WEBVTT 00:00:04.879 --> 00:00:08.699 All across America and around the world, this 00:00:08.699 --> 00:00:15.599 is Veterans Radio. This is Veterans Radio. And 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:19.679 now, your host for today's program, Dale Throneberry. 00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:27.699 And welcome to Veterans Radio. My name is Dale 00:00:27.699 --> 00:00:30.039 Throneberry. I was a chief foreign officer helicopter 00:00:30.039 --> 00:00:33.740 pilot in Vietnam, 1969. We want to welcome you 00:00:33.740 --> 00:00:36.590 to our benefits program. This is a really big 00:00:36.590 --> 00:00:38.649 benefits program today. We're really excited. 00:00:39.189 --> 00:00:41.429 We've got representatives from the Ann Arbor 00:00:41.429 --> 00:00:44.850 VA, Ann Arbor Michigan that is, and also from 00:00:44.850 --> 00:00:48.570 the Detroit Michigan VA hospital. So we are anticipating 00:00:48.570 --> 00:00:50.770 talking about what is going on at those two great 00:00:50.770 --> 00:00:53.310 facilities. And then we're also going to be talking 00:00:53.310 --> 00:00:56.509 to our local representatives, Carol Ann Fassone 00:00:56.509 --> 00:00:59.759 and Michael Smith about VA benefits. on that 00:00:59.759 --> 00:01:02.179 side to hopefully answer your questions that 00:01:02.179 --> 00:01:04.719 you have out there. We've got a couple so far. 00:01:05.319 --> 00:01:07.079 So I want to give you the phone number if you 00:01:07.079 --> 00:01:08.980 do have a question for our guests. That number 00:01:08.980 --> 00:01:18.620 is 8 is 734 -822 -1600 734 -822 -1600. Before 00:01:18.620 --> 00:01:20.719 we get into the program I need to really thank 00:01:20.719 --> 00:01:23.200 our sponsors because without their support we 00:01:23.200 --> 00:01:26.659 wouldn't be here at all. So Number one is Legal 00:01:26.659 --> 00:01:29.319 Help for Veterans. Legal Help for Veterans specializes 00:01:29.319 --> 00:01:32.140 in veteran disability claims. And you can call 00:01:32.140 --> 00:01:37.939 Legal Help for Veterans at 800 -693 -4800. That's 00:01:37.939 --> 00:01:41.560 800 -693 -4800, or you can go to their website, 00:01:41.900 --> 00:01:45.680 legalhelpforveterans .com. The National Veterans 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:47.799 Business Development Council, better known as 00:01:47.799 --> 00:01:51.700 MVBDC, the nation's leading third party authority 00:01:51.700 --> 00:01:53.780 for certification of veteran owned businesses. 00:01:54.319 --> 00:01:56.560 For more information, you can go to their website. 00:01:56.599 --> 00:02:01.799 That's nvbdc .org. I should point out that nvbdc 00:02:01.799 --> 00:02:05.900 is a Detroit based company and that they just 00:02:05.900 --> 00:02:08.539 picked up, I think it's their 100th corporate 00:02:08.539 --> 00:02:11.879 sponsor to help with the certification process. 00:02:12.479 --> 00:02:15.000 Just to remind you that the certification process 00:02:15.000 --> 00:02:17.259 means that your business is a veteran -owned 00:02:17.259 --> 00:02:20.280 business and allows you to get a little bit of 00:02:20.280 --> 00:02:21.860 preferential treatment through the government. 00:02:22.159 --> 00:02:24.939 and also through many corporations that are looking 00:02:24.939 --> 00:02:27.300 for veteran -owned businesses. So check them 00:02:27.300 --> 00:02:31.460 out at mvbdc .org. The Eisenhower Center here 00:02:31.460 --> 00:02:34.180 in Ann Arbor and Michigan in Jacksonville, Florida, 00:02:34.539 --> 00:02:37.580 they have provide services for many people who 00:02:37.580 --> 00:02:39.919 are suffering from post -traumatic stress, traumatic 00:02:39.919 --> 00:02:42.419 brain injuries, and it's not just for veterans, 00:02:42.419 --> 00:02:44.620 it's also for first responders and athletes. 00:02:44.939 --> 00:02:47.000 For more information about the Eisenhower Center, 00:02:47.080 --> 00:02:49.479 you can go to their website. That's Eisenhower 00:02:49.479 --> 00:02:53.439 .com for more information. And also the Lieutenant 00:02:53.439 --> 00:02:55.659 Colonel Charles S. Kettles VA Medical Center 00:02:55.659 --> 00:02:59.919 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is sponsoring this version 00:02:59.919 --> 00:03:05.419 of Veterans Radio. And finally is US Wings. And 00:03:05.419 --> 00:03:08.319 US Wings is the home of the finest leather flight 00:03:08.319 --> 00:03:10.979 jackets in the world, according to them. For 00:03:10.979 --> 00:03:13.159 more information, you can go to uswings .com 00:03:13.159 --> 00:03:17.979 or give them a call at 800 -650 -0659. I should 00:03:17.979 --> 00:03:20.870 point out that this is the first month you know, 00:03:21.030 --> 00:03:22.669 quite a while that we're going to be giving away 00:03:22.669 --> 00:03:26.250 a flight jacket from US Wings. We did that for 00:03:26.250 --> 00:03:30.090 a long time before COVID hit. And so now we've 00:03:30.090 --> 00:03:31.789 had people that have been registering over the 00:03:31.789 --> 00:03:33.810 last couple of weeks, and we are going to be 00:03:33.810 --> 00:03:37.590 giving away a Top Gun flight jacket to one of 00:03:37.590 --> 00:03:41.270 our listeners today. And then every last Sunday 00:03:41.270 --> 00:03:44.129 of every month during our benefits program, we 00:03:44.129 --> 00:03:47.210 will do that. So go to veteransradio .net, click 00:03:47.210 --> 00:03:50.259 on the flight jacket and register. to enter the 00:03:50.259 --> 00:03:54.879 drawing. So, okay, that gets rid of that part 00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:57.960 of the program there, right? All right, so let's 00:03:57.960 --> 00:04:00.699 get started here. As I mentioned earlier, we 00:04:00.699 --> 00:04:03.960 are joined by our guests from the Detroit Veterans 00:04:03.960 --> 00:04:09.280 Administration Hospital, John Dingles, actually, 00:04:09.419 --> 00:04:13.479 VA down there, and I want to welcome Dr. Madder 00:04:13.479 --> 00:04:18.199 and Bill Browning from that that VA facility 00:04:18.199 --> 00:04:23.100 and so welcome to Veterans Radio. Thanks Dale, 00:04:23.319 --> 00:04:26.920 glad to be here. Okay, so my question to you 00:04:26.920 --> 00:04:29.680 is what is what's going on down at the Detroit 00:04:29.680 --> 00:04:34.839 VA? Well, you know, we are with every VA medical 00:04:34.839 --> 00:04:37.000 center in the country. We are, you know, still 00:04:37.000 --> 00:04:39.480 at the front lines of fighting the pandemic and 00:04:39.480 --> 00:04:41.959 we are doing the best we can for our veterans 00:04:41.959 --> 00:04:46.740 and the community at large. We are thoroughly 00:04:46.740 --> 00:04:50.040 involved in the distribution of the Moderna vaccine. 00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:52.339 And we just learned today that VA is reserving 00:04:52.339 --> 00:04:55.920 the distribution of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine 00:04:55.920 --> 00:04:59.899 that just came earlier this afternoon. So Dr. 00:05:00.139 --> 00:05:03.000 Matta is our Deputy Chief of Staff, and he can 00:05:03.000 --> 00:05:06.379 tell you a lot more about our vaccine clinics 00:05:06.379 --> 00:05:09.300 and our care for veterans during this pandemic. 00:05:10.540 --> 00:05:14.459 Okay. Dr. Matta, what is going on at the Detroit 00:05:14.459 --> 00:05:19.860 VA as far as vaccinations are concerned? We are 00:05:19.860 --> 00:05:23.980 administering the Moderna vaccine, Dale. We have 00:05:23.980 --> 00:05:28.699 started this on December 22nd, the day we received 00:05:28.699 --> 00:05:33.959 the vaccine. And we are running our vaccine clinics 00:05:33.959 --> 00:05:37.060 currently six days a week, Monday to Saturday. 00:05:37.639 --> 00:05:40.459 And in addition to the main vaccine clinic on 00:05:40.459 --> 00:05:44.300 the first floor of our VA, Our primary care clinics 00:05:44.300 --> 00:05:49.819 are also able to vaccinate veterans. And in many 00:05:49.819 --> 00:05:53.019 times, same day appointments are available or 00:05:53.019 --> 00:05:56.160 next day appointments. So any veteran who is 00:05:56.160 --> 00:06:01.240 interested can call our call center or their 00:06:01.240 --> 00:06:04.079 primary care clinics, and they will be able to 00:06:04.079 --> 00:06:06.720 get their vaccine, the Moderna vaccine, pretty 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:15.139 quickly. And so far, We have administered about 00:06:15.139 --> 00:06:20.779 10 ,000 first doses to our veterans and about 00:06:20.779 --> 00:06:27.980 8 ,000 second doses. So we have the supplies 00:06:27.980 --> 00:06:32.860 on hand for the Moderna vaccine. We have administered 00:06:32.860 --> 00:06:38.500 only around 200 Janssen vaccine. but when the 00:06:38.500 --> 00:06:42.680 CDC and FDA put a pause on that, we stopped right 00:06:42.680 --> 00:06:47.279 away. We have the stock on hand, but the VA is 00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:50.339 still studying the issue, has not given us the 00:06:50.339 --> 00:06:54.639 go -ahead to resume the Janssen vaccine. Okay. 00:06:55.439 --> 00:06:58.379 Bill, do you have a number that people in Detroit 00:06:58.379 --> 00:07:01.180 or especially veterans can call to get an appointment? 