Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 10/08/2007

Dear Sgt. Shaft:
I am pleased to inform you about our plans to add staff to Veterans Benefits Administration regional offices throughout the country. Through this hiring initiative, we are adding claims-processing staff to tackle the critical disability claims workload.

Our recruitment efforts are being conducted nationwide and will continue over the next several months. Job announcements for veterans service representatives can be found on the Office of Personnel Management's Web site, USAJobs.gov. This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in starting or continuing a career with the federal government.

We especially encourage veterans and disabled veterans to join us in helping other veterans. It is important for veterans to know that they may be eligible to receive a degree of preference in applying for our positions, as well as for other competitive positions in the federal government. There are specific criteria that must be met. To claim veterans' preference, veterans must provide a copy of their DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or other proof of military service. Veterans with service-connected disabilities receive a greater degree of preference for federal positions and will also need to submit Form SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference.

The Department of Veterans Affairs' noble mission is among the best in government: "to care for him who shall have borne the battle and his widow and his orphan." We urge all who are interested in serving our nation's heroes to apply.

Vice Adm. Daniel L. Cooper
Undersecretary for Veterans Benefits

Dear Adm. Cooper
Thanks for sharing this vital information with my readers. Thanks also for outreaching to blinded and other disabled veterans alerting them to the changes to the Specially Adapted Housing Grant Program, incorporated in Public Law 109-233.

Primarily, this law changed the number of times that the SAH benefit may be used. Before this change, grant recipients could receive their SAH benefit from VA only one time, regardless of the grant amount. Now an eligible veteran or service member may receive up to a total of three SAH grants, although the aggregate amount of assistance cannot exceed the maximum allowed amount. This change in benefit also extends to previous grant recipients.

Another change allows a veteran to use up to $14,000 of the $50,000 grant, or up to $2,000 of the $10,000 grant, to adapt a home that belongs to a family member. This Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) grant will count as one of three possible SAH grant uses.

Additional information and assistance in applying for the Specially Adapted Housing grant benefit may be obtained by calling 800/827-1000. The application form (VAF 26-4555) may be downloaded at www.homeloans.va.gov/sah.htm.

Shaft Notes
• The Sarge joins Linda M. Springer, director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, in her support of House Resolution 3579 introduced by Republican Reps. Thomas M. Davis III and Frank R. Wolf of Virginia and Kenny Marchant of Texas that would allow federal agencies to rehire federal retirees on a temporary basis to assist with short-term, time-sensitive projects and to train the next generation of federal employees.

H.R. 3579 also would allow rehires to return to the federal work force without losing their annuity benefits. Miss Springer thanked the representatives for their leadership on federal employee issues, noting that they are providing agencies with the tools they need to meet their mission needs.

• A national program to provide free high-tech walking canes to World War II veterans has been declared an overwhelming success by the sponsoring company, Can-Am Care LLC of Alpharetta, Ga. "Hugo Salutes" began in April with the goal of giving Hugo Folding Canes to World War II veterans in need of mobility assistance. The program officially concluded Aug. 20 after distributing nearly 6,000 free canes.

"Hugo Salutes" was established to honor the memory of Lt. Ray Willis, World War II veteran and father of Can-Am Care President Phil Willis. Can-Am Care originally planned to give away 5,000 canes, but the response from veterans was so great that the campaign was extended to accommodate as many veterans as possible.

"We are so thankful for the service of all veterans and wanted to acknowledge our appreciation in our own way," Mr. Willis said.

Send letters to Sgt. Shaft, c/o John Fales, P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900; fax to 301-622-3330; call 202-257-5446 or email sgtshaft@bavf.org.

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