Commissioners Hear Veterans Services Update

By DIANNE ALWARD-BIERY

Cleaver Staff Writer

HARRISON – The March 20 meeting of the Clare County Board of Commissioners saw three presentations, one of which was the annual update on Clare County Veterans Services. Director/CVSO Karl Hauser and County Veterans Service Officer Allisha Gary brought a wealth of information for commissioners, with Hauser describing the lion’s share of data. Hauser clarified up front that both he and Gary are County Veterans Service Officers, and that they do not work for other veterans service organizations, but specifically for the county, which requires a separate accreditation.

As he did last year, Hauser offered a quote from George Washington, which stated: “The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of other wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.” Hauser said that, now as then, it is important for people considering military service know how veterans are treated now, as it could have a bearing on the decision of whether or not to serve.

Also emphasized was the fact that Clare County Veterans Services is not the VA, but that sometimes there is confusion with the VA clinic in Clare and the Clare Veterans Services in Harrison. Hauser said it is important to understand the difference, as Veterans Services does not have the resources of the VA.

He went on to describe services as including helping veterans and their families with claims for disability and pension, as well as emergency grants, records requests.

“We try to let people know we are kind of a central point to start,” Hauser said. “Even if it is something comes in and they actually want the VA, we can refer them to the proper agency at that point.

His office also works closely with nationally chartered veterans service organizations, such as The American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, to help expedite the claims process.

He cited the types of VA claims to include: Disability Compensation; Pension; Aid & Attendance; Dependency Indemnity Compensation; Individual Unemployability; Vocational Rehabilitation; and Burial Allowance [federal]. Hauser described Disability Compensation as being basically Workman’s Comp for veterans who while on active duty in some way got hurt.

“The VA is obligated to look at how that affects their future employability, and then come up with a percentage of disability,” he said, describing the various percentages of disability. “It’s based on their future employability, tied to whatever disabilities they might have. The vast majority of disabilities are invisible.”

He went on to explain that sometimes the expectation is for missing limbs, etc., but that the VA has vetted those cases and vets have gone through the appropriate medical exams to make sure those are appropriate.

Other types of VA Claims included:

-Pensions, described as being tied to very low-income veterans, and differs from the military pension received by someone who served long enough to retire from military service.

-Aid and Attendance, which can include aid to a spouse of a wartime veteran and can be applied toward the cost of a nursing home or assisted living.

-Dependency Indemnity Compensation also is for spousal support; if a service member dies while on active duty or from a service-related condition, the spouse could be eligible for a stipend for the rest of their life, as well.

-Individual Unemployability: When the inability to maintain gainful employment is determined to be because of the veteran’s service-connected disabilities, they are considered 100% disabled for pay purposed.

-Veteran Readiness and Employment [formerly Vocational Rehabilitation] is for disabled veterans, and the VA will pay for them to return to school, learn a new skill or for whatever they are eligible and interested in/capable of doing.

“Whether it’s going back to college, getting a trade certificate – whatever that might be, that’s what the program is designed for,” Hauser said.

-Burial Allowance was described as a one-time fee for the veteran’s family, not necessarily a spouse, but whoever is helping to pay for the final expenses.

Hauser also elaborated on veterans’ financial impact to the county, including the Department of Veterans Affairs estimates of approximately 2,825 veterans in Clare County in Fiscal Year 2022 [up from 2,609 in 2021], and that federal dollars returned to the county for disability compensation and pension benefits at $19.7 million in FY2022; $15.8 million in FY 2021; $15.6 million in FY 2020; $14.1 million in FY 2019; and $12.4 in FY 2018.

“We’re not naïve, those are still tax dollars, it’s our money coming back,” Hauser said. “But of every dollar that comes back to that veteran’s pocket, the vast majority is going to be spent right here. Whether it’s property taxes, food, med, whatever it happens to be is going to be spent locally.”

