Disabled American Veterans
Blind Veterans National Chapter
OFFICERS
OF THE BLIND CHAPTER
Commander
Eddie Humphrey
Senior
Vice Commander Floyd Britting
1st
Junior Vice Commander Dan Holden
2nd
Junior Vice Commander Dennis O’Connell
3rd
Junior Vice Commander Paul Kaminsky
4th
Junior Vice Commander Dave May
Judge
Advocate Gerard Boucher
Chaplain
Tony Martino
FINANCE
COMMITTEE MEETING
A
meeting of the Finance Committee was held on June 10 via a telephone conference
call set up by the Chairman Dave May. Along with Dave May the two committee
members in attendance were Dan Holden & Paul Kaminsky along with Commander
Eddie Humphery and Second Junior Bice Commander Dennis O’Connell.
First
motion that was passed was for the BVNC #1 to provide Tony Martino $1,000 in
order to facilitate 3 activities at the Hines Blind Rehab Center and to provide
receipts back to the BVNC #1 at the completion of each activity.
Another
motion that was passed was to purchase a DAV van to be donated to one Blind
Rehab Center. The Blind Rehab Center will be chosen by drawing to be held
at the DAV National Convention in August. the Blind Centers for
consideration would be Hines, West Haven, Palo Alto, Birmingham, and Tucson.
The order of drawing would determine the order of selection in case
the top drawers do not take advantage of the donation.
The
last motion that was made and passed by the Finance Committee was to provide
$104 per bed for each Blind Rehab Center. The target of which consist of
approximately 240 beds.
Revised
in 02, 1999. Now, also revised in 2003.
The
Drivers Manual for License operators of motor vehicles.
Quoted
from page 85.
You
must always yield to pedestrians who are walking in or crossing a
roadway.
Also note these rules concerning pedestrians:
1
If you are stopped at a traffic signal and the light turns green, you must
yield
to any pedestrians already in the crosswalk before proceeding.
2
When turning, look for pedestrians crossing your intended path.
Pedestrians
have the right-of-way if using a sidewalk or crossing a driveway
or
an alley.
3
“Always yield to blind people crossing a street, If a blind person using a
special
cane or a guide dog is trying to cross the street, you must stop until
the
person has crossed safely to the other side.”
Page
85.
FOR
THE PURPOSE AND USE OF ENFORCEMENT AND ANY OR ALL EXTENSIONS/RENEWAL OF AMENDED
LAWS.
Presented
from Gerard Boucher, a Blinded Veteran.
PROBLEM
HEARING?
For
veterans with all degrees of hearing impairment, local VA audiology
clinics
are equipped to handle their needs. This would include diagnostics,
rehabilitation,
hearing aid services and/or assistive listening devices.
For
veterans who have profound hearing loss and are candidates for cochlear
implants,
there are several centers around the country which handle the
surgical
and rehabilitation aspects of this highly specialized, but limited
demand,
care process (VA NYHHS is one of those centers).
CARES
data projections show expected increases in the number of veterans to
be
served with hearing loss. This is reasonable, given the increased
incidence
of hearing loss with aging. Historically there have not been
special
disability clinics devoted to veterans with profound hearing loss.
This
is reasonable as most all local clinics can manage the hearing
rehabilitation
needs of hearing impaired veterans.
Not all Blind Veterans
Know
Not all Blind Veterans (BV’s) are aware of
compensation levels. Congress
established Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) for veterans with very severe
disabilities. The 100% rate was not
sufficient to adequately compensate these severely disabled veterans. As a
result, Congress passed statutory awards, SMC above the 100% rate. For example:
at present, 100% provides $2673 monthly to a single veteran. BV's with vision
of 5/200 or a 5 degree field are rated at paragraph L - $3327 monthly, a BV's
with light perception only receives paragraph M - $3671 monthly and a totally
blind BV receives paragraph N - $4176. Over the years Congress has improved the
SMC with mid level ratings and combination rating; for example, a BV with
deafness or the loss of an extremity may receive the maximum compensation
paragraph O - $4664 monthly. Some veterans rated at paragraph O, who are in
need of consistent aid and attendance, may receive paragraph AR-1 $6669
monthly. In addition, dependent allowances may be added to the amounts listed
above for a spouse and dependent children. Other Benefits: In addition to improvements in compensation,
other benefits for BV’s has been secured. Following are two Adaptive Housing
Grants. These grants, which were increased in late 2008, provide $60,000
(Section 2101 A) primarily for wheelchair bound veterans. However, this large
grant is also available to BV's with service-connected blindness and the loss
of a leg. The smaller Grant, $12,000 (Section 2101 B), is available to
service-connected BV's. Initially, the Adaptive Housing grants were one-time
grants. In 2006, the 109 Congress passed legislation permitting eligible
veterans who had not used all of their Section 2101 A or B grants to use the
remainder again, up to 3 times. A BV who used the 2101 B grant but less than
the present $12,000 may be eligible to use the difference.
Another grant is the Home Improvement and
Structural Alteration (HISA) Grant available through your local VAMC. The HISA
Grant provides $4100 to SC BV's and $1200 to NSC BV's. This grant may be used
for minor alterations to your home in relation to your disability.
Another nice to know bit of information is
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC):
The survivors of 100% service-connected (SC) veterans are eligible if
the veteran had been rated at 100% for ten years, five years if continuously
since discharge. In 1991 Congress passed the DIC Reform Act. Now there are two
DIC rates. The basic rate for the spouse is $1154 monthly. The spouse who was
married to a 100% SC veteran for 8 years or more prior to the veteran’s death
would receive DIC of $1400 monthly. Each minor child would receive $284 monthly
in DIC.
NSC Pension:
Three NSC Pension levels exist:
Basic Pension, House Bound Benefits, and Aid and Attendance
Allowance. Presently, the Basic Pension
provides $985 monthly to a single veteran, House Bound - $1207 monthly, and Aid
and Attendance Allowance - $1644 monthly.
These amounts may be increased for each dependent. There is still a significant income
limitation. The above listed amounts
are reduced dollar for dollar by any incomes, whatsoever, the veteran or
his/her household receives. However, there is an annual Cost of Living
Adjustment (COLA). Also BV's household
earnings can be reduced by the amount of medical expenses the BV incurs.
For information about any of the above contact
the VA Regional Office in your area or talk with your VIST Coordinator.
Submitted by Paul Kaminsky
FROM
THE EDITOR
Many
of the Chapter DAV members will be heading for Denver for the DAV National
Convention. Friday, August 21, starts the BVNC1 business sessions with meetings
in the morning and in the afternoon. The National Opening business session is
on Saturday morning.
If
you can’t join us this year, then why not plan ahead and try to make the DAV
National Convention in 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia in late July!