Vet er an s of For ei g n War s

Vet er an s of For ei g n War s of the united states From the desk of: Bob Wallace Adjutant General Dear Sample, The VFW firmly believes that a nation that creates veterans needs to be prepared to care for them when they get back. But with funding for veterans programs always in peril, our defenders often face an uphill battle. That s where the VFW comes in. In this issue, you ll read about Gabby Kubinyi, a Gold Star widow who honors her husband through her work as a VFW Service Officer. You ll also read a wonderful success story about how the VFW helped correct a costly home loan error for a veteran. We are only able to lead the charge for veterans rights and care for veterans in need because of dedicated members like you. We hope we can count on you to continue your outstanding support of the VFW National Veterans Service in 2017. FOR VETERANS, Bob Wallace, Adjutant General 406 West 34th Street Kansas City, MO 64111 57955LT1

AN UPDATE FOR NATIONAL VETERANS SERVICE SUPPORTERS H WINTER 2017 NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS Gabby Kubinyi with husband Jeffrey Ferren Gold Star Wife Dedicates Career to Helping Veterans The only way to get through something bad is to turn it around and create something good. I feel the best use of my time is in a career centered around helping people. Kubinyi s life was forever changed in the split second she lost her husband, Jeffrey Ferren, active duty Navy service member, when he passed away at the age of 31 from an undiagnosed heart condition. It s incredibly isolating to lose the person you re planning to spend your life with, Kubinyi said. You can t truly understand that pain unless you ve experienced it yourself. Ferren enlisted in the Navy at the age of 27, and was promoted to Petty Officer Second Class after working as an engineman. We had a plan for our life together, Kubinyi recalled, and that life ended when I lost him. I had to begin a second life. I never imagined I would have to do that. Kubinyi drew comfort from other widows and Gold Star families. Bolstered by this newfound support, Kubinyi enrolled in a semester-long program at American University in Continued on page 4 The VFW National Veterans Service works to ensure veterans receive every benefit available to them from their government. Our nationwide network of service officers was established to help veterans and their families file claims with the VA. This service is available at no charge and made possible through your donations. Over the past three years, the VFW has helped more than 255,000 veterans recover nearly $4.5 billion in compensation and pension. Visit www.vfw.org/nvs to find a service officer near you. What s Inside The VFW Saves Veteran Thousands on Home Loan... 2 VFW Priority Goals... 2 We Asked, You Answered... 3 From the Director... 4 H Thank You for Your Support We realize that much of our work would not be possible without your generous and dedicated support, and we would like to let you know how much we recognize and appreciate your continuing contributions. www.vfw.org

