Veterans bulletin [Summer 2008]

Sonny Perdue Governor

Georgia Department of Veterans Service
Veterans Bulletin

Pete Wheeler Commissioner

National POW/MIA Recognition Day
September 19, 2008
Georgia Veterans ... guardians of liberty Summer 2008
IN this issue: commissioner wheeler addresses convention delegates

Georgia Department of Veterans Service
Veterans Bulletin Summer 2008
Cover Story
POW/MIA Appreciation Day Page 3
Upcoming Events Page 5
Commissioner Addresses Convention Delegates Page 6
VA Mortgage News Page 8
Augusta VA Facilities Hold Open House, Tours Page 9
New GI Bill Explained Page 10
Armed Forces Covenant Signing Page 12

Georgia Department of Veterans Service Floyd Veterans Memorial Building E-970 Atlanta, Georgia 30334-4800 (404) 656-2300 gavetsvc@vs.state.ga.us www.sdvs.georgia.gov

Georgia Veterans Bulletin
The Georgia Veterans Bulletin is published quarterly by the Georgia
Department of Veterans Service, Public Information Division, Floyd
Veterans Memorial Building, Room E-970, Atlanta, GA 30334-4800.

Pat Phillips

Chairman, Veterans Service Board

Pete Wheeler

Commissioner

Tom Cook

Assistant Commissioner, Claims and Field Operations

Len Glass

Assistant Commissioner, Administrative Service

Heldon (Bill) Jung

Director, Education & Training

Brian Zeringue

Public Information Manager

Jon Suggs

Editor, Veterans Bulletin

Georgia Veterans...guardians of liberty

A Note To Our Readers:
Welcome to the first digital edition of the Georgia Veterans Bulletin! If you are already familiar with our publication, you will find the same valuable information that has always been in these pages, accompanied by a few additions and enhancements.
By bringing the Bulletin to you online, the Georgia Department of Veterans Service will save valuable budget dollars, a necessary choice given our state's current fiscal status.
But we hope for this to be more than a mere cost-saving change. There are other advantages to digital publication, and we hope to make use of much this medium has to offer.
For starters, every hypertext link in this document is clickable. So when you see a website address, such as www.va.gov, you can simply click on the link and be taken to that site.
Unhampered by the firm page count required for print publication, the Bulletin may grow by a page or two as needed to bring you more of the news you've come to expect from us. In this issue, for example, we added two pages to our customary 12-page limit in order to accomodate some additional material, an option that was not available to us in the print edition.
We hope to continue to bring you added content as it is available, and in time we may move to a more frequent publication schedule to bring you the most news in the timeliest fashion.
As always, thank you for your service to our country and do not hesitate to call upon us.


Mission: Recovery

JPAC seeks to find and return POWs and MIAS

This story is from the JPAC website, www.jpac.pacom.mil.

The mission of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) is to achieve the fullest possible accounting of all Americans missing as a result of the nation's past conflicts. The highest priority of the organization is the return of any living Americans that remain prisoners of war. To date, the U.S. government has not found any evidence that there are still American POWs in captivity from past U.S. conflicts.
JPAC is located on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. The command was activated on Oct. 1, 2003, created from the merger of the 30-year-old U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii, and the 11-year-old Joint Task Force - Full Accounting. Commanded by a flag officer, JPAC is manned by approximately 400 handpicked Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Department of the Navy civilians. The laboratory portion of JPAC, referred to as the Central Identification Laboratory (CIL), is the largest forensic anthropology laboratory in the world.
JPAC also maintains three permanent overseas detachments, each commanded by a lieutenant colonel, to assist with command and control, logistics and in-country support during investigation and recovery operations. They are

Detachment One located in Bangkok, Thailand, Detachment Two in Hanoi, Vietnam and Detachment Three in Vientiane, Laos. JPAC has a fourth detachment, Detachment Four, located at Camp Smith, Hawaii, responsible for recovery team personnel when they are not deployed.
The core of JPAC's day-to-day operations involves investigating leads and recovering and identifying Americans who were killed in action but were never brought home. This process involves close coordination with other U.S. agencies involved in the POW/MIA issue, including the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office, Department of State, the Joint Staff, U. S. Pacific Command, Defense Intelligence Agency, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner, and Armed Forces Institute of Pathology.
JPAC routinely carries out technical negotiations and talks with representatives of foreign

