Inside What`s 16th Annual NEHSA/VA Winter Sports Clinic

CORD
February 2013
T he N ewsletter
of the
N ew E ngland C hapter P aralyzed V eterans
a member chapter of the paralyzed veterans of america
What’s
Inside
President’s
Report
3
Executive Director’s
Report
4
Service Officer’s
Report
5
Sports Report
6
Operation PAVE
8
New England
VAMC News
9
PVA News
11
Washington
Update
12
Top: A disabled veteran
skier enjoys a run at the
16th Annual Winter Sports
Clinic; Bottom: (Rear l. to
r.) Tony Santilli and Ralph
Marche with Neal Williams
at the awards banquet.
WORD
–
of
A merica
Vol. LXIII, #2
chartered by the congress of the united states
16th Annual NEHSA/VA Winter Sports Clinic
T
he New England Winter Sports Clinic at
Mt. Sunapee, NH wrapped up its week
of skiing and other activities with their
annual awards banquet on January 17th. Although
not fond of skiing herself, NEPVA Executive Director Debra Freed was invited to attend the dinner.
She reported the following:
The commitment of the participants, as well as all the
outstanding VA staff, NEHSA
instructors, and especially the
volunteers truly made this
The banquet to close out the 16th Annual
NEHSA/VA Winter Sports Clinic was packed.
It really was a privilege and honor to be a part
of it. The commitment of the participants, as
well as all the outstanding VA staff, NEHSA
instructors, and especially the volunteers truly
made this another memorable event. Most VA
staff and/or volunteers were in costume. Ralph
Marche was Iron Man and according to Dr.
MacKenzie, Ralph wore that same costume
nearly 10 years ago and it still fits!
There were numerous awards given out to the
participants for most improved, the human
snow-plow, the rookie of the event, the Ken
Medeiros Award, which went to a member, and
the newly created Veterans’ Choice Award. This
award is voted solely by the participants for the
person they deem worthy. NEPVA Vice President Dustin Soroka presented Ralph & Tony
each with an award.
There was a special tribute to women veterans by
Kevin Dougherty, a musician and veteran from
Wakefield, MA. Kevin was also a recent participant in the National Veterans Creative Arts Fes-
another memorable event.
tival held in October 2012 in Boston. We hope
to have more details about the 2013 Winter
Sports Clinic in the next Cord Word.
February 2013
Cord Word
PARALYZED VETERANS of AMERICA
NEW ENGLAND CHAPTER
NEPVA ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE
1600 PROVIDENCE HIGHWAY-SUITE 143
WALPOLE, MA 02081
TEL: (508) 660-1181, 1-(800) 660-1181
FAX: (508) 668-9412; e-mail: [email protected]
web: www.nepva.org
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00am-4:30pm
NEPVA OFFICERS
EXECUTIVE BOARD
President, Craig Cascella
Vice President, Dustin Soroka
Secretary, Walter Farrington
Treasurer, Charles Schena
National Director, Craig Cascella
John Brako
Brad Carlson
Mike Guilbault
Peter Moore
Wayne Ross
Jim Wallack
Neal Williams
PROGRAM DIRECTORS
Development Director, Craig Cascella
Membership Officer, Craig Cascella
MS Liaison, John Brako
Community Outreach, Mike Guilbault
NEPVA Peer Mentor Rep., Mike Guilbault
Scholarship Chairman, Craig Cascella
Sports Director, Brad Carlson
Assistant Sports Director, Mike Guilbault
Bass Trail Liaison, Jim Wallack
Women Veterans’ Liaison, Debra Freed
Volunteer Chairman, Judy Goldstein
Our
Nine Month Drawing
will return in April
REMEMBRANCE
IN
We deeply regret the passing
of our Chapter Members:
Phyllis C. Duclos
Joseph J. Troutman
Hospital Liaisons
Brockton, MA VAMC, Craig Cascella
West Roxbury, MA VAMC, Craig Cascella
Northampton, MA VAMC, Tim Kelly
Providence, RI VAMC, Craig Cascella
Manchester, NH VAMC, Walter Farrington
West Haven, CT VAMC, Vacant
White River Jct, VT VAMC, Craig Cascella
Togus, ME VAMC, Dustin Soroka
STAFF
2
and extend our heartfelt sympathy
to family and friends.
Executive Director, Debra Freed
Cord Word Editor, Judy Goldstein
Government Relations Director, Debra Freed
Administrative Assistant, Judy Goldstein
Bookkeeper, Jeri Farinella
Cord Word Design & Web Master, Harley Freedman
NATIONAL SERVICE OFFICE
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA
BOSTON VA REGIONAL OFFICE
J.F.K. FEDERAL BUILDING - Room - 1575 C
BOSTON, MA 02203
TEL: (617) 303-1395 & 1-800-795-3607
Fax: (617) 723-7467
Monthly meetings are held every first Wednesday of the month at the NEPVA
office in Walpole, Ma. The executive board meets at 10:30 a.m. Followed by the
regular membership meeting at 1:00 p.m.
