Monthly Update: Nothing Significant to Report (Very quiet month)

DIC- Dependency and Indemnity Compensation

For a Survivor to be eligible for DIC the service member must have died while on active duty, active duty for training or inactive duty training, or died from a service-connected illness or injury.

The survivor qualifies if the Veteran was:

-Continuously rated totally disabled for a period of 10 years immediately preceding death.

-Continuously rated totally disabled from the date of military discharge and for at least five years immediately preceding death.

-A former POW who was continuously rated totally disabled for a period of at least one year immediately preceding death.

THE VETERAN’S DISCHARGE MUST HAVE BEEN UNDER CONDITIONS OTHER THAN DISHONORABLE.

What’s this mean to you? It means that these special benefits could apply for your spouse with a basic payment rate of $1,612.75 (this amount is dictated by your rank at the time of your discharge) … your spouse would really appreciate your gift of DIC in a difficult situation.

I’m sharing this with you tonight to make sure that you have all of your claims submitted and your disability ratings do not need attention.

Another new benefit is the VA is now offering Medallions for grave markers that can be affixed to a privately purchased headstone or marker.

If you know of a Veteran that has a civilian style headstone, please feel free to contact me at 507-828-8864 and we can submit a claim for a marker at no cost to the Veteran or family member.

Respectfully,

Yve Bowshier / VSO Post 19