Georgia Veterans...guardians of liberty

governments around the world in order to ensure positive in-country conditions are maintained or created for JPAC investigative and recovery operations wherever JPAC teams deploy in the world.
On average, JPAC identifies about six MIAs each a month. To date, the U.S. government has identified over 1,300 individuals. The search for unaccounted-for Americans starts with in-depth research. JPAC historians and analysts gather information such as correspondence, maps, photographs, unit histories,
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medical and personnel records about POW/MIAs from many sources. At any given time, there are more than 1,000 active case files.
In most cases, the search for a missing person will involve outside researchers, the national archives, and record depositories maintained by the U.S. and foreign governments. Veterans, outside historians, private citizens, families of missing Americans, and amateur researchers also routinely provide information about cases. JPAC experts put all of this information together in what is called a `loss incident case file' for each unaccounted-for person.
In addition to conducting research to support ongoing field activities, the research & intelligence section also provides historical analysis to help with the identification of remains. Once research is completed to pin down the likely location of an unaccounted-for individual, an Investigative Team (commonly referred to as an `IT') will be assigned to visit the site. JPAC's six field investigative teams deploy to locations around the world for about 35 days at a time. An IT consists of four to nine members with specialized skills, including a team leader, assistant team leader, analyst, linguist, and medic. In some instances, an anthropologist, explosive ordnance technician, or life support technician (for identifying aviation life support equipment) will augment the team.
During a typical mission, teams interview potential witnesses, conduct on-site reconnaissance, and survey terrain for safety and logistical concerns. In many cases, investigative teams turn up new information that may help with eventual identifications. Teams operating in countries with active media outlets or a strong community network often gain new, valuable information about additional sites simply by talking with people who reside in the area. The main goal of investigative mission is to obtain enough information to correlate or connect a particular site

with an unaccounted-for individual. If enough evidence is found,

a site will be recommended for recovery.

POW/MIA Resources

American Ex-Prisoners of War Organization National Headquarters 3201 East Pioneer Parkway #40 Arlington, Texas 76010-5396 817-649-2979 817-649-0109 - FAX hq@axpow.org http://www.axpow.org/
William Fornes, Valdosta State Commander Department of Georgia
Ray Reierson, State Adjutant Department of Georgia 414 San Anton Drive Savannah, GA 31416

The National League of POW/MIA Families 1005 North Glebe Road, Suite 170 Arlington, VA 22201 (703) 465-7432 info@pow-miafamilies.org www.pow-miafamilies.org
Georgia Committee for POW/MIA, Inc. tc4freedom7@aol.com
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs http://www.vba.va.gov/ bln/21/Benefits/POW/

Georgia Veterans...guardians of liberty



The Georgia Department of Veterans Service cordially invites you attend the

"Governor's Veterans' Day Proclamation Signing"
1:30 p.m., Wednesday, October 22, 2008 State Capital Rotunda Atlanta

2008 Service Officers School

October 7-10 Sea Palms Inn 5445 Frederica Road St. Simons Island, GA 31522 1-800-841-6268 www.seapalms.com

Tuesday, October 7, 2007 1:30 p.m. Registration
Wednesday, October 8,2007 9:00 a.m. Compensation-Pension-
Education Benefits Panel 1:30 p.m. Employment-Reemployment-
Civil Service Preference Panel 3:00 p.m. Military Retirements Benefits-National Cemetery System-Social SecurityTRICARE Benefits

Thursday, October 9, 2007 9:00 a.m Hospital-Medical Panel 1:30 p.m. Loans Benefits Panel
3:00 p.m. Insurance Panel
Friday, October 10, 2007 9:00 a.m. Legal-Appeals Panel
12:00 p.m. Adjourn

This annual conference is open to the public. There are no registration/conference fees.
Call the Sea Palms Inn to make room reservations. Deputy Secretary for Veterans Affairs Gordon Mansfield and the Acting Under Secretary for Benefits
Patrick Dunne are scheduled to address conference attendees Wednesday morning (10/8/08). For more information, contact SDVS at 404-656-2305.