00:07:03.290 --> 00:07:06.170 You can call our general number. It's uh 313 00:07:06.170 --> 00:07:10.949 -576 -1000 and then they will and then the uh 00:07:10.949 --> 00:07:14.089 the uh the call tree will take them to our uh 00:07:14.089 --> 00:07:16.910 our call center and then that way they can be 00:07:16.910 --> 00:07:18.649 uh transferred over to our scheduling clinic 00:07:18.649 --> 00:07:22.470 and they'll be able to advance to the uh to accept 00:07:22.470 --> 00:07:25.829 a schedule for the vaccine. Okay that that's 00:07:25.829 --> 00:07:27.910 what I wanted to do. Have you found any resistance 00:07:27.910 --> 00:07:31.300 to people you know? you know, wanting to get 00:07:31.300 --> 00:07:39.560 the vaccine or not? Yes, Dale. There is certainly 00:07:39.560 --> 00:07:43.740 vaccine hesitancy, and I would say it is more 00:07:43.740 --> 00:07:48.379 among our younger veterans. See, at this time, 00:07:48.759 --> 00:07:53.060 we have 33 ,000 veterans enrolled for primary 00:07:53.060 --> 00:07:56.600 care at the Detroit VA. And as I said earlier, 00:07:56.879 --> 00:08:00.860 you know, 10 ,000 first doses, around 8 ,000 00:08:00.860 --> 00:08:03.779 second doses have been administered. So we still 00:08:03.779 --> 00:08:09.639 have quite a number of veterans who can get vaccinated 00:08:09.639 --> 00:08:13.759 if they choose to. And one thing I would like 00:08:13.759 --> 00:08:16.000 to point out, because the vaccine is generally 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:19.639 available in the community at pharmacies and 00:08:19.639 --> 00:08:24.519 county health centers, a good number of our veterans 00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:27.699 have got their vaccine on the outside as well. 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:30.439 And as we are talking to veterans during our 00:08:30.439 --> 00:08:32.720 calls, we are capturing the vaccination on the 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:37.580 outside. So yes, to your question, there is vaccine 00:08:37.580 --> 00:08:42.419 hesitancy and through our social media messaging 00:08:42.419 --> 00:08:47.379 and our individual clinic visits and through 00:08:47.379 --> 00:08:50.279 text messages, we are reaching out to our veterans 00:08:50.279 --> 00:08:54.279 and encouraging them to get the vaccine. because 00:08:54.279 --> 00:09:00.500 the pandemic is, you know, the surge is quite 00:09:00.500 --> 00:09:07.320 there. And last week, as many as 8 ,000 new cases 00:09:07.320 --> 00:09:09.340 were being reported in the state of Michigan. 00:09:09.799 --> 00:09:14.279 So I feel that anybody who is not vaccinated 00:09:14.279 --> 00:09:18.340 should immediately drop everything and get the 00:09:18.340 --> 00:09:22.279 vaccine right now. Because we are seeing that 00:09:22.250 --> 00:09:28.090 the vaccine is very effective and also with 180 00:09:28.090 --> 00:09:31.950 million doses of the mRNA vaccines between Pfizer 00:09:31.950 --> 00:09:35.309 and Moderna in the last four months being administered 00:09:35.309 --> 00:09:37.830 across the US is pretty safe. It is safe and 00:09:37.830 --> 00:09:42.509 it's effective so we really are encouraging any 00:09:42.509 --> 00:09:45.490 veterans who are listening who are not vaccinated 00:09:45.490 --> 00:09:48.009 that they should get the vaccine right away and 00:09:48.009 --> 00:09:51.789 it's available both at the Detroit VA and the 00:09:51.789 --> 00:09:54.269 Ann Arbor VA. Right now I'm gonna do a little 00:09:54.269 --> 00:09:57.029 segue to the Ann Arbor VA here. Right now we 00:09:57.029 --> 00:10:01.149 have Dr. Jenny Kreisman who is the director of 00:10:01.149 --> 00:10:03.330 the, she's the medical director for the Ann Arbor 00:10:03.330 --> 00:10:06.389 Health Care System and also Brian Hayes who's 00:10:06.389 --> 00:10:09.470 a public affairs officer in Ann Arbor. Dr. Kreisman, 00:10:09.789 --> 00:10:12.070 I heard the numbers for Detroit, how are we doing 00:10:12.070 --> 00:10:15.769 in Ann Arbor with our vaccines? So Ann Arbor's 00:10:15.769 --> 00:10:17.990 been blessed to have the Pfizer product which 00:10:17.990 --> 00:10:21.139 came out a couple weeks earlier. So over the 00:10:21.139 --> 00:10:23.179 last three months, we've been able to do about 00:10:23.179 --> 00:10:26.679 57 % of our primary care veterans, which is over 00:10:26.679 --> 00:10:30.960 27 ,000. In addition, that's first and second 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:33.840 doses, about close to 30 ,000 when we include 00:10:33.840 --> 00:10:37.259 our employees. But at this date, we're actually 00:10:37.259 --> 00:10:40.500 also not only just as is Detroit and all the 00:10:40.500 --> 00:10:43.419 Michigan market health care systems, we're vaccinating 00:10:43.419 --> 00:10:47.019 spouses and caregivers. So if you take that, 00:10:47.809 --> 00:10:52.929 to the VA for treatment, come on in. If you're 00:10:52.929 --> 00:10:56.269 supporting him in any way, him or her as a veteran, 00:10:56.970 --> 00:10:59.250 please come on in and let us take care of you 00:10:59.250 --> 00:11:01.870 too. So we've been very successful with a lot 00:11:01.870 --> 00:11:04.909 of spouses and caregivers that way too. So we've 00:11:04.909 --> 00:11:08.090 done over 27 ,000. We do have some of the Janssen 00:11:08.090 --> 00:11:10.710 and Janssen product. We don't use it that much. 00:11:10.809 --> 00:11:12.990 We only used it with our employees for our event, 00:11:13.129 --> 00:11:16.490 but then we ended up having to turn off. Uh, 00:11:16.590 --> 00:11:18.309 but this week, we'll probably be turning it back 00:11:18.309 --> 00:11:21.750 on again. Looking for outreach is for, for example, 00:11:21.850 --> 00:11:26.129 I think on May 5th. We're going to be with the 00:11:26.129 --> 00:11:30.809 folks in Shrinos in Detroit, excuse me, in Toledo, 00:11:31.409 --> 00:11:33.909 uh, vaccinating those folks there, um, down there 00:11:33.909 --> 00:11:36.049 with a partnership with them. And we're hoping 00:11:36.049 --> 00:11:38.409 to use our counseling and Jonathan type in as 00:11:38.409 --> 00:11:41.269 it goes forward. But I just want to just keep 00:11:41.269 --> 00:11:44.149 emphasizing that, you know, the. Currently the 00:11:44.149 --> 00:11:48.070 VA has the ability to vaccinate caregivers and 00:11:48.070 --> 00:11:53.750 health caregivers and spouses or veterans. So 00:11:53.750 --> 00:11:56.049 if you need the vaccine, this is like just as 00:11:56.049 --> 00:12:00.049 an Ann Arbor. In Detroit, we're open. Also in 00:12:00.049 --> 00:12:02.730 Saginaw and Battle Creek, we're open and we're 00:12:02.730 --> 00:12:04.730 willing to provide those services to you as soon 00:12:04.730 --> 00:12:09.309 as possible. I think that's just terrific. Do 00:12:09.309 --> 00:12:11.549 you have the number for the Ann Arbor VA for 00:12:11.549 --> 00:12:14.340 them to call? So, Brian, do you have the number? 00:12:15.019 --> 00:12:20.200 Yeah, yeah, sure. It's 734 -222 -7100. That's 00:12:20.200 --> 00:12:23.279 directly into the vaccination clinic. You know, 00:12:23.279 --> 00:12:25.879 in another way, if you don't remember the phone 00:12:25.879 --> 00:12:28.659 number, you can go to our website, AnnArbor .va 00:12:28.659 --> 00:12:31.080 .gov. It's the same for Detroit, and you can 00:12:31.080 --> 00:12:34.120 log in, and you can register that way if you 00:12:34.120 --> 00:12:36.940 go into the Keep Me Informed tool. So, you can 00:12:36.940 --> 00:12:38.580 register. You can go online, or you can call. 00:12:38.620 --> 00:12:41.659 Either way. Okay, well, we certainly are encouraging 00:12:41.659 --> 00:12:44.279 all of our veterans and their families to get 00:12:44.279 --> 00:12:46.980 their vaccines as soon as they possibly can. 00:12:48.320 --> 00:12:51.620 And I think, you know, from a medical standpoint 00:12:51.620 --> 00:12:53.820 with Dr. Mater and Dr. Griezmann, you know, that 00:12:53.820 --> 00:12:56.460 the herd mentality is something that we really 00:12:56.460 --> 00:13:00.740 need to take advantage of. And I want to remind 00:13:00.740 --> 00:13:02.899 all of our veterans out there that these shots 00:13:02.899 --> 00:13:06.649 are free. There's no cost involved. for any of 00:13:06.649 --> 00:13:08.389 you to get these shots. And it doesn't make any 00:13:08.389 --> 00:13:10.350 difference if you're a veteran or not. Wherever 00:13:10.350 --> 00:13:11.970 you're getting your shot, you shouldn't be paying 00:13:11.970 --> 00:13:14.110 for them. These are being provided to you. We 00:13:14.110 --> 00:13:16.909 also offer, too, that since the Rescue Act came 00:13:16.909 --> 00:13:20.830 into play, both pays in general are being deferred. 00:13:21.210 --> 00:13:23.590 Right. I was going to ask that question that's 00:13:23.590 --> 00:13:28.970 on my list for today. You're listening to Veterans 00:13:28.970 --> 00:13:31.809 Radio and we are talking with representatives 00:13:31.809 --> 00:13:35.120 from the Ann Arbor VA and also from the the Detroit 00:13:35.120 --> 00:13:38.220 VA healthcare system. So if you have any questions, 00:13:38.340 --> 00:13:44.139 you can give us a call at 734 -822 -1600. I know, 00:13:44.340 --> 00:13:47.500 Brian, that the Ann Arbor VA has been doing a 00:13:47.500 --> 00:13:50.779 lot of remodeling lately. I was up there the 00:13:50.779 --> 00:13:54.179 other day for an appointment and it took me a 00:13:54.179 --> 00:13:56.929 while to get my bearings. Well, yeah, once you 00:13:56.929 --> 00:13:58.370 get your bearings though, isn't it gorgeous? 