VETERAN’S NEWS From the Internet

Gathered by Bob Kinsler, SSG (ret), US Army, VFW Dept. of Oklahoma, Public Affairs Team Member

Financial Readiness: In anticipation of July’s “Month of the Military Consumer,” the DOD Office of Financial Readiness has released three informational videos explaining how to better plan for retirement. Each video is approximately four minutes long and provides an overview of the new blended retirement system, the Thrift Savings Plan and pointers on how to become more financially literate. Additionally, service members and their families are highly encouraged to meet with an accredited personal financial manager or financial counselor for free during the month of July at their local installation’s Military and Family Support Center or contact Military OneSource to schedule an appointment. Learn more at https://www.militaryconsumer.gov/ about taking charge of your finances.

You can view the videos at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg0MPnnOV4wVimcGH1i-T8Q. Or if you have a challenge getting there go down to your local VFW Post and ask to use their system to view these videos.

This is true for any service person, whether you are Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard or Air National Guard, Veteran or US Military Retiree. For those who are having challenges with financial problems like paying for:

Household expenses – mortgage, rent, repairs, insurance.  Vehicle expenses – payments, insurance, repairs (major repairs for vehicles over ten years old will not be considered).  Utilities.  Food and clothing.  Children’s clothing, diapers, formula, school or childcare expenses.  Medical bills, prescriptions & eyeglasses – the patient’s portion for necessary or emergency medical care only.

Head over to your local VFW Post to apply for an UNMET NEEDS grant or see if you can apply for one using their computerized system.

Be aware that this UNMET NEED grant cannot be used for:

Credit cards, military charge cards or retail store cards. — Cable, Internet, or secondary phones. — Cosmetic or investigational medical procedures & expenses. — Taxes – property or otherwise.  — Furniture, electronic equipment or vehicle rentals. Any other expenses not determined to be a basic life need.

Nor can be obtained if: The financial hardship cannot be caused by: — Civil, legal or domestic issues, misconduct, or any issues that are a result of spousal separation or divorce.  — Financial mismanagement by self or others, or due to bankruptcy.

Similar to the OKDVA Grant, the funds are paid to the to the creditor and not to the applicant. The applicant must provide the most current bills due. We will render payment for eligible current bills only.

1 Student Veteran

No one knows education benefits better than the VFW. After all, we played a major role in the passage of the 1944 GI Bill of Rights, the Montgomery GI Bill Act of 1984 and the recent Post-9/11 GI Bill. To help ensure student veterans receive their benefits in a timely manner and have a place to turn to if they need help, the VFW, in conjunction with the Student Veterans of America (SVA), have developed the 1 Student Veteran program.

1 Student Veteran offers direct assistance to student veterans who have questions or are experiencing problems accessing their VA benefits. Our direct access to VA Regional Offices across the country means we can work quickly to provide our student veterans with timely and accurate answers regarding the complex claims process. Furthermore, our direct access to education claims adjudicators means that those whose education benefits have been wrongfully denied delayed during a transfer from one school to another or paid in error, will not have to wait the months it would traditionally take to file a formal appeal.

Veterans who send a message to 1StudentVeteran@vfw.org will receive a timely reply from a VFW staff member who specializes in student veteran issues.

If you have already confirmed your benefit eligibility through the VA’s GI Bill Hotline, 888-GI BILL 1 (888-442-4551), and double-checked your enrollment verification with your school, take the next step and email 1StudentVeteran@vfw.org today.

Each Post, District and Department has a Service Officer within them. These are the people to contact regarding the information provided in this article. Or the State (Department) Service Officer, contact James Dockemeyer at (405) 706-8926 or email him at JDock13@cox.net for a list of the service officer at your local post or district (I am the District four Service Officer).

The VFW Department of Oklahoma has adopted through a Military Assistant Program of the VFW the entire Oklahoma National Guard and Air National Guard units to assist them with their family support and events as they National Guard and or Air National Guard units deem necessary. Events upcoming are:

2 yellow ribbons Events Two in Tulsa, July 15 and August 4, and T wo in OKC, August 5 and September 30.  Family day July 14 and Military Spouse 101 July 21.  Family day is Moore VFW Post and Souse 101 will be the VFW Post in Blanchard.  

There is a Military Assistance Program Grant that provide financial assistance to VFW Posts/Depts. and Auxiliaries who sponsor events with their local military community. These funds are meant to build relationships and provide information on VFW programs and services. To see this or apply for it, contact Jim Bassett at jimbassett1@cox.net, or (405) 664-3929.

 

By the way, if you want to complain, add your support, or have something you want added to this article contact me at 580-271-0897 or Email me at BobKinsler@aol.com. This is the veterans’ news and if you have something let me know, please.