November 12, 2008
Filipino veterans of World War II upset by U.S. rejection of military benefits
By Mary Owen | Tribune reporter
Original article on Tribune site
Benefits for Filipino veterans were taken away in 1946, when the Philippines was declared independent. De Guzman said soldiers in 67 countries have been ordered to serve under the U.S., and Filipinos are the only ones to be stripped of their benefits.
Nonetheless, many Filipino veterans cherish their medals and American flag pins.
"This is an injustice that should be corrected," said Steve Robertson, legislative director for the American Legion.
The American Legion has supported benefits for Filipino veterans for decades, Robertson said. However, the group voiced opposition to the proposal that was rejected in September because it called for taking benefits away from some U.S. veterans to give to Filipino veterans. Robertson said that would have set a dangerous precedent.
"We did not fight to be compensated," Yague said. "But if other people are being compensated, why not us? It is the duty of the government to help their soldiers."
Some veterans, such as Yague, receive partial disability benefits for injuries suffered during service. He received an eye injury from flying shrapnel.
But many veterans have been denied because they receive benefits for their service in the Philippine Army later in their career. Other Filipino veterans who served under the U.S. Army during the post-war reconstruction, but not during the conflict, have also been denied.
Though some veterans have lobbied to get benefits for themselves, many do not have proof of their service or their names do not appear on military lists.
"I'm disappointed," said veteran Emilio Garcera, 81, who was denied benefits four times. "For so many years, we have not been given a centavo. The sad part is that we are not recognized."
Garcera, who immigrated to Chicago in 1982, started his military career traveling through the jungles of his native Bicol region to deliver messages among military posts. After the war, he was shipped to Japan to assist the U.S. occupation and reconstruction efforts.
"In Okinawa, we were treated well," he said. "The ones I feel bad for are those in the [Bataan] Death March and at Corregidor. They should really receive the benefits."
Tribune photographer Cheryl A. Guerrero contributed to this report.
Print Article
November 5, 2008
Honoring veterans on Veterans Day
By Bruce Parry, One View
Original article here
Veterans Day-Nov. 11-marks the day we honor those who have served in our armed forces. But there is much we could do the other 364 days of the year to make that day more meaningful.
All veterans should be guaranteed Veterans Administration (VA) health care. Many veterans are excluded from receiving VA care and, even for the many that are covered, fees and co-pays put treatment out of reach. Iraq and Afghanistan combat veterans who do not sign up for VA services within five years of being discharged become ineligible to enroll. That sounds like a long time, but for many who fought in other wars, it has been 10, 20 and even 30 years before the administration's services are sought. That's because post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) doesn't manifest itself like a broken leg. Often, veterans suffering from PTSD self-medicate with alcohol and/or drugs. Most veterans believe that they have already paid for their health care and it will be provided-as promised-when they need to rely on it. But this is not the case.
A recent referendum shows Illinois voters overwhelmingly support a level of quality care for their veterans, but still nothing has been done to provide it. On the February 2008 primary ballot more than 90 percent of Illinois voters supported a non-binding referendum calling for veterans to receive full VA benefits. If they had been receiving what they were promised, the ballot initiative would not have been necessary.
More needs to be done to combat the disgraceful epidemic of homelessness among veterans. While this country has spent more than $600 billion on the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is immoral that we do not spend the small amount more it would take to end homelessness among veterans. Estimates of the percentage of homeless veterans range from 25 to 35 percent of the total homeless population, even though veterans only make up 11 percent of the population. There are many reasons for this, including difficulties accessing health care, rough transitions from the military to civilian life, the effects of combat trauma and a lack of job skills. All of these are services that fall under the VA's responsibilities.
More needs to be done to support vets suffering from the "signature" diagnoses of Iraq and Afghanistan: PTSD and traumatic brain injury (TBI). In the past few years, the VA has failed to spend millions of dollars already allocated to provide services to veterans with mental illness. A complete overhaul of services and a full accounting of funds are in order.
More needs to be done to address the unique needs of female veterans. The VA was set up in a period when almost all veterans were male and it is taking entirely too long for them to realign services to meet the needs of female veterans. Women must have the same level of service as provided for men, and access to special services, such as treatment for sexual trauma.
The VA needs to overhaul the claims process, characterized by bureaucratic delay and malfeasance. Applications have taken years to process; some have taken more than a decade. While the VA has repeatedly committed to cleanup the multi-year backlog of cases, it still exists. Veterans die before their applications are considered. Many veterans are calling for "presumptive benefits." They believe that if the government were to grant the benefits upon application-assuming the record showed the correct diagnosis and military records indicated that the veteran served where he or she claimed-then the backlog would disappear. Put the onus on the VA-the responsible agency-instead of burdening the ailing veteran.