00:13:58.929 --> 00:14:02.529 The new first floor corridor there is just beautiful, 00:14:03.149 --> 00:14:05.590 the way they've built that. And we continue, 00:14:05.750 --> 00:14:07.769 you know, it's sort of like, you know, how they 00:14:07.769 --> 00:14:09.370 paint the Golden Gate Bridge, they go from one 00:14:09.370 --> 00:14:10.870 end to the other, and then they keep doing that. 00:14:11.149 --> 00:14:12.889 That's kind of how we do it, you know, is we're 00:14:12.889 --> 00:14:15.419 building, you know, a bigger, better VA. for 00:14:15.419 --> 00:14:18.539 all of our veterans, it's just gorgeous. And 00:14:18.539 --> 00:14:21.980 not only that, but we're expanding not only in 00:14:21.980 --> 00:14:23.879 the hospital, in the medical center itself, but 00:14:23.879 --> 00:14:26.639 we've got the new community -based outpatient 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:29.820 clinic coming online in Canton later this year. 00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:33.399 That's going to be pretty awesome. And I think 00:14:33.399 --> 00:14:35.200 Dr. Kreisman wouldn't mind if I make a little 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:38.679 news today. We've got another clinic coming online 00:14:38.679 --> 00:14:41.179 down in Adrian, Michigan, and that's coming on 00:14:41.179 --> 00:14:43.919 later on this year too. So we've got lots of 00:14:43.919 --> 00:14:46.720 great things. to get you know get out get our 00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:48.860 fingers out to where our veterans are to make 00:14:48.860 --> 00:14:51.299 it a lot easier for them to get their va care 00:14:51.299 --> 00:14:54.539 because you know 90 of our veterans prefer care 00:14:54.539 --> 00:14:56.700 from the va so we want to make sure that we're 00:14:56.700 --> 00:15:00.019 that where they are i think that's that's terrific 00:15:00.019 --> 00:15:01.860 and i know bill you're doing the same thing in 00:15:01.860 --> 00:15:07.340 the detroit area correct right yeah i mean we're 00:15:07.450 --> 00:15:10.230 Basically partnering with our community providers 00:15:10.230 --> 00:15:12.909 to in in getting the care of the best care we 00:15:12.909 --> 00:15:16.250 possibly can to our veterans and I know that 00:15:16.250 --> 00:15:20.450 VA across the country is certainly looked at 00:15:20.450 --> 00:15:23.529 expanding the care for its veterans and We are 00:15:23.529 --> 00:15:25.750 certainly following student Detroit, you know, 00:15:25.769 --> 00:15:28.850 we're working with outreach teams, you know to 00:15:28.850 --> 00:15:34.139 also provide numerous things as far as outreach 00:15:34.139 --> 00:15:37.080 is concerned with the pandemic. We've had to 00:15:37.080 --> 00:15:39.279 remodel some of that and go online with that. 00:15:39.299 --> 00:15:41.940 So we've been doing a number of things through 00:15:41.940 --> 00:15:45.080 streaming on our Facebook and get in touch with 00:15:45.080 --> 00:15:47.620 our veterans out there, town halls, what have 00:15:47.620 --> 00:15:50.220 you. So yeah, a number of those things have been 00:15:50.220 --> 00:15:53.820 done virtually rather than in person. Right. 00:15:54.440 --> 00:15:57.440 Dr. Kreisman, has there been any increase in 00:15:57.440 --> 00:16:01.500 inpatient? uh care now can can uh veterans go 00:16:01.500 --> 00:16:03.600 to their appointments or is it doing a lot more 00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:06.659 are they still doing a lot of zoom evaluations 00:16:06.659 --> 00:16:09.200 so we're actually doing about 10 percent more 00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:11.519 than we had in the past in face -to -face care 00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:15.620 we're about 65 percent or about 12 to 15 percent 00:16:15.620 --> 00:16:18.639 in phone and then the rest in virtual care or 00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:22.559 the um ipad or zoom whatever it might be maybe 00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:26.159 see We feel that that's going to be part of it, 00:16:26.299 --> 00:16:28.539 right? You know, most folks can do that appointment 00:16:28.539 --> 00:16:30.539 virtually if it's a mental health appointment, 00:16:30.779 --> 00:16:33.440 but we are working very hard to address what 00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:35.519 we call the deferred care, which is care that 00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:39.559 was deferred during our first and second surges 00:16:39.559 --> 00:16:43.080 of COVID. And so we're really working hard to 00:16:43.080 --> 00:16:46.279 do those procedures, meet the needs of our veterans, 00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:49.120 you know, all of us want to be seen at least 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:52.220 once a year for some type of appointment. So 00:16:52.220 --> 00:16:54.580 we're really working hard to do that, even though 00:16:54.580 --> 00:16:57.039 quite frankly, and I think Dr. Motta would agree, 00:16:57.519 --> 00:16:59.940 we're in a bit of a situation where we're just 00:16:59.940 --> 00:17:02.820 now slowly plateauing and we've had a little 00:17:02.820 --> 00:17:05.359 bit of a surge here. We have about 10 patients 00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:09.359 in my healthcare system with COVID. We're actively 00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:12.579 pulling them from the community and both of us, 00:17:12.819 --> 00:17:15.380 all of the Michigan Market facilities have accepted 00:17:15.380 --> 00:17:18.279 a fourth mission, which means if we need to help 00:17:18.279 --> 00:17:21.200 our community, we're here and ready for you. 00:17:21.339 --> 00:17:23.819 But we're still providing care to our veterans, 00:17:24.019 --> 00:17:25.819 including that deferred care. We're still meeting 00:17:25.819 --> 00:17:28.799 the expectations. I would say that my facility 00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:32.799 last week was working so hard to meet the needs 00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:35.619 of veterans. We had our bed status was about 00:17:35.619 --> 00:17:39.779 95%, which we were at full load. I can see you 00:17:39.779 --> 00:17:42.420 guys have been busy. Yeah, we're taking care 00:17:42.420 --> 00:17:44.839 of the public patients, but also still trying 00:17:44.839 --> 00:17:47.619 to meet the needs of our veterans, as is Detroit, 00:17:48.359 --> 00:17:53.559 to those deferred hit. those deferred care items 00:17:53.559 --> 00:17:55.259 that have been sitting out there for a while. 00:17:55.460 --> 00:17:58.480 We're actively working for that. And I just wanted 00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:01.539 to comment also back on Brian had brought up 00:18:01.539 --> 00:18:04.700 all the construction we're doing. We're hoping 00:18:04.700 --> 00:18:07.940 here in the near future to open up a beautiful 00:18:07.940 --> 00:18:11.160 women's health clinic at our facility. It's been 00:18:11.160 --> 00:18:13.900 a long time in coming. It meets the need of our, 00:18:14.099 --> 00:18:16.900 I'm sure it has the same mission, meeting the 00:18:16.900 --> 00:18:19.119 needs of a growing population of female veterans. 00:18:19.549 --> 00:18:22.309 And we're just really looking forward to that 00:18:22.309 --> 00:18:25.569 coming out online in the fall. In the fall, that's 00:18:25.569 --> 00:18:27.509 when we're going to start. I believe that. So 00:18:27.509 --> 00:18:30.049 Brian, do I have that right there? Yep. You nailed 00:18:30.049 --> 00:18:33.930 it. That's right. Should be open this fall. OK. 00:18:34.890 --> 00:18:36.609 I can't remember now who mentioned it. I think 00:18:36.609 --> 00:18:38.369 it was Dr. Kreisman. But I'll ask a question 00:18:38.369 --> 00:18:42.190 of any one of you about the deferment of deductibles 00:18:42.190 --> 00:18:45.609 on health care. And I heard this. I think we 00:18:45.609 --> 00:18:48.529 talked briefly about it last month. about how 00:18:48.529 --> 00:18:53.670 they were going to refund the funds that some 00:18:53.670 --> 00:18:56.069 people have paid in as far as their deductibles 00:18:56.069 --> 00:18:58.769 are concerned. Could somebody explain that to 00:18:58.769 --> 00:19:00.990 me? Because then we get to pay it back later. 00:19:03.170 --> 00:19:04.849 Well, this is Dr. Creason. I'll tell you what 00:19:04.849 --> 00:19:09.329 I know, and I might not know it all. Ms. Salzone 00:19:09.329 --> 00:19:11.349 might know better, and Mr. Smith might know better. 00:19:11.549 --> 00:19:14.369 But from my understanding, as of April 6, if 00:19:14.369 --> 00:19:16.650 you pay the full pay, we're going to refund you. 00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:18.859 and it's not that you're deferred. I don't think 00:19:18.859 --> 00:19:21.220 you have co -pays between the year, but it could 00:19:21.220 --> 00:19:25.380 be wrong with that. Okay, well we will address 00:19:25.380 --> 00:19:29.500 that topic as we find out more information. I 00:19:29.500 --> 00:19:32.200 just thought it was rather interesting that because 00:19:32.200 --> 00:19:34.019 I noticed that I haven't gotten any bills in 00:19:34.019 --> 00:19:38.720 a while, which is always good, but they always 00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:43.420 seem to catch up with you at some point. Just 00:19:43.420 --> 00:19:47.809 as a A final question, I guess, to both of your 00:19:47.809 --> 00:19:50.289 organizations. Is there anything that we should 00:19:50.289 --> 00:19:53.049 be aware of? Are there any changes that you're 00:19:53.049 --> 00:19:56.049 aware of that are coming down from on high that 00:19:56.049 --> 00:20:02.789 are going to affect our veterans? So the only 00:20:02.789 --> 00:20:04.910 thing I would offer right now is because we're 00:20:04.910 --> 00:20:07.549 in Michigan as opposed to other areas in the 00:20:07.549 --> 00:20:11.190 community in the states, we're probably still 00:20:11.190 --> 00:20:15.079 limited on our visitors. And that's hard for 00:20:15.079 --> 00:20:17.039 all of our veterans because we've had to limit 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:19.900 those visitors and availability coming forward. 