Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 06/14/99

Dear Sgt. Shaft:
I really hope that you can help me. While I'll provide a lot of background comments, which include the fact that my husband and I divorced while he was still on active duty, my questions concern two main areas:

• Medical help for my disabled military dependent for life; and

• That all paperwork is in order for my children to receive Survivor Benefit Program (SBP) entitlement.

• Thank you for your attention to this request.

Concerned Mom

Dear Concerned Mom:
Thank you for your letter and your confidence to write. Concerning medical care eligible dependent children who are incapable of self-support for life and requiring functional support before age 18 or age 23 if attending college may be certified as dependent and remain entitled to "dependent" benefits for life. This process begins with formal medical evaluation of the child providing documented medical assessment descriptive the child's life-long impaired functioning and dependency. The medical statement is included in the formal application for the dependent's identification card and DEERS enrollment. Check with your local military installation's Pass and Indemnification Office for further information.

The Sarge is pleased to share with you the answer to the question of your military sponsor's designation of benefits in the Survivor Benefit Program for the "child only" option. The identification of an incapacitated child was confirmed. The options in SBP allow for election, with mandatory spousal consent, to provide Spouse-only entitlement, Spouse and child(ren) entitlement, or Child only. The SBP form initiated by the military sponsor does have a block that must be annotated to reflect an incapacitated child incapable of self-support. Medical documentation substantiating the incapacitated child is required at the time of election of benefits and after the sponsor's demise when the child reaches age 18 or at the time of the sponsor's death if the child is 18 or older. In fact, the SBP Spouse and child option allows eligible children born after retirement who are or become incapacitated before age 18 (or age 22 if still in college) to be considered for receipt of SBP entitlement for life. Cases involving unique circumstances such as an incapacitated child need to be discussed with the appropriate military personnel, pass, and ID offices. You've probably noticed the difference in ages for ID cards (age 23) and SBP entitlement (age 22), which is why it is good to discuss unique circumstances with the military personnel professionals. The age of entitlement, for example, under "special authority" footnotes authorizing the program, may be extended beyond age 22 and be terminated before age 23!

Shaft Kudo

A special kudo today to our most sacred symbol, our American flag. Tomorrow, June 15, the Sarge is looking forward to meeting and greeting Members of Congress, the media, and volunteers being honored at the 14th annual Congressional awards reception being hosted by Congressman Joe Meekly (D-MA) and the Blinded American Veterans Foundation (BAVF). This signal event is held each year in conjunction with the Foundation's Flag Day observance. Among those being honored this year are Senator Max Cleland (D-GA) and Representative John McHugh (R-NY), who will receive the Foundation's 1999 George "Buck" Gillispie Congressional Award for Meritorious Service. (The award is named in honor of the late "Buck" Gillispie, a blinded WWII veteran who devoted more than 40 years of continuous service toward efforts to aid in the rehabilitation of visually impaired veterans.) Recipients of this year's Carlton Sherwood Media Award, named in honor of the Pulitzer and Peabody-award winning journalist and highly decorated Marine Corps Vietnam veteran, will be presented to John McCaslin, "Inside the Beltway" columnist for The Washington Times; and Patrick McGrath, noted correspondent and anchor, WTTG-TV, Fox Channel 5 in Washington, D.C. This year's recipients of the George Alexander Memorial Award for Volunteer Service are Dennis Wyant, BAVF, and Director, VA Regional Office, Indiana; and Angela Walker, VA Central Office Nursing Service. The Foundation's Corporate Volunteer Award will be presented to Pfizer Inc. And this year, a special award will also be presented to the U.S. Postal Service, in recognition of their 100th anniversary of delivering free matter to the blind. Leading those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance will be Alfred Rascon, who has recently been recommended, by the Secretary of the Army, to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor in recognition of his heroism in Vietnam.

On display at this year's celebration will be the Universal Access Copier System developed by Pitney Bowes. This unique voice-command copier's many features give greater copier access to all persons with disabilities.

Good luck and a hearty salute to the more than 600 veterans from across the United States, Great Britain, and Puerto Rico who will be competing in the 19th National Veterans Wheelchair Games in Puerto Rico, June 21-26. The Games, the largest annual wheelchair sporting event in the United States, are presented by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Paralyzed Veterans of America. The competition is open to all U.S. military veterans who use wheelchairs due to spinal cord injury or have certain neurological conditions, amputations, or other mobility impairments. The San Juan, P.R. VA Medical Center will host this year's Games. Veterans will be able to go for the gold in track and field, swimming, basketball, weightlifting, softball, airguns, quad rugby, bowling, table tennis, archery, a wheelchair rally, and wheelchair slalom. "The Games are so much more than an athletic event, said PVA National President Homer S. Townsend. "Many participants claim that the Games change their lives, reintroducing them to their forgotten self-esteem and confidence. The Games remind them of their abilities and distance them from their disabilities, both in sports and in the many other daily challenges faced in life."

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.

BAVF Home | Who We Are | Sgt. Shaft | Flag Week | Links | Financials | Search | Contact BAVF

BAVF - P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900