VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION An Overview of VA Benefits For: Transition Assistance Advisors Orientation April 23, 2012

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 1 Training Objectives Summarize common VA benefits and how to get assistance obtaining and applying for those benefits Discuss VA compensation and pension Provide general information about education benefits Describe the VA’s loan guaranty program Communicate to recovering Service members and families the basic facts on Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment and how to apply for the program Understand the different types of VA Insurance

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 2 BAS Mission and Vision BAS Mission The Mission of the Benefits Assistance Service is to serve as advocates for Veterans, Service members, eligible beneficiaries and other stakeholders, to ensure they are knowledgeable and informed about accessing and receiving VA benefits and services. BAS Vision Our Vision for the Benefits Assistance Service is to be the premier organization for our clients; to proactively provide information and knowledge about VA benefits and services, in a positive 21st century experience that is consistent, concise and relevant.

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 3 eBenefits The eBenefits portal ( is a “one- stop shop” for access to military documents and benefits information (e.g., DD-214, checking the status of disability claims, payment history, & obtaining a home loan Certificate of Eligibility, etc.).

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 4 Benefits In-Service VA Benefits – Home Loan Guaranty – Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance – Traumatic Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance – Education Services – Automobile Allowance – Special Adaptive Housing Grant Services Available 180 Day Prior to Separation – Pre-discharge Services – Vocational and Educational Counseling

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 5 Regional Offices San Juan Anchorage Honolulu Seattle Portland Togus Buffalo White River Jct. Manchester Boston Providence Hartford Roanoke Winston Salem St. Petersburg Wilmington New York Philadelphia Newark Baltimore Reno Salt Lake City Albuquerque Phoenix Denver Boise Ft. Harrison Cheyenne Sioux Falls Fargo Lincoln Columbia St. Paul WACO Muskogee Wichita Milwaukee Detroit Houston New Orleans Jackson Little Rock St. Louis Des Moines San Diego Nashville Atlanta Montgomery Indianapolis Chicago Louisville Pittsburgh Oakland Cleveland Los Angeles Huntington DC Eastern Area Southern Area Central Area Western Area

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 6 Disability Compensation Compensation is paid for a disability resulting from disease or injury incurred or aggravated while on active service. The disability does not have to be combat or wartime related. Examples: – Torn knee ligament – Hearing loss – Back condition – Post traumatic stress (including the result of sexual trauma) – Traumatic brain injury – Skin condition (psoriasis, eczema, scars) Special Monthly Compensation (such as aid & attendance, loss of limb, eyesight). Payments are tax free.

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 7 Pre Discharge Claims Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) – Service Department determines fitness – VA determines rating percentage – Not an “optional” process Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) – Have days remaining in service – Submit a copy of service treatment records (STRs) or health treatment records – Be available at point of separation to undergo VA exam(s) Quick Start – The Quick Start program serves Servicemembers who do not qualify for BDD because they: Have less than 60 days before separation/retirement And/Or Are not available for VA examinations at the point of separation

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 8 Automobile Allowance Financial Assistance in the purchase of one automobile or other conveyance to provide necessary adaptive driving equipment Basic entitlement: –Member of the Armed Forces serving on active duty, or –Veteran who is entitled to compensation for a disability such as: Loss of use of one or both feet Loss of use of one or both hands Permanent impairment of vision of both eyes Ankylosis of one or both knees or one or both hips (adaptive equipment eligibility only) As of October 1, 2011, Veterans with severe burn injuries are also eligible for the benefit, and the maximum grant amount has increased to $18,900.

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 9 Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) DIC is a monthly benefit paid to eligible survivors of a Payments are tax free – military Servicemember who died while on active duty, active duty for training, inactive duty training – Veteran whose death resulted from a service-related injury or disease – may also be awarded for non service-related injury or disease resulting in death under certain circumstances Payments are tax free

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 10 Home Loan Guaranty VA guaranty usually means no downpayment required of Servicemember or Veteran Servicemember or Veteran must qualify for loan with sufficient income and satisfactory credit Limitations on closing costs The right to prepay without penalty Negotiated interest rates Individuals having problems making payments may call for assistance Funding Fee – Law requires funding fee to be paid on VA loans – Fee ranges from.5% to 3.3%, depending on loan type and if first-time or second-time user – Fee can be included in the loan – Fee is waived for Veterans entitled to VA disability compensation and certain surviving spouses