00:20:20.579 --> 00:20:23.500 So that would be one thing specific to the facility. 00:20:24.059 --> 00:20:27.400 I think the co -payment or the forgiveness on 00:20:27.400 --> 00:20:30.180 the co -payment is going to go a long way in 00:20:30.180 --> 00:20:32.960 supporting our veterans through the Rescue Act 00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:36.440 and financially supporting them as they go through 00:20:36.440 --> 00:20:38.240 the next six months. We're all working through 00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:42.190 it, hopefully, through recovery. That would be 00:20:42.190 --> 00:20:45.789 the biggest thing we'd say. And then that's all 00:20:45.789 --> 00:20:52.049 we have to operate on. All right. Well, you know, 00:20:52.269 --> 00:20:54.049 we can't help it when there are animals in the 00:20:54.049 --> 00:20:59.150 house. Bill, Dr. Mata, anything that we need 00:20:59.150 --> 00:21:01.069 to know that's going to be going on at the Detroit 00:21:01.069 --> 00:21:05.079 VA in the near future? I think I just want to 00:21:05.079 --> 00:21:07.380 echo what Dr. Friesman was saying about visitors. 00:21:07.599 --> 00:21:10.400 I think we would really like to get visitations 00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:14.180 restarted for our inpatients, particularly those 00:21:14.180 --> 00:21:17.579 in our nursing home area. And our community living 00:21:17.579 --> 00:21:19.980 center patients have been without face -to -face 00:21:19.980 --> 00:21:22.200 contact with their family members for nearly 00:21:22.200 --> 00:21:26.740 18 months now. So it's been a tremendous blow 00:21:26.740 --> 00:21:29.500 on their psyche to continue this. And we certainly 00:21:29.500 --> 00:21:32.700 want to retry to open those back up to the veterans. 00:21:33.490 --> 00:21:37.529 Okay. I guess a question because it just came 00:21:37.529 --> 00:21:40.730 to mind when you mentioned that 18 months. Have 00:21:40.730 --> 00:21:44.710 we been seeing an increase in the requests for 00:21:44.710 --> 00:21:49.210 mental health treatments or more people asking 00:21:49.210 --> 00:21:59.390 for help? Not so much of an increase, but we 00:21:59.390 --> 00:22:03.019 are seeing more of that deferred care like you 00:22:03.019 --> 00:22:06.019 know veterans like the general population have 00:22:06.019 --> 00:22:10.460 been have put off getting medical care like through 00:22:10.460 --> 00:22:12.940 the pandemic because a lot of veterans were you 00:22:12.940 --> 00:22:15.240 know like like all of us were afraid of leaving 00:22:15.240 --> 00:22:18.980 the house getting their routine visits and routine 00:22:18.980 --> 00:22:22.339 blood work and all that and likewise with mental 00:22:22.339 --> 00:22:26.440 health we are seeing that you know veterans are 00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:31.279 coming in with a lot of stress and worry and 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:38.819 some of them have not reached out for that assistance. 00:22:39.140 --> 00:22:41.240 And now we are seeing, with the easing of the 00:22:41.240 --> 00:22:44.819 pandemic, we were seeing that veterans were coming 00:22:44.819 --> 00:22:48.359 back for their appointments and making more phone 00:22:48.359 --> 00:22:51.339 calls to schedule those. But then with the recent 00:22:51.339 --> 00:22:55.279 worsening of the surge, like in the late March 00:22:55.279 --> 00:23:01.920 and April, that puts additional um stress on 00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:05.559 on people because again they are afraid of uh 00:23:05.559 --> 00:23:08.079 exposure and all that so that is what we are 00:23:08.079 --> 00:23:11.220 seeing when these surges go up then you know 00:23:11.220 --> 00:23:14.960 there is um like some decrease in the volume 00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:18.599 of face -to -face visits and all that okay all 00:23:18.599 --> 00:23:21.579 right well i want to thank you all for being 00:23:21.579 --> 00:23:24.980 on our program today that's uh dr jenny creaseman 00:23:24.980 --> 00:23:27.460 who's a medical director at the uh lieutenant 00:23:27.460 --> 00:23:30.809 carl charles kettles VA healthcare system. Now 00:23:30.809 --> 00:23:32.349 we've got the official name. We're gonna have 00:23:32.349 --> 00:23:36.390 a ceremony someday. I know that. Brian Hayes, 00:23:36.470 --> 00:23:38.549 who is our public affairs officer at the Ann 00:23:38.549 --> 00:23:43.769 Arbor VA. We've got Dr. Mata, who is the deputy 00:23:43.769 --> 00:23:46.769 chief of staff for the Detroit VA healthcare 00:23:46.769 --> 00:23:50.849 system. John Dingle, who was named after him, 00:23:52.069 --> 00:23:54.630 his longest serving congressman, I think, in 00:23:54.630 --> 00:23:58.039 the history of the world. and also Bill Browning, 00:23:58.180 --> 00:24:00.799 who is the Publica Europe Chief Volunteer in 00:24:00.799 --> 00:24:03.299 Community Relations at the Detroit VA. So I want 00:24:03.299 --> 00:24:05.299 to thank all four of you very much for being 00:24:05.299 --> 00:24:07.259 on the program. Hopefully we can reach out to 00:24:07.259 --> 00:24:10.200 you on a monthly or bi -monthly basis to see 00:24:10.200 --> 00:24:12.240 what's going on in your facilities. Thank you 00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:16.779 very much. Absolutely. Thank you, Dale. Thank 00:24:16.779 --> 00:24:19.019 you, Dale. Have a great day. You too. Thank you 00:24:19.019 --> 00:24:21.200 all very much. Thanks, Dale. See you next time. 00:24:21.579 --> 00:24:23.299 All right, Brian. Thank you. All right. We're 00:24:23.299 --> 00:24:26.079 going to take a quick break here. And when we 00:24:26.079 --> 00:24:28.079 come back, we're going to be answering your questions 00:24:28.079 --> 00:24:32.640 on VA disability benefits. So here's the number. 00:24:32.720 --> 00:24:37.420 Write it down. 734 -822 -1600. You're listening 00:24:37.420 --> 00:24:41.460 to Veterans Radio. We will be right back. Military 00:24:41.460 --> 00:24:43.759 veterans touch everyone's life. I'm guessing 00:24:43.759 --> 00:24:46.079 right now you're thinking of a veteran, a close 00:24:46.079 --> 00:24:49.480 friend, relative. Maybe it's you. Even the toughest 00:24:49.480 --> 00:24:51.720 of us sometimes need help, but don't know where 00:24:51.720 --> 00:24:54.079 to turn for support. You don't need special training 00:24:54.079 --> 00:24:56.660 to help a veteran in your life. Even small actions 00:24:56.660 --> 00:24:59.180 can make a world of difference. If you know a 00:24:59.180 --> 00:25:01.680 veteran in crisis, please call the Veterans Crisis 00:25:01.680 --> 00:25:08.880 Line, 800 -273 -8255. 800 -273 -8255. A message 00:25:08.880 --> 00:25:10.640 from the U .S. Department of Veterans Affairs. 00:25:11.019 --> 00:25:13.500 If you have a VA claim denied by the Board of 00:25:13.500 --> 00:25:15.640 Veterans' Appeals, contact Legal Help for Veterans 00:25:15.640 --> 00:25:20.359 at 1 -800 -693 -4800. They're experts in handling 00:25:20.359 --> 00:25:22.660 cases before the U .S. Court of Appeals for Veterans' 00:25:22.880 --> 00:25:26.920 claims. Their number again, 1 -800 -693 -4800. 00:25:34.259 --> 00:25:38.720 And that's our good friend Michael J. Martin 00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:41.509 with the VA Shuffle. Um, I didn't get into the 00:25:41.509 --> 00:25:45.809 verbiage of it my other guests so We want to 00:25:45.809 --> 00:25:48.210 welcome you back to our program today. Uh, joining 00:25:48.210 --> 00:25:52.589 me now on the line is carolyn falzone A retired 00:25:52.589 --> 00:25:56.329 air force brigadier general who is uh with legal 00:25:56.329 --> 00:25:59.009 help for veterans General falzone. How are you 00:25:59.009 --> 00:26:03.109 this afternoon? Hey, good afternoon boy wasn't 00:26:03.109 --> 00:26:07.079 that awesome to have the Detroit VA Medical Center 00:26:07.079 --> 00:26:11.359 and the Lieutenant Colonel Kettles in Ann Arbor 00:26:11.359 --> 00:26:15.019 present. I just thought it was awesome to talk 00:26:15.019 --> 00:26:21.500 about the happenings and what's going on in both 00:26:21.500 --> 00:26:24.799 of those facilities. So, great. Yeah, we're going 00:26:24.799 --> 00:26:27.900 to reach out to the other affiliates that we 00:26:27.900 --> 00:26:29.759 have and try to bring their representatives for 00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:32.690 their VA's. onto the program, you know, on one 00:26:32.690 --> 00:26:34.650 of our benefits programs. So we got to go to 00:26:34.650 --> 00:26:40.849 California, Minnesota, and mine just went blank, 00:26:41.210 --> 00:26:44.109 Oregon. That's where it is. Well, you know, I 00:26:44.109 --> 00:26:46.450 think Dr. Kreisman mentioned it, but it would 00:26:46.450 --> 00:26:50.710 be awesome, Dale, if we could get on one of these, 00:26:51.690 --> 00:26:55.200 Saginaw. Battle Creek and also Iron Mountain 00:26:55.200 --> 00:26:59.019 because that's our Michigan veterans and we we're 00:26:59.019 --> 00:27:02.839 very fortunate to have five VA medical centers 00:27:02.839 --> 00:27:06.940 in our great state of Michigan so