VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICE
Department of Human Services
Sarah Smith, Veterans Affairs Director
Ben Franklin Building, Suite 100
22 West High Street, Waynesburg, PA 15370
Phone: 724-852-5275 / Fax: 724-852-5307
Office Email: gcva
The mission of the Office of Veterans Affairs is to provide a network of assistance programs and services to Greene County veterans, their spouses and their dependents. These services include but are not limited to compensation and pension claims; healthcare applications (VA hospitals and Champ VA); DIC and pension claims; life insurance; funeral and burial benefit claims; education benefits; home loans; veterans license plates; emergency assistance; flags and holders for deceased veterans’ graves; and organizing Memorial Day and Veterans Day events across the county. Veterans Outreach Program:
A Veterans Affairs representative will be available at the Carmichaels VFW on the first and third Tuesdays of each month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The purpose of this program is to assist veterans and their dependents with their claims and questions and provide assistance to veterans living in the Carmichaels area. For more information, call the Veterans Affairs office. Quick List:
What benefits are available? Depending on when you served in the military your benefits may vary. There are several programs designed for the disabled veteran who served during a war time period, but did not have any service connected disabilities. These include monthly monetary benefits, hospitalization, and outpatient medical care.
I was not injured in the service; am I eligible for any benefits? Depending on when you served, you may be eligible for a non-service connected pension program for you and your family depending on need. You may also be eligible for medical care, GI home loan, etc.
Are there non-service connected pension payments for veterans of a wartime era? This program will depend on the veteran being totally disabled and also on the amount of income the veteran currently has.
Are there educational/school benefits for veterans and their dependents? If you paid into the educational program, you have 10 years from discharge to use your GI Bill benefits.
Are there any Life Insurance benefits? There may be, depending on how long you have been out of the service or if you now have a service connected disability. There are time limits on both programs.
Can I receive medical benefits although I only served for a short period of time in the service? Yes, if you served 24 months or more since Sept. 7, 1980, or if you were released from the service with a medical disability or for medical reasons. Prior to Sept. 7, 1980, you only had to have days in the service for treatment; however; all medical treatment is based on having other than dishonorable service.
Am I eligible for burial benefits? All veterans who have other than dishonorable service are eligible for burial in a National Cemetery, a grave marker (headstone) and a U.S. Flag for the next of kin.
How many times can I use my GI home loan? As long as your home loan was paid off, as many times as you need it.
Is there compensation for disability injuries incurred in the service? Assistance can be provided to assist you develop your claim for these injuries regardless of how long you have been out of the service.
Is there any assistance for having your discharge upgraded? Assistance can be provided to assist veterans in obtaining military records to support their claim for discharge upgrade and submission of same.
Do I have any benefits if I lost a son or daughter in the service? Depending on income, as a surviving parent, you may be eligible for compensation.
My father was in the service; do I have any benefits? Depending on whether the veteran incurred an injury or illness in the service could provide monthly payments for children under age 18 or under the age of 22 still in school.
Are there employment programs for veterans? Contact the Director of Veterans Affairs to assist with employment for veterans.
How do I get help filing a claim for Post-Traumatic Stress-related problems? Contact the Director of Veterans Affairs for assistance in developing a claim and obtaining treatment for same through the office.
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003:
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 instituted a program called Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC), which became effective with benefits payable June 1, 2003. Under the CRSC program, a new, tax-free, special compensation benefit was made available to the following military retirees:
Veterans rated at least 10 percent disabled due to a combat wound for which they received the Purple Heart; or
Veterans rated at least 60 percent disabled, and the disability was directly attributed to combat situations, combat-related training, hazardous duty or instrumentalities of war.
Details of CRSC payments:
CRSC payments will be in the amount of the VA disability compensation paid for whatever percentage of the member’s disability rating is due to combat-related disabilities, as determined by the parent service.
Retirees must apply to their parent service for CRSC payments.
There is no phase-in period for CRSC.
CRSC is not subject to taxation.
Individuals must apply for CRSC.
The Office of Veterans Affairs can help answer questions and complete the CRSC application.
Home Loan Guaranty Services:
The VA Loan Guaranty Service is the organization within the Veterans Benefits Administration charged with the responsibility of administering the home loan program. When a veteran wants to use the VA Loan program as part of his/her mortgage financing plan, he/she must first obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from the VA. The form is proof to the lender that the veteran does meet the service requirements to participate in the VA program. (It does NOT mean that the veteran is credit worthy or is financially qualified to receive a mortgage loan.)
Veterans should send their application for a Certificate (VA Form 26-1880) and a copy of their DD-214 to the following address:
VA Home Loan Eligibility Center PO Box 20729 Winston-Salem, NC 27120
For more information on VA Home Loans, please call 1-800-827-1000 or visit www.homeloans.va.gov.
Wartime or Peacetime Service Military service is classified either as wartime or peacetime service. This distinction is important because there are significant advantages specifically accruing only to veterans with wartime service. For example, only veterans with wartime service are eligible for non-service-connected disability pension benefits.
GulfLINK for assistance to Gulf War Veterans, Environmental Exposure,and Illnesses.
Established in August 1995 to provide on-line access to medical, operational, and intelligence documents from the 1990-1991 Gulf War. Its purpose was and is to provide Service members, veterans, and any interested person with information on what happened during that war that might have affected the health of those who served.
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For general information, please contact the Information Services at 724-852-5399 / Toll Free: 1-888-852-5399. County Office Building, 93 E. High Street, Waynesburg, PA 15370