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 11 Specially Adapted Housing $63,780 Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant – Provides wheelchair-accessible home for severely disabled Servicemembers and Veterans – May be used up to three times, not to exceed maximum $12,756 Special Home Adaptations (SHA) grant – For Veterans or Servicemembers who are blind or have loss (or loss of use) of both hands – May be used up to three times, not to exceed maximum Temporary Residence Assistance (TRA) grant – For Veterans or Servicemembers temporarily residing in a family-member- owned home – SAH-eligible Veterans - up to $14,000 – SHA-eligible Veterans - up to $2,000  Includes Veterans and Servicemembers with permanent and total service- connected disabilities resulting from severe burn injuries

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 12 Life Insurance Programs Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI) Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance (S-DVI) Veterans Mortgage Life Insurance (VMLI) Traumatic Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (T-SGLI)

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 13 Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) $400,000 maximum coverage Free coverage for 120 days after Servicemember’s separation from service Convertible to Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI) or commercial policy after separation from service (can split coverage) Insures active duty members, Ready Reservists, cadets at service academies, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and Public Health Service (PHS) SGLI Disability Extension Member must request the extended coverage Member must be totally disabled at time of separation from service Coverage may be extended for up to two (2) years post-separation at no cost to the member Member automatically converted to VGLI after end of the disability extension period

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 14 Traumatic Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (TSGLI) Rapid financial assistance payable to members who suffer a qualifying loss due to traumatic injury Benefit of $25K—$100K depending on injury Automatic for members with SGLI coverage Traumatic injury need not be combat related Traumatic injury must occur prior to separation from service Qualifying loss must occur within two years of date of traumatic injury TSGLI coverage ends at separation from service TSGLI How to Apply Claim form available at VA Insurance web site Three-part certification process: – Member provides basic claim information – Medical professional provides medical data – Branch of service must certify eligibility Currently no time limit to file a claim Denials can be appealed to the branch of service or contested in federal court

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 15 Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E) VA’s Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program (VR&E) helps active duty Servicemembers and Veterans who have service-connected disabilities become suitably employed, maintain employment, or achieve independence in daily living Achieve and maintain suitable employment – Evaluation of the Veteran’s abilities, skills, interests, and needs – Vocational counseling and planning – On-the-job and non-paid work experience education or training such as certificate, two or four-year programs Independent Living – Training in activities of daily living – Technological assistance – Personal adjustment counseling Vocational Educational Counseling – Assistance in establishing employment and educational goals when transitioning from military service – Vocational testing and vocational counseling services are provided

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 16 Education VA Education Programs – Post 9/11 GI Bill- (Chapter 33) – Montgomery GI Bill – Active Duty (Chapter 30) – Montgomery GI Bill – Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606) – Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) (Chapter 1607) – Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) (Chapter 35)

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 17 Post 9/11 GI Bill Eligibility: At least 90 days of aggregate service after September 10, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service- connected disability after 30 days. An Honorable discharge is required to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Benefit: – Up to 36 months of benefits; payable for approved training on or after August 1, 2009 – Determined by the length of active duty service (40% up to 100% per length of active duty service) – Expires 15 years after last period of active duty service of at least 90 days – Usable for any program at an institution of higher learning (IHL) approved for MGIB-AD Effective October 1, 2011, usable for NCD, OJT, flight programs, and correspondence training Tuition and Fees – Active Duty and Veterans: Full tuition and fees (based on length of active duty service) for public, in- state students Private and foreign schools cap at $17,500 academic year Exception: Active Duty are not eligible to participate in the Yellow Ribbon program – Paid directly to the school on student’s behalf Monthly Housing Allowance, Books and Supplies Stipend, Yellow Ribbon Program NOTE: Individuals transferring to the Post-9/11 GI Bill from the Montgomery GI Bill (chapter 30) will be limited to the amount of remaining chapter 30 entitlement.

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 18 Post 9/11 GI Bill Service Requirements (after 9/10/01 an individual must serve an aggregate of) Payment Tiers Percentage At least 36 months100% At least 30 continuous days on active duty (Must be discharged due to service-connected disability) 100% At least 30 months, but less than 36 months90% 24 months, but less than 30 months80% *At least 18 months, but less than 24 months70% *At least 12 months, but less than 18 months60% *At least 06 months, but less than 12 months50% *At least 90 days, but less than 6 months40% *Excludes time in Basic Military Training and/or Skill Training

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 19 Resources VA on the Internet eBenefits VA Home Page Returning Servicemembers VA on Facebook VA on Twitter VA by Phone Benefits information (800) Education Benefits (888) Health Care Eligibility (877) SGLI/VGLI (800) VA Life Insurance (800)

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 20 Contact Megan Warren Program Analyst, Military Outreach Benefits Assistance Serivce (27) Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington DC