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Sunday, June 27, 1993 Page:
Views on Vets
Here it is again…that G.Iinsurance hoax
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, an insurance hoax that
made its first appearance some 40 years ago continues to plague the VA, this
time with a new target, active duty personnel. Since the Persian Gulf War, the
VA’s Regional Office and Insurance Center in Philadelphia says the requests
for a NON-EXISTENT insurance dividend has been on a steady increase.
For years, targets of the rumor were World War II and Korean conflict
veterans who were informed that the VA was sending a check for hundreds of
dollars, a so called insurance dividend, to any veteran who requested it.
Recently, bogus brochures or flyers have been targeting the veterans of the
Vietnam Era. The current hoax is aimed at the holders of Servicemen’s Life
Insurance.
The older flyers stated that these dividends were available regardless of
whether the G.I. Insurance policy was kept in force or allowed to elapse. The
flyer contained the address of the VA Insurance Center in Philadelphia, but
the catch was that the person to whom it was addressed did not exist.
Naturally, these dividend inquiries ended up in file 13 – the wastepaper
basket.
The flyers themselves were copies, poorly written and sloppy to be honest.
If a correction was made, it was simply blacked-out using an indelible pen
with hand written corrections.
Now the latest flyer that I have come across is different in the respect
that it cites monetary figures. So much for the length of time spent in the
service, etc. It also contains a second page in which information is requested
on how to make payment easier, in addition to questions such as branch of
service, service serial number and more. This particular flyer is also sloppy
in appearance with corrections made by an indelible pen.
The short paragraph that I believe makes the document look authentic is the
statement that Congress has authorized this dividend. This is not even close
to being true. This flyer also contains the correct address of the insurance
center in Philadelphia with the name Bob Teague as the coordinator of the
refund program. Again, the only thing wrong with this scenario is that there
is no Bob Teague!
With the assistance of Luzerne County Deputy Director of Veteran’s Affairs
Peter Orlando, a phone call to the Insurance Center in Philadelphia gave
positive assurance that there was no such person nor indeed, was the dividend
any more available now than in the past.
Think. Do you think even for a second that Uncle Sam is in such a
benevolent frame of mind that he is going to give something for nothing,
especially in monetary terms, to a veteran? No way. For every time you pick up
a news release or a VA report or Veterans publication, there is, more than
likely, something dealing with cutting veterans benefits even though they have
been established by other members of Congress at another time. Remember it
well that Congress can and does pass measures that does away with previously
adopted measures.
I think there is a simple formula to remember as far as this insurance hoax
is concerned. In civilian life as well as in military life, if insurance
premiums are not paid and are not current, there are no dividends. That
simple!
The Coast Guard Reserve
My good friend Lt. Col. Frank Loch, of the Reserve Officers Association and
editor of the Chapter 34 Newsletter of that organization, provided me with
some information that indicates what can happen when we down-size our military
strength. From the legislative report in the May issue of the Officer Military
Magazine comes this interesting article. Testifying before the House Coast
Guard and Navigation Subcommittee in April, the Reserve Officers Association
opposed the Administration’s Coast Guard budget request which would cut the
Coast Guard Reserve by one-fourth in fiscal year 1994. Because of its cost
effectiveness, the Reserve Officers Association maintains that the Coast Guard
Reserve is the best buy. The Coast Guard Reserve end strength is programmed to
reach a low of 10,510 with current fiscal year 1993 funding, in spite of the
fact that the Coast Guard Reserve has been authorized an end strength of
15,150, each year since fiscal year 1990. The 1994 fiscal year request for $64
million in the reserve training appropriation is nine million less than that
appropriated for fiscal year 1993 and would lower Coast Guard Reserve strength
to 8,000.
With illegal drug trafficking doing such a landmark business even today,
possibly because there aren’t enough Coast Guard patrol boats and crews to
deter such doings, it just doesn’t make much sense to offer an open-door
policy to those who deal in this lucrative business by cutting off the sources
from which enforcement is derived. No question about it, these Coast Guard
guys not only do one hell of a job in enforcement and protecting our shores,
but also most certainly act as deterrents to those who smuggle those
mind-boggling drugs into the United States.
Letters
Call it vanity, call it what you like, but letters are great to receive.
Some are complimentary, others may have a gripe, still others seek a solution
to individual problems or circumstances.
This week I received a very nice note from Robert S. Pensock, of Hazleton,
to which I say “thanks.” In his note, Bob offers to join me as a “flag-waver.”
According to Bob, “a group such as this would be a most proud group.”
Speaking of letters…some that I receive are absolutely unanswerable.
Meaning there is nothing I can do to expedite a matter contained in that
letter.
For example, a letter which says that the Veterans Administration has a
grudge against the writer and won’t do anything with regard to a particular
condition or disability, is strictly a matter of confidentiality and not to be
meddled with. As I have written previously, each and every case merits
individual investigation and counseling. To obtain such counseling and
assistance offered, it is to the advantage of the individual to contact a
veterans’ service officer and sort out the details and evidence that pertains
to the particular situation. A common fallacy is “that I don’t belong to a
veterans organization so I can’t go to see a service officer.” This excuse is
nonsense, pure hog-wash for any service officer because he or she is only too
happy to at least aim the inquirer in the right direction.
Don’t feel as though a service officer is prepared to handle your
situation? At the Wilkes-Barre Veterans Administration Building on North Main
Street, there is a VA benefits counselor available. There is also one that
maintains an office at the Wilkes-Barre Veterans Medical Center. Call, make an
appointment, talk to them, get the necessary advice and information pertaining
to the individual problem or request. You will walk out of that office with a
sense of accomplishment and relief. Maybe the problem won’t be solved, but at
least the reason will be enough of an explanation.
Fly it high with pride
One week from today is the Fourth of July, Independence Day. Not too long
ago, our forefathers declared America an Independent Nation and even cracked a
bell that was later called “The Liberty Bell” while tolling on that memorable
day in the early history of this wonderful country. I’ll just bet that the
flag that Betsy Ross had sewn flew high on a standard in the city of
“Brotherly Love,” Philadelphia. I’ll also bet that the flag flew prominently
in all of the 13 states or colonies. They were proud. They were so damned
proud of that flag and its meaning: Freedom, democracy and all the other good
things written into the Constitution of the United States, that these fathers
of democracy waged war to preserve her dignity and absolutely swore their
allegiance to the red, white, and blue. What happened to that allegiance since
1776 is a mystery even to scholars of the day.
On Independence Day why not show a rebirth of dedication by flying that
beautiful symbol of America, the flag. Let it proudly wave on every flag pole,
on every home, over every grave that contains the mortal remains of a veteran
who offered his or her life to preserve the true meaning. It represents the
world understood symbol of America — freedom. Don’t own a flag? They don’t
cost that much and can be found in just about any department store or veterans
post home. Right now there is an excuse that is rampant in not purchasing a
flag, “they are made in other countries such as Japan.” Baloney! Just look
around. You’ll find one made in the good old U.S. of A. Do it today. Be ready
for July 4th, Independence Day.
Bill Smith is a Times Leader columnist who writes for and about veterans.
His column appears Sundays.
To publish items in VIEWS ON VETERANS, write to Bill Smith, care of IN YOUR
TOWN, The Times Leader, 15 N. Main St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18711-0250, or
contact Michele Harris, community news editor, at 829-7245.