From Benefits To Business

Now that I have submitted all the forms needed to make a decision about my status as a veteran, I will start preparing the paper work to get a business up and running. But first I need to review the things that should be completed now. Yes I have copies of all the papers from the military put away in a safe place for future reference. I am continuing the process of applying for all the medals, ribbons and badges that I am qualified to wear. The only one I do not have a source for is the RKPUC (Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation), so I need to talk with the VA to determine if they will issue it along with the others. If not, I can order them here for $25. – $35, depending on what I order and how it’s shipped. Before I pay for it, I will find out who is tasked with distributing it. I have farther complications because my records are destroyed by fire and I have to locate someone that can act as a witness to my aches and pains in the military.  Once I locate someone I can file a DD Form 149 —Application For Correction Of Military Records

Just think back to the last election, between President Bush and Senator Kerry the big-to-do over time in the military and medals and ribbons. For me, the good part is people came out of the wood-works to declare Senator Kerry earned them, while others said he didn’t. I have no plan to run for President, but would like to leave my records intact for my Grandchildren. In case one of my granddaughters runs for president and state “My Grandfather and my uncle served in the Airborne in the Korean War I want her to have the records to prove it.

In a few weeks I will know if I qualify for fast track designation and will start identifying the other vets that can qualify if I have to file an appeal. The reason to start a business with others is because they will bring skills, education and experience to the table. And I will need people with all those assets, but I also need a veteran that has a disability or I must locate in a (HUB) Historically Underutilized Business Zone. My question is, can I accomplish that without locating in a brick and mortal store? Before I complete my business plan I want ot comsider all the combinations, joint ventures, contractual agreement, mijority ownership, Women ownership and others that will give me a level playing field to expand my business or get my company up and operating with help and support  from those departments tasked with that responsible. I am starting by getting a clear understand about these programs. Once I understand which one or combination will be to my advantage as a businessman I will setup my company with these people in my plans.

Compensation and Pension

After I completed and mailed in Form 21-526 applying for pension and compensation the VA responded with a letter (dated 07/11/2007) instructing me to come in for an eye examination at the Louis Stokes Brecksville VA Medical Center. Since it’s located on the West side of the city of Cleveland OH and I live East of the city I had two options, I could drive to Brecksville or I could drive to the Medical Center on the Eastside and use the bus service to get to my appointment. For a 9:am appointment I opted to drive, leave at 7:15 and avoid the morning traffic. Without any backup in the traffic I arrived early and enjoyed a good walk for thirty minutes and made sure I was at the right building. With time to spare, I took my time reporting, thinking I would be first and would walk in, report my present and await the Doctor visit. Someone told me the Eye Clinic is on the second floor, then he said “come I will show you” we took the elevator to the second floor and he pointed down the hall toward the clinic. The lady at the clinic looked at my ID and said “you have to go over to Comp (Compensation and Pension) and get your records bring them back here for your exam I will tell the Doctor you are here. Just go down stairs out the door over to Building # two. On the elevator another vet said he was going over and would show me the Comp office. The lady at Comp asked for my ID and last-four, meaning my Social Security, she gave me a green bag, looked like a lady’s bag, with a metal bar across the top and halfway down each end, with a lock at top center and a place for a key to open it. The size would hold a letter size page with room to spare. As I took the bag she said “take this over and give it to them, they will keep it but when you are finish come back here for a little mileage. Once I completed the exam I returned to Comp; picked up a slip took it to an office, after entering some information in the computer they paid me $6.83 cash. A lot of running around and a lot of people to see: that is a good thing about VA Medical Centers someone is always willing to show you the location even if they hear you asking someone and that person don’t have the answer, they will give you the directions without you asking them. This was my third VA Medical Center, in three cities, in two states. And they are very large buildings so the aid they provide in getting you to your appointment can be classified as yeoman service.

On my way to the Medical Center, on the car radio, they started interviewing Senator George Voinovich (Ohio Senator) about the problems the veterans are having applying for and receiving their benefits, especially completing the forms they are require to fill-out and mail to the VA. The Senator seems to think, the form should be changed because some of the questions are hard to answer. I will be sending some recommended changes to the VA in case they are looking for changes to some of the forms. On the return trip I heard the news about the VA Secretary James Nicholson resigning to go back to a civilian job. It could be positive if the veterans will enjoy more concern and better care and benefits.

I will not learn the outcome from this visit until all examinations are completed then they will send me a full report. In the veteran’s Blog I am reporting some things the vet can do to make the work easier: this is what may help!

Reason for this Blog

I started this Blog to publish information about the fire that occurred in July 12, 1973 at the NPRC ( National Personnel Records Center). In a letter addressed to me , dated July 12, 2006 the NPRC stated: (I am typing part of the letter as mailed, making no changes)

Dear Sir or Madam:The record needed to answer your inquiry is not in our files. If the records were here on July 12, 1973, it would have been in the area that suffered the most damage in the fire on that date and destroyed. The fire destroyed the major portion of records of Army military personnel for the period 1912 through 1959, and records of Air Force personnel with surnames Hubbard through Z for the period 1947 through 1963. Fortunately, there are alternate records sources that often contain information which can be used to reconstruct service record data lost in the fire; however, complete personnel/medical records for inpatient/outpatient for Evac 21 are 121 for the year 1952 cannot be reconstructed.It seem that the VA want the veteran to prove that the information on the application is correct even if the records are destroyed or missing. I sent the name of all the men serving in the company at the time I served in that company:

• Company “L” 187^th Airborne Regimental Combat Team
• Camp Chickamauga
• Beppu, Japan

Yet they say I should contact the men until I fine two that will state that they remember me and recall me leaving the front line and returning after being evacuated by Capt. Miller (Doc Miller). This is over fifty years later and most if not all is not at the same address. First I will try to determine if any of them belong to any of the VSO (Veteran Service Organization) Organizations, some of VSO maintain office in the Medical Center that I use for all my medical needs, other than dental. Enrolling for medical service required my DD214 and complete the financial statements to determine what Priority Group you are in, get your picture made, receive your DVA (Department of Veteran Affairs) card, you are ready to go to any VA medical facilities in the country.