Disabled Ohio veterans get 2nd-lowest disability payments in nation.

Disabled Ohio veterans get 2nd-lowest disability payments in nation-Go West Young Man?

Back in April 2008, the Cleveland, Ohio Plain Dealers Political Blog came out with a story about how Veterans in Ohio ranked 2nd lowest in the nation in disability payments that momentarily put a fire under Ohio politicians running to office to show they were doing something about it.

If you’re among the more than 85,000 Ohio veterans receiving disability payments, the Plan Dealer advised us that we might be tempted to heed the advice once given to America s 19th-century fortune seekers. "Go west, young man . . . "

Say, to New Mexico, where 27,010 veterans get an average annual disability benefit that is $4,801 higher than the $8,090 Ohio gives to its vets, or to Oklahoma, where disabled vets receive $4,185 more than Ohio’s in average yearly payments, or even west as in West Virginia, where the compensation is $3,857 higher.

Being a national level Veterans Advocate, and volunteering for a Veterans News Service that has a national, not state or even regional focus, I prefer to note that problems America’s Veterans are facing are national systemic problems with the VA system across the nation and not limited to and state or region.

However, I only have the data and expertise to focus on my state and region as an example of what to look for in your state, misuse of land set aside for Veterans is but the tip of the iceberg.

Robert L. Hanafin
Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired
Veterans Advocacy Editor
VT News Network

According to a 2006 annual report issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Benefit Administration, Ohio ranked second-to-last in the nation in disability compensation in 2006. The state average annual disability benefit was only $112 higher than Indiana’s, here 47,693 vets receive payments. It’s a step up from 2005, when Ohio was dead last.

The longstanding issue of disparity in average annual disability payments between states heated up momentarily during 2005 hearings before the U.S. House Committee on Veterans Affairs. In April 2008, Rep. Zack Space (D. Ohio), a member of the committee, introduced the Veterans Disability Fairness Act, which calls for increased scrutiny of the VA’s compensation program.

"There is no reason that a veteran here should receive less than veterans in other states." Zack Space, a Democrat from Dover, said at the time.

As of June 2008, there are still payment disparities between states. Research by VT News staff indicates that in comparison to total population of Veterans in Ohio [1,012,466], VA benefits to Ohio Vets remain the LOWEST of the six states with the largest population of American Veterans –ranked as of 2006:

1. TEXAS with 1,652,214 military veterans got $2,357,810,628 in VA entitlements.

2. CALIFORNIA with 2,203,727 military veterans got $2,095,705, 464 in VA entitlements. Leading us to question why California is not receiving more in VA benefits than Texas? By Vet population California should rank number ONE in Benefit entitlements???

3. FLORIDA with 1,747,076 military veterans got $2,008,222,092 in VA entitlements.

4. NEW YORK with 1,094,391 military veterans got $916,503,876 in VA entitlements.

5. PENNSYLVANIA with 1,088,220 military veterans got $804,122, 748 in VA entitlements.

6. Last OHIO with 1,012,466 military veterans got $692,429,520 in VA entitlements. However, the real question that caught everyone’s attention and is the source of so many complaints about the VA is that 927,466 Veterans in Ohio either did not file for VA benefits, are having their VA Claims delayed, then denied, just feel too proud to seek charity from the VA or that their disbilitity may not be worthy – whatever???

There could be various reasons for this state by state imbalance, and we only looked at states with over a million Veterans. The variable could be Veterans of one state are more successful than Vets of other states thus there’s no need for VA entitlements. [The Stolen Valor theory] It could also be that Veterans in one state find a more Veteran friendly environment in which to apply for Veterans’ benefits.

In other words it may be easier to get a VA Claim processed and approved in one state than another. The variables are too numerous to pin on any single one. However, when one combines the disparity with the amount of complaints politicians are getting from constituents in their states who are military Veterans that could be a significant variable leading to why Vets in Ohio rank the lowest in receiving VA entitlements although the number of Vets may be the lowest of the six states with the largest Veteran population.