kudos that 00:27:06.940 --> 00:27:10.519 was that was awesome in in the vicinity to talk 00:27:10.519 --> 00:27:13.920 about what they're doing yeah that sounds like 00:27:13.920 --> 00:27:19.140 a good idea unless you be my producer and also 00:27:19.140 --> 00:27:23.769 joining us on zoom Right now is Michael Smith, 00:27:23.890 --> 00:27:25.390 who's the executive director of the Washtenaw 00:27:25.390 --> 00:27:28.509 County Veterans Service Office. Michael, welcome 00:27:28.509 --> 00:27:31.750 back. Thank you, Dale. It's good to be back. 00:27:32.170 --> 00:27:34.549 Man, it seemed like we were just here. I know. 00:27:35.089 --> 00:27:37.369 That month went really quickly. I'm not sure 00:27:37.369 --> 00:27:39.490 what happened there. I do want to remind our 00:27:39.490 --> 00:27:41.210 audience, before I forget, that we are going 00:27:41.210 --> 00:27:44.349 to be giving away the flight jacket for US Wings 00:27:44.349 --> 00:27:47.190 before the end of the program today. So stick 00:27:47.190 --> 00:27:51.200 around. You may be the winner. If you would like 00:27:51.200 --> 00:27:54.579 to get involved go to veteransradio .net click 00:27:54.579 --> 00:27:56.700 on the flight jacket and register to win because 00:27:56.700 --> 00:27:59.220 we're going to keep the same list and just expand 00:27:59.220 --> 00:28:02.480 on it throughout the rest of the year and so 00:28:02.480 --> 00:28:06.160 the next drawing will be at the end of May and 00:28:06.160 --> 00:28:09.599 then the end of June and so on and so forth and 00:28:09.599 --> 00:28:13.019 we'll be contacting the winners and US Wings 00:28:13.019 --> 00:28:15.539 will be sending you the jacket. They'll contact 00:28:15.539 --> 00:28:17.400 you to find out size and all the other things. 00:28:17.630 --> 00:28:20.009 So we're pretty excited about that. All right. 00:28:20.029 --> 00:28:22.009 So we're in the benefits portion of our program 00:28:22.009 --> 00:28:25.190 now. And I guess I'll ask both of you if you've 00:28:25.190 --> 00:28:27.390 heard any new things or if there's anything that 00:28:27.390 --> 00:28:34.269 we need to be aware of out there. No? All right. 00:28:34.450 --> 00:28:38.289 Well, we know we have one question that I wanted 00:28:38.289 --> 00:28:41.470 to address. And this came from a friend of mine. 00:28:42.089 --> 00:28:45.900 And this was the aid independent. Payment that 00:28:45.900 --> 00:28:49.960 that she was receiving Prior to her husband going 00:28:49.960 --> 00:28:53.680 into a nursing home full -time nursing home and 00:28:53.680 --> 00:29:00.819 now She's been asked to Pay back some of that 00:29:00.819 --> 00:29:02.920 funding and now Carolyn. I know you've talked 00:29:02.920 --> 00:29:05.440 to her Could you kind of fill in our audience 00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:07.980 on that because I it was something we have talked 00:29:07.980 --> 00:29:11.180 about I know numerous times, but it's It's a 00:29:11.180 --> 00:29:13.630 little bit. It's still a little confusing Well, 00:29:13.890 --> 00:29:16.470 it's going to be still very confusing because 00:29:16.470 --> 00:29:20.150 as when we get these emails in and I know my 00:29:20.150 --> 00:29:23.769 good buddy Michael will agree with me. When people 00:29:23.769 --> 00:29:28.609 just ask a question, it opens up the question, 00:29:28.690 --> 00:29:32.410 the question, the question. And so with aid and 00:29:32.410 --> 00:29:36.029 attendance, just because you move from, say, 00:29:36.130 --> 00:29:41.140 your home to a facility, you shouldn't lose your 00:29:41.140 --> 00:29:43.859 aid and attendance, but there's many issues. 00:29:44.160 --> 00:29:47.480 If you move into a facility and you're 100 % 00:29:47.480 --> 00:29:52.220 rated, if you move in to a facility because you 00:29:52.220 --> 00:29:55.700 sold your home and that becomes an asset and 00:29:55.700 --> 00:30:01.339 you're over the limit of 127 ,000. So there are 00:30:01.339 --> 00:30:06.200 so many questions with all of these issues and 00:30:06.200 --> 00:30:10.740 that's why you need to know what's going on with 00:30:10.740 --> 00:30:14.819 that particular issue, and you need to talk to 00:30:14.819 --> 00:30:18.220 somebody that's experienced. But in this case, 00:30:18.740 --> 00:30:22.059 and I think Michael would agree with me, the 00:30:22.059 --> 00:30:28.970 VA also assisted in a part of the problem. because 00:30:28.970 --> 00:30:32.349 as a change occurs, and we've talked in previous 00:30:32.349 --> 00:30:35.329 sessions, if you change your name, you change 00:30:35.329 --> 00:30:38.789 your address, you change your status, you should 00:30:38.789 --> 00:30:41.829 follow up with someone. So the VA should have 00:30:41.829 --> 00:30:46.869 notified this family because they were 100 % 00:30:46.869 --> 00:30:51.369 and because the VA is taking care of his, let's 00:30:51.369 --> 00:30:54.789 say, room and board at the facility, the aid 00:30:54.789 --> 00:30:57.619 and attendance goes away. It should have gone 00:30:57.619 --> 00:31:00.940 away. There should have been a notice. But it 00:31:00.940 --> 00:31:06.400 was realized four years later. That becomes the 00:31:06.400 --> 00:31:13.079 problem. And finally, it catches up to you. This 00:31:13.079 --> 00:31:19.140 scenario reminds me when you know something changed 00:31:19.140 --> 00:31:21.700 in your life. You got a divorce. You should notify 00:31:21.700 --> 00:31:26.400 the VA so you could take your Your ex off of 00:31:26.400 --> 00:31:29.480 that and you say oh, I'll wait till the VA catches 00:31:29.480 --> 00:31:32.539 up with me Well, the problem is you got to pay 00:31:32.539 --> 00:31:36.839 that back So there might be some different circumstances 00:31:36.839 --> 00:31:39.940 for this family. We're gonna work through the 00:31:39.940 --> 00:31:45.039 issues She still is providing extra resources 00:31:45.039 --> 00:31:49.660 and we'll see what happens down the line But 00:31:49.660 --> 00:31:53.000 you just need to know when something changes 00:31:53.180 --> 00:31:57.000 there might be an effect. Michael, I know that 00:31:57.000 --> 00:32:00.420 my friend talked to you as well, and that you 00:32:00.420 --> 00:32:04.400 were talking about possibly some sort of waiver. 00:32:07.579 --> 00:32:09.400 Well, there's two things that comes to mind, 00:32:09.400 --> 00:32:13.799 Dale, in this instance, is that when a veteran 00:32:13.799 --> 00:32:16.440 is hospitalized for his or her service -connected 00:32:16.440 --> 00:32:20.640 conditions or is hospitalized for over 21 days, 00:32:21.380 --> 00:32:24.180 the VA hospital is responsible for notifying 00:32:24.180 --> 00:32:28.220 the Veterans Benefits Administration for any 00:32:28.220 --> 00:32:31.380 payment of compensation benefits, including special 00:32:31.380 --> 00:32:33.299 monthly compensation such as aid and attendance. 00:32:35.119 --> 00:32:38.420 So I think if I recall from our conversation, 00:32:38.500 --> 00:32:41.160 that was the first thing that came to mind was 00:32:41.160 --> 00:32:43.259 the failure on the part of the VA hospital to 00:32:43.259 --> 00:32:46.180 notify the VBA side or the Veterans Benefits 00:32:46.180 --> 00:32:48.839 Administration that they had a veteran who was 00:32:48.839 --> 00:32:51.549 receiving those benefits that shouldn't excuse 00:32:51.549 --> 00:32:53.269 me that they had a veteran who was hospitalized 00:32:53.269 --> 00:32:56.589 and then the vba makes a decision on the impact 00:32:56.589 --> 00:32:59.849 it has on the payment of benefits and in this 00:32:59.849 --> 00:33:02.329 case it would have been to stop the additional 00:33:02.329 --> 00:33:05.309 uh special monthly compensation for aid and attendance 00:33:05.309 --> 00:33:09.990 knowing that he was under va care um in in this 00:33:09.990 --> 00:33:14.250 instance um so the debt that was created sure 00:33:14.250 --> 00:33:17.769 it again um and again general facon knows this 00:33:17.769 --> 00:33:23.160 process is to request a waiver of indebtedness. 00:33:24.339 --> 00:33:28.759 And the first thing that the veteran says is, 00:33:28.940 --> 00:33:31.500 I didn't create this debt, number one. I personally 00:33:31.500 --> 00:33:35.059 didn't do it. Number two, I didn't try to fraud 00:33:35.059 --> 00:33:38.380 the government. And number three, I can't pay 00:33:38.380 --> 00:33:45.140 this back. It would cause a due... It would cause 00:33:45.140 --> 00:33:51.339 a due... financial hardship if I tried to pay 00:33:51.339 --> 00:33:54.119 it back. And then they submit what's called a 00:33:54.119 --> 00:33:57.420 financial status report, an FSR, that outlines 00:33:57.420 --> 00:34:00.519 income and expenses to kind of show that there 00:34:00.519 --> 00:34:03.220 really isn't anything in that budget left to 00:34:03.220 --> 00:34:08.079 repay a debt, if anything. And then it goes to 00:34:08.079 --> 00:34:10.539 what's called the Committee on Waivers and Compromises. 00:34:10.840 --> 00:34:13.280 And that committee then makes a decision on whether 00:34:13.280 --> 00:34:17.380 to waive it. And in most cases, they will. And 00:34:17.380 --> 00:34:20.960 so that's the process that's best to do. And 00:34:20.960 --> 00:34:24.900 especially right now since there's a VA moratorium 00:34:24.900 --> 00:34:30.219 on going after any VA debts. So this is a good 00:34:30.219 --> 00:34:35.519 time to try to pursue. And the reason I'm saying 00:34:35.519 --> 00:34:38.800 that is there's a little bit of the VA is not 00:34:38.800 --> 00:34:43.210 in full debt. collection mode at this point because 00:34:43.210 --> 00:34:46.670 of the moratorium on debt collection. So it's 00:34:46.670 --> 00:34:48.909 a good time for her to be able to get some guidance. 