The following link takes you to the Veterans Guide. Their mission is to assist veterans with the array of issues they may face, including obtaining proper disability compensation, financial assistance, information on the GI bill, and more. They have created some helpful guides and will continuously be adding more.
Veterans Guide – https://veteransguide.org/

Useful Info for Veterans

https://www.sokolovelaw.com/veterans-mesothelioma/

ATTENTION VETERANS
More than 65,000 surviving military spouses and dependents are unjustly required to forfeit up to $1,319 of earned benefits every month. The message the aptly termed “Widow’s Tax” sends to service members, veterans, and their families is that our government salutes their service while in uniform, but they cost too much if they die on active duty or from service-connected conditions.
For the first time ever, a provision to eliminate the Widow’s Tax has been included in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
WE NEED YOU! HELP US #FinishtheFight and correct this egregious wrong once and for all.
Take Action:
Contact your members of Congress and urge them to pass the FY2020 NDAA! Tell them that Congress has the opportunity to #FinishtheFight to #AxeWidowsTax and make military surviving spouses whole!
Click here to take action

BROWNLEY’S DEBORAH SAMPSON ACT PASSES HOUSE

On Wednesday, the VFW-supported H.R. 3224, Deborah Sampson Act, which would expand the availability of women’s health services at VA to include expanding and improving counseling and treatment services for women who have experienced sexual trauma and providing training on women veterans health care providers, was passed in the House. The Senate version, S. 514, still awaits consideration by the full Senate. The legislation takes a forward-looking focus by examining changes VA must implement to improve services for women veterans. Click here for more information: Brownley’s Deborah Sampson’s Act Passes House.

INFO FOR BLUE WATER VETERANS

VFW Urges Blue Water Veterans to Contact a Service Officer.  This class of veterans was unjustly and arbitrarily excluded from compensation benefits for nearly 20 years With the legislative and judicial battles seemingly over for the Vietnam War’s so-called “blue water” Navy veterans, the process for them to receive VA compensation is just beginning. VFW National Veterans Service Director Ryan Gallucci said that contacting a VFW Service Officer should be a common course of action for all blue water veterans affected by Agent Orange exposure. This would include those who have never filed a claim, as well as those who have filed that were granted compensation and stripped of their benefits.

“This class of veterans was unjustly and arbitrarily excluded from compensation benefits for nearly 20 years,” VFW National Veterans Service Deputy Director Michael Figlioli said. “We are pleased to see Congress and VA make them whole. VFW looks forward to assisting every one of them who seek our help, which is always free of charge and has no VFW membership requirement attached.”
In June, President Donald Trump signed the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 into law (P.L. 116-23). It restores VA benefits to Vietnam War blue water sailors (those who served aboard ships off the coast of Vietnam) who had their disability eligibility arbitrarily taken away by VA in 2002. Those veterans also could be eligible for retroactive benefits. The law, which goes into effect in January 2020, requires VA to contact veterans who filed a disability claim that originally was denied. “The VA told us that they are being proactive in reaching out to the veterans who were given benefits then stripped in 2002,” Gallucci said. “However, people will slip through the cracks. VA may not have identified everybody, so it’s important for veterans who believe that they are covered by the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act or the Procopio decision to reach out to a VFW service officer.” Also in June, the Department of Justice decided not to contest a federal case ruling that paved the way for VA to restore the availability of disability benefits to blue water Navy veterans. In the case of Procopio v. Wilkie, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C., ruled that Alfred Procopio Jr., a Life member of VFW Post 6587 in Spring Lake Park, Minn., is eligible for VA disability benefits. The Vietnam War Navy veteran claims his diabetes and prostate cancer diagnosis is linked to Agent Orange exposure off the Vietnamese coast while serving aboard the USS Intrepid in 1964-67.
The court’s decision also means that VA can no longer deny disability benefits to eligible blue water Navy veterans. To qualify for Agent Orange-related benefits, a veteran must have one or more of the conditions VA presumes to have been caused by exposure.
The 14 presumptive diseases on the list are:
Chronic B-cell Leukemia
Hodgkin’s Disease
Multiple Myeloma
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Prostate Cancer
Respiratory Cancers
Soft Tissue Sarcomas
AL Amyloidosis
Chloracne
Diabetes Mellitus Type
Ischemic Heart Disease
Parkinson’s Disease
Early onset Peripheral Neuropathy
Porphyria Cutanea Tarda
For help with a disability claim, find a VFW service officer at vfw.org/NVS.

‘This is a true testament to the dedication and service our VFW Service Officers have for every veteran’ November 05, 2019. 