It is ratio of VA entitlements received to total Vet population that is so significant. Example: California with the largest Military Veteran population gets less in entitlement per Veteran than let’s say Texas with the 3rd largest Vet population. The Vets and Vet reps in Texas must be doing something right or Texas is the most Veteran friendly state in the nation?

One factor cited by government reports is the difference in the way some VA workers evaluate [view] disability claims. For example, a veteran with a post-traumatic stress disorder claim can be evaluated as being a little disabled in one state and a lot disabled in another. Such a subjective process could result in a different disability-percentage rating and thus different benefit payments for veterans.

[This depends on the political views of the VA Claims adjudicator towards PTSD. If claims adjudicators see PTSD as a natural part of the costs of war, they are more likely to view PTSD as being more disabling than a VA bureaucrat who [according to stolen valor] views PTSD as an insignificant cost of war or as a means for Veterans to scam taxpayers for a disability pay check.

In fact, if STIGMA associated with mental illness blinds a VA adjudicator in one state but opens their eyes in another, the results would be devastating for all Veterans of that state. For if VA adjudicators are motivated to downplay the significance of a mental illness out of bias or ignorance, what illness would they next downplay in the name of COST SAVINGS. Thinking about it was not Agent Orange also downplayed once upon a time due solely to ignorance?

2006 Government reports also noted that disability benefits can vary according to a veterans’ period in the military and branch of service and the degree of training for VA claims officers, as well as the percentage of veterans applying for and receiving compensation. Also, those retiring from military careers tend to get higher payments, as do enlisted versus officer veterans.

[One common bias among County, State, and National level Veterans Service Officers and VA Claim adjudicators in Ohio we found is that military officers are not supposed to get disabled and receive more than enough in retirement pay and benefits that why should they receive VA compensation? Don’t take my word for it, I’m a biased retired disabled officer, ask any Veteran who has been a military officer or is a retired officer what kind of reception they get when they apply for a VA Claim at local, county, or Regional level in Ohio. My own experience has been that adjudicators are most receptive the higher the level the claim is adjudicated. Regardless, when one Veteran having served a military career or not, and regardless of rank is treated unfairly WE ALL ARE!]

"There should be a standard rate for all veterans across the U.S.," said Frank Anderson, 54, of East Cleveland, adding that he has a 100 percent disability from an automobile accident that occurred during his service in the Army. Disabled veteran Hank Vasil said the lack of an effective method of transferring medical records from the military to the VA makes it harder to file disability claims and therefore can result in a disparity in payments. Vasil, 60, who said he has worked as a veterans service representative for the state of Ohio, believes some vets don’t get the benefits they should because they don’t know how or choose not to apply.

[We at VT believe that there is more truth in what Hank Vasil says not only for Ohio Veterans, but Vets across the nation. VETERANS DO NOT GET THE BENEFITS THEY HAVE EARNED, BECAUSE WE DON’T KNOW HOW OR CHOOSE NOT TO APPLY. Too many Vets mistakenly view the VA system as a charitable system that WE are too proud to apply for. That said the stigma associated with applying for VA Benefits we have earned is a stigma that we Veterans contribute to by not applying for what we’ve earned. Put another way, older Vets in large part were either honor bound or forced by THE DRAFT to serve the nation in larger numbers than today. Today we have a volunteer force that is relatively higher paid and with bonuses to enlist more than any time in American history. The aspect that contributes most to the stigma of using the VA is that Veterans as part of the overall U.S. population are nothing but a small increment. Our presence grows even more insignificant as the years go by, unless WE make enough noise to keep politicians focused on us long term. ]

"Veterans are ill-educated as to what their rights are," said Vasil. "Other times a lot of it has to do with a person’s pride. He may feel he doesn’t warrant it [a disability award], that somebody more severe should have it."

Congressman Space’s bill would require the VA to collect and monitor regional data on disability ratings, review and audit the system used to rate disabilities and periodically evaluate the performance of individual raters.