Georgia Veterans...guardians of liberty



Commissioner Wheeler Addresses State

Convention Delegates This Summer

[Every June, Georgia Commissioner of Veterans Affairs Pete Wheeler participates in the state conventions of veterans service organizations. The following are excerpts from his remarks to those organizations during this year's convention circuit.]
I always consider it an honor to be in the presence of men and women who love the United States of America and our flag and all it stands for and represents and who appreciate living in the greatest country in the world the United States of America. I want each of you to know how much I appreciate and value your many years of friendship.
We want to thank you for the support of our residents at the Georgia War Veterans Nursing Homes in Milledgeville and Augusta. Many of you visit our nursing homes regularly and show, by your actions and by your kind words, that you care about our veterans who are confined to nursing homes. We are proud that the State of Georgia is the only state in the union that does not charge the veteran anything for their care and treatment.
We also want to thank you for contacting your U.S. Senators and Congressmen as part of our joint effort to ensure that a PX and Commissary remain in the Atlanta area after Fort McPherson and Fort Gillem close in 2011. I am happy to report that we are making progress. We have in hand a letter, signed by every member of Georgia's Congressional Delegation, supporting the 94th Air Wing's request to construct a commissary at Dobbins. Working side by side with you, we will keep the pressure on until the doors of the commissary are open.
We want to thank you for your devoted support of our armed forces and their families as they continually are called upon to put their lives on the line. Our National Guard, Reserve,

American Legion Augusta

What terrible sacrifices our military

men and women make to blanket you

and me in security. They deserve all the

support and help we can give them.

and active duty forces are serving honorably, bravely and repeatedly.
Our troops come home for a while ... then return to the hell of combat for the second, third, even fourth time.
Many come home disabled. And not all war wounds are visible. Many now struggle with the symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, due to their combat experiences. What terrible sacrifices our military men and women make to blanket you and me in security. They deserve all the support and help we can give them.
With many of you by our side, we focused our attention during the past year on supporting our National Guard and Reserve forces and their families while they were preparing for deployment to Iraq, during their time away from home, and after they returned from combat. We have been involved in all phases of their

activities to ensure that our military personnel and their families know what their entitlements are and to let them know we are available to help them in any way we can.
Our field offices support activities at the local Armories on a regular basis to ensure maximum outreach.
We were there in April 2007 when the 1230th Transportation Company was getting ready to deploy. We were there when the 1230th came home in April of this year. We were there when "H" Company, 121st Long Range Surveillance (LRS) came home in August 2007. We were there when the 848th Engineer Company from Douglas, Georgia was getting ready to deploy in March of this year.
Our Statesboro office counseled returning Iraq war veterans in a park in Statesboro in July of last year. Our Macon office supported the Post Deployment Health Evaluations that

Georgia Veterans...guardians of liberty



AMVETS Athens

VFW Macon

DAV Macon

involved hundreds of soldiers in Macon in August and December of 2007.
Our Rome office briefed and counseled two companies of 1st-108th Armor Battalion during December. Our Glennville office participates in a monthly "Wounded Warrior Town Hall Meeting" at Fort Stewart. Our Savannah office conducts an OIF/

OEF Out-Briefing twice every month at Hunter Army Airfield.
The Georgia Department of Veterans Service is committed to caring for our veterans of all wars and all eras to the fullest extent possible.
I recently ran across a definition of a veteran that "really puts the `oats' where the `goats' can get to them" better than anything I've ever seen.

"A Veteran is someone who, at one point in life, wrote a blank check made payable to `The United States of America,' for an amount `up to, and including one's life'."
All who donned the military uniform of our United States Armed Forces wrote that `check.' All paid a price, some just paid a higher price than others.

Georgia Veterans...guardians of liberty



VA Assists With Mortgage Problems

VA News Release June 12, 2008

VA Raising Home Loan Ceilings in Many Areas

Many home owners have found it difficult recently to

VA News Release August 21, 2008

pay their mortgages, but quick intervention by loan counselors at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has actually reduced the number of veterans defaulting on their home loans.
"VA is reaching out to veterans -- both those who use our home-loan guaranty program and those who don't take advantage of our guaranties -- to keep people in their homes," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake. "I'm proud of our solid record of success in helping veterans and active-duty personnel deal with financial crises."
Accounting for much of this success are VA counselors at nine regional loan centers who assist people with VA-guarantied loans avoid foreclosure through counseling and special financing

