#Middlebury #Veterans
Purple Heart recipients will start receiving one additional benefit in April – priority processing for initial disability claims.
Department of Veteran Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie announced at a Senate subcommittee meeting that Purple Heart recipients will get priority processing when it comes to getting their disability benefits on claims received on or after April 1. This is in addition to existing medical benefits: No co-pays for medical care and priority treatment at VA hospitals, meaning the veteran will go into at least Group 3 when it comes to medical care.
Outside the medical arena, Purple Heart recipients don’t need to serve a certain length of time to get full education benefits. They’ll be able to shop on base and use the recreation areas starting next year. In some states, their children will be eligible for free tuition at in-state colleges. When it comes to work, Purple Heart recipients are given a 10-point preference in hiring for government jobs.
Under certain circumstances a Purple Heart veteran can receive extra money (over the standard disability benefits). Call to inquire at 1-800-321-1080.
These benefits have been earned, and there’s no big dispute about that. If you’re wounded in combat, you get a medal. But when it comes to going to the head of the line for initial claims … that’s where opinions are running hot. It’s possible to get a Purple Heart medal for a relatively minor combat wound that healed long ago, while some with much more serious non-combat injuries are still awaiting claims.
Some things to think about: If a serious injury happens in a non-combat area, does it deserve a Purple Heart? If a combat injury happens but it’s mild enough that the service member can be patched up and go back into combat, does it deserve a Purple Heart?
© 2019 King Features Synd. Inc.
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