At this time of the year, the
subject frequently comes up in regard to the veteran demographics, the
Department of Veterans Affairs, and federal funding, which begs questions
concerning relevance to and impacts to Carteret County. So that we are on
the same sheet of music and have a common frame of reference, the
following information is offered.
Our veterans:
Nationally there are 25.3 million veterans (data as of 9/30/01). More
than 3 of every 4 veterans served during a wartime period or an official
period of hostility. About one-fourth of the nation's population,
approximately 70 million individuals, are potentially eligible for VA
benefits and services because they are veterans, family members or
survivors of veterans.
In North Carolina, there are
approximately 772,000 veterans. The largest concentration of veterans is
in the geographic belt formed between Charlotte and Winston-Salem, where
approximately 242,000 veterans reside. In Carteret County, there are
approximately 9,700 veterans. About one-third of our county's population
is potentially eligible for veteran benefits. It's interesting to note
how many Carteret County veterans have been placed in harm's way to
support national security objectives (July 1, 2000 figures):
-
Persian Gulf…830
-
Vietnam…3,010
-
Korean Conflict…1,670
-
World War II…2,290
The VA—who they are:
This benefit/entitlement system finds its roots in the Continental
Congress of 1776 when those who were encouraged to enlist were guaranteed
pensions if they became disabled. Woven in the fabric of the VA's mission
statement are the words of Lincoln…to care for him who shall have bore the
battle and for his widow and his orphan. Since its inception the VA has
grown into an organization headed by a Cabinet level Secretary and second
in size only to the Department of Defense.
VA Funding:
FY2002 estimated spending is $50.6 billion—$21.7 billion for health care,
$26.9 billion for benefits, $2 billion for departmental administration.
President Bush proposed a $58 billion budget for FY2003 for the VA—$25.5
billion of it for medical programs which would give the VA the largest
increase in health care spending in its history, an 8.2% hike. A note, as
of this writing the FY2003 Budget has yet to be approved and the VA is
operating under a continuing resolution.
From the macro to the micro, North
Carolina's VA's FY2001 expenditures were $1.4 billion. VA expenditures in
Carteret County for FY2001, excluding health care, totaled $12,763,489,
broken down as follows:
-
compensation & pension…$11,733,618
-
readjustment & vocational rehabilitation…$443,117
-
insurance
& indemnities…$586,754
The statistics (veteran population and VA
expenditures) do not include veterans and VA expenditures in the western
part of the county (e.g. Cape Carteret) since they have an Onslow County
zip code. Nor do the statistics include the VA care and medications that
come into the county through the VA's Primary Care System—an educated
estimate being in the $4.8 million range annually for just medications
alone. That ballpark figure is based on 2000 veterans receiving VA
medical care and prescription drugs yearly and each have a nominal $200
monthly prescription bill if the medications were purchased on the local
economy.
State Scholarship Program for Children of
Certain War Veterans
The North Carolina Division of Veterans
Affairs wishes to remind high school seniors and other interested parties
of the ongoing State Scholarship Program for children of certain disabled,
deceased or POW/MIA veterans.
The scholarships may be used at schools
located in North Carolina which are state-owned institutions of higher
education, community colleges and technical institutions, or
privately-owned, nonprofit colleges and universities.
Scholarships, with one exception, provide
free tuition, certain fees, and a reasonable room and board allowance in
state-owned institutions and $4,500 per academic year in private
institutions. The exception being that awards under the 100%
service-connected disability provision provide free tuition and certain
fees in state-owned institutions and $1,500 per academic year in private
institutions. All awards are for four academic years in duration which
must be used within eight years from the date of award. Interested
persons are urged to contact the Carteret County Veterans Services Office
at (252) 728-8440 for more detailed information, advice and assistance
with an application.
VA Federal Benefit Information
Recently the Department of Veterans
Affairs started including with various correspondence a very comprehensive
2-page summary snapshot of VA benefits. If you would like a copy of this
handout or have other questions concerning VA entitlements/benefits, call
Carteret County Veterans Services at (252) 728-8440.
VA Announces 2003 Insurance Dividends
The VA in a recent press
release passed the word that it was in the process of distributing more
than $560 million in dividend checks to over 1.5 million World War II and
Korean War Era active policyholders of veteran's life insurance.
Over the next 12 months veterans will
receive payments on their policy's anniversary date with the dollar amount
of the dividend determined by the veteran's age, insurance type, and the
timeframe that the policy has been in force. No action has to be taken by
the policyholder to receive his/her dividend since they will be
automatically distributed.
A note, for holders of Servicemen's Group
Life Insurance or Veterans Group Life Insurance, programs initiated after
1957, these policies do not pay dividends. Only policies that have been
kept in force by premium payments are eligible for the dividend.
Periodically, inaccurate stories have surfaced suggesting that those
service members who have not maintained insurance are eligible for special
dividends if they just contact the VA. That is just not right. Dividends
are automatically sent to eligible active policyholders. For more
information about policies or dividends, call the VA Insurance Center at
toll free 1-800-669-8477 or call Carteret County Veterans Services at
(252) 728-8440.
