephone conversation with me on June 20, Sgt. Grant said that the accident occurred when her transportation unit, which had moved hundreds of pieces of heavy equipment and tanks through Kuwait in preparation for the Battle of Baghdad, was moving a tank from a flatbed vehicle. She was holding a signal device near the tank when gears unexpectedly shifted and her legs were crushed. Sgt. Grant praises members of her crew and the helicopter rescue team that prevented her from bleeding to death. She is upbeat, courageous and working hard at a nearby rehabilitation facility to regain her strength and ability to walk.

The accident does not appear to be a result of changes in the rules affecting women in support units, but it provides an object lesson on the inherent dangers of military life. Since the story does not fit the idealized "women warrior" image that feminists rushed to spin up when Pfc. Jessica Lynch and Spec. Shoshana Johnson were found and returned home to their families, it is not likely that book and movie producers will shower her with gifts and contract offers. (Most men who returned from the war received no special attention either.)

The nation is grateful to Sgt. Casaundra Grant and many members of the military who paid an exceedingly high price in service to their country. She has not asked for outside help, but I thought you might know of individuals and organizations that might be willing to provide assistance during her recovery.

Thank you for all the work you do on behalf of veterans.
Elaine Donnelly
President, Center for Military Readiness

Dear Elaine,
I have contacted top officials at the Department of Veterans affairs and have been assured that Casaundra has been made aware all of her veteran’s benefits. This includes medical care, monetary compensation, vocational rehabilitation, adaptive housing grants, automobile allowance, and in the future educational assistance for her two-year-old son Blaine. As you, Elaine, I am proud of Casaundra, and appreciate the major sacrifice has made for our nation.

Dear Sgt. Shaft: 
My son, a marine reservist, tried to use his GI bill benefits when he enrolled in the Florida community college-Jacksonville flight training program in January of this year. To his surprise, he was informed that the GI bill could be used to cover a ballroom dancing course at the school, but not flight training lessons the school also offers.

Can this possibly be true? Have they misread the guidelines? A skeptical father wants to know! Thanks for all you do to help folks via your column and related efforts.

Regards,
Norm I.
Florida

Dear Norm
I posed your query to top officials at the Department of veterans and received this reply.

Associate Degree programs at Florida community college-Jacksonville (FCCJ) that include flight training are approved for veterans. FCCJ contracts with a flight school in the Jacksonville area to provide this training. VA benefits are payable at the rate of $276 per month for full-time training. Ballroom dancing is also approved at FCCJ, but only as an elective course within the Associate of Arts program. Your son may be interested in vocational flight training leading to FAA certification as a commercial pilot. Benefits are paid at the rate of 60 percent of the approved charges for the course. FCCJ has not requested approval of vocational flight training for veterans since they contract with another school for this service. There is a vocational flight school approved for veterans' training in the Jacksonville area. The following address and phone number are provided should your son wish to contact them: North Florida Flight Center, 855-1 St. John's Bluff Road, Jacksonville, FL 32225  904-642-3912

Shaft Kudos
The Transportation Security Administration has taken a step n the right direction by attempting to alleviate stress on disabled travelers. Security screeners at airports no longer will separate a blind passenger from a guide dog, and then take the harness off the animal. They will ask passengers in wheelchairs if they would like to move to a private area before they search the traveler by hand.

Passengers in wheelchairs who can't walk through the detectors will be offered a private area where a screener will search them by hand.

Comprehensive legislation (H.R. 2297) to expand and extend benefits to veterans and their surviving spouses cleared the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs in a recent markup session .The Committee also approved legislation to authorize $1.1 billion in new VA health care construction projects, and legislation to open five new national cemeteries for veterans and their families, and five other bills to assist and honor America's veterans.

"These Bills, if approved will make a tangible difference in the lives of millions of veterans and their families," said Congressman Chris Smith (NJ), Chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. "The new investments in health care facilities and national cemeteries are long overdue and much needed," he said.

Smith, who sponsored H.R. 2297, the Veterans Benefits Act of 2003, highlighted several provisions of that bill, including one for widows of veterans who want to remarry. " This provision, which Rep. Michael Bilirakis of Florida has championed for years, would finally allow surviving spouses of veterans to be able to remarry after age 55 without being penalized with the loss of widow benefits, such as widow's pension or burial rights," said Smith.

Send letters to Sgt. Shaft, c/o John Fales, P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900; fax to 301-622-3330; call 202-462-4430 or email sgtshaft@bavf.org.

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