Department of Veterans Affairs
Mission statement, vision, core values
The mission of the department is to honor the veterans of the country by serving them and their surviving spouses and orphans. This is in fulfillment of the promise made by President Abraham Lincoln To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan. In order to achieve its mission, the VA has adopted a vision of providing veterans and their surviving spouses and children with the best possible services and benefits in the most professional, compassionate, and excellent manner (United States Department of Veterans Affairs VA, 2010).
In the performance of its duties and responsibilities, the VA is guided by core values it considers essential to good management, namely compassion (to hold the members of their surviving families in high esteem and to treat them with dignity while easing their distress brought about by the loss of their loved ones to the service of the country) commitment (the VA believes that the veterans and their surviving families have rightfully earned not only the respect but also the gratitude of everyone at the department, hence, the benefits and services due them serve as the driving force behind the actions of the VA) excellence (the employees of the VA are committed to do their utmost best in order to serve the veterans and their surviving family members in the most competent way) professionalism (the VA recognizes the fact that in order to successfully accomplish its duties and responsibilities, the department should be composed of a diversified personnel who are not only highly qualified but should also be caring and compassionate) integrity (the VA believes in the importance of open and honest communication, hence, it makes it a point to first allow all stakeholders to adequately air their concerns before making any effort to address them, making use of such concerns as valid basis for the departments drive to enhance performance ) accountability (the department vows to be always responsible for all its actions in its dealings with veterans and their surviving families, its employees, and all other stakeholders) stewardship (the department intends to take responsible care of all resources financial, natural, and especially human, including information that go with its mandate, and seeks to fully utilize innovations of technology, apply proven business principles and make use of the advantages of evidence-based practices to enhance its performance) (VA, 2010).
Budgetary allocation
The American veterans are the best treated veterans in the world, receiving the most comprehensive assistance package. This is the reason why the budget allocated to the VA is one of the largest among the departments of the executive branch, enjoying a steady increase in its annual allocation. For instance, its allocation of 36.1 billion for the fiscal year 2006 was increased to 40.4 billion in 2007, then to 46.1 billion in 2008. Another increase in 2009 raised its budget to 50.4 billion and for the fiscal year 2010, the department has been allocated with 55.9 billion. In addition, President Obama plans to increase its funding by 25 billion during the succeeding five-year period (Manning, 2009).
Historical background
The historical roots of the government assistance programs for veterans, which is undoubtedly the most comprehensive in the world, could be traced as far back as the seventeenth century when the Pilgrims who settled at the Plymouth Colony waged war with the Pequot Indians in 1636. In connection with that war, a law was passed providing for assistance to the soldiers of the colony who would be rendered disabled as a result of the war. When the Revolutionary War broke out, the Continental Congress of 1776 guaranteed that disabled soldiers would be provided with pensions in the hope of boosting recruitment of soldiers. By 1811, the Federal Government has already authorized the establishment of a medical facility which would cater to the needs of veterans. The nineteenth century also witnessed the expansion of the government assistance program for veterans to include the surviving family members of veterans in the pension and benefits packages (VA, 2010).
Domiciliary care was made available to veterans with the establishment of State homes for veterans, where incidental hospital and medical treatments were likewise provided for any ailments or injuries, including those suffered out-of-service. The State homes took care of veterans of the Civil War, Indian Wars, Spanish-American War, and Mexican Border period as long as they were disabled and indigent, including regular members who were discharged from the Armed Forces. In 1917, when the country became embroiled in World War I, a new benefits system was established by the United States Congress. Under the new system, insurance for veterans and those in active service was included. Compensation for any disability was also covered and a vocational program for the rehabilitation of the disabled was started. By the 1920s, three Federal agencies were given the task of administering the benefits for veterans, namely the Veterans Bureau, the Bureau of Pensions of the Interior Department, and the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers (VA, 2010).
Later, the above agencies were incorporated as bureaus under the Veterans Administration (VA) which was established in 1930 pursuant to the authority granted by the U.S. Congress to the President of the United States to consolidated and coordinate Government activities affecting war veterans. The seven-year director of the Veterans Bureau, Brigadier General Frank T. Hines, was appointed to lead the new office. He remained in his position up to 1945. Under the VA, delivery of the health care system for veterans was expanded. While only 54 hospitals catered to veterans and their dependents in 1930, a total of 171 medical centers, more than 350 outpatient, community, and outreach clinics, 126 nursing home care units, and 35 domiciliaries were doing the job under the supervision and control of the VA. These facilities provided veterans and their dependents not only with surgical and medical care, but also attended to their rehabilitation requirements (VA, 2010).
