Column: Supporting our Unsung Heroes: Military Spouses (5/5/21) areawidenews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from areawidenews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Advocates renew push to end the military’s remarriage penalty for spouses of fallen troops 11 hours ago Nancy Menagh, president of Gold Star Wives of America (back, third from right) poses with her children and grandchildren at the grave of her husband, Capt. Philip Menagh, who was killed in a military training exercise in 1984. (Photo courtesy of Nancy Menagh) When Capt. Philip Menagh was killed in a training exercise in 1984, his death left his wife and five young children with an unfillable emotional loss but also with military death benefits to ensure they could live comfortably in his absence. But if Nancy Menagh remarried, those benefits would disappear too.
Gold Star Spouses Who Remarry Face Losing Survivor Benefits. This Bill Would Change That
Soldiers from the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) march off after supporting military funeral honors in Section 60, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, May 8, 2019. (U.S. Army photo by Elizabeth Fraser/Arlington National Cemetery)
23 Apr 2021
Spouses of troops killed in the duty often face a grim penalty if they remarry: they lose their government-granted survivor benefits. Two veterans serving in Congress say that needs to change.
Under current law, Gold Star spouses lose their Survivor Benefit Plan benefits if they remarry before turning 55. They also lose their Dependency and Indemnity Compensation benefits if they remarry before turning 57.
VA rep coming to El Dorado
Michael Yoho, Veterans Service Representative, Kansas Commission on Veterans’ Affairs Office, will visit El Dorado from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 13 at the American Legion Post 81 Bingo Hall, 1801 W. Central Avenue, El Dorado.
By appointment only, Yoho will be able to help with the following: Service-Connected Compensation Claims, Non-Service-Connected Pensions, Aid and Attendance, Survivor Pension, Burial Benefits, VA Headstones or Markers, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), Health Care Benefits and many other benefits.
Yoho for an appointment at: 785-220-5183 or e mail Michael michael.yoho@ks.gov. All State COVID-19 safety guidelines will be adhered to. Please provide: Discharge Papers, Marriage Licenses, Birth Certificates, and financial paperwork. Original will be copied and returned to the Veteran. All appointments are private and confidential and you must schedule and be seen by appointment only!
VAntage Point
Military children qualify for a variety of VA benefits
Every April, the nation celebrates the Month of the Military Child – a time that honors all military children for their dedication and sacrifices. At VA, we honor military children year-round by providing them earned benefits. Dependents and surviving children of Veterans and service members may qualify for certain benefits, such as life insurance, education services and health care.
Dependent children may qualify for Family Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (FSGLI) coverage if the service member is on active duty and covered by full-time Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI), or is a member of the National Guard or Ready Reserve and covered by full-time SGLI. There is no cost for coverage up to $10,000 for each dependent child. Beneficiaries of a Veteran’s or service member’s policy can also receive free financial planning and online will preparation services.