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will use a locality-based approach in raising ceilings on its no-downpayment home loans from the current $417,000 to as much as $729,000.
The increases are effective immediately under legislation recently enacted with President Bush signing the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008.
That law also improved VA's Specially Adapted Housing Program. It raises primary grants from $50,000 to $60,000 toward constructing a new home or modifying an existing home to meet adaptive needs of veterans or active duty servicemembers with certain service-connected disabilities.
One new feature is a provision in the law that will assist burn victims. It will allow veterans with certain service-connected disabilities resulting from severe burns to receive the adaptive housing grants. The new law also makes future increases in ceilings on the Specially Adapted Housing Program automatic.
The increased limits in the general home loan program for all veterans' home purchases or construction will be based on local housing costs, tied to the similar locality adjustments of the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., Freddie Mac.
VA home loans are available for veterans to purchase or construct single-family homes, and to purchase condominiums or cooperative apartments. There are about 2.3 million existing VA home loans, more than 90 percent made with no down payment.
More information about VA home loans and adaptive grants is available from VA at 877-827-3702 or www.homeloans.va.gov.

arrangements. The counselors also can assist other veterans with financial problems. VA counselors have helped about 74,000 veterans, active-duty members and survivors keep their homes since 2000, a savings to the government of nearly $1.5 billion.
Depending on a veteran's circumstances, VA can intercede with the borrower on the veteran's behalf to pursue options -- such as repayment plans, forbearance, and loan modifications -- that would allow a veteran to keep a home.
To obtain help from a VA financial counselor, veterans can

call VA toll-free at 1-877-8273702.
Information about VA's home loan guaranty program can be obtained at www.homeloans. va.gov.
Since 1944, when homeloan guaranties were offered with the original GI Bill, VA has guarantied more than 18 million home loans worth $911 billion. Last year, about 135,000 veterans, active-duty service members and survivors received loans valued at nearly $24 billion.
About 2.3 million home loans still in effect were purchased through VA's

home-loan guaranty program, which makes home loans more affordable for veterans, active-duty members and some surviving spouses by protecting lenders from loss if the borrower fails to repay the loan. More than 90 percent of VA-backed home loans were given without a down payment.
April data shows that foreclosures are down more than 50 percent from the same months in 2003. VA attributes this to prudent credit underwriting standards, its robust supplemental loan servicing program and VA financial loan counselors.

Georgia Veterans...guardians of liberty



Augusta VA Facilities Host Open House, Tours

In July, the State Veterans Service Board held its monthly meeting at the Augusta VA Medical Center. Following the meeting and briefings by the VAMC staff, Board members and attendees were provided the opportunity to tour the VA's Active Duty Rehabilitation Unit (conducted by Dr. Dennis Hollins, center above) and visit patients at the Georgia War Veterans Nursing Home (conducted by GWVNH Director Charles Esposito, center right). Recognition plaques were presented to Commissioner Wheeler by Augusta VAMC Director Rebecca Wiley and Chief of Staff Dr. Thomas Kiernan for his support of the Medical Center's mission of "Doing Everything We Can for Veterans," and by the leadership of the 11th District of Georgia's American Legion (from left: Jim Whelan, Bob Pollard, and Fred Zamoa) for his "steadfast leadership and concern for veterans of the Augusta Area."

Georgia Veterans...guardians of liberty



VA Releases Information on New GI Bill

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has released the following information regarding The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (Title V of Public Law 110-252):
The following is an overview of the education provisions in Public Law 110-252, signed by the President on June 30, 2008. PL 110-252:
Establishes a new educational assistance program, the Post-9/11 GI Bill, for members of the Armed Forces who serve on active duty beginning on or after September 11, 2001.
Expands transfer of entitlement criteria for individuals eligible under chapter 30 and authorizes transfer of entitlement for individuals eligible under chapters 1606 and 1607.
Eliminates the 14-year period of eligibility under chapter 1606 for individuals in the Selected Reserve.
Increases the monthly rates under chapter 30.
I. The Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33). Effective August 1, 2009.
A. Eligible individuals. Generally, an individual who served a minimum of 90 days on active duty after September 10, 2001, will be eligible for educational assistance under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. (See paragraph D for length of service requirements.) Active duty served as a member of the Armed Forces or as a result of a call or order to active duty from a reserve component under section 688, 12301(a), 12301(d), 12303(g), 12302, or 12304 of title 10 is qualifying active duty service.
B. Period of Eligibility. In general, an individual's eligibility to use chapter 33 benefits expires 15 years from the date of the last discharge or release from active duty of at least 90 consecutive days.
In order to retain eligibility, after meeting the service

