by Gary Kennedy

Another week has come and gone. I am sad to report that we have entered the third week of the government shutdown. I have good and bad news regarding this matter. The bad news is this shutdown has allowed a legal pathway of eliminating miscellaneous government jobs. The Unions are fighting this tooth and nail. However, the president’s campaign promise of cleaning up the dead wood in the work force was a promise waiting for a way to happen. This shutdown has given him just that way. If, in fact, the job can be accomplished without those thousands of bodies the taxpayer will benefit. It’s claimed there are plenty of jobs out there to accommodate those bodies, especially those who were able to circumvent the system by working from home. In my many years of work this was unheard of. There are some benefits to being able to work from home, especially if you are a mom. However, this is an easy avenue for abuse and I think most of us have seen or know of situations where this is happening. In any case, I believe most of us can give plenty of reasons why this is a bad employment practice.

On the positive side the president has said that certain critical areas will be protected. He mentioned that he was able to move some money around assuring the U.S. military would be paid. Also, on the critical side of things, he mentions protecting our elderly and disabled veterans. So, we have no fear that those of us living on pensions or age related benefits will not see any interruption in our monthly checks. I believe we will also see the Cost of Living amount to be once again around 2.5 percent. This will be the same for both Disabled Veterans as well as Social Security recipients.

Unfortunately, this has become a political fire storm, as, so many hate our president and commander in chief. It’s a sad state of affairs that we find ourselves in at this point in time. I pray next week we will be able to report our coming together as our country is in a very precarious place at this time. Veterans are scratching their heads in confusion on how we could be in this position when the election was so unanimously in favor of the present administration. I hope we find a correct path soon. The world sees us as the peace maker of the world, ending so many wars in less than a year. I think of it as lives saved because our sons and daughters haven’t had to sight in their rifles and put boots on the ground. I am hoping we will have an era of veterans who don’t carry catastrophic injuries and are placed on the disability list. We have never had such a time, yet it is possible. I certainly don’t want my or other American children perishing on the battle field or riddled with painful injuries.

If you follow the news, and you should, you will see a country that may be a savior to the world but imploding within ourselves. I went to the Augusta capital building yesterday and saw many educated people, some I knew, carrying signs saying “no” to kings. Someone in another place starts this and has the ability to contact other states and start up protests about what they believe. For some reason some people can be led like sheep. We might not like our president’s style or personality and, yes, I agree, he can aggravate some of us but he is our president by majority vote and we should support him. “I personally” believe that time will tell the story. Arrogance can be distasteful as well as conceit but that is a personal opinion and not based on the result of action taken on our behalf. Next week I would like to talk more about V.A. and what it can do for those in need of medical.

Have a great weekend with your family, not many left. God bless and stay safe.

The views of the author of this column are not necessarily those of The Town Line newspaper, its staff and board of directors.

by Gary Kennedy

Well, we are ending another week and V.A. continues its decline. The medical side continues to be short on help, yet the administration side remains well staffed and happy. There is no problem filing claims and results seem to be coming back rather quickly. Most claims are being serviced outside of the V.A. by various entities, most of which are nurse practitioners. Sleep studies are being done at home with an appliance attached to one’s finger. Those don’t usually have a favorable result. The only good part of that application is, negative results are easy to appeal. It wasn’t too long ago that all these tests were given for the most part in house and by qualified specialist not generalists. This all came about fairly recently when the V.A. system began to fall apart due to poor management. Money began being thrown at problems and then the cash runs out. It’s not professional anymore. Medical issues are being treated like a business transaction instead of their true purpose. It use to be very well defined and you could depend on the person evaluating the situation. Not everyone is after the dollar; some really want to know what is going on and how to fix it. We need to overhaul our V. A. system and get back to honesty and integrity. Veterans deserve better than what they’re getting. Being a 100 percent gives you a paycheck but doesn’t prolong your life or make it better. All vets need to see it for what it is and talk to the powers that be about their concerns.