WASHINGTON – Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Service Officers recovered more than $9 billion in benefits for veterans for the first time this past fiscal year. VFW service officers were responsible for the recovery of a total of $9,059,726,902 for veterans, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).“This is a true testament to the dedication and service our VFW service officers have for every veteran he or she comes in contact with,” said VFW National Commander William “Doc” Schmitz. “Our veterans deserve nothing but the absolute-best customer service experience that our organization has proven to deliver day-in and day-out.”
This year, as part of the VFW’s Century of Service, leaders issued a challenge to its Department service officers nationwide to assist as many veterans possible who required help in filing benefits and compensation claims with the VA. “The VFW’s global network of professional veterans’ advocates should be incredibly proud to have reached this milestone in our 100th year of helping veterans,” said Ryan Gallucci, director of VFW National Veterans Service. “This demonstrates the hard work of our advocates who meet face-to-face with veterans every day. The founders of our humble benefits assistance program would be proud of the legacy that the VFW has built, proving that ‘No One Does More For Veterans.’”
VFW Service Officers are trained experts, helping veterans develop their case with ease by reviewing and applying current law, pertinent legislation, regulations, pension and death benefits, and employment and training programs. Service officers are also prepared to present oral arguments on behalf of veterans when needed. Schmitz explained that veterans who come to the VFW for help in filing claims receive nothing short of positive results.
“Veterans rely heavily on our expertise in assisting them in receiving the benefits and compensation they have earned and our professionals continue to answer that call with dynamic results,” said Schmitz. “Our outstanding service officers are amazing stewards and dedicated professionals who pride themselves on serving every veteran who needs help in the claim process and will not stop until every veteran’s individual need is met.”
If you are a veteran who seeks help in filing a claim, visit the VFW website and click on the Assistance tab. The VA Claims and Separation Benefits section will help you find a service officer in your area.

Flu Shots for Veterans

VA, Partners Offer Flu Shot: Veterans enrolled in VA and in need of a flu shot can receive it for free at their nearest VA health care facility or at their local Walgreens. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, VA, and doctors suggest all individuals get their flu shot during the fall. This is particularly true for individuals over the age of 65, pregnant women, caregivers of infants or family members with health problems, health care employees, and people with heart problems and other chronic illnesses or conditions. Learn more about the flu shot or locate your nearest Walgreens.

Info for Veterans transitioning
to the Workforce

Ideas for veterans transitioning to the civilian workplace
by JOHN HENRY WEISS:
The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that in 2018 about 8% of the population age 18 and over—19.2 million men and women—were veterans. Women and men who leave military service after active duty face a life-altering challenge: transitioning to the civilian workplace. It involves more than writing and sending out a dynamite résumé. It’s a process that begins with finding where good job opportunities might be available and showing prospective employers what unique skills and attributes you as a veteran offer.
The good news is that job options are plentiful. They range from work in a large, military-friendly company such as FedEx, which employs 425,000 workers, to opportunities with a small company employing fewer than a hundred workers. You can consider starting a business as a single proprietor or purchasing a franchise. In addition, jobs are available in local, state or federal governments.
How do you find the right match? It all centers on the transferable skills you learned in the military, along with your aptitude, interests, abilities, financial status, family obligations and education.
As you proceed along your job path, know that several excellent resources are available specifically for veterans. Here’s a look at three key job sectors.
Large companies
Many major corporations value what veterans bring to the table. Some resources for getting started in the corporate world include:
• G.I. Jobs: gijobs.com.
• Military.com: military.com.
Self-employment
Online resources for those in go-it-alone mode include:
• Vetfran, vetfran.com.
• U.S. Small Business Administration, sba.gov.
• Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-WISE)
vwise.vet.syr.edu.

Many civil service jobs are a perfect fit for veterans. Resources for finding government job opportunities, including guidelines for submitting résumés and completing job applications, include:
• Feds Hire Vets: fedshirevets.gov.
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: va.gov/jobs.
• Federal Government Jobs: federal jobs.net.
• The Book of US Government Jobs, by Dennis V. Damp (Bookhaven Press, 2011; not available at Costco).
The job market has never been better for veterans transitioning to civilian careers. Employers in all sectors know that vets’ military training and transferable skills will serve them well.
Tips for vets
Transitioning requires more than sending résumés to multiple job boards. It’s an operation that includes:
• Speaking and writing— including cover letters, résumés and follow-up letters—in civilian language that is free from military jargon and acronyms.
• Practicing interview techniques.
• Attending trade shows and job fairs to meet hiring managers personally.
• Evaluating and negotiating a job offer.
• Updating technology skills.—JHW

Local VA Services available

VETERANS REGISTRY
Pennsylvania Department of Veterans Affairs

Don’t miss out on valuable Veterans benefits that you may have earned!

www.register.dmva.pa.gov

We encourage Veterans, family members and people who work with Veterans to visit our online PA VETERANS REGISTRY to request information related to state benefits, programs and services offered by DMVA.  Registrants can also opt-in to receive timely, informative communications such as program updates, Veteran-related new items, employment opportunities, Veterans events and much more. 

Other resources that may be helpful:

DMVA Office of Veterans Affairs 1-800-547-2838
www.veterans.pa.gov

State Veterans Nursing Homes 717-861-8906

Make an Online Donation to Benefit Pennsylvania
Veterans:   www.donate dmva.pa.gov

Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255 Press 1

Homeless Veterans: 1-877-4AID-VET

Here are links to other Veteran Services:

USA.gov

POW/MIA

U.S. Air Force

U.S. Army

U.S. Marines

U.S. Navy

U.S. Coast Guard

Disabled Veterans

Veterans Affairs

Military One Source

Mesothelioma Group

Employment Opportunities

https://ettersvfw.com/vfwhome/employment-opportunities/

All military branches used asbestos during the 20th century, including the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines and Navy. Roughly 1/3 of mesothelioma diagnoses in the United States are attributed to veterans.

Our mission is to be the leading online resource for victims suffering from asbestos-related diseases. Would you help us raise awareness about the dangers of asbestos by adding our website as a resource?

Contact: Robert Maloney – Justice Advocate

Click here for Asbestos.net/mesothelioma/

1330 Boylston Street, Suite 400
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
(855) 722-2974