requirements, an individual must: Be honorably discharged from
Armed Forces; or Be released from Armed
Forces with service characterized as honorable and placed on the retired list, temporary disability retired list, or transferred to the Fleet Reserve or the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve; or
Be released from Armed Forces with service characterized as honorable for further service in a reserve component; or
Be discharged or released from Armed Forces for--
A medical condition which existed prior to service (EPTS),
Hardship (HDSP), or A condition which interfered with duty (CIWD); or Continue on active duty. C. Chapter 33 Entitlement. Individuals eligible under chapter 33 are generally entitled to 36 months of educational assistance. Individuals may not receive benefits under chapter 33 and 30, 31, 32, 35 of title 38 or chapter 107, 1606, or 1607 of title 10 concurrently. Individuals are limited to a maximum of 48 months of entitlement when using benefits under two or more programs. Note: Individuals eligible under chapter 30 who elect to receive benefits under chapter 33 are only entitled to the number of months they had remaining under chapter 30 (including any revoked months of transferred entitlement) up to a maximum of 36 months. (See paragraph G for more information.) D. Educational Assistance.
1. Established Charges. The amount of established charges payable for the entire quarter, semester, or term will be sent directly to the school as a lump sum payment. The percentage of the maximum benefit payable to an individual is based on the aggregate amount of active duty served on or after September 11, 2001. Individuals will receive the applicable percentage (see chart at right) of the lesser of: Established

charges; or Highest amount of established charges regularly charged in-State undergraduate students for full-time pursuit at an in-State public Institution of Higher Learning (IHL).
2. Monthly Housing Allowance. The monthly housing allowance is based on the monthly basic allowance for housing (BAH) payable for a military member with dependents in pay grade E-5 residing in the same ZIP code for the IHL where the individual is enrolled. Active duty members, individuals training at time or less, and individuals pursuing distance learning are not eligible for a housing allowance.
3. Stipend for Books and Supplies. Individuals may receive a stipend of up to $1000 a year for books, supplies, etc. The individual will receive a lump sum payment in the first month of each quarter, semester, or term. The amount of the stipend payable is an amount equal to the fraction of the whole academic year that the quarter, semester, or term represents.
NOTE: The amount of the monthly housing allowance and the book stipend must be prorated based on the percentage of maximum benefit payable as noted in the above chart.
4. Limitation on Educational Assistance for Training Pursued at Half-time or Less and for Active Duty Members.
a. Half-time Training or Less. Individuals training at time or less are not eligible for the monthly housing allowance. They are eligible for an appropriately reduced stipend for books. The amount of educational assistance payable is the applicable percentage of the lesser of:
Established charges;or Highest amount of established charges regularly charged in-State undergraduate students for full-time pursuit at an in-State public IHL. b. Active Duty Members.
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Active duty members are not eligible for the monthly housing allowance or for the book stipend. The amount of educational assistance payable is the lesser of the:
Established charges; or The Top-up amount not covered by military tuition assistance.
5. Refund of chapter 30 contributions (excludes $600 buyup). A proportional amount [based on the number of months remaining under chapter 30 at time of chapter 33 election] of the basic $1200 contribution will be included with the last monthly housing allowance payment when chapter 33 entitlement exhausts. Individuals who do not exhaust entitlement under chapter 33 will not receive a refund of contributions paid under chapter 30.
6. Rural Benefit. One-time payment of $500 (no entitlement charged) for claimants using chapter 33 to pursue a program of education if the claimant--
Resides in a county with 6 persons or less per square mile (as determined by most recent decennial Census); and either
Physically relocates at least 500 miles; or
Travels by air to physically attend an IHL if no other land-based transportation exists.
7. Other Benefits. These benefits are authorized with no resulting charge to entitlement.
Tutorial assistance may be paid up to $100 per month, not to exceed a total of $1200;
One licensing and certification test may be reimbursed, not to exceed the cost of the test up to a maximum of $2000; and
Work-study is authorized for individuals training at time or higher.
E. Approved Programs. Individuals may receive educational assistance for any program of education that is approved under chapter 30 and offered by an institution of higher learning (IHL). Individuals who were previously