Hauser said the goal, and only benchmark, is to get that number up, because it means that much more money is coming back to the county that can help benefit the county as a whole. He said it is not something that will show up on the county treasurer’s budget, but are nonetheless real dollars that can be spent locally.

“We’ve come up over $7 million in the past five years,” he said. “That’s what drives what we do, to get that number up as much as possible – because that means that many more veterans are getting those benefits because they were hurt or injured or got sick while on active duty.”

Other assistance provided by Veterans Services include: Request for discharge documents; Request for military records, Coordinating with other veterans’ resources; Veterans medical transportation; Veterans Treatment Court; Enrollment in VA health care; and Emergency financial grants.

Describing the coordination of other veterans’ resources, Hauser spoke of the Regional Committee which encompasses nine counties in the area, and its ability to pool resources to direct a veteran with a specific need to the proper place.

“Whether it’s HopeWell Ranch down in Isabella County for equine therapy, Walleyes for Warriors if fishing is their thing and help them get through,” he said. “There are many, many resources out there, and my biggest challenge since starting this job is finding all of those and bringing them together so we can get the right veteran matched with the right resource at the right time.”

He said that, as with any other agency, collaborating with other counties makes that task easier.

Hauser also noted that on March 5 the president had signed an executive order greatly expanding VA medical care to veterans who were exposed to toxins: not only overseas, but stateside as well. That includes workplace toxins, and Hauser cited the example of a veteran who worked as a mechanic years ago, was exposed to the carcinogen benzene, and would be eligible for car.

“This is the largest expansion in VA health care ever,” he said. Hauser urged anyone who knows a veteran for whom this information might helpful, they should get in touch with Veterans Services, who in turn will send them to the enrollment center in Saginaw where they will be vetted and get them started on medical care.

CVSO Gary then described the Veterans Transportation Network, which transports veterans from Clare, Isabella, Gladwin and Midland counties to VA medical centers in Saginaw, Detroit, Ann Arbor and Battle Creek in partnership with Disabled American Veterans.

“She noted there are six volunteer drivers currently who pilot two vehicles paid for by donations and matching grants from the DAV. She provided data on the number of veterans transported/miles driven, to include: 275 veterans/37,393 miles driven in Calendar Year 2023; 147/25,423 in CY 2022; 196/36,028 in CY 2021. The 2023 patients included dialysis patients who were transported three times a week. Gary also spoke of one of the drivers who also serves as a companion for a rider when no friend or family member can accompany them when their procedure requires anesthesia.

“So, when they need a companion, they can let me know and make sure they’re taken care of,” she said. “Our drivers are a huge part of this.”

Gary noted that all the van operating costs – gas, maintenance, insurance, anything that requires a payment – are covered by the Saginaw VA, and that none of it comes out of county funds.

“The transportation that we offer is at no cost to the veteran,” she said. “They call me, let me know when their appointment is, what time it is, where they’re being picked up.”

She said the destination is determined by the VA, and local veterans have been sent as far as Traverse City and Grand Rapids.

Hauser described the Emergency grants, which include the Soldier’s Relief Fund, noting that veterans can only apply once a year and are required to seek assistance through other agencies before applying, i.e., MDHHS or Mid Michigan Community Action Agency.

“Part of the reason is they have deeper pockets,” he said. “Also, they have other programs available that we might not be privy to.”

Hauser cited a recent instance of approving a veteran for a new vehicle transmission to enable him to transport his wife to medical appointments, and another for a repair for a veteran whose wood stove chimney was leaking, enabling safe heat in the home.

He said the Michigan Veterans Trust Fund is similar, but is paid for through the state, via the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency. Hauser pointed to the recent example of a veteran who received a new well, noting that to do it locally would have taken roughly the entire budget, so it was done through the state.

“That worked out very well, he said. “Once they approved it, the veteran got the well the next day.”

The Burial Allowance has seen a change, being raised from $300 [where it hadn’t changed since the law was updated in the 1950s] up to the $600 as had been approved by the BOC. That allowance also applies to veterans’ spouses.

