Expanding Benefits

 

CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – As the Montgomery County Veterans Service Organization (MCVSO) works to address ongoing concerns from Veterans and their families, the organization reports there may be new disability benefits available for many of them following recent legislation.

The MCVSO helps Veterans apply for a variety of benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In Montgomery County, 14% of the population is made up of Veterans, and, according to MCVSO Director Anthony Kester, 55% of those claim disability benefits in Montgomery County. That percentage is double the state average of 27%.

Addressing Veteran concerns

At the City Council meeting on Thursday, council members heard an update on the efforts of the organization.

Kester explained that the top three concerns Veterans are faced with, according to the data, are healthcare, disability benefits and transportation. He said the organization has made progress in tackling those issues, most notably in healthcare.

“They will be opening in January a VA clinic in the actual Blanchfield Hospital. So now we will have a second clinic. We’ll have the Weatherly Clinic and then we’ll have the Fort Campbell VA clinic that we can get our Veterans to before we get a larger facility,” he said.

In addition to a second clinic, Kester reports that disability benefits for Veterans are up over previous years. He noted these funds have a direct impact on the local economy.

“$460 million came in last year in economic impact. So, that’s houses, cars, education (and) entertainment dollars. It benefits us all. We want to keep that money in Montgomery County and grow our Veterans and our businesses.”

He attributed that amount to the number of VSO officers working in Montgomery County.

The economic impact for Montgomery County was $315 million in 2017, and it has grown steadily over the past few years. According to Kester, by 2022, that amount should be over half a billion dollars.

To address transportation issues, the organization continues to offer phone appointments and remote services.

“All during COVID, we did phone appointments, so we did remote services. And we still have Veterans that are still reluctant to come out, whether it be just for health concerns or transportation issues,” Kester said. “We still extend that (remote services) to our Veterans.”

In 2021, the organization filed nearly 9,200 claims for Veterans.

PACT Act 2022

The PACT Act is a new law that expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances. This law helps provide generations of Veterans and their survivors with benefits, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The PACT Act:

  • Expands and extends eligibility for VA health care for Veterans with toxic exposures and Veterans of the Vietnam, Gulf War, and post-9/11 eras.
  • Adds more than 20 new presumptive conditions for burn pits and other toxic exposures during the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and other hostile locations.
  • Adds more presumptive-exposure locations for Agent Orange and radiation.
  • Requires VA to provide a toxic exposure screening to every Veteran enrolled in VA health care.

“It’s America’s promise to address the compensable toxin exposure, and it covers all eras,” Kester said. “We have some additional benefits for Vietnam Veterans for Agent Orange. One of the largest presumptive they’ve added is hypertension.”

He noted that the federal government has also added new areas for Veterans who served in Vietnam, the Gulf War, and other conflicts. In the instance of Vietnam era Veterans, men and women serving in Guam, American Samoa and Thailand, among other areas, are now eligible for certain benefits.

“Whether it be the Veteran or a surviving spouse, there is no statute of limitation. If that Agent Orange Vietnam Veteran died 30 years ago of a heart attack or a stroke, and had hypertension, we can now service connect that. The VA will send them a letter at their last known address saying, ‘We knew that you filed this claim. Please come back and ask for it again.'”

Kester explained that in some instances, families may have moved since that Veteran died, so they are working to reach out to families who may have been impacted by these factors.

To find details on the services offered by the Montgomery County VSO, visit the website or call 931-553-5173.

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