We talked last week about Special Monthly Compensation (SMC). I will continue this by filling you in on what that is all about. SMC is a higher level of tax-free payment for veterans with extremely severe service connected disabilities, that goes beyond standard disability compensation. These levels, K to T correspond to different types and combinations of severe conditions, such as loss of limbs, loss of sight or needing constant aid and attendance for daily living, with letter like (O) indicating more severe needs. A standard rating is compensation from 0-100 percent. S.M.C. however, provides additional compensation for severe conditions. Also, not to muddy up the water, there is a S.M.C. which is available to veterans that are low income and are rated at a 100 percent disabled – P&T. but is not service connected. That is another entirely separate program with rules and regulations of its own.

When you are 100 percent as a married veteran you will receive approximately $4,000 per month. However, if you have certain conditions such as loss or loss of effective use of a limb you can receive an extra $136 for that. It is added to your pension under K-factor. If you have lost the use of more than one, you add as many as three. The increase in benefit is permanent tax free money which is added to your pension. The other codes allow such things as Aid & Attendance for additional money. Everything under K is permanent. S.M.C. basically is an avenue established for low income veterans in need. S.M.C. is a benefit for veterans and their survivors with permanent and total non-service connected disabilities that provide additional financial support beyond the basic V.A. pension. This monthly allowance provides a higher income limit, and it is divided into two parts.

• Aid and Attendance- bathing, dressing, eating, using the bathroom, protecting oneself from daily hazards or adjusting orthopedic devices.
• Housebound allowance for veterans or surviving spouse who is substantially confined to their home due to permanent disability. Veteran must have one disability rated at 100 percent disabling and another for 60 percent or more. Eligibility is based on income and financial need. It must be permanent and total but does not need to be in service. Vet must have served 90 days or more and at least one day needs to be during war time. Veteran must have an other than dishonorable discharge. If you are a surviving spouse file a 21P-534EZ.

These are the basics, if you need more to aid your search, ask and we will answer. That’s enough for this week. I hope we were able to help some of you. Until next time, God bless you and yours and have a good and safe weekend. Always lend a hand when you can.

The views of the author of this column are not necessarily those of The Town Line newspaper, its staff and board of directors.

by Gary Kennedy

I have been really challenged by the 90 percent dilemma that many veterans are battling with. When you climb the ladder of percentages, for some reason things become stagnant at 90 percent. It really seems like a position that a veteran doesn’t really want to deal with and most don’t understand it. When you are elevated to 90 percent most veterans feel good about it. However, they very quickly find some draw backs to that rating. For those veterans who don’t understand the V.A. math end up in confusion.

This is a time to be speaking with an advocate who is familiar with this seeming road block. An example would be if you do the math correctly you might end up with an 84 percent which in V.A. reality is only 80 percent. It has to end up on the north side of 85 percent to climb the ladder. So, if you get 94 percent then again you would only be 90 percent. If you received 95 percent then you are looking at the 100 percent you have been seeking. It is not as easy as it sounds. When you were back in the low 90’s it figured out you would need an added 10 percent disability for each step of the way. Again once you achieve 95 percent or more you have reached your goal. It’s easier if you have the V.A. chart in front of you and you learn how to use it. It seems to me the powers that be don’t want to make it easier; I think they are afraid everyone will end up with a 100 percent; as the Beach Boys would say, “wouldn’t it be nice”.

I hear most of you guys say, “I wouldn’t bother with it but I have to think of the future of my family”. The D.I.C. process can be a nightmare when you have to fill all the rules. I’ve seen some fail. It’s always smart to go to V.B.A. in building 248, second floor and speak with a certified service officer. Courtney is the group leader I believe. They are friendly, courteous and a knowledgeable group and act as a collective, which is a good thing as you have the expertise of all. They don’t let anything go unsolved. They are there for you and it will be very obvious during your visit. There are some things that lay persons don’t know or are unaware of but they have ongoing training, so all the current directives are given to them as soon as they become available. There are usually four specialists on duty, Courtney, Terry, Kevin and Sherry. You can call 207-621-6938 and make an appointment or you can be a walk-in if you happen to be in the area.