00:34:50.869 --> 00:34:53.329 And the VA, the Debt Management Center, and those 00:34:53.329 --> 00:34:56.750 folks are really kind people. And they really 00:34:56.750 --> 00:35:00.250 try to give the best advice and guidance to veterans 00:35:00.250 --> 00:35:04.630 and their survivors about how to handle debt 00:35:04.630 --> 00:35:08.210 and how debt was created and what position they're 00:35:08.210 --> 00:35:10.360 in. They're just to collect debt. They're there 00:35:10.360 --> 00:35:13.940 to help people who have VA debts, to manage those 00:35:13.940 --> 00:35:16.199 debts the best way possible, up to and including 00:35:16.199 --> 00:35:22.420 a waiver. You know, the other unbelievable thought 00:35:22.420 --> 00:35:27.420 is a part of that, we're hearing 18 months with 00:35:27.420 --> 00:35:32.480 all of this COVID. And in nursing care facilities, 00:35:33.460 --> 00:35:36.539 this individual went out and provided and paid 00:35:36.539 --> 00:35:41.139 out of pocket to assist the veteran in the facility 00:35:41.139 --> 00:35:45.360 also can show all the expenses. And you're right 00:35:45.360 --> 00:35:48.780 on, Michael, helping going above and beyond. 00:35:50.119 --> 00:35:53.159 So yes, maybe she got that aid and attendance 00:35:53.159 --> 00:35:57.139 money. However, she put it to the use of the 00:35:57.139 --> 00:36:00.219 veteran to take care of the veteran. And as we 00:36:00.219 --> 00:36:03.639 well know, for her, that was a piece of mind. 00:36:03.760 --> 00:36:06.389 We heard about mental health issues. You're not 00:36:06.389 --> 00:36:08.610 allowed to go into the facilities to see your 00:36:08.610 --> 00:36:11.650 loved ones. So not only did he go into a facility, 00:36:11.650 --> 00:36:14.889 he was all by himself. This additional health 00:36:14.889 --> 00:36:19.030 care worker that she paid for, thinking she was 00:36:19.030 --> 00:36:20.969 doing the right thing because of the aid and 00:36:20.969 --> 00:36:24.809 attendance, provided her some communication with 00:36:24.809 --> 00:36:28.389 her husband. And so there's a lot of factors 00:36:28.389 --> 00:36:31.769 here. So Dale, I go back to when we get in a 00:36:31.769 --> 00:36:35.820 question. We might have to probe and ask many 00:36:35.820 --> 00:36:39.659 more questions to get the information, but we're 00:36:39.659 --> 00:36:43.980 there. I mean, Michael and I both tag -team this 00:36:43.980 --> 00:36:48.539 one, and we do that in many occasions to help 00:36:48.539 --> 00:36:51.260 our veterans and their families out there. I 00:36:51.260 --> 00:36:54.739 think I have one question that I learned as we 00:36:54.739 --> 00:36:57.400 were going back and forth on this, and that is 00:36:57.400 --> 00:37:02.130 that when the veteran went from the home into 00:37:02.130 --> 00:37:05.289 the nursing care facility for the first time. 00:37:05.289 --> 00:37:10.170 It was on a 30 -day trial. I forget what the 00:37:10.170 --> 00:37:12.929 term was that one of you used with that. You 00:37:12.929 --> 00:37:14.849 went in for 30 days and then they said, well, 00:37:15.050 --> 00:37:17.510 you know, he can't go home. He's got to stay 00:37:17.510 --> 00:37:22.170 here. And that one of you felt that that might 00:37:22.170 --> 00:37:24.690 have triggered the mistake in here because there 00:37:24.690 --> 00:37:27.860 was a homebound benefit and there's a nursing 00:37:27.860 --> 00:37:30.619 home benefit. And just to let our audience know, 00:37:30.920 --> 00:37:36.840 this nursing home benefit monetarily is worth 00:37:36.840 --> 00:37:41.860 a lot of money. I mean, the VA is paying, you 00:37:41.860 --> 00:37:43.639 know, it's under contract, but they're paying 00:37:43.639 --> 00:37:47.699 well over $5 ,000 a month for this person to, 00:37:47.699 --> 00:37:51.099 you know, to remain safe. Well, and the reason 00:37:51.099 --> 00:37:54.489 that happens, so we don't want to give our audience 00:37:54.489 --> 00:37:57.730 that the VA is going to pick up everybody's long 00:37:57.730 --> 00:38:01.190 -term care. The fact that this veteran was 100 00:38:01.190 --> 00:38:06.250 percent, that's what qualified them for the extra 00:38:06.250 --> 00:38:10.510 benefit, just like a tax abatement, 100 percent. 00:38:10.789 --> 00:38:14.750 And so 70 percent or greater, and it just doesn't 00:38:14.750 --> 00:38:17.489 happen automatically. You still got to ask the 00:38:17.489 --> 00:38:20.389 VA, Mother, may I? It's just like going to another 00:38:20.389 --> 00:38:23.610 facility, getting into everything. You got to 00:38:23.289 --> 00:38:27.570 ask those questions and so going back again to 00:38:27.570 --> 00:38:29.929 somebody that's experienced that can help you 00:38:29.929 --> 00:38:34.050 with this I think is really important. Well it's 00:38:34.050 --> 00:38:37.010 a pretty complicated process it sounds to me. 00:38:37.670 --> 00:38:41.349 To go through all of the benefits that so many 00:38:41.349 --> 00:38:43.750 veterans are entitled to out there that they're 00:38:43.750 --> 00:38:46.369 unfamiliar with or they don't know how to find 00:38:46.369 --> 00:38:49.309 out what their benefits are and where they can 00:38:49.309 --> 00:38:51.670 get them. We need to take another real quick 00:38:51.670 --> 00:38:55.019 break in here. Gotta get a get our sponsors in 00:38:55.019 --> 00:38:57.659 so we're gonna take a real quick break. The number 00:38:57.659 --> 00:39:00.139 is seven three four eight two two sixteen hundred 00:39:00.139 --> 00:39:02.440 Please give us a call. We've got two experts 00:39:02.440 --> 00:39:04.400 here. You don't have to wait for them to return 00:39:04.400 --> 00:39:07.760 your call or anything. So You're listening to 00:39:07.760 --> 00:39:11.400 veterans radio. We will be right back The Medal 00:39:11.400 --> 00:39:13.619 of Honor is the highest award for valor in combat 00:39:13.619 --> 00:39:15.519 given a member of the Armed Forces of the United 00:39:15.519 --> 00:39:17.760 States There had been over three thousand four 00:39:17.760 --> 00:39:20.059 hundred recipients of the nation's highest award 00:39:20.059 --> 00:39:24.079 This is one of them Sergeant David Bleak, although 00:39:24.079 --> 00:39:26.400 a medical aid man, killed three North Korean 00:39:26.400 --> 00:39:29.880 soldiers and disarmed two more. Details after 00:39:29.880 --> 00:39:34.300 this. Bleak volunteered to accompany a reconnaissance 00:39:34.300 --> 00:39:37.019 patrol committed to engage the enemy and capture 00:39:37.019 --> 00:39:40.380 a prisoner for interrogation. Forging up the 00:39:40.380 --> 00:39:42.860 rugged slope of the key terrain, the group was 00:39:42.860 --> 00:39:45.400 subjected to intense automatic weapons and small 00:39:45.400 --> 00:39:49.280 arms fire and suffered several casualties. After 00:39:49.280 --> 00:39:51.800 administering to the wounded, Bleak continued 00:39:51.800 --> 00:39:54.820 to advance with the patrol. Nearing the crest 00:39:54.820 --> 00:39:57.199 of the hill while attempting to cross the fire 00:39:57.199 --> 00:39:59.739 -swept area to attend the wounded, he came under 00:39:59.739 --> 00:40:01.800 hostile fire from a small group of the enemy 00:40:01.800 --> 00:40:05.639 concealed in a trench. Entering the trench, he 00:40:05.639 --> 00:40:07.739 closed with the enemy, killed two with his bare 00:40:07.739 --> 00:40:11.019 hands and a third with his trench knife. Moving 00:40:11.019 --> 00:40:13.400 from the emplacement, Bleak saw a concussion 00:40:13.400 --> 00:40:16.260 grenade fall in front of a companion and, quickly 00:40:16.260 --> 00:40:18.840 shifting his position, shielded the man from 00:40:18.840 --> 00:40:22.510 the impact of the blast. Later, while ministering 00:40:22.510 --> 00:40:24.789 to the wounded, a hostile bullet struck him, 00:40:25.030 --> 00:40:28.230 but despite the wound, Bleak undertook to evacuate 00:40:28.230 --> 00:40:31.650 the wounded comrade. As he moved down the hill 00:40:31.650 --> 00:40:34.170 with his heavy burden, two enemy soldiers with 00:40:34.170 --> 00:40:36.849 fixed bayonets attacked him. Closing with the 00:40:36.849 --> 00:40:39.250 aggressors, he grabbed them and smacked their 00:40:39.250 --> 00:40:41.670 heads together, then carried his helpless comrade 00:40:41.670 --> 00:40:44.550 down the hill to safety. The Medal of Honor series 00:40:44.550 --> 00:40:47.829 is a production of Veterans Radio. Are you a 00:40:47.829 --> 00:40:50.230 veteran or a military spouse interested in starting 00:40:50.230 --> 00:40:52.250 or growing an existing business? Then you want 00:40:52.250 --> 00:40:54.630 to connect with VetBizCentral, Michigan's only 00:40:54.630 --> 00:40:56.710 veteran business resource center providing free 00:40:56.710 --> 00:40:58.909 one -on -one business counseling services including 00:40:58.909 --> 00:41:01.210 research plans and preparing veterans to be lender 00:41:01.210 --> 00:41:03.750 ready. If you're in business, VetBizCentral offers 00:41:03.750 --> 00:41:05.670 comprehensive strategic marketing strategies 00:41:05.670 --> 00:41:07.530 to help you connect to corporations. They are 00:41:07.530 --> 00:41:09.630 one of 20 centers nationwide devoted to veteran 00:41:09.630 --> 00:41:11.170 business development through the U .S. Small 00:41:11.170 --> 00:41:13.190 Business Administration Office of Veteran Business 00:41:13.190 --> 00:41:15.630 Development. Vets helping vets. Visit their website 00:41:15.630 --> 00:41:19.710 at vetbizcentral .com. or call 810 -767 -VETS. 00:41:29.309 --> 00:41:31.769 And we're back here on Veterans Radio with our 00:41:31.769 --> 00:41:34.449 monthly benefits program, and we're talking with 00:41:34.449 --> 00:41:36.710 Carol Ann Fauston from Legal Help for Veterans 00:41:36.710 --> 00:41:39.070 and Michael Smith, who is the executive director 00:41:39.070 --> 00:41:42.510 of the Washtenaw County Veterans Service Office. 