Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 11/13/2000

Dear Sgt. Shaft:
I am writing to you to request help with a big problem, with the Dept. of Veterans Affairs. I am a vet of the Vietnam era - 1967-1970.

In December, 1997, I was declared totally and permanently disabled and was given benefits at a time when I was in an extended-care facility, having been sent there after a serious suicide attempt in August. I got out of the ECF and was receiving benefits from the VA and SSD.

In May, 2000, I received a letter from the DVA stating that they were terminating my benefits because I was receiving Social Security Disability also. In July, 2000, they sent me another letter stating that I owe them $19,042. In response to these letters, I got in touch with the person in the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs who has been helping me send information to the "fed" and asking that they facilitate the process of resolving this because of hardship. I asked for a waiver of the debt and a hearing before the Waivers Board. So far, they have sent me a note saying my request was forwarded to Minneapolis.

I have learned in the process that because my monthly medical bills are so high, I am at least entitled to $484 a month along with my SSD, as well as the fact that I probably should be service connected because I was hospitalized during my active duty instead of being non-service connected.

I am trying (not successfully) to live on my SSD while awaiting the outcome here and also waiting for foodstamps and help with my Medicare premium each month. No one can live on SSD or VA benefits alone as far as I can tell and for me it is medication or food. I have done the homeless shelters, welfare and foodstamps in the past. The welfare and foodstamps were okay, but the homeless shelters - definitely not.

I was given your name as someone who might be able to get help in speeding up the process. I am enclosing copies of their letters and mine for your perusal. Thank you in advance for being there.

LBY
New Britain, CT

Dear LBY of CT:
I received the following response from the powers that be at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Dear Sgt. Shaft:
Thank you for your inquiry on behalf of Ms. LBY who wrote to you concerning her claim with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Because of the provisions of the Privacy Act, we are not able to release specific information to you concerning Ms. LBY's claim without her written permission. However, the Hartford Regional Office contacted Ms. LBY to discuss all the issues outlined in her letter. I am pleased to inform you that, through these discussions, the Hartford office was able to gather enough information to take favorable action on her current claim and assist her in filing an additional claim for VA benefits.

I appreciate the opportunity to further assist Ms. LBY and thank you for your interest on her behalf.

Patrick Nappi
Deputy Under Secretary for Operations
Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Benefits Administration
Washington, DC

Shaft Kudos

December 7, 2000 -- A Date to Remember
The anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack will have special meaning at the National Press Club when the reading of a new play, "Yamamoto's Decision" will be presented at 7 p.m. The play is written by NPC member Sherwood Ross and is based on the five-year period leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor with some surprising revelations based on the latest research into the career of the USA-educated Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto who commanded Japan's bid to wipe out the U.S. fleet in the Pacific. Post 20 members and spouses are welcome. The Sarge is looking forward to joining others at the reading of play. Those interested in sharing this unique experience, contact the National Press Club at (202) 662-7500.

Kudos to Pitney Bowes on the occasion of its 80th anniversary as the premier mail and messaging leader and in appreciation of its recognition the valued services of their military veteran employees this past veterans week. In the words of The Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Herschel W. Gober, "On behalf of the entire Department of Veterans Affairs, I thank the Pitney Bowes organization for your support of America's veterans. Your organization has given priority to veterans in its hiring practices; has received numerous awards for hiring disabled Americans, including disabled veterans. ..... This year, as you have in the past, you will be holding a special Veterans Day ceremony to recognize the men and women of your organization who have served our nation in uniform. In doing so, you join with millions of Americans throughout our nation who honor those who have honored us by their service and returned safely and remember the sacrifice of those who gave their lives or parts of themselves so that the rest of us may be free." It is fitting that on the last Veterans Day of the 20th Century, we recognize entities that recognize the sacrifices made by our nation's veterans during times of conflict and for their contributions toward a strong peacetime economy. Pitney Bowes has developed, among its numerous innovations, the Universal Access Copier which incorporates speech recognition in a copier for the first time. The copier recognizes the speech pattern of any user's voice pattern and responds to any language. The copier enables users to operate every feature by stating commands. However it also has a touch screen and a Braille keyboard so the user has many options. The Universal Copier adjusts to different heights so users with mobility limitations can use the machine as well.

Send letters to Sgt. Shaft, c/o John Fales, P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900; fax to301-622-3330; call 202-462-4430 or email sgtshaft@bavf.org.

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