The difficult issues facing veterans on Veterans' Day 2008 are real. Many of us are fighting to win what we were led to believe were benefits guaranteed to us. We join you in celebrating those who have served our country and those who have died for it. And, during the rest of the year, we would welcome you joining us in our struggle to honor veterans with the care and benefits that they have earned.
Dr. Bruce Parry, a combat infantryman who served in Vietnam, is the Chair of the Coalition of Veterans Organization, san activist network fighting for the needs of veterans. He is a resident of Wicker Park. For more information, go to www.CoalitionofVets.org or call him at call 773-243-2335.
August 2008
MEDIA RELEASE
I CVO Recognizes Ald. Balcer, Comm. Daley and the CTA
Chicago—On behalf of disabled veterans in Chicago and Cook County, CVO is presenting certificates of appreciation to Alderman James Balcer and Commissioner John Daly for their role in passing the Military Service Pass for disabled veterans in Chicago. We are thanking the Chicago Transit Authority with a plaque for their prompt, non-bureaucratic implementation of the pass, by which disabled veterans can travel free on CTA trains and busses.
II Making Citizens Aware of Veterans’ Needs
Chicago—The Mayor and City Council have declared today Veterans Awareness Day. As veterans, our biggest job is to make the public aware that veterans do not receive the healthcare and benefits that they need and were promised. In February 2008, CVO participated in passing the Full Mandatory Funding Referendum carried in 23 Illinois counties. It received over 1 million votes—far more than any single candidate or ballot item anywhere in the state. This told us that the people of Illinois want veterans to have the healthcare and benefits they need. Our organizing for that election also taught us that most of the people of Illinois do not understand what veterans face. They do not understand that many veterans must pay for their healthcare and in many cases veterans do not receive the benefits they have been promised. That is what Veterans Awareness Day is all about: making everyone more aware. There is no better time than now to accomplish this task. There is no other time than now.
The Coalition of Veterans Organizations is an activist group of veterans’ organizations and individuals which fights for seven key points on behalf of veterans. They are:
1. Full Mandatory Funding of VA healthcare for veterans. Federally funded healthcare for all veterans without further pay. We have already paid with our service and in many cases our blood and our lives.
2. Eligibility for VA healthcare and benefits for all honorably discharged veterans—male and female—without co-payments and categories of service delivery. Today, not all veterans are eligible to receive healthcare and many who do must pay for it.
3. Ending veteran homelessness and the realignment of the VA Per Diem grants system. There is no greater disgrace than the fact that thousands of veterans in this country are homeless. Some of those are also sick, but many simply do not have the jobs and support structures they need to be off the streets. This disgrace can be and must be changed!
4. Reform of funding and full accounting for all VA mental health services for veterans. The travesty is that scores of veterans—many returning from Iraq and Afghanistan—do not receive the mental heath care they need, despite front-page stories detailing the horrors these veterans face.
5. Fighting for the inclusion of appropriations in the annual VA budget to fund benefits for World War II Filipino veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. These veterans have been denied benefits for over 60 years. It is time to fund their benefits now!
6. CVO is fighting to end the backlog of veterans’ benefits. We call on the federal government to immediately fund benefits for all veterans applying for VA disability. If they have the medical diagnosis and the military records to show they should get thee benefits, then the benefits should be granted as soon as they apply. The government can figure out whether to award or disallow the benefits. That policy would end the government backlog very quickly and would make sure needy veterans get benefits in a prompt and caring manner.
7. CVO is fighting for full equality of women’s benefits and healthcare. We recognize the special needs of women veterans and the unacceptable gap between services and benefits for women and those for men. That gap must be closed immediately and all services and benefits for women made fully available immediately.
CVO is dedicated to bringing these basic needs of veterans into being. We thank all of you for your support and call on all of you to join us.
###
WHO: Military veterans from various organizations; Montford Point Marine
Association Chicago Chapter, American Legion, Veterans Strike Force,
National Women Veterans United (NWVU), Triple Nickel Parachute
Infantry Association, 24th Infantry Regiment, Veterans of Foreign Wars IL
District 2, VetNet, Veterans for Unification, Korean War Veterans
of America, AMVETS Chicago Chapter, Filipino-American Veterans of
Illinois, 173rd Airborne Brigade Elite Forces Chapter VI, Country Club
Hills Veterans Assistance Commission.
WHAT: Veterans Awareness Day “March” and Rally
WHEN: CVO will form at the NW corner of DesPlaines and Washington at 10 AM and walk to Daley Plaza starting at 11 AM.
WHERE: Daley Plaza. Rally will begin about 11:30 AM.
