Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 03/19/2001

Dear Sgt. Shaft:
Thank you for your articles concerning Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) reinstatement. Would you make a plea to Members of Congress to pass a bill that would allow women who remarry after age 55 to keep their DIC? Also, that the bill be retroactive to include widows who remarry after age 55 before the bill is passed.

I was 58 in 1990 when I remarried and lost my DIC. My income and my husband's combined is $1,232 per month. Our Medicare and health insurance costs are $432 per month. We really need the DIC.

Thank you for your articles concerning prescription benefits for Medicare-eligible widows. Would I have to be a DIC recipient to be entitled to this benefit if such a bill is passed?

D.J.C.
Covington, GA

Dear D.J.C.,
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation payments are authorized for surviving spouses who have not remarried, unmarried children under 18, helpless children, those between 18 and 23 if attending a VA-approved school, and low income parents of deceased service members. To be eligible, the service member must have died from:

• A disease or injury incurred or aggravated while on active duty or active duty for training;

• an injury incurred or aggravated in line of duty while on inactive duty training; or

• a disability compensable by the Veterans Administration.

• Eligibility is denied of the death of the veteran is the result of willful misconduct.

If a spouse remarries, eligibility for benefits may be restored if the marriage is terminated later by death, annulment, or divorce. DIC beneficiaries are not permitted to remarry and retain DIC benefits.

Federal survivor programs, most notably the Survivor Benefit Program (SBP) of the Department of Defense, allows SBP spouses to remarry after age 55 without loss of SBP compensation. This same type of continuation of spousal survivor benefits exists in all Federal beneficiary programs.

Interestingly, DIC spouse payments are also off-set from entitled SBP payments under the provisions of Concurrent Receipt.

In a spirit of fairness, the Sarge urges the United States Congress to legislatively correct this inequity so that DIC recipients would not lose their benefits if they remarry after age 55.

Shaft Kudos
The Sarge joins The Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) in commending the efforts of Rep. Michael Bilirakis (FL) and Sen. Harry Reid (NV) who are working to rectify an inequity in current law that requires an offset of military retired pay for every dollar received in Veterans Administration disability compensation. Rep. Bilirakis has reintroduced a bill (H.R. 303) that would eliminate the offset imposed on disabled military retirees, and Sen. Reid has introduced companion legislation (S. 170) in the U.S. Senate. Entitled the Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2001, the legislation would permit full concurrent receipt of retired pay and disability benefits. "Nationwide, more than 400,000 disabled military retirees must give up their retired pay in order to receive their VA compensation," said Rep. Bilirakis. "Military retirees are the only group of federal retirees who are forced to fund their own disability benefits." In a recent Senate speech addressing this issue, Sen. Reid said, "Rather than honoring their commitment and bravery by fulfilling our obligations, the federal government has chosen instead to perpetuate a 110-year-old injustice. Quite simply, this is disgraceful. We should not leave our veterans behind."

"The FRA salutes Rep. Bilirakis and Sen. Reid's leadership on the concurrent receipt issue and is encouraged by the growing support for these bills in the House and Senate," said FRA National Executive Secretary Chuck Calkins. "The Association has worked to correct this inequity for many years, and the issue remains a high priority on our legislative agenda. Retirement and disability pays are two separate and distinct benefits, and one should have no bearing on the other." 

The FRA is also an active member of the Concurrent Receipt Working Group comprised of 11 major military and veterans organizations. This federally chartered organization is the oldest and largest military association representing the concerns of enlisted Sea Service personnel.

The veterans community will miss the expertise of Colonel Paul W. Arcari, USAF (Ret.), one of Washington's most experienced and skilled lobbyists for military entitlements. Col. Arcari recently retired as Director of Government Relations for The Retired Officers Association (TROA). He had been with TROA for 16 years, almost all in the top lobbying job. This followed 17 years in the Pentagon, where he served more than decade as Chief of the Entitlement Division for the Air Force. He will be succeeded by Co. Steve Strobridge, USAF (Ret.), who has worked with Col. Arcari for many years on active duty and at TROA.

The Sarge is looking forward to breaking bread with the VA Alumni Association at its April 19 luncheon meeting. Outgoing president Jim Fischl says the election of new officers for a two-year term will head the agenda. Addressing the members will be Stephen Barr, editor of the Washington Post Federal Diary. The luncheon , starting at noon, will be held at the Pier 7 Restaurant, 650 Water Street, SW, Washington, D.C. For more information and reservations, contact Leon Cinches at 703-451-7529. 

Congratulations and Semper Fi to friend Robert E. Wallace for his selection as Assistant Adjutant General and Executive Director of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Washington Office. Bob served as Deputy Executive Director of the Washington office since October 1996. Previously he was Executive Director of the New Jersey State Employment and Training Commission. He also had served as Deputy Commissioner/Administrator of the Veterans Affairs under former New Jersey Governor Thomas Kean. Bob is a past VFW Commander in Chief. He served with the 1st Marine Division in Vietnam and received three Purple Heart medals for his service in Vietnam.

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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