1. Veterans of Foreign Wars Women’s Forum Benefits Assistance Service
Ms. Pamela Liverman
Benefits Assistance Service
August 24, 2010

2. Agenda Topics Benefits Assistance Service Overview of Women Benefits
Women Veterans
Benefits Usage by Women Veterans
Compensation and Pension
Pre-discharge Claims
Women Veterans Coordinator
Benefits Unique to Women Veterans
Military Sexual Trauma
Overview of Program Updates
Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment
Education
eBenefits
Veterans of Foreign Wars

3. Benefits Assistance Service (BAS)
BAS is VBA’s newest line of business and it works to transform outreach and public contact activities through a client-centered approach by
Ensuring that VBA provides timely, accurate, and pertinent information and benefit assistance to Veterans, servicemembers, survivors, and dependents
Establishing policy and procedures for client-centered outreach, direct services, social media, marketing, and web-content tools.
Ensuring that VBA uses all avenues to reach its clients and general public regarding benefits and services.
Websites
Facebook
Twitter
Veterans of Foreign Wars

4. Overview of Women Benefits
Women Veterans
There are 1.8 million Women Veterans, representing 8 percent of the U.S. Veteran population
Over 250,000 Women Veterans are receiving compensation or pension benefits
Approximately 15 percent of all awards of service connection since 2002 have been to Women
Veterans of Foreign Wars

5. Overview of Women Benefits cont’d
Benefits Usage by Women Veterans
Compensation benefits: 243,484
Pension benefits: 11,683
Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment benefits: 21,000
Loan Guaranty benefits: 37,289 with $2.7 billion in loans
Insurance
SGLI/TSGLI (Female Service member’s covered) – 450,634
FSGLI (Male Service members’ w/female spousal coverage) – 931,454
FSGLI (Female Service members’ w/male spousal coverage) – 172,546
VGLI (Female Veterans covered) 57,964
Veterans of Foreign Wars

6. Overview of Women Benefits cont’d
Compensation and Pension
Disability resulting from injury or disease incurred in or aggravated by active service
Disability may be rated from 0% to 100%, Payments made for 10% to 100%.
Special Monthly Compensation (such as aid & attendance, loss of limb, eyesight)
Payments are tax-free
Veterans of Foreign Wars

7. Overview of Women Benefits cont’d
Pre-discharge Claims
Women Servicemembers can submit claims for service connection prior to their discharge from active duty
Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD)
Between days of separation from active duty
Requires completion of VA examination
Includes National Guard and Reservists
MEB/PEB where DES Pilot not available
Quick Start
Less than 60 days remaining on active duty
BDD and Quick Start are available at all locations where VA excepts claims
Veterans of Foreign Wars

8. Overview of Women Benefits cont’d
Women Veterans Coordinator (WVC)
Every VA Regional Office has designated a Women Veterans Coordinator (WVC) to provide outreach and claims assistance to Women Veterans
WVCs collaborate with the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office (SAPRO) to obtain documentation for claims based on military sexual trauma (MST)
Acts as a point of contact for VA and other service providers for Women Veterans with special needs. Women Veterans who have experienced sexual trauma while on active duty should be referred to the RO WVC.
Veterans of Foreign Wars

9. Overview of Women Benefits cont’d
Benefits Unique to Women Veterans
Unique disability compensation evaluation criteria for Women Veterans are provided in the VA Schedule of Rating Disabilities
Benefits are provided to the children of Women Veterans who served in Vietnam for disabilities due to covered herbicide-related birth defects
Special monthly compensation is paid to Women Veterans who suffer a service-connected loss of 25 percent or more of breast tissue from mastectomy or radiation treatment
Special monthly compensation is also paid for service-connected loss, or loss of use, of a creative organ
Veterans of Foreign Wars

10. Overview of Women Benefits cont’d
Military Sexual Trauma
VBA provides compensation payments for service-connected disabilities that are related to MST
VA provides counseling and appropriate care and services to overcome trauma due to MST
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11. Overview of Program Updates
Compensation and Pension
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) regulation
Agent Orange presumptive listing—in process
Persian Gulf War presumptive listing—in process
Veterans of Foreign Wars

12. Overview of Program Updates
Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment
Special training for counselors on diverse needs
Array of services available, including:
employment services,
independent living assistance,
vocational and adjustment counseling,
adaptive equipment and
limited childcare
Outreach efforts:
Coming Home to Work (CWTW) program
VetSuccess on Campus pilot
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13. Overview of Program Updates
Education
Post 9/11 GI Bill Fall enrollment status
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH)
Yellow Ribbon Program
Fry Scholarship
Veterans of Foreign Wars

14. Overview of Program Updates
eBenefits
“One-stop shop” benefits-related online tool for Wounded Warriors, Veterans, Service members, families of Service Members, and others who care for them
Creates a personalized workspace giving quick access to online tools:
Apply for benefits
Check status of claim
See payment history
Request and obtain (e.g., DD 214, Certificate of Eligibility, etc)
Upcoming features:
Integrate with Tricare on-line and My HealtheVet
Update personal information (e.g., address & EFT)
Veterans of Foreign Wars

15. Enhance Advocacy
Increase presence at every communication forum (VSO’s conventions, Women Advisory Council, etc)
Unique Pamphlet for Women Veterans
Revamping the Transition Assistance Program
Enhance collaboration efforts with Federal and state agencies (DoD, SSA, DoL, etc.)
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16. Enhance Advocacy cont’d
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17. Enhance Advocacy cont’d
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18. Questions?
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