For several decades hence, enormous growth was observed in the responsibilities of the VA as government programs were increased. For instance, since the number of war veterans vastly grew with the countrys involvement in the Second World War, Congress had to authorize more benefits for war veterans. This resulted to the enactment of the World War II GI Bill on June 22, 1944 (VA, 2010). The bill was designed to prevent an economic and social crisis which was expected to result from the return of the veterans from the war. The members of Congress at the time feared that if no concrete action would be taken to help the veterans, economic depression was a distinct possibility. The first draft of the bill was drawn by Harry W. Colmery who was a former national chairman of the Republican Party and also American Legion former national commander. By June 10, 1944, the bill was already introduced in the House of Representatives and by June 11, the Senate version was also filed. It was approved in the Senate and the House of Representatives on June 12 and 13, respectively, and was signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on June 22, 1944 (VA, 2010).
The task of enforcing the GI Bill fell on the VA, the main provisions of which were the following education and training, loan guaranty for homes, farms or businesses, and unemployment pay. The GI Bill, particularly its education and loan guaranty components, benefited more than ten million out of the 16 million World War II veterans. For instance, between 1944 and 1956, about 7.8 million were able to attend some kinds of training programs or pursue further education, while about 2.4 million made use of the loan guaranty in order to purchase their own homes. During the succeeding years, the veterans of the wars in Vietnam, Korea, and the Persian Gulf also benefited from other educational assistance programs implemented by the VA (VA, 2010).
Another important task was added to the responsibilities of the VA when it acquired management of the National Cemetery System from the United States Army in 1973. The transfer meant that the VA became responsible for the day-to-day operations of the whole National Cemetery System (excluding Arlington National Cemetery). Aside from the day-to-day operations of the National Cemetery System, the VA was also given the task of marking all the graves of veterans those found in the national cemeteries as well as those of the States. In fact, even the families of veterans interred in private cemeteries could request the VA to mark their dead relatives graves. When the Department of Veterans Affairs was finally established as a cabinet of the executive branch of the United States government on March 15, 1989, President Bush had this to say about the VA There is only one place for the veterans of America, in the Cabinet Room, at the table with the President of the United States of America (VA, 2010).
Structure of the department
The VA has three main components which are administering the benefits for qualified applicants. These are the Veterans Benefits Administration, which deals with issues concerning the compensation of veterans as well as the granting of loan guaranties for home purchases, and education and training the Veterans Health Administration, which is in-charge of health care delivery through a network of hospitals and clinics based in different communities, and the National Cemetery Administration, which is the arm charged with the managing the Sational as well as the State Veterans Cemeteries. It also sees to the marking of the graves, production of headstones, and procurement of Presidential Memorial Certificates (VA, 2010).
Benefits for veterans, their dependents, and their survivors
As authorized by Title 38 of the United States Code, the comprehensive programs and other services which are being provided by the VA could be grouped into three general categories, namely health care (not less than 1,400 health care facilities which include hospitals and domiciliary centers are in operation to provide the most comprehensive system of health care) benefits and services (benefits under this category range from financial assistance to education and employment assistance) and burial and memorials (with 128 national cemeteries and 33 other memorial sites under direct operational control and oversight functions of the VA, services range from grave markings to interment, including memorial certificates signed by the President). These are available not only to the veterans themselves and their dependents but also to the spouses, children or parents who survive deceased veterans, and the members of the uniformed services (VA, 2010).
Many of the benefits are available to military servicemen after they have been discharged from active duty. A military serviceman is considered in active duty if he or she is serving full-time in the United States Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, and the Coast Guard. Also considered in active duty are those commissioned officers assigned to the following service agencies the Public Health Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (formerly the Coast and Geodetic Survey), and the Environmental Science Services. Even veterans who had served in similar duties are entitled to the benefits (VA, 2010)
Services rendered in some wars or certain specific areas andor periods qualify for the benefits for veterans. These are as follows
Gulf War service should have been rendered starting on August 2, 1990 up to a date still be specified by either a proclamation from the President of the United States or by an enacted law.
Vietnam War this group includes servicemen who served in the United States before August 5, 1964 up to May 7, 1975 and those who served in Vietnam from August 5, 1964 up to February 28, 1961.
Korean War service rendered from December 7, 1941 up to January 31, 1955,
World War II duty considered active from December 7, 1941 up to December 31, 1946.
World War I veterans who served for even only one day as long as the service was rendered during the inclusive dates of April 6, 1917 and November 11, 1918. For veterans who served in the Russian war channel, service should have been rendered from April 6, 1917 up to July 1, 1921.
Mexican Border Period service should have been rendered from May 9, 1916 up to April 5, 1917 in either in Mexico, the border with Mexico, or in adjacent waters (VA, 2010).