"It’s simply a matter of equity and fairness . . . standing up for what’s right for those who stood up for our country," he said. "It’s kind of hard to contest that."

"Gov. Ted Strickland is well aware that Ohio has historically been behind other states in the collection of veterans benefits, and that’s why he has proposed establishing a Cabinet-level department of Veterans affairs," said Keith Dailey, a spokesman for the governor. However, what has the governor’s office of Veterans Affairs, each county Veteran Service Officers, and state level VSOs been doing all this time? This disparity didn’t happen overnight.

He added that this department — currently under consideration by the state legislature – [I believe became a reality by 2009] would work closely with county and local veterans service organizations to better provide our veterans and families with the tools they need to obtain the benefits that they have earned and which they deserve.

Additionally, the VA says it has taken steps to address the disparity of benefits between states, according to VA spokesman Steven Westerfeld. Those steps include implementing national standardized training for rating specialists, standardizing the medical evaluation of disability claims, increasing oversight and review of rating decisions, and designing a procedure for routine monitoring of claims data to check for consistency.

The VA also is exploring ways to consolidate parts of the rating process into one location and developing a skills-certification process for the specialists who determine disability ratings, Westerfeld said.

But Army veteran Larry Scott, who runs the Web site vawatchdog.org, said there may be practical limits to what the VA can do. Scott said the VA lacks a common training program and supervisor structure for claims officers.

"In theory, there should be one huge office handling all claims for all vets. That’s physically impossible. It’ll never be done," he said. "So what you have is kind of like McDonald’s technically, all the restaurants have the same recipe, but you’ll still get disparities in various parts of the country."

Vietnam vet Richard Healy, 61, of Lakewood, fears that legislative attempts to address the disparity issue would result in a one-size-fits-all rating system and remove interpretation of a disability based on an individual’s medical or psychological condition and needs. Healy said he has helped veterans file claims for the past 31 years on behalf of Disabled American Veterans and that energy should be put into making the current system work better and faster.

"Every one of us is different," he said. "If a doctor, for instance, says a veteran is minimally disabled for [post-traumatic stress disorder], what does ‘minimally’ mean?"

Interpretation is a big factor.

Posted By:

Robert L. Hanafin
Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired
VT News Network

Robert L. Hanafin

Readers are more than welcome to use the articles I’ve posted on Veterans Today, I’ve had to take a break from VT as Veterans Issues and Peace Activism Editor and staff writer due to personal medical reasons in our military family that take away too much time needed to properly express future stories or respond to readers in a timely manner.

My association with VT since its founding in 2004 has been a very rewarding experience for me.

Retired from both the Air Force and Civil Service. Went in the regular Army at 17 during Vietnam (1968), stayed in the Army Reserve to complete my eight year commitment in 1976. Served in Air Defense Artillery, and a Mechanized Infantry Division (4MID) at Fort Carson, Co. Used the GI Bill to go to college, worked full time at the VA, and non-scholarship Air Force 2-Year ROTC program for prior service military. Commissioned in the Air Force in 1977. Served as a Military Intelligence Officer from 1977 to 1994. Upon retirement I entered retail drugstore management training with Safeway Drugs Stores in California. Retail Sales Management was not my cup of tea, so I applied my former U.S. Civil Service status with the VA to get my foot in the door at the Justice Department, and later Department of the Navy retiring with disability from the Civil Service in 2000.

I’ve been with Veterans Today since the site originated. I’m now on the Editorial Board. I was also on the Editorial Board of Our Troops News Ladder another progressive leaning Veterans and Military Family news clearing house.

I remain married for over 45 years. I am both a Vietnam Era and Gulf War Veteran. I served on Okinawa and Fort Carson, Colorado during Vietnam and in the Office of the Air Force Inspector General at Norton AFB, CA during Desert Storm. I retired from the Air Force in 1994 having worked on the Air Staff and Defense Intelligence Agency at the Pentagon.