2 Home Sweet Home The VFW Saves Veteran Thousands on Home Loan Anyone who has purchased a home knows getting to closing day can be a long road. Retired Air Force Colonel Patrick Flood, Davidsonville, Md., was no exception. Veterans who receive VA guaranteed loans are charged funding fees. But those fees can be waived if the veteran purchasing the home has a VA service-connected disability and their claim is filed before the home is closed on. Patrick came to see me in May, said NVS Special Assistant George Burke. He was preparing to separate from the Air Force in September, but would be closing on his new home in June. He was excited and wanted to make sure he had everything lined up. Burke filed Flood s claim the very same day May 12, 2016 with a request for a memorandum rating for a home loan. From that point on, he had his work cut out for him as the claim experienced one complication after another. Several days after we filed it, the VA told us they couldn t process it because there were two veterans with Patrick Flood, USAF, Col., Ret. George Burke, NVS Special Assistant the social security number on Flood s claim, Burke explained. We had to send in separate documentation to correct the issue. Then the VA lost the original claim form Burke sent in May, and the Washington Office stamped the replacement claim with a July 2016 date a month after Flood s closing date. In October, the VA let Flood know that he Continued on page 4 The VFW Announces 2017 Priority Goals Your Advocacy Counts! Each year, the VFW National Legislative Service publishes the VFW Priority Goals to serve as a guide for VFW advocates when engaging with their elected representatives. This contains an important overview of the critical issues. According to Ray Kelley, Director, VFW Legislative Services, 2017 will bring new challenges. As we transition to a new administration, we are working hard to forge relationships that benefit veterans, military and their families. These relationships will be key as new policies are developed or modified. Kelley reports that his team will also be keeping a watchful eye on VA reforms already made to ensure no backsliding in programs and services occur. Veterans access and a fully funded VA continue to be critically important, Kelley says. Kelley encourages Americans who care about veterans issues to stay informed by signing up to receive the Action Corps Weekly at heroes.vfw.org/actioncorps. Read the complete VFW Priority Goals at vfw.org/advocacy/nationallegislative-service. Budget: Congress must fully fund VA and DOD programs and services. Work Force Development and Accountability: Congress and the VA must take measures to attract and maintain a quality workforce. Health Care: Congress and VA must ensure that veterans receive timely access to high quality, comprehensive and veteran-centric care at no added cost to veterans. Compensation and Benefits: Timely and accurate disability ratings are the gateway to compensation and other benefits. The government must ensure veterans and their Support Today s Veterans & Military Help us ensure an adequate VA system will be there for the millions of current and future veterans. When you visit your congressional representatives, please stress these are the issues we will be fighting for in the 115th Congress. These goals reflect the resolutions passed and supported by the men and women of the VFW and its Auxiliary.To find out who your congressional representatives are, visit the VFW website at www.vfw.org and click on the Advocacy Grassroots Efforts. dependents have access to these earned benefits. Education, Employment and Transition Assistance: Veterans must have an opportunity to obtain meaningful employment after leaving military service. Play a Role in the Process Ensure that these Priority Goals are enacted. Sign up today for the VFW s Action Corps Weekly e-newsletter at www.vfw.org/weekly. 2017 Priority Goals Defense/Homeland Security: Congress, DOD and Department of Homeland Security must fully support U.S. troops and their mission to fight the war on terrorism and protect our nation s citizens and interests around the world. Military Quality of Life: Congress and DOD must maintain a quality and comprehensive benefits and retirement package that is the backbone for an all-volunteer force. POW/MIA: Congress and DOD must make POW/MIA recovery a national priority. H

We Asked, You Answered In our last issue, we asked, If you are being treated by the VA for mental health conditions, are you satisfied with the quality of care you receive? Over 78% of those who responded were satisfied with the quality of their care, while about 22% expressed disappointment. Here s a look at responses: The best care I ve ever had above and beyond. I have a very good mental health psychiatrist. They did not address my problem. My condition has dramatically improved precisely because of VA health care, more specifically, my physician. Literally saved my life. I had to go to a civilian doctor to receive treatment. My counselor is retiring, and will not be replaced. I have asked for help, but have never heard back. Overall I m very satisfied. My biggest concern is that I might lose care because of budget cuts. I see my psychiatrist one time every 10 weeks. Not enough time. They have not only helped me with my mental health condition, but also helped me reduce the amount of potentially addicting medication I was taking. Thank you VA. Excellent breakthrough with my problems. I am very satisfied. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Please be sure to answer the question on the enclosed form. Visit www.vfw.org to learn more about the latest issues facing veterans. H The Japanese attack 75 years ago resulted in more than 3,500 dead or wounded, and while it was a day of immense tragedy, it would also become a day which showcased America s unbreakable spirit. The attack has come to stand as a testament to future generations that while our homeland may be attacked, our enemies will never defeat our republic or our way of life. Official VFW Statement on National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, 2016 3 A SIMPLE BUT MEANINGFUL WAY TO GIVE Consider including a gift to the VFW in your will. In doing so, you help fight for health care, jobs, education and justice FOR VETERANS. 3 WAYS TO GIVE 1. A specific amount gives a stated sum to the beneficiary you name. 2. Specific property gives a particular item, such as a home or stock holding to the beneficiary you name. 3. A residual gift gives a percentage of what remains in your estate after other bequests, debts and taxes have been paid. Your gift helps better the lives of all those who have served our country. Visit www.vfw.org/plannedgiving to learn more. H H H After 15 years of nonstop war, what these younger [veterans] bring to the table is the need for action, not talk, which is an energy we need to fully embrace and absorb. Historically, most new war specific organizations fade away once their wars end. That is what makes the VFW so unique, because we are built on the rocks of eternity, not the sands of time. VFW Commander-in-Chief Brian Duffy HAVE A QUESTION? WE CAN HELP. Planned Giving Office (816) 968-1119 plannedgiving@vfw.org

