For Your Benefit
For and about Hawaii's military
See also: In The Military
Benefits checks to rise
for certain veteransQuestion: Will I be receiving a cost-of-living increase in my disability benefits check this year?
Answer: About 3.4 million veterans and family members will receive a 2.1 percent increase in their monthly VA benefits checks. The increase matches the rate hike for Social Security benefits. The increase goes to veterans getting disability compensation and wartime pensions, and to survivors of veterans who died from a service-connected condition or while receiving VA pensions. Recipients should see the increase in the benefits checks they get in January.
Q: I served in the Gulf War in 1991 and recently received a survey in the mail from VA with health questions. Is this a legitimate survey?
A: Yes. VA is contacting veterans from the first Gulf War as a follow-up to a 1995 study. Selected veterans are being asked about their general health, functional status, chronic medical conditions, unexplained illnesses, plus visits to doctors and hospitals. Participation is voluntary and all information is confidential. Not all Gulf War veterans will get the survey. Information from the survey will help VA's continuing research into the causes, treatments and long-term health effects from service in the Gulf.
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.