As far as the Veterans Treatment Court, Hauser said it piggybacks onto the Recovery Court program, that Veterans Services participates as best it can and is there if a veteran needs assistance.

Hauser also explained that legislation passed in 2018 allowed for the Veterans Service Fund Grant Program, and grants paid out to the counties on a per capita basis, based on the number of veterans in the county. He said that in all but one year since that time, those funds have enabled paying for a multitude of items, including brochures, billboards, bus wraps, radio and newspaper ads – all things designed for outreach. Hauser said that fund or the MVA also cover travel expenses to conferences.

“The whole point is to drive veterans into our office,” he said. “The more veterans we get in, the more we can help with those claims. That $19.5 million – we can get that increased even more.”

Hauser said that last year he and CVSO Gary attended the MVAA 10^th Anniversary meeting where they met with the governor, attorney general, secretary of state and MVAA director. He also attended the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers annual conference in Wisconsin where the speaker was VA Secretary Dennis McDonough.

“Hearing it right from the top was pretty impressive,” Hauser said. “And he was pretty good about taking some hard questions.”

Other 2023 accomplishments included the Honor Wall renovation in the Clare County Building lobby, which Hauser said will be getting expanded. There is room for an additional 13 photos, at which point there will be an additional frame placed. Hauser said the only requirement is that the veteran have graduated from a Clare County high school.

2023 also saw the first Mid Michigan Veterans Benefit Fair held at Hayes Township Hall and attended by more than 150 veterans and family members. That event will be held again in July 2024, this time at Larson Elementary School.

Also in 2023, Gary completed the VA accreditation training which enables her to file federal claims and appear before the Board of Veteran Appeals as an advocate.

Additionally, Clare Veterans Services and the Saginaw VA co-hosted a PACT Act [Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxins] seminar.

“The Act greatly expands eligibility and health care for toxins exposures for veterans: burn pit exposures, additional items from Vietnam, as well as stateside,” Hauser said. “We hope to participate in that as well as a PTSD seminar over at the Harrison VFW Post.”

Hauser also noted that on March 5 the president had signed an executive order greatly expanding VA medical care to veterans who were exposed to toxins: not only overseas, but stateside as well.

Another item of note was attendance at the MACVC Fall Conference in Tawas City where Judge Joshua Farrell presented on Veterans Treatment Courts, which reportedly was followed by the judge receiving calls from other counties wanting to start their own treatment courts.

Hauser said he completed the NACVSO Advanced Appeals course which would be very helpful the following week at the first appearance [virtual] before the Board of Veterans Appeals – a hearing for which a veteran has waited more than four years.

One particularly fun thing CCVS did last year was a Veterans Day presentation for fifth-graders at Larson Elementary.

Gary described the holiday gift baskets which are assembled and delivered to local veterans, including at MediLodge in Clare. These baskets are created by various agencies/departments and individuals for distribution to veterans listed who affirm they are willing to accept one. Last year that included Thanksgiving and Christmas, with delivery by the sheriff’s department.

“We got a lot of thank yous,” she said. “It was absolutely wonderful to be able to brighten their holidays.”

Hauser added that, for safety sake, the basket recipients are notified in advance that when the sheriff’s department vehicle rolls up, they’re there for a drop-off, not a pick-up.

The final point made was the continuing effort to do all possible to prevent veteran suicide. The current sobering statistic is that more than 22 veterans and one active duty soldier are lost to suicide every day in the U.S. – a suicide rate 57% higher than the national average. Hauser said the national Veterans Crisis Line is accessed by dialing “988”, then pressing “1” to be connected to someone specifically for veterans. Another available resource is We Face the Fight: wefacethefight.org. Hauser added that, courtesy of the Saginaw VA, his office has plenty of free gun locks for anyone who wants one.

When the presentation was complete, Commissioner Rickie Fancon offered a comment that summed up the sentiment in the room: “Thank you for everything you do for veterans.”