4 From the Director When you make financial contributions to the VFW National Veterans Service, you re making a tangible difference in our ability to serve America s veterans. While we have much to accomplish in the year ahead, I thought you would like to know about some of the specific initiatives your generosity helped make possible for our nation s defenders in the last couple years. Five new Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) offices have opened since December of 2014 to meet the growing needs of separating military members. BDD offices are located on military bases across the country, making it more convenient for separating personnel to file claims and manage other necessary paperwork that comes with transitioning back to civilian life. With new offices come increased staffing needs, and the BDD ranks have grown by nearly 25%. This translates to a more streamlined, accurate and efficient claims Jerry Manar, Director, National Veterans Service process for our newest veterans. Since October 2014, the amount recovered for separating service members has increased 54%. Your support helps the VFW National Veterans Service maintain 20 different BDD offices on military installations in 14 different states. The positive impact this has for men and women preparing to return to their civilian lives cannot be overstated. And the need continues to grow. BDD offices will be even more important in coming years, as an estimated 20,000 men and women are separating from the military each month. We refuse to compromise accuracy for speed and volume. So our next staff increase will include hiring more rating reviews staff to handle the reviews of the added cases. Thank you, as always, for helping to provide such meaningful assistance to our country s veterans. H Gold Star Wife continued from page 1 Washington, D.C., where she also completed an internship with the VFW. When she served as an intern in VFW Legislative Services, she brought a unique perspective on the needs of surviving spouses. Kubinyi spearheaded the VFW s effort to expand education benefits for survivors as part of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014. Kubinyi later took a position at the Fleet and Family Services Center at NSA Bethesda, working directly with service members to help them transition from active duty. That was how I found out about the opportunity with the VFW. I remembered I enjoyed my time as an intern, so I decided to give it a shot. Kubinyi now works as a Customer Support Claims Consultant. The bulk of her day is spent answering inquiries from veterans around the country and connecting them with VFW Service Officers in their region. She most enjoys giving veterans the tools they need so they can navigate the process and receive the benefits they re entitled to. Kubinyi said that oftentimes, simply providing resources to make veterans needs heard is the most important part of her job. Just having someone pick up the phone or refer them to the person they need can alleviate so much stress and anxiety, and that s what I want to do. When asked about the new direction she has chosen for her career and for her life, Kubinyi says it all comes back to her husband. It s all for him. I think of the way in which I hope he would have been treated, and try to treat the veterans I come in contact with the same way. H Home Sweet Home continued from page 2 was eligible for Loan Guaranty Benefits that would waive the funding fees associated with his loan. Unfortunately, it was too late. But Burke did a little digging and helped Flood correct the problem. He contacted the person who had made the decision and explained the whole situation to her. He offered to send a copy of the original claim from his own office with the May date. The VA corrected the effective date and Burke called Flood to tell him the news. He was elated to say the least, shared Burke. He told me the funding fee had been around $21,000, so getting that corrected ended up saving him a lot of money on his home. I m a lifetime VFW member, Flood said. I ve always viewed my membership as the way for me to honor and support other veterans, but I never imagined I would receive so much. George s committed efforts saved us enough money to replace our roof, which was badly in need of repair. You could say the VFW truly put a new roof over our heads! H www.vfw.org 57955BR1