eligible for chapter 30, 1606, or 1607 may continue to receive educational assistance for chapter 30 approved programs not offered by IHLs (i.e. flight, correspondence, APP/OJT, preparatory courses, and national tests). See paragraph G for more information.
F. Yellow Ribbon Program. IHLs may voluntarily enter into an agreement with VA to fund up to 50 percent of the established charges not already covered under chapter 33. VA will match each additional dollar funded by the school. The combined amounts may not exceed the full cost of the school's established charges. Only individuals entitled to the 100 percent benefit rate (based on service requirements) may receive this funding.
G. Chapter 33 Elections. An individual who has met the requirements to establish eligibility under chapter 33 and, as of August 1, 2009 is
Eligible for either chapter 30, 1606, or 1607; or
A member of the Armed Forces and making the basic $1200 contribution toward chapter 30; or
A member of the Armed Forces who previously declined to elect chapter 30
must make an irrevocable election to use benefits under chapter 33.
The individual will no longer be eligible under the chapter he or she elected to "trade in" in order to receive chapter 33. Any contributions being made under chapter 30 will cease the month following the election.
NOTE: Individuals electing chapter 33 may use benefits under the revoked chapter if the type of educational assistance [flight, correspondence, APP/OJT, preparatory courses, and national tests] the individual wishes to pursue is not available under chapter 33. Entitlement used under the revoked chapter will be deducted from chapter 33.
H. Transfer of Entitlement

Georgia Veterans...guardians of liberty

(TOE) Under Chapter 33. The Department of Defense (DoD) is authorized to allow individuals who, on or after August 1, 2009, have served at least 6 years in the Armed Forces and who agree to serve at least another 4 years in the Armed Forces to transfer unused entitlement to their dependents (spouse, children). The Department of Defense may, by regulation, impose additional eligibility requirements and limit the number of months transferable to not less than 18 months.
II. Transfer of Unused Education Benefits Under Chapter 30, 1606, or 1607 to Family Members. Effective June 30, 2008.
The Department of Defense is authorized to allow individuals who have served at least 6 years in the Armed Forces and who agree to serve at least another 4 years in the Armed Forces to transfer unused entitlement to their dependents (spouse, children) under chapters 30, 1606, and 1607. The Department of Defense may, by regulation, impose additional eligibility requirements and limit the number of months transferable to not less than 18 months.
Note: Although the transfer of entitlement provisions of PL 110-252 are effective as of June 30, 2008, DoD must develop regulations and provide VA with eligibility information before we can make payments under this provision.
III. Elimination of 14-Year Period of Eligibility for Chapter 1606. Effective June 30, 2008.
The 14-year period of eligibility for members of the Selected Reserve has been rescinded. Members of the Selected Reserve with remaining entitlement under chapter 1606 will remain eligible until the date the individual is separated from the Selected Reserve.
Individuals who had remaining entitlement and had reached a delimiting date may receive benefits for training pursued on or after June 30, 2008. Individuals may not receive
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Georgia Welcomes A New VARO Director

Al Bocchicchio was appointed as the Director of the Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Atlanta, on April 13, 2008. Prior to this appointment, he served as the Executive Management Officer in the Office of Field Operations (OFO). In this role, he was responsible for assisting the Associate Deputy Under Secretary for Field Operations, Area Directors, Regional Office Directors, Central Office staff, and OFO staff with the oversight of 57 regional offices. The regional offices employed over 13,000 employees and administered benefit programs that annually pay over 31 billion dollars to veterans and their dependents. He worked with regional offices to ensure VBA priorities, responsibilities, and assignments were conveyed clearly and concisely and that established priorities and goals were realized.
In his current position, Mr. Bocchicchio is responsible for administering federal benefits to 765,200 veterans and their families living in Georgia. The Atlanta VA Regional Office administers approximately $1.4 billion in annual federal benefits. These benefits include compensation, pension, education, vocational rehabilitation and employment, and loan guaranty. The Atlanta Regional Office is one of four Regional Processing Centers in the country and one of nine Regional Loan Centers.
After receiving his bachelor's degree from LaSalle University, Mr. Bocchicchio began his career

with the VA in 1990 as a Veterans Claims Examiner at the Philadelphia Regional Office and Insurance Center. During his tenure in Philadelphia, he held progressively responsible management positions including serving as the Veterans Service Center (VSC) Manager and was responsible for the oversight of the compensation and pension program for the 40 eastern counties of Pennsylvania, the seven southern counties of New

Jersey, and the remote management of the Wilmington, Delaware Regional Office.
Mr. Bocchicchio is a member of the Leadership VA (LVA) Class of 2004 as well as a member of the LVA Alumni Association. He is also a graduate of VBA's Leadership Coaching program and the One VA Senior Executive Service Career Development Program. He and his wife, Jada, reside in Atlanta.

