For Your Benefit
For and about Hawaii's military
See also: In The Military
California hosts
Wheelchair Games
next monthQuestion: Do you have any information on the upcoming National Veterans Wheelchair Games?
Answer: More than 500 disabled veterans will compete in the largest annual wheelchair sports event in the world, the 23rd National Veterans Wheelchair Games in Long Beach, Calif., July 5-9. The games, presented by the Department of Veterans Affairs and Paralyzed Veterans of America, are open to all U.S. military veterans who use wheelchairs for sports competition due to spinal cord injuries, certain neurological conditions, amputations or other mobility impairments.
Veterans will compete in track and field, swimming, basketball, weightlifting, softball, air guns, quad-rugby, 9-ball, bowling, table tennis, archery, hand cycling, a motorized rally, wheelchair slalom and a 5K road race. The games begin July 5 with a kickoff event featuring a wheelchair basketball demonstration, as well as the 2003 Disabled Sports, Recreation and Fitness Expo.
Many of the events will be held at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, also the site for opening and closing ceremonies. Other venues include California State University at Long Beach, Cal Bowl, Belmont Shore Pool, El Dorado Park, Rainbow Harbor and the Long Beach VA Medical Center campus. For more information or to follow events, go to www.wheelchairgames.org.
Q: I would like to obtain a VA home loan. Does the entitlement guarantee that I will get a home loan, and can I combine my entitlement with another veteran's entitlement?
A: The answer to the first part of the question is no. The VA cannot compel a lender to make a loan that would violate their lender policies. Lenders must also comply with VA income and credit standards. If a lender is unwilling to make a loan to you, you should try other lenders.
To the second part: Yes, if both have equal entitlement and both will occupy the property for which you are using the loan. The VA will apply half of each veteran's respective entitlement (i.e., for a $90,000 loan, each veteran would use $45,000 of his or her entitlement). The answer is also yes if you, as a veteran, wish to have a non-veteran, who is not your spouse, join. However, the guaranty is based only on the veteran's portion of the loan and cannot cover the no-veteran's part of the loan.
If you have questions about your benefits as a veteran,
call Fred Ballard at the Veterans Affairs at 433-0049
or visit the VA Web site at www.va.gov/hawaii
or the Star-Bulletin at 529-4747.Gregg K. Kakesako, who covers military affairs for the Star-Bulletin,
can be reached by phone at 294-4075
or by e-mail at gkakesako@starbulletin.com.