VETERANS CORNER: Special monthly compensation

by Gary Kennedy

Before I give you the negative residuals of last week’s messages let me say I hope you enjoyed a wonderful July 4.

The big issue I wanted to touch on was those asking about Special Monthly Compensation (S.M.C.). It is a specific VA benefit. It was designed to give extra financial support to veterans who require daily Aid & Attendance but don’t necessarily need professional medical home care.

These benefits were given after WWI and WWII. The need became obvious when our men and women came home after giving important years of their lives defending the USA and keeping us safe so that the rest of us could maintain the way of life that we, to this very day love and cherish. Millions gave their lives defending the worth of our country. Other millions shed tears for the loss of those they loved, who made it happen, but didn’t make it home.

You hear veterans and others speak of PTSD that many of our soldiers carry with them daily, as the, memory of war. I on the other hand think about the survivors and their families as victims of PTSD as well. I think you would be hard put to eliminate the loss of a loved one from your mind. I say “that is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as well”, so did others; so family benefits came to exist and grow. The G.I. Bill gave us some which has evolved to this very day.

A veteran can be and is a cook in the mess hall as well as a sniper in concealment in the field. You can’t have one without the other. The men and women who serve the greatest nation on earth are equally needed and worthy of as normal a life as humanly possible. We can’t give back what was taken away, youth, love and the joy of those formative years which was never allowed for them. However, there are some things we can do. War can and does take away opportunity. If you don’t understand just take a drive to a VA facility and find a place to park with a good vantage point. Roll your windows down and view your surroundings. Most people you will encounter are limping, using crutches; wheelchairs, scooters and you will observe the occasional ambulance. You will see many with missing limbs or need the use of robotics or motorized vehicles of some sort. You will undoubtedly see the occasional deformed veteran from injuries, such as burns. I would add here some of the greatest, most inventive materials were created because of war and were created here in the USA such as the burn creams invented at Fort Sam Houston’s Medical Research Center. These were great things invented to save lives as a result of war. People who once died from 40% body burns now have a chance at an almost normal life.

Of course, we still have PTSD to deal with which can be a very powerful life altering event. For me this can be the most debilitating affliction of them all as it affect you day and/or night as well as others around you. When you are down you tend to take others with you. Fortunately, Togus VA has a good support group who are always there to help. Don’t go it alone.

You, who are observing, think about what you are witnessing and what that veteran probably went through to become what you see. Even the homeless are lonely, hungry and dream of things that might have been as they sleep under the bridge with a cardboard box for a bed. For me the most important question in all of this is, “what if”? Those that the observer spent hours witnessing needs to interject this question; what if I/He hadn’t gone and done this? What would/could our life be like? I never had the chance to find out. My question just turned into a dream which can be viewed on my favorite television station, P.T.S.D.. Isn’t that pain and suffering worth something? Monetarily speaking, we could be talking about a lot of money. Emotionally we could be talking about success, family, home and just plain old fashion happiness.

I have had some veterans who have gone 60 years because they were denied once upon a time by a poorly trained staff person. Now those veterans are 100 percent because they asked again and got the right answer; a little late but still a win.

There are still women out there having problems with D.I.C.. For me that is the saddest violation of them all. Yes, some widow pensions are a little more difficult than others but there needs to be truthful answers. We have communities that are upset with some answers they are being given. Next week I will try to get the correct answers and share my result with you. Also, we will try and cover some of the ambiguities of the rating system. In closing let me add when your love one passes away your 1st most important conversation, maybe with a medical examiner or coroner. It is important that he knows he is dealing with a disabled service connected veteran when he writes the cause of death. His/her writing may require detail to negate ambiguity as the spouse and/or siblings might be relying on his report for their continued support.

Until next time, God bless and let the truth be your guide.