#Middlebury #Veterans
Maybe you didn’t catch it on the news, but recently there was a Category 5 super typhoon in the Pacific Ocean that impacted the Northern Mariana Islands. FEMA declared it a disaster area, and the Department of Veterans Affairs just announced they were prioritizing the appeals claims from veterans who live there.
My thought was: Veterans? In the middle of the ocean? If you want to find the Marianas – aka Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands – on a map, they are just north of Guam in the Philippine Sea. I wondered: Who are they? How many veterans are there?
According to the past census, the 15 islands had 685 veterans, with many more women than men. Half of them had been born there and were in effect going home after their service. Nineteen percent had a service-connected disability rating, higher than stateside, and most had served in Vietnam or the Gulf.
Of the FEMA assistance applications approved after this latest typhoon, the total dollars approved was just over $700,000, nowhere near the millions and billions approved in other places.
The VA Pacific Islands Health Care System has loads of clinics, mental health services and telehealth, as well as primary care and visiting specialists. At last word, the health services were trying to keep going amid all the damage.
If you have a severe hardship while you’re waiting for your benefits appeal, you don’t have to wait for a typhoon. Bankruptcy, age 75 or older, serious illness and a number of other problems can qualify you to ask for your appeal to be advanced. Call your VA Regional Office or the main number (1-800-827-1000) and be sure to have your claim number handy.
© 2018 King Features Synd. Inc.
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