Got a call from a 100 percent vet...BAD NEWS ! HELP !

[vetwife]

This is ridiculous ! A Board member, we all are free no pay., who is 60/40 percent Vietnam Vet
who years ago, bought a fixers upper for homeless vets. We are sending money that way as he has a boarding house. Its on my site. He is crippled and has PTSD and is giving shelter for little or no cost for these vets. For the last four months the vets could not even afford all electricity, water, room, bedding, for 400.00 a month. HE pays the mortgage on this fixer upper and takes them in and gives them shelter and we help with food and some expenses. The mortgage is about 1000.00 a month. The VA sent him a letter saying they were trying to take away his compensation for disability due to the fact he had an investment. AN INVESTMENT HE HAS BEEN GOING IN THE HOLE OVER. They said they looked at his wife's tax returns and that he was capable of working. He subs everything out and helping homeless vets, does not get a grant and the only org. that has come forth is mine. He has a good heart and will take them in whether they can pay or not but here is the kicker. The Veterans Administration recommends his boarding house, gives the vet 6 months to find reasonable employment and then takes their compensation away once they find a small little job. Then they have to leave the boarding house and go to the streets. If you thought it was unfair before !
The vet homeless rate in Ga just got bigger ! I had my mouth open and said, WHAT? You mean even if they are not 100 percent they will take away any of their service connected due compensation and then they can't afford a room at all? He said Yeah? Now they are trying to take mine away because I have a failed investment trying to help vets. I shook my head and said. Nope. I am going on DU and post this and anyone who can send anything. We will keep the two vets you have housed there. I am helping in West Georgia. You are in Decatur and this is ridiculous. Grants are given out but it says to go to the Ga Republican National Committee. Thought that crap was supposed to be non partisian. We have to be !
Please visit http://groups.msn.com/UnitedVeteransofAmerica/whatsnew

This is the same site I mention on C-Span during my interview on the helping of vets and shelter..This is ridiculous !
Thank you in advance. We sure as heck know that the Compassionate conservatives don't care. He is African American and I got a feeling that may be part of the problem, here in this bigoted state.
Then again I don't know. I am white an they are driving me crazy !

[Dookus]

1. Sounds like he should

register as a non-profit and put the house in the corporation's name. Perhaps a local development agency can give him some help in doing that. Good luck!

[vetwife]

2. I mentioned We are a Non Profit and he should do that

but he mentioned how bad they hate me too so don't know. Ya'll know how the wingers are going after me personally lately ! I founded the organization and white and black don't mix well here.. Screw them ! He should take the chance and put it in the Corp. name. 80 percent of my membership is African American. I sure don't trust the good ole boys out here. They tried their best to shut me out but I overcame them ! The other organizations....
they too are special interests. Don't anyone think different. If you do this right and really help there is no money to be made. They are making money.The big organizations. They are !

[Warpy]

3. Registering as a nonprofit is one step

Another should be going to the media and SCREAMING this story! This is the type of story that really needs to get out. Even right wing Georgia newspapers should be interested in this one, since it involves the military, the homeless, and some idiot bureaucrat whose insistence that rules are rules should cost him his job.

Legal Aid might be able to put him in touch with an attorney who would help him register as a non profit pro bono, possibly another Vietnam vet.

Good luck.

[vetwife]

4. Thanks ..read post 2..We are Non profit ..got to talk him into this but

he is afraid for me. Shouldn't be...They have been trying to go after this org, for years now. We are legal and tax exempt..The big organizations are crazy because this org. works so hard for vets....

[MichiganVote]

5. Non profit

or set up a trust with wife. Either is the way to go. Constact local attorneys about pro bono work. Its not hard, paperwork and a yearly fee.

[vetwife]

6. I could set him up as a Non profit...I did this org but remember he

has PTSD and he is barely able to be on this board of directors. This is a sad situation. I would do it for free. If he wanted a non profit homeless sheler. Our organization does a lot. He knows what all goes into the wheels and he is scared of the new cuts in VA now to even start a Non Profit. I don't know. He is gonna call back. I gotta think of something !

[vetwife]

7. Bush is a heartless SOB and I would tell him that to his face !

He is a chickenhawk want a be and if you are not a millionaire he is out to get you...But then again I am preaching to the choir !

[MichiganVote]

12. Have him file for disability under the PTSD

They'll reject him at first but if at first you don't succeed....
Also consider having him linked with various area shelters. They maybe able to serve his link and vice/versa. Also, to at least buy some time,threaten the VA with a lawyer AND press. The last thing the VA needs right now is a bad ass story about Viet Nam vets, homlessness and how one who is helping is threatened with the loss of benefits.

[soup]

8. I don't understand.

His disability is based on his/his wife's income and property ownership?

