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Wharton County VSO Handout 1-8-2014: [posted on: 1-17-2014

The information below was handed out by Dwight Winkler at the January meeting of VVA Texas Chapter #1069 and is intended for all Veterans in the Wharton County area, including the members of VVA Chapter 1069. Most of the information below is a result of Dwight's own experience the past months from helping county veterans with their benefit needs and thus interfacing with the Veterans Administration (VA). You may call Dwight at his VSO Office (979-532-1311) if you have any questions about the information below or if you'd like to provide some additional helpful information on any of the topics below.

New Veterans Support Group:

Meets at the Gulf Coast Medical Center, Classroom B (behind the cateteria), every Thursday, 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM.

Recommended Websites:

http://www.eBenefits.va.gov - This website lists more than 47 benefits and services provided by the VA.

www.MyHealtheVet.va.gov - This website is excellent for you to keep track of your VA medical appointments, personal data, pharmacy needs, and just generally all VA medical exams, treatments, etc.

Local Taxes (Wharton County):

Texas Property Tax Exemption for disabled vets Texas Property Tax Code 11.22; 10%-<30% up to $5,000 exemption of assessed value; 30%-<50% up to $7,500; 50%->70% of assessed value. Also, disabled vet (10% or more) over 65 years old up to $12,000 of assessed value. Form 50-135 from www.texas property tax form 50-135 or come see me (Dwight Winkler). Apply at Wharton County Central Appraisal District (WCCAD) in Wharton and call 979-532-8931 before you apply to be sure to find out what to bring to the WCCAD.

License Plates & Placards for Disabled Vets:

Form VTR-214 from http://www.TXDOTformvtr-214 or come see me (Dwight Winkler). Go see Pat Kubala at the Wharton County Courthouse Annex. Be sure to call 979-532-3312 before you go to find out what to bring.

New Educational Benefits for Vets and Their Family Members:

Hazelwood Act transferability to a vets child under the age of 25, etc. (vet spouse not eligible for tranferability). Legacy Act-Veteran used Hazelwood in 1970 and can start new. Call Richard Hyde at 979-532-6346 at WCJC.

Loans for Veterans:

Home Loan - up to $417,000, 4.18% (as of 1/6/2014), 15-30 yrs., little or no money down;

Land Loan - one acre or more, up to $100,000 for a 30 yr. fixed rate of 6.75% (as of 1/6/2014), minimum 5% down;

Home Improvement Loan - $25,000 for a 20 yr or $10,000 for a 10 yr., 4.18% (as of 1/6/2014), no down payment.

Go to http://www.glo.texas.gov/vlb or come see me (Dwight Winkler).

Presidential Memorial Certificate:

Complete VA form 40-0247 http://www.va.gov/forms or come see me (Dwight Winkler). Copies are free and you can order as many as you want. Will need DD-214 for veterans.

Cold War Recognition Certificate:

Complete an Application for Cold War Recognition Certificate after determining eligibility (one day of service between 9/2/1945 and 12/26/1991). You can go to http://www.coldwarrecognition to get a certificate, or come see me (Dwight Winkler). Will need a DD-214.

Military Records:

My advice is for you to send off for all of your military records before the VA starts charging for records that are less than 62 yrs old (archival). Use SF 180 Request Pertaining to Military Records http://www.va.gov/forms or come see me (Dwight Winkler).

Medical Claim Filing Priority for VVA 1069 Members:

My suggestion - File for any medical issue that you may have! Related story below. Come see me (Dwight Winkler) for more detailed explaination.

Agent Orange Registry Exam Information:

An Agent Orange Registry Exam can be taken at the DeBakey VAMC (Veterans Administration Medical Center) located in Houston. First call 713-794-7091 to schedule an appointment at that facility. You will need to verify your address. MAKE SURE to schedule your appointment at the VAMC for 8:00 AM! This is required so that you will be done with your appointment by early afternoon, and then be able to catch a ride back to El Campo on the "Everyday Heroes" Veterans transportation van, which is homebased in El Campo.

To schedule for a ride on the "Everyday Heroes" Veternans transportation van (located in El Campo), call 979-578-8387 the day before your scheduled VAMC appointment. You may then meet the van at GCMC at 5:15 AM to catch a ride to the VAMC in Houston. CLICK HERE for more information regarding the "Everyday Heroes" van, homebased in El Campo.

Call or come see me (Dwight Winkler) if you need help scheduling for a VAMC appointment and scheduling a ride on the "Everyday Heroes" van. I myself have recently (January 2014) ridden the "Everyday Heroes" van into Houston to the VAMC and have taken my Agent Orange Registry Exam at the DeBakey VAMC facilty, so I have first-hand experience with the process. Also, I was very impressed with the DeBakey facility itself in Houston and with the personell that work there - it appears to be a top notch medical hospital and my overall experience was very good.

COLA Has No Round-down:

On November 26, 2013, President Obama has signed off on a 1.5 percent cost-of-living increase for VA compensation and pension benefits that, for the first time in years, ends a Department of Veterans Affairs practice of ROUNDING DOWN payments.

The Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act ties annual increases for veterans benefits to the same Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index used to adjust Social Security benefits. For the coming year, the measure would increase benefits in 2014 for almost 4 million veterans, dependents and survivors.

To find out what your Disablility Compensation increase for 2014 will be, call the VA at 1-800-827-1000, and then follow the phone prompts. I myself (Dwight Winkler) have performed this automated phone process and it worked very well for me.

VSO Privacy Statement:

I have a very simple privacy rule for those that come to visit me (Dwight Winkler) for any Veteran related issue or discussion - "What is said between you and me, stays between you an me!"

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