According to the
Department of Veterans Affairs, during calendar year 2001 in North
Carolina over 114,400 homes were purchased through VA home loan
guaranties. With mortgage rates hovering around 40-year lows, veterans,
active duty service members, reservists and unmarried surviving spouses (DIC
recipients) may want to consider using or at least looking into the VA
Home Loan Guaranty Program. It is a great deal because in most
situations, a down payment is not required nor is mortgage insurance
(insurance paid by a borrower to protect the lender in the event of loan
default). In essence, what the VA does, is guarantee part of the total
home loan, permitting the purchaser to obtain a mortgage with a
competitive interest rate without a down payment if the lender agrees.
With this VA guaranty a lender is protected against loss up to the amount
of the guaranty if the borrower is unable to repay the loan. While this
VA home loan guaranty can be utilized to buy/build a home it can also be
used to buy a residential condominium, repair, alter or improve a home,
refinance an existing home loan, buy a manufactured home, with or without
a lot. The list of options goes on.
For more
information on this important benefit, call the VA Regional Eligibility
Center toll free at 1-888-244-6711 or contact Carteret County Veterans
Services at (252) 728-8440.
Patriot Day
September 11, 2002
On December 18,
2001, the President signed Public Law 107-89 which designated September 11th
as Patriot Day, a day to honor those individuals who lost their lives as a
result of the terrorist attacks against the United States which occurred
on September 11, 2001.
While not issued,
we can expect the President to issue a formal proclamation just prior to
September 11th, calling upon state and local governments and
our citizens to:
Events and programs are being
planned throughout the county and the specifics concerning times and
locations will be promulgated by the media.
VA Medical
Centers Score High on Quality Surveys
In one of the
nation's health care industry's top measures of quality, VA Medical
Centers scored slightly higher than their non-VA counterparts. According
to VA Secretary A. J. Principi, "These scores confirm what many veterans
already know—VA provides some of the best health care in the nation"; and,
"They also confirm that VA provides top-notch medical research and superb
training to health-care professionals".
If you would like
to learn more about the VA health care system, eligibility, and enroll, a
local resource is the Carteret County Veterans Services Office at (252)
728-8440.
25 Most
Asked Questions from Women Veterans
The most frequently
asked questions from women veterans , along with the answers, can be found
on a special VA website for women veterans. The website, www.va.gov/womenvet,
offers women veterans direct access to the Center for Women Veterans.
Topics on the site include information about gender specific services,
e.g. health care, employment options for women, evaluations for nursing
home care, to name a few.
Selective
Service System
In the last year
the point was dramatically and tragically brought home again about what a
dangerous world it is and that there are still evil and fanatical forces
out there who challenge our way of life and threaten our existence. In
these types of discussions the question of a call to arms often comes up
and, in turn, is Selective Service Registration still a federal statutory
requirement or did it go the way of the Draft. The Selective Service
System is alive and well, after being suspended for the period from April
1975 to 1980. The bottom line is, it's a federal law that all men ages 18
through 25 must register with the Selective Service System. Registering
is not tied or directly linked with enlisting in the military or signing
up for the all-volunteer force. The system does though, ensure that a
back-up system exists to provide manpower in case of a national emergency
which requires the rapid expansion of the Armed Forces.
For those who need
to apply, application forms can be obtained at one's U.S. Post Office or
one can register online at the Selective Service website at www.sss.gov.
Student
Guide
With the costs of a
college degree on the rise, finding the funds to cover associated costs is
surely a challenge. One superb reference document is "The Student Guide
2002-2003" which includes information on loans, grants, campus-based
financial aid and much more. The guide is published annually. To obtain
a free copy call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at
1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).