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benefits for training pursued between their original delimiting date and June 30, 2008.
IV. Increase in Chapter 30 and 1607 Monthly Rates. Effective August 1, 2008.
The monthly rates for chapters 30 and 1607 are increased effective August 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009. There will be no Cost-

of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for chapter 30 or chapter 1607 on October 1, 2008. The next COLA will occur on October 1, 2009. For a complete listing of the rates, please visit www.gibill.va.gov.
V. Additional Information. The most current information, fact sheet, and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on the Post-9/11 GI Bill will be available on the GI Bill website

Georgia Veterans...guardians of liberty

at www.gibill.va.gov. Individuals should be encouraged to check that site often for updates on the Post-9/11 GI Bill (PL 110-252).
If you have further questions regarding the new GI Bill, or any other education/training matter concerning veterans, please call the SDVS Education and Training Division at 404-656-2306.
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September 9th, State Capitol Building
Georgia Declares Support To The Military

This special covenant signing ceremony featured remarks by both military and civilian dignitaries, patriotic songs performed by a local youth choir, and the signing of an executive order declaring continued support of the military communities statewide. Pictured are some of the local, state, and military VIPs who joined Governor Sonny Perdue during the ceremonial signing of the covenant for each branch of the Armed Forces (from left): Army Maj. Gen. William Nesbitt, Adjutant General, Georgia; State Rep. John Yates of Griffin, Chairman of the State House Defense and Veterans Affairs Committee; Army Gen. Charles C. Campbell, Commander of U.S. Army Forces Command, Fort McPherson; Gov. Perdue; Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle; Commissioner Pete Wheeler, SDVS; Marine Col. Ben Braden, Chief of Staff, USMC Logistics Command, Albany. ABOUT THE COVENANT: The Georgia Armed Forces Community Covenant is designed to develop and foster effective state and community partnerships with the Armed Forces in improving the quality of life for service members and their families, both at their current duty stations and as they transfer from state to state. The Atlanta ceremony is unique in being a joint ceremony as opposed to focusing on just one branch of the Armed Forces. The ceremony recognizes the strength of service members and their families and the support of their local communities.

Georgia Veterans...guardians of liberty

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Georgia Veterans...guardians of liberty

14

Several Honored For Brain Injury Service

On September 11, the Side By Side Brain Injury Clubhouse, Georgia's only non-for-profit organization focusing on the vocational and psychological needs of people disabled by brain injuries, hosted a symposium, "Improving Long-term Outcomes after Traumatic Brain Injury: Understanding the Legal and Medical Issues." During the event, the Brain Injury Service Awards Council honored several individuals for their service in the field of traumatic brain injury. From left: honoree Debbie Lillibridge, Atlanta VAMC Trauma Unit Case Manager; honoree Brian Poole, DAV National Service Officer, Side By Side Brain Injury Clubhouse Executive Director Cindi Johnson; honoree Pete Wheeler, Commissioner of the State Department of Veterans Service; honoree Tom Cook, Assistant Commissioner for Field Operations and Claims, SDVS; and volunteer Debbie Page. In Commissioner Wheeler's case, the award was for lifetime achievement. The Side By Side Brain Injury Clubhouse has a presence online at www.sidebysideclubhouse.org.

Did You Know?
Higher Social Security Payments for Veterans
Anyone who's had active duty service prior to January 2002 and planning for retirement should know this:
You qualify for a higher social security payment because of your

military service, for active duty any time from 1940 through 2001. (The program was done away with in January 2002).
Up to $1,200 per year of earnings credit can be applied at time of application, which can make a substantial difference in Social Security monthly payments upon your retirement.
You must bring your DD-214 to the Social Security Office - and you must ask for this benefit to receive it!

This is something to put in your files for when you apply for Social Security down the road. It is NOT just for retirees, BUT anyone who has served on active duty prior to January 2002.
This benefit is not automatic, you must ask for it!
For more information, visit http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/military. htm .