Also, I mentioned earlier about climbing the percentage ladders and being stuck at 90 percent. In time that could take care of itself but for some, time is a problem. So, my advice is to have one of the service people look at your claim and see what could be missing or what could be increased. They are obligated to give you good sound advice and to help you with the best development of your claim. You would be surprised at what they might find. If something does happen to the veteran then you and spouse will have placed this claim in a good place. Next, and something you won’t hear from most Advocates, is the last details of this claim. I suggest that you speak with the medical examiner who writes the death certificate and explain all the medical problems that your spouse had and that it is important that he writes a report favoring your situation. Get a copy of the death certificate to use as needed.

There are some rules and regulations that must be followed. I won’t give you all of that here but there are things such as your length of marriage and MOS in the service. How many years have passed 10, five or one year. The length of your marriage can be important, were you still together and does anyone else have a claim to the same benefit. Generally there is no problem, however, it’s better to dot all the I’s and cross all the T’s. Again V.B.A. will know what I am talking about and will explain this to you.

Your spouse just wants his or her family protected when they are no longer there to protect them. So, the least they can do is guide you to a safe place as I am trying to do. Most of you have my email, garyek55@gmail.com feel free to use it. We have a new President and many are worried that could be a problem; I can assure you such is not the case. Most of you are set in the system now and the others would not realize any change as they are new to the system so it would be normal for them. I don’t have much to say this week but I hope I answered a couple of questions. Let me know if you want to talk about anything in particular and we can dive right in. God bless you and yours and have a wonderful weekend together. We don’t have many left.

by Gary Kennedy

A new week begins and summer is for the most part gone. Even so, this has always been my favorite time if the year. The temperatures are comfortable during the day and the nights are cool and very comfortable for sleeping. It’s also a great time for vacationing. The bug population is down and allows for a leisurely time at the side of a brook with a fishing rod. I love the thought of it. My advice has always been if you want a close to perfect time to vacation it would be the last two weeks of August and the first two weeks of September. My birthday is in there somewhere and it’s a perfect time of year to hide.

Anyway, my last couple of articles have met with copious amounts of attention, some good and some not so good. So I guess the best thing to do is to try to quell the pending storm. It seems that a veteran issue always leads to a two-sided debate instead of the simple exchange of information, often time these issues end up in partisan debates and I am a non-partisan writer. Although I must admit that of late I have tended to lean in one direction. I hope that direction is always on the side of truth; at least that is what I try to achieve. I know sometimes that is hard to swallow but nonetheless, that is my attempt at justice and clarity on the subjects I share with you.

One of our readers was a little indifferent to my article mentioning the once again shutdown of construction on the Community Living Center Care Building. That building will end up to be one of the most expensive ventures undertaken by the V.A. I find it to be a great project gone awry. This isn’t the first time this writer has attacked this particular project. It’s completion meant a lot to many who will not be here to see its completion.

However, this is not a partisan issue for me; it’s a misappropriation issue on the part of V.A., somewhere down the line. This is at least the second time this has happened to the same project. Not everyone remains silent at V.A. You should notice that the problem is not shared with us. Why is that? Perhaps they don’t want to stir things up by sharing the problem with the people who are supposed to be the beneficiaries. You know it’s about time the powers that be should realize they actually work for us. These things that service our honored veterans should not be subjected to graft and corruption. The reader that I am referring to has not searched out the entire picture as it hasn’t reached fruition as of yet. Did you notice that Williams Construction pulled all their trailers and equipment out? I think we are going to hear more about this soon.

As for now the reasons given for the stoppage of multiple construction sites has been because of mismanagement and cost overruns on major projects, court rulings affecting contract rules, and budget-related cancellations of non-critical contracts. All this has led to stoppage, lengthy delays and massive budget increases. A better example than Togus would be Aurora, Colorado, which carried an initial budget of $600 million which turned out to be over $1.7 billion. Our V.A. is not that bad but there are problems. The V.A.’s flip flopping on policy has caused confusion and uncertainty for contractors.