00:41:43.110 --> 00:41:45.449 We were talking about aid and dependence and 00:41:45.449 --> 00:41:47.570 I know that there are many other things going 00:41:47.570 --> 00:41:51.750 on out there in addition to that one. Is there 00:41:51.750 --> 00:41:55.230 anything that the veteran should be aware of 00:41:55.230 --> 00:41:59.130 right now that I don't know if there are any 00:41:59.130 --> 00:42:02.469 new benefits or if that they could apply for 00:42:02.469 --> 00:42:08.489 or to see what's available to them. Sometimes 00:42:08.489 --> 00:42:11.369 we just don't know what all the good. All the 00:42:11.369 --> 00:42:13.510 good things that the VA is trying to do for people, 00:42:13.789 --> 00:42:16.110 we're just not aware of all of the possibilities. 00:42:18.030 --> 00:42:20.269 Is there anything that the two of you have been 00:42:20.269 --> 00:42:25.550 running into lately? Well, I think we talked 00:42:25.550 --> 00:42:29.130 a little bit about it last month. But I think 00:42:29.130 --> 00:42:32.650 it's been brought to my attention recently, change 00:42:32.650 --> 00:42:37.929 of name. change of address has been causing some 00:42:37.929 --> 00:42:42.750 real problems in that all the VA systems don't 00:42:42.750 --> 00:42:47.789 talk to each other. And sometimes you send your 00:42:47.789 --> 00:42:51.690 name in and you change your address, but the 00:42:51.690 --> 00:42:55.610 other system doesn't recognize it. And you don't 00:42:55.610 --> 00:43:01.550 get a letter for an exam or a decision. And you 00:43:01.550 --> 00:43:04.070 find out maybe a little too late, some time has 00:43:04.070 --> 00:43:08.570 passed by. So I think it's really important to 00:43:08.570 --> 00:43:13.210 share with someone that could either make sure 00:43:13.210 --> 00:43:16.369 that the proper paperwork was sent in or some 00:43:16.369 --> 00:43:19.369 phone calls could be made. But I've been seeing 00:43:19.369 --> 00:43:25.469 that recently. And I got a question the other 00:43:25.469 --> 00:43:30.610 day with how come you know, I'm getting two conflicting 00:43:30.610 --> 00:43:37.769 answers regarding a rating. And so when we researched 00:43:37.769 --> 00:43:40.190 it back, it was because the address was they 00:43:40.190 --> 00:43:44.730 had moved. And so that's what I see. I haven't 00:43:44.730 --> 00:43:48.949 seen any new presumptives coming across any big 00:43:48.949 --> 00:43:51.769 decisions. I think we're kind of waiting to see 00:43:51.769 --> 00:43:54.289 what Congress is going to do on a few issues. 00:43:56.650 --> 00:44:00.510 That's about all that I know of. Michael, any 00:44:00.510 --> 00:44:08.090 changes with anything? No, nothing really new. 00:44:08.389 --> 00:44:11.690 We're just waiting for, obviously, the VA to 00:44:11.690 --> 00:44:14.989 promulgate the rules for how they're going to 00:44:14.989 --> 00:44:19.289 approach the three new presumptive conditions 00:44:19.289 --> 00:44:23.650 for exposure to Agent Orange or herbicides, such 00:44:23.650 --> 00:44:26.719 as Parkinson's, like disease, bladder cancer, 00:44:28.820 --> 00:44:34.340 and what's the other one? Hypertension. Hypertension 00:44:34.340 --> 00:44:36.739 didn't get passed. Hypertension didn't get passed. 00:44:36.980 --> 00:44:41.880 It was Parkinson's -like, oh, hypothyroidism, 00:44:41.960 --> 00:44:46.360 and yeah, and bladder cancer. Right. So we're 00:44:46.360 --> 00:44:48.840 waiting for, we're basically waiting for the 00:44:48.840 --> 00:44:50.760 VA to promulgate their rules so we know how, 00:44:51.480 --> 00:44:55.369 so we know how they're going to process their 00:44:55.369 --> 00:45:00.090 claims and how so that their employees will know 00:45:00.090 --> 00:45:02.570 how they're going to process those claims. There's 00:45:02.570 --> 00:45:04.070 some things coming out right now already about 00:45:04.070 --> 00:45:07.090 the Nehmer decision and the Nehmer court decision 00:45:07.090 --> 00:45:12.389 always holds on those Asian orange or herbicide 00:45:12.389 --> 00:45:15.690 related claims for survivors and veterans regarding 00:45:15.690 --> 00:45:18.769 the effective dates for certain claims for certain 00:45:18.769 --> 00:45:23.190 veterans. But other than that, you mentioned 00:45:23.190 --> 00:45:26.480 or you asked Are there certain programs similar 00:45:26.480 --> 00:45:31.559 to aid and attendance? Well, I first want to 00:45:31.559 --> 00:45:33.940 remind folks that the veteran was receiving, 00:45:34.000 --> 00:45:36.019 in this case scenario that we were talking about, 00:45:36.400 --> 00:45:39.920 the veteran was receiving special monthly compensation 00:45:39.920 --> 00:45:43.380 for his need for aid and attendance. But there's 00:45:43.380 --> 00:45:47.079 also special monthly pension for the need of 00:45:47.079 --> 00:45:50.440 aid and attendance. And we want to make sure 00:45:50.440 --> 00:45:52.579 that people understand that there's a distinction 00:45:52.579 --> 00:45:55.960 between the how and when aid and attendance is 00:45:55.960 --> 00:45:59.820 considered as a benefit and under which benefits 00:45:59.820 --> 00:46:06.559 they're paid. There's also a veteran who is receiving 00:46:06.559 --> 00:46:11.920 compensation and has a spouse who's in need of 00:46:11.920 --> 00:46:15.360 aid and attendance. And the veteran gets paid. 00:46:15.840 --> 00:46:18.960 under compensation they don't do that under pension. 00:46:20.679 --> 00:46:25.400 So we have now again that special monthly compensation 00:46:25.400 --> 00:46:27.980 for aid and attendance or that special monthly 00:46:27.980 --> 00:46:30.699 pension for aid and attendance or the VA is paying 00:46:30.699 --> 00:46:33.599 a veteran who's receiving compensation additional 00:46:33.599 --> 00:46:36.400 benefits for having a spouse who's in need of 00:46:36.400 --> 00:46:38.960 aid and attendance is in consideration of the 00:46:38.960 --> 00:46:41.500 the cost associated with that kind of care out 00:46:41.500 --> 00:46:48.309 in the market. So, you know, with that being 00:46:48.309 --> 00:46:54.170 said, similarly, the VA looks and considers people 00:46:54.170 --> 00:46:57.630 either under the pension program or the compensation 00:46:57.630 --> 00:47:01.610 side as being housebound. Again, housebound being 00:47:01.610 --> 00:47:04.130 another special monthly compensation for those 00:47:04.130 --> 00:47:08.050 who are receiving compensation. And then again, 00:47:08.349 --> 00:47:10.449 special monthly pension for those who are being 00:47:10.449 --> 00:47:12.369 considered or who are receiving pension program. 00:47:12.650 --> 00:47:14.409 It's just another way that the VA approaches 00:47:16.220 --> 00:47:19.300 considering a person's health and its impact 00:47:19.300 --> 00:47:22.400 on his or her ability to be mobile, to be out 00:47:22.400 --> 00:47:26.179 and about. If they're relegated to their home, 00:47:26.539 --> 00:47:30.840 other than going to doctor's visits, or they 00:47:30.840 --> 00:47:34.139 had a rating of 100 % for one medical condition 00:47:34.139 --> 00:47:38.900 and 60 % for others combined, 60 and higher, 00:47:39.440 --> 00:47:42.139 then they're considered housebound for both pension 00:47:42.139 --> 00:47:49.320 and, so the rating, side of it in terms of how 00:47:49.320 --> 00:47:51.199 a person is considered housebound or even how 00:47:51.199 --> 00:47:53.079 a person is considered in need of aid attendance, 00:47:53.840 --> 00:47:58.840 that rating activity is pretty similar. But again, 00:47:58.940 --> 00:48:02.440 it impacts two different benefits and the payments 00:48:02.440 --> 00:48:05.920 are significantly different, definitely. Okay, 00:48:06.780 --> 00:48:09.980 I got a question to send to us. If a veteran 00:48:09.980 --> 00:48:13.280 is receiving benefits, I'm assuming this question. 00:48:16.920 --> 00:48:21.099 I'm losing your connection Michael a little bit 00:48:21.099 --> 00:48:26.159 You're you're frozen up on me. Can you can you 00:48:26.159 --> 00:48:37.880 go out and come back in again? Okay anyway, the 00:48:37.880 --> 00:48:42.199 question is that if a veteran is receiving benefits, 00:48:42.420 --> 00:48:45.329 I'm assuming Is there a way to get spousal support 00:48:45.329 --> 00:48:48.809 from the VA? Carolyn, I'll ask you that question. 00:48:49.050 --> 00:48:53.130 It depends on, and I think Michael sort of alluded 00:48:53.130 --> 00:48:57.449 to this, but there are some benefits that the 00:48:57.449 --> 00:49:02.090 spouse could get benefits for. But, you know, 00:49:02.590 --> 00:49:06.929 they could be buried. There's DIC that we talked 00:49:06.929 --> 00:49:12.130 about before. But theoretically, the majority 00:49:12.130 --> 00:49:16.969 of the benefits are for the veteran. It's pretty 00:49:16.969 --> 00:49:23.329 unusual and kudos to the VA for opening up the 00:49:23.329 --> 00:49:30.329 COVID vaccine to family members. It just tells 00:49:30.329 --> 00:49:35.510 how important it is to get this pandemic under 00:49:35.510 --> 00:49:39.590 control. that the VA is offering that benefit 00:49:39.590 --> 00:49:43.730 to families and loved ones because that hasn't 00:49:43.730 --> 00:49:48.690 happened as far as I know in the past. Right. 