I've never heard of such a thing. (not saying it's not true, just that I wasn't aware of it)

My husband's disability is based on a %, and as far as I know, that's the only determining factor. (that and number of dependents)

[vetwife]

9. I never heard of it either but I am hearing of it now.

she filed income tax and listed the house for the Vets. He is 60 percent unemployable. Now, the house for Vets was in his name and her name, only way obviously they could get it. The Vet house. When this was checked they wanted to take away the 60 percent unempoyability but this is happening more and more. They are finding ways to kill the unemployable rating they once had. I hear this everyday. I deal with veterans everyday and all of you have to do is read up where until the new 108th congress had cutbacks in these areas that the majority of veterans won't even realize until they get that letter from Uncle Sam. Don't get me wrong. If I think a vet can work, then they don't need that rating. I think only deserving veterans should get a rating as such but 40 on physical and 60 on PTSD is not what it used to be. The Iraq vets are getting shafted even worse, they are not even getting recognized for their PTSD service connected traumas. It is true. Odd but I know of one vet who was 70 percent and they took him down to 30 and then he died. In their eyes he was 30 in reality the man was 100 percent.
They are getting screwed and that is a fact and all veterans had better check out Vets for Justice
and Veterans for Unification
Not just my site. It is well known what is happening in the Vet community !

[knitter4democracy]

10. what about

tracking down a local foundation? We have one here, the Kalamazoo Foundation, that pretty much exists to keep things like that working. They help pool money and resources for the area nonprofits. I would look for something like that.

Iraq vets not getting PTSD help?! That's a load of crap! When is the DOD going to actually admit that it hurts people and then needs to help them?

[vetwife]

11. I got a booklet here from VA this year and

They are saying that they have found a way to get the veterans In country help now (balogney) and they will be directed to a New Jersey PTSD project after their return. The book goes on to say that the Iraq veterans will be only treated for service connected disabilities if occured during major hostilities which we all know Bush declared over on the Mission Accomplished deal. All veterans will be seen who make less than 25,000 upon return for a maximum of two years at a VA facility and then they will only be seen if service connected is established. Otherwise they are clasified as # 7 or # 8 which disqualifies them for VA care. A 250.00 enrollment fee for new va enrolees and prescriptions from 2 to 7 to 15 per presription for those less than a 50 percent rating. I assure you I am not making this up. I got that book from 810 Vermont at the VA Headquarters. I assure it that is what is happening. I have preached this far and wide on the Guy James Show. News Papers and even Jim McDermott addressed this on the house floor. As far as shelers here in Ga., they are paraticlly non existent. Foundations?
I tried to get a grant and was directed to The Republican National Committee. I applied to Coke and was turned down. No reason given. Michigan is not Georgia.

[knitter4democracy]

13. True . . .

I live in the Bible Belt of Michigan (the Western side--very Republican compared to the rest of the state), and I was suprised there was anything like that here too. It's not like they advertise (which they should).

Here's another thought: what about big churches in the area? What if you do a one page write up on what is needed and send it to the Catholic Diocesan headquarters, the biggest Baptist churches in the area, the Methodist and Free Methodist churches, and any Eastern Orthodox church around? Make sure you say in it that they probably have members who are hurting because of this and that all vets need our help--not just on Memorial Day Sunday but all year round. Bigger churches tend to have bigger budgets, and some are seriously in the black (and need to give that money out). I can try contacting the Orthodox for you, if you want.

[vetwife]

14. Thanks Appreciate it.

I think there is a way around this happening. I don't know about the rest of you but I am sure tired of being tired of working around some of these issues. I know one thing 365 broadcast for Veterans is playing that link about Bush being in Vietnam that I sent them. All veterans network ! LOL There you go Mr. Bush.......veterans are hearing you say you were in Vietnam..they ain't too happy ! IT is broadcasting via internet in Illinois ! We are taking it Back !

[DemBones DemBones]

19. Bush* said he was in Viet Nam? And you have tape?

Verrrry interesting!

[progressivebydesign]

15. WHY are Vets being directed to the GOP?

Did I miss something here? WHY is the GOP giving out grants? Who funded THOSE grants? This is nothing more than another attempt to politicize the help.

[vetwife]

16. Not just vets....any 501 C wanting a grant. you got me,,several du

folks from Ga and me keep calling and get a recording. i posted this about two weeks ago and its scary !

[soup]

17. Compensation vs. Pension

I don't have any answers to the problems the Vet House owner is facing. But the cite below could explain why income/ investments are a factor. I wasn't aware that there are two disability programs. Apparently, my husband receives a disability compensation, and, from the looks of it, your friend is receiving a disability pension.

Isn't this the issue that was being argued in congress? (was it last year?) something about veterans losing disability compensation if they received a disability pension? or visa versa? My memory just folded in and I can't remember.

-----

Disability Benefits

We administer two disability programs. Both pay
monthly benefits to disabled veterans.


Disability Compensation: We can pay you
compensation if you are at least 10% disabled as a
result of your military service.


Disability Pension: We can pay you a pension
if you are a wartime veteran with limited income,
and you are no longer able to work or are age 65
or older.

This was in a pdf pamphlet found at:
http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/index.htm

-----

I hope some of the suggestions other DUers came up with will help you help them keep the Vet House.

Thank you for what you do.

[vetwife]

18. Thanks much ..no. he is getting a compensation under Title 38

The VA is changing the rules daily.........