In March of this year VA cancelled 585 “non-mission-critical or duplicative contracts worth approximately $1.8 billion, to redirect funds toward direct veteran care and services. The VA does not want to push its veterans into community based care; that should only exist for necessity purposes. The consequences of all of this is to make things right. I don’t know how that can be done at this point but I am confident that a solution will be found. D.O.G.E. is no longer with us but Mr. Musk’s impact has been surely felt. Remember however, it was Secretary Collins who signed off on all of this. I am confident that he is the kind of person who would certainly do what’s right for the veterans. He is one himself. He is also a religious man and that gives me a good feeling inside. I have given almost a half a century aiding veterans like myself and would never allow something to happen to them without a fight. Next week we will talk more. God bless you and yours and remember, you are a part of this. If you see any kind of veteran abuse, please let someone know. If it’s VA, let me know and I will get to the bottom of it.

Douglas Collins

by Gary Kennedy

I am always the optimist. I say a prayer every night and every morning asking for the new day to be a blessing to family, friends and especially we veterans in need. With the new government, draining the swamp and all the talk about the love for America’s veterans I have been expecting the VA system to make rapid, direly needed improvements, in so many ways. Perhaps I am just not patient enough. I do hope that is the case. However, I can only go by what I see and hear and that my brothers and sisters are not very positive.

We expect at the very least to have an equipoise position as is expected in the claims we write for our veterans to win. I don’t see that happening, at least not yet. I know our President Trump has surrounded himself with a very strong military/veteran team and that, of course, is a strong plus for a safe secure America. However, we are who we are because of our might love of God and those who are now our veterans.

Lip service is exactly that. To say politics doesn’t play a big role in getting the job done would be a serious misnomer. I really don’t care if you are Democrat, Republican or Angus King; you need to be concerned about the safety of your country. If you are someone who does not, then you probably are not from here or don’t belong here. The USA has always carried the reputation of being a bastion of peace, freedom and security. Why is that? Some of the reason is laying on the ground at night, in a tent, if lucky, or in a facility for the physically or emotionally ill. These are your earthly saviors who have allowed you to lay comfortably in your bed at night and by day pursue that which you desire. So, that being said, don’t make promises you don’t intend to keep.

We have a new gun in town and I am not referring to President Trump. However, he has been appointed by our commander in chief, Douglas A. Collins. His title is, Secretary of Veterans Affairs. He was sworn in as the 12th Secretary of Veterans Affairs on February 5, 2025. He is a lawyer, politician and a military officer. He went to New Orleans Baptist Theological seminary, university of N. Georgia and Atlanta’s John Marshall Law. He also was a Congressman; definitely the right fit given his moral legal and military backgrounds. However, I believe he needs a wake up to what has been and continues to be happening to our veterans. Unfortunately, a lot of what is happening can be concealed or explained away, especially to the new guy in town.

Things we have discussed in detail in the past such as the deprivation of the Fisher House due to management inefficiency. That loss could have been avoided and the gift to our veterans and their families could have been received. I for one, tried to warn them with my articles and my visits to their office. I also filed a complaint with the State of Maine regarding wetland violations which was ignored; I suppose we can blame the Governor Mills staff for that one. Hundreds of thousands of gifted dollars was lost as the hospitality house began to list to one side and sink into the ground; of course, this caused this beautiful and needed gift to be lost by the way side and to this date has gone unattended.

Next came the advent of the Community Living Center started five to six years ago. Some veterans who were looking forward to that have since passed away, so sad. Why did it stop five or more years ago? They even removed the signs explaining the construction. Cookouts with burger for free went to nothing; they were supposed to be celebratory regarding the coming addiction to benefit the veterans.

Think about it, for five years or more the administration continued with paychecks but the projects didn’t. Last year they started again. The signs went back up, the construction changed in design but it was supposed to be once again the Community Living Center. Two weeks ago the signs came back down as well as the general contractor’s logo and introduction. The veterans refer to this complex as “Silver City” as the construction material used are mostly silver in color. (Galvanized or aluminum studding) The contractor just picked up his trailers and equipment and left. I spoke with a couple of workers who stated money or contractual arrangement. Where do we go from here?

This all began when we received a new V.A. Director and a Regional Director. I for one need to know what’s going on with our projects and money. I believe the new president will get to the bottom of this, and in truth. Next time we will discuss quality of care and it’s very serious short-comings.

Have a safe and happy weekend with family and friends. God bless you and yours.