00:49:49.050 --> 00:49:52.289 Right. I got I got another question for you. 00:49:52.510 --> 00:49:58.929 And that was this one came on a text and it's 00:49:58.929 --> 00:50:00.809 and it's a homeless veteran. And I guess the 00:50:00.809 --> 00:50:02.329 problem is that the homeless veteran doesn't 00:50:02.329 --> 00:50:09.050 have have a state ID. But the main thing that 00:50:09.050 --> 00:50:13.329 he needs is his 214, correct? That's the thing 00:50:13.329 --> 00:50:15.679 that gets you in the door. Well, that's what 00:50:15.679 --> 00:50:18.980 gets you in the door. But if you have a homeless 00:50:18.980 --> 00:50:22.800 veteran, I would encourage him. Too bad you didn't 00:50:22.800 --> 00:50:26.800 ask that question when Dr. Kreisman and Ann Arbor 00:50:26.800 --> 00:50:30.019 in Detroit were on the phone. They have a center. 00:50:30.199 --> 00:50:34.139 They've got a homeless coordinator. If you walk 00:50:34.139 --> 00:50:38.039 in and say, yo, I'm a veteran and I'm in need 00:50:38.039 --> 00:50:42.789 of some help, They could help to start to facilitate 00:50:42.789 --> 00:50:46.269 that. Yes, you're right. You need a DD 214. You 00:50:46.269 --> 00:50:50.730 need a license. But if you're homeless, you need 00:50:50.730 --> 00:50:55.269 a boatload of resources. So we got to start the 00:50:55.269 --> 00:50:59.110 working issues. We got to get them some help 00:50:59.110 --> 00:51:02.730 so that we got to get them into a system to start 00:51:02.730 --> 00:51:05.349 helping them. And, you know, the county counselors 00:51:05.349 --> 00:51:08.550 are great, the veteran service organizations. 00:51:09.929 --> 00:51:13.590 But we need to, you know, they need to be recognized 00:51:13.590 --> 00:51:18.849 in that position, Dale. It's not so easy. Just 00:51:18.849 --> 00:51:21.130 to go out and say, okay if you're homeless, you 00:51:21.130 --> 00:51:24.429 know, I but I need my DD 214 until I get it You 00:51:24.429 --> 00:51:26.750 know, I'm gonna remain homeless, but there's 00:51:26.750 --> 00:51:29.650 there's some other resources we could kick in 00:51:29.650 --> 00:51:32.789 and use and we have before Okay, I'm just saying 00:51:32.789 --> 00:51:35.369 this this message came from he's up in Bay City 00:51:35.369 --> 00:51:37.590 So that would be the Saginaw VA that he probably 00:51:37.590 --> 00:51:42.130 would want to go into Right. Yes. Okay, and there's 00:51:42.130 --> 00:51:45.769 homeless coordinators. Um, you know, I Think 00:51:45.769 --> 00:51:50.619 it's really important that you reach out and 00:51:50.619 --> 00:51:54.300 you just start somewhere to talk to somebody. 00:51:54.960 --> 00:51:59.300 County counselors are fabulous to help with any 00:51:59.300 --> 00:52:02.920 individuals who are state of Michigan. OK, well, 00:52:02.920 --> 00:52:04.980 I'll pass this along because it was sent to somebody 00:52:04.980 --> 00:52:07.239 who was sent to me. So we're getting out there. 00:52:07.300 --> 00:52:12.639 People are responding to our program and are 00:52:12.639 --> 00:52:14.920 trying to help people out as much as we possibly 00:52:14.920 --> 00:52:18.309 can. And so we will answer your questions even 00:52:18.309 --> 00:52:19.929 you know doesn't have to be in the last Sunday 00:52:19.929 --> 00:52:22.170 of the month Please just you can go to veterans 00:52:22.170 --> 00:52:24.329 radio and click on the contact us button and 00:52:24.329 --> 00:52:27.590 let us know and we'll pass these along to our 00:52:27.590 --> 00:52:32.050 experts and That so far There's never been anybody 00:52:32.050 --> 00:52:33.789 who hasn't they haven't been able to help out 00:52:33.789 --> 00:52:36.389 or at least give them my right answer You know 00:52:36.389 --> 00:52:40.409 what Dale and it's like I just had sort of an 00:52:40.409 --> 00:52:44.389 epiphany. You know, we've got our state veterans 00:52:44.389 --> 00:52:47.190 homes, which are fabulous. And the Grand Rapids 00:52:47.190 --> 00:52:50.150 has the domiciliary unit. I can't tell you how 00:52:50.150 --> 00:52:53.650 many veterans we housed at that. So for this 00:52:53.650 --> 00:52:56.710 veteran, call the Department of Military and 00:52:56.710 --> 00:53:02.110 Veterans Affairs. Call 1 -800 -MISH -VET and 00:53:02.110 --> 00:53:06.030 identify him or her as homeless needing some 00:53:06.030 --> 00:53:11.949 resources. And we could hopefully get this veteran 00:53:11.949 --> 00:53:14.780 some help. We'll work on it. That's for darn 00:53:14.780 --> 00:53:17.960 sure. Okay, I think we got what about four minutes? 00:53:19.699 --> 00:53:22.679 Three minutes to go. Oh, so let me hang on the 00:53:22.679 --> 00:53:25.139 line here for a second. I got to get this We 00:53:25.139 --> 00:53:26.940 got to get announce our winner here for the US 00:53:26.940 --> 00:53:30.320 wings jacket before we run out of time Yay, so 00:53:30.320 --> 00:53:33.500 we have a winner here and her name is Judith 00:53:33.500 --> 00:53:38.010 and Kara vu C -A -R -I -V -E -A -U, and she's 00:53:38.010 --> 00:53:40.710 an Air Force veteran living in Colowee, North 00:53:40.710 --> 00:53:44.429 Carolina. Yeah, wherever that is, so I guess 00:53:44.429 --> 00:53:47.989 we'll find out. But she served in, as I said, 00:53:48.150 --> 00:53:51.250 the United States Air Force. She was at Lackland, 00:53:51.570 --> 00:53:54.329 Francis E. Warren, and Travis Air Force Base. 00:53:55.030 --> 00:53:58.250 So, Judith, we will be contracting you and put 00:53:58.250 --> 00:54:00.690 you in touch with US Wings down in Hudson, Ohio. 00:54:01.050 --> 00:54:03.289 Get your size and address, and they'll send that 00:54:03.289 --> 00:54:05.840 dude. Brand -new flight jacket out to you again 00:54:05.840 --> 00:54:08.300 I encourage people to go to our website click 00:54:08.300 --> 00:54:10.159 on the flight jacket register to win and we'll 00:54:10.159 --> 00:54:12.739 be giving another one away at the end of May 00:54:12.739 --> 00:54:15.079 and also at the end of May we will have another 00:54:15.079 --> 00:54:18.280 benefits program with Carol Anne and Michael 00:54:18.280 --> 00:54:21.219 and Hopefully we can get some questions from 00:54:21.219 --> 00:54:24.500 you and you can help us out by helping you out 00:54:24.500 --> 00:54:27.280 Same thing. So let me see. I got another chat 00:54:27.280 --> 00:54:35.039 question here Nope, okay Not to find that out 00:54:35.039 --> 00:54:40.659 from Marcus for next month's program So any closing 00:54:40.659 --> 00:54:46.739 comments from either one of you? These months 00:54:46.739 --> 00:54:49.860 seem like they're going quicker, please audience 00:54:49.860 --> 00:54:53.840 if you have questions We do Michael and I have 00:54:53.840 --> 00:54:57.940 done Stuff behind the scenes. We've answered 00:54:57.940 --> 00:55:01.019 questions. So if you get a question, you've got 00:55:01.019 --> 00:55:04.679 a burning issue Get it to Dale and he will give 00:55:04.679 --> 00:55:07.980 it to us. No sense waiting a whole month if something 00:55:07.980 --> 00:55:15.599 is going on and we could help you Right That's 00:55:15.599 --> 00:55:17.719 right. Yes, and we strongly encourage obviously 00:55:17.719 --> 00:55:20.559 just by the Complexity of some of our questions 00:55:20.559 --> 00:55:23.179 is that you really do need to contract a veteran 00:55:23.179 --> 00:55:27.400 service officer? wherever you live To see if 00:55:27.400 --> 00:55:30.119 they can help you out because this is these are 00:55:30.119 --> 00:55:33.820 roadmaps that lead to circles and cul -de -sacs 00:55:33.820 --> 00:55:37.440 and roundabouts and everything else. So we encourage 00:55:37.440 --> 00:55:40.420 you to get the help that you can. The other thing 00:55:40.420 --> 00:55:42.599 we have one minute to go is I wanted to bring 00:55:42.599 --> 00:55:47.980 up is that for your Veterans Evaluation Services, 00:55:48.219 --> 00:55:51.159 evidently now when you are doing your compensation 00:55:51.159 --> 00:55:56.000 exams and so forth, they've outsourced that to 00:55:56.000 --> 00:55:58.420 a company called Veterans Evaluation Services. 00:55:59.239 --> 00:56:01.659 And so if you get a letter, looking for that. 00:56:01.820 --> 00:56:05.139 It's not fake, folks. It's make sure you follow 00:56:05.139 --> 00:56:08.780 the letter that you get because if you don't, 00:56:09.260 --> 00:56:12.820 your claim could be not necessarily denied, but 00:56:12.820 --> 00:56:15.519 it would be put to the bottom of the pile. So 00:56:15.519 --> 00:56:18.599 make sure you do that. We are going to, as I 00:56:18.599 --> 00:56:20.179 mentioned, we want to thank all of our sponsors 00:56:20.179 --> 00:56:23.099 here on Veterans Radio, Legal Health for Veterans, 00:56:23.840 --> 00:56:28.039 MVVDC, Eisenhower Center, US Wings, the Ann Arbor 00:56:28.039 --> 00:56:30.199 VA. We want to make sure that we thank them, 00:56:30.500 --> 00:56:33.449 too. Follow us on Facebook. We'll be back next 00:56:33.449 --> 00:56:35.989 week with another brand new story for you here 00:56:35.989 --> 00:56:40.010 on Veterans Radio. You are dismissed. Lucky Land 00:56:40.010 --> 00:56:42.389 Casino, asking people what's the weirdest place 00:56:42.389 --> 00:56:45.389 you've gotten lucky. Lucky? In line at the deli, 00:56:45.469 --> 00:56:48.130 I guess? Uh -huh, in my dentist's office. More 00:56:48.130 --> 00:56:50.789 than once, actually. Do I have to say? Yes, you 00:56:50.789 --> 00:56:53.570 do. In the car, before my kid's PTA meeting. 00:56:53.670 --> 00:56:56.389 Really? Yes! 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