As a general rule, however, the benefits could not be enjoyed by those servicemen who have been discharged dishonorably those who have been discharged by general courts martial for bad conduct and those veterans andor their dependents with outstanding warrants of arrest for felony cases (VA, 2010). Some of the more significant programs and services which are explained in a Benefits Booklet which was published on January 1, 2009 are as follows
Health Care
More than 1,400 health care facilities are involved in the VAs health care delivery system. Considered eligible for health care benefits are those who have been in active duty and been discharged (except when discharged dishonorably) from the armed services of the country (army, navy, or air force) including former reservists and former members of the National Guard if they had been called to serve by virtue of any Federal order, provided they were able to serve the full term specified under such an order. Except for veterans who were discharged for reasons of disabilities which they incurred or which were aggravated by any reason while they were in active duty or those who were discharged for hardship, early out, a Minimum Duty Requirement is required. Specifically, either the enlistment of the veteran should have taken place after the 7th day of September, 1980, or their active duty status should have been effective after October 16, 1981. Those who believe that they are eligible could apply for enrollment by completing a VA form (10-10EZ). Called the Application for Health Benefits, this form is available in any facility involved in the VA health care system (VA, 2010).
Education and Training
There are several educational assistance programs available to veterans according to their needs and their periods of service. These are the Post 911 GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhancement Program, Transfer of Entitlement (TOE), Work-Study Program, and the Montgomery GI Bill (VA, 2010).
Post 911 GI Bill
This bill provides veterans and servicemen with an education program provided that they were on active duty starting September 11, 2001. Training programs undergone by applicants should have been on or after August 1, 2009. Those on active duty provided that they have already been on active duty for not less than 90 days after September 10, 2001 are eligible under this program. Likewise eligible are those who were honorably discharged from active duty status released from active duty and placed on the retired list or temporary disability retired list released from active duty and transferred to the Fleet Reserve or Fleet Marine Corps and released from active duty for further service in a reserve component of the Armed Forces.
Transfer of Entitlement (TOE)
This opportunity to transfer their benefits to their spouses or children who are still in the age of dependency was offered to active members of the Armed Services of the country after August 1, 2009. However, such transfer could only cover any part of their benefits under the Post 911 GI Bill.
Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhancement Program
This is a tuition-assistance program. This is granted in instances when the tuition fees needed is more than the tuition fees charged in the best public institutions in the state where the applicant wants to study. It is eligible for veterans who are already receiving their benefits and the children and spouses of veterans who are eligible under the transfer-of-entitlement program.
Work-Study Programs
This program is also available to veterans who are already receiving their benefits as well as to their dependents who have qualified under the transfer-of-entitlement program. Under this program, the student-recipients are placed under the supervision of an employee of the VA while they work in the department and are being compensated at an hourly rate. They should only be assigned to tasks which are VA-related such as doing paperwork for VA, assisting patients in VA health care facilities, doing any work in national or state veterans cemeteries, and any other duly approved VA-related jobs (VA, 2010).
Montgomery GI Bill
This benefit could be availed of by active-duty or honorably-discharged servicemen. It is important that the servicemans discharge should be a fully honorable discharge and not merely general discharge or discharge under honorable conditions for him or her to avail of this benefit. Generally, this offer should be availed of within 10 years from their discharge from duty or by November 2, 2010, whichever date comes later, otherwise the benefit expires. In order to avail of this program, the applicant should have completed secondary education or its equivalent, or have at least 12 hours of college work.
Home loan guaranty
This benefit is available to eligible veterans, servicemen, reservists, as well as their surviving spouses who have remained unmarried. The intent of this program is to assist the beneficiaries in their desire to repair their existing residential units, purchase or refinance a housing loan, or build new homes, housing units, or condominium units. Aside from being eligible to receive the benefits for veterans, the applicant for this guaranty should have a good credit rating, sufficient income, a valid Certificate of Eligibility (COE), and agree to live in the property. These are required by lenders so that the applicants could be approved for a home loan under the VA. This benefit is also available to veterans who have rendered active duty during the wars previously mentioned in this paper (VA, 2010).
Burial and memorial benefits
Free burial in national cemeteries is granted to veterans who have been discharged from service except when they have been discharged dishonorably and also to servicemen who meet their death while they were either on active duty, training while on active duty, or even if they were training while they were officially on inactive duty as well as their spouses and dependents. Inscribed headstones or markers, on the other hand, are available not only for veterans but also for servicemen still on active duty, including the members of the National Guard and Reservists who have already retired (VA, 2010).
Undoubtedly, the benefits granted to United States veterans and servicemen and their surviving spouses and dependents are the most comprehensive in the world. The package represents the countrys dedication to honor the men and women who die in the service of their country and fellowmen. These benefits and services likewise serve as evidence that the country, its leaders, and its people consider that the service to the armed services of the United States is one of the most honorable careers for an American to pursue.
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