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65 or Older, Not Disabled? You May Qualify

If you are a wartime veteran with a limited income and you are no longer able to work, you may qualify for a Veterans Disability Pension or the Veterans Pension for Veterans 65 or older. Many veterans of wartime service are completely unaware of the fact that if they are 65 or older and on a limited income they may qualify for a VA Pension without being disabled. An estimated 2 million impoverished veterans and their widows are not receiving the VA pension they deserve because they do not know about it. The VA has had limited success in getting the information to them. You may be eligible if you were discharged from service under other than dishonorable conditions, AND you served 90 days or more of active duty with at least 1 day during a period of war time. With the advent of the Gulf War on 2 AUG 90 (and still not ended by Congress to this day), veterans

can now serve after 2 AUG 90 during a period of war time. When they do, they generally now must serve 24 months to be eligible for pension or any other benefit provided they meet the exclusions of 38 CFR 3.12(d). which require you are permanently and totally disabled, or are age 65 or older, AND your countable family income is below a yearly limit set by law. Family Annual Income Limits effective 1 DEC 07 cannot exceed the following:
Veteran with no dependents $11,181
Veteran with a spouse or a child $14,643
Veteran married to a veteran $14,643
Veterans with additional children: add $1,909 to the limit for EACH child
Housebound veteran with no dependents $13,664

Housebound veteran with one dependent $17,126
Veteran who needs aid and attendance and you have no dependents $18,654
Veteran who needs aid and attendance and you have one dependent $22,113
Some income is not counted toward the yearly limit (for example, welfare benefits, some wages earned by dependent children, and Supplemental Security Income).
You can apply by filling out VA Form 21-526, Veteran's Application for Compensation Or Pension.
You can also apply online through the VONAPP website http:// vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp/main. asp. For More Information Call 1(800) 827-1000.
[Source: http://www.vba.va.gov/ bln/21/pension/vetpen.htm]

Summer Highlights of ...

SDVS At Work For Georgia Veterans

Mike Roby and Ms. Wil-
lie Miles (VSO Griffin) represented SDVS at the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall in McDonough, June 12 16.
James Reeves (Claims Staff)
represented SDVS at Fort McPherson's 33rd Annual Retiree Appreciation Day on June 21.
Neil Slay (Claims Staff)
conducted demobilization briefing 35 GA Army National Guard soldiers returning home after serving on the US/Mexican border, June 26-27.
Terry Smith (VSO Bruns-
wick) presented a VA and state benefits briefing to members of the GA Air National Guard's 165th Air Assault Unit, August 16.
Ms. B.J. Johnson (VSO at
VAMC-Augusta) participated in the Post Deployment Health Re-Assessment (PDHRA) for C Battery, 214th

Field Artillery (Waynesboro) of the Georgia National Guard, August 23 24.
Dan Cravey (Claims Staff)
represented SDVS at the Atlanta VAMC's "Welcome Home America's OIF/OEF Heroes Celebration," held in DeKalb County, September 13.
Harry Evans (VSO Gaines-
ville) represented SDVS at DAV Chapter 17's (Hall County) "Veterans

Appreciation Day," held in Gainesville, September 13, 2008.
Tonya Malpass (VSO Glen-
nville) is now participating in monthly TAP Briefing at Ft. Stewart. This in addition to the 977 that she has briefed at the Wounded Warrior Town Hall meetings and the 232 National Guard returnees out the GA Army National Guard's 1230th Transportation Company.
VSO Valdosta continues to
conduct Transition Assistance Program (TAP) Briefings at Moody AFB; year to date 318 former airmen have
received the briefing.
Recently, a Senior Claims
Staff Counselor represented a veteran who received $70,000 in retroactive pay after winning his 10 year old appeal for cold weather injury. He will also receive approximately $17,500 more.

Georgia Veterans...guardians of liberty

16

Supermarket of Veterans Benefits
Thursday, December 4, 2008
10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the
Columbus Civic Center 400 Fourth Street Columbus, Georgia
Get Your Questions Answered by Veterans Benefits Experts
Establish eligibility for state veterans benefits Apply for VA health care benefits, disability compensation or pension Get help in obtaining military medals and records Find out about education and job training grants Find out about employment opportunities Get information on home mortgage and small business loans Find out about nursing home care and aging services Get information on burial in veterans cemeteries Get military retiree information Find out about veterans driver's license and car tags
FREE ADMISSION
Sponsored by the Georgia Department of Veterans Service