Dear Sgt. Shaft:
In 1951, I married a World War II veteran, who became 100% service-connected disabled in the early 1960s and consequently was unable to work. I took care of him during his 25 years of disability, until his death in 1987. When he died I qualified for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), and CHAMPVA medical care. Two years ago, when I turned 65, I became Medicare-eligible and lost my eligibility for the CHAMPVA medical benefit. Although I pay $67 a month for a Medicare supplemental policy, it does not provide prescription medicine.

Between DIC and Social Security, my income is less than $1,200 per month. I cannot afford my inhalers, blood pressure and heart medications, and other prescriptions. Sometimes I have to go easy on my medications by skipping dosages to make them last longer. Thank goodness my supplemental policy pays for my oxygen.

I have no medical insurance policy of my own; throughout my marriage I took care of the children, or my husband, or both, and was unable to work outside the home. The last years of caring for my husband's disabilities were especially hard and taxing. Is there any way I can get some help?

Mary B.
Grand Rapids, Minnesota

Dear Mary:
It is beyond credulity how our government can penalize senior citizens like yourself for merely turning 65 years of age. It is incumbent upon our leaders and citizenry to ensure that the sacrifices that you and your husband, as well as those of others, have made for our nation be adequately compensated. The Administration and Congress are carefully looking at Medicare subvention and ways to provide prescription drugs. I urge that those like you, military retirees or their wives or widows over age 65, are given high priority if and when this legislation is passed.

As the Sarge stated in a past column, the Gold Star Wives, a federally chartered veteran service organization comprised of the widowed spouses of military service members who died while on active duty or who died as a result of service-connected disabilities, recently alerted a Joint Committee of Congress that most DIC widows are Medicare-eligible and have the pay the full cost of their prescriptions. The median income for DIC widows in 1993 dollars was $16,495. It is not at all unusual for a Gold Star wife to spend $200 to $300 per month on prescription drug costs. Prescription drug costs are too often the biggest single expense among the older DIC recipients. Providing prescription drug benefits to those who have served our nation should not be a hard pill to swallow for our government.

And the Sarge urges conferees of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees to include Cong. Lane Evans' (D-IL) H.R. 708 language in the final Veterans Authorization bill. This would restore medical, education, and home loan benefits to reinstated widows in order to complete the reinstatement program.

Shaft Kudos

Hats off to General James L. Jones, Commandant of the Marine Corps, and his special 8th and I Marines who provided their talents during this summer's "Evening Parades." The Sarge was honored to be a guest of General Jones at the Evening Parades honoring two distinguished Americans, The Hon. Sam Nunn, former United States Senator from the State of Georgia; and Anthony A. Williams, Mayor of the District of Columbia. The oohs and aahs sent a chill up my spine as the Silent Drill team of 24 polished Marines twirled, tossed and caught their 24 M-1 Garand rifles with gloved hands, all with seemingly nonchalant ease and without verbal command. The tingling continued as the music of the President's Own and the Commandant's Own bands presented classic masterpieces, military marches of bygone eras, contemporary wind ensembles, instrumental solos and current hits, with their traditional ending of "The Stars and Stripes Forever"--a testament not only to their nation, but also to their legendary leader, John Phillip Sousa. What pride the Sarge felt as the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, appearing in swirling torrents of scarlet and white spiked with silver, presented a unique blend of traditional and contemporary musical virtuosity. And the shivers that go throughout one's body continued as, from atop the ramparts, a lone figure appeared in a wash of light. He is the lone bugler, who brought what may have been the most poignant moment of the evening. He lifted his instrument and the solemn notes of "Taps" began to reverberate throughout the Barracks. Those notes grabbed a piece of everyone present.

I encourage all you Marines--retired Marines, former Marines, and wanna-be Marines--to contact Pat Nelson, of the National Press Club, at 202-662-7539. She is taking reservations for the luncheon appearance by General Jones on October 29 at the Press Club. The Sarge is sure that you will enjoy the presentation of this "Sam Damon" Once An Eagle-like leader, this Marine Corps commandant who took time out of his busy schedule to thank a young Marine sergeant for helping the Sarge locate a deceased World War I Marine's military records for his loving family.

Kudos to the federal employees who, once again, will reach into their pockets and make generous contributions to the Combined Federal Campaign. As many of you know, the Sarge has a partiality for the Blinded American Veterans Foundation, CFC Number 11282 ("BAVF"). Information about the BAVF can be obtained by logging on to http://www.bavf.org.

Congratulations to Bolton Corporation of Raleigh, N.C, for recently being named this year's Employer of the Year by AMVETS. Bolton Corporation employs 28 individuals, of whom 16 are veterans. The company works closely with the Raleigh Employment Security Commission to provide jobs for veterans.