Eastern Region Director, Joseph E. Badzmierowski
Senior Secretary, Ann Marie Wallace
Cord Word is published twelve times a year by the New England Chapter
Paralyzed Veterans of America, 1600 Providence Hwy., Suite 143, Walpole,
MA 02081 in the interest of Chapter members. Membership in NEPVA
entitles you to a free subscription to Cord Word. Articles published
in Cord Word do not necessarily reflect the views of the Paralyzed
Veterans of America, New England Chapter. NEPVA neither endorses nor
guarantees any of the products or services advertised herein. Postmaster:
send changes of address to NEPVA, 1600 Providence Hwy., Suite 143,
Walpole, MA 02081
PVA National Service Office
Togus, VARO, 1 VA Center
Bldg 248, Room 112
Augusta, ME 04330
Serving Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont
TEL:(207) 621-7394, Fax: (207) 621-4829
Toll Free: 866-795-1911
National Service Officer II, John Stansbury
Secretary, Wendy Glidden
www.nepva.org
February 2013
Cord Word
President’s Report
H
ello to all our members, volunteers, and VA staff. I hope all
of you are dealing with the winter as
best as can be, as some of you enjoy the
cold and snow much more than I do.
The Chapter has just about finished
our Annual Report, which gives a synopsis of some of the past fiscal years
achievements, future goals, and financial accountability. Once finalized and
published, it will be sent to the PVA
National Office in Washington D.C.
and also sent out to our membership
for their review. We at the Chapter are
hopeful for yet another positive and
rewarding year in 2013. If we can be of
any assistance, please do not hesitate to
contact our office and if you have any
specific questions or comments on the
Annual Report feel free to contact us.
On January 11th, I visited the West
Roxbury VA and visited the Prosthetics
Dept. as wheelchair technician Warren
Wright has retired. I was happy to pres-
Craig Cascella presents a plaque of appreciation to Warren Wright.
www.nepva.org
By Craig C. Cascella
NEPVA President
ent a plaque of appreciation to Warren
on behalf of the Chapter and our members. Warren was humbled to receive
such notoriety and expressed his thanks
to me and NEPVA. Warren has been a
steady fixture at West Roxbury and also
the Brockton VA, helping a countless
number of veterans with their wheelchair
needs. Warren has always gone above and
beyond his work parameters, and frequently spent extra time when a veteran
was in need of various wheelchair repairs.
He will be greatly missed. Have a terrific
retirement Warren!
Upon leaving West Roxbury, I then travelled to the Bedford, MA, VAMC and
attended the VISN-1 SCI Team Meeting.
Primary care team staff from the VA SCI
clinics in the New England region, SCI
Chief Dr. Sunil Sabharwal, PVA NSO
John Stansbury, and I were amongst the
many in attendance. It is an extremely
beneficial meeting as the SCI teams at
each facility give an update on programs,
services, and offer suggestions on various
medical treatments and ongoing studies that are related to delivering the best
possible healthcare to our members and
SCI Chief Dr. Sunil Sabharwal, PVA NSO
John Stansbury and Craig Cascella.
veterans using the
VAMC’s in their
respective area.
There truly
appears to be a
team-oriented
effort at the
VA facilities and
seeing the collaboration and networking of
the SCI teams, along with PVA at this
meeting, reiterates why the Spoke and
Hub system here in VISN-1 is second
to none. I delivered an update on our
Chapter events, activities, and programs
we are running or plan on implementing, and other items related to PVA.
I also mentioned that I would like to
continue visits to the VA SCI clinics
and other associated departments at
the VAMC’s in our region. On behalf
of NEPVA, I was extremely pleased to
mention to the group that John Stansbury was the recipient of January’s
Above and Beyond Award, an award
given to only one of the many, many
PVA NSO’s around the country. I read
a notation to the group of one specific
case (of many examples) where John
went above and beyond his duties, in
securing service-connection benefits
for one of our members in regards to a
diagnosis of ALS. Upon finishing reading the notation, the group gave a well
deserved round of applause to John for
his efforts. The Chapter is grateful to
have such a dedicated person like John
as an NSO, assisting our members here
in New England and VISN-1. Congratulations once again John.
continued on page 10
3
February 2013
Cord Word
Executive Director’s Report
By Debra Freed
Executive Director
Priorities of 2013 and Beyond
A
s we move into February, our
legislative calendar is beginning to heat up. Our trip to
Washington, DC will be from March
3rd through the 8th. I want to thank
all those who are planning to attend on
behalf of the Chapter. We look forward
to reporting back on who we met, what
they had to say, and the outlook for the
remainder of 2013 and beyond.
I know that many people consider
going to Washington DC a waste of
time. I am also well aware that many
people believe that a number of Senators and Legislators believe it is now
a right to serve the American people
instead of a privilege. It can truly be
frustrating at times that is for sure.
Sometimes it seems we repeat the same
requests year after year after year.
We do not go to Washington DC without first setting priorities. This is done
with the assistance of the Independent
Budget (IB). Going on its 28th year,
the following Veterans Service Organizations (VSO) – American Veterans
(AmVets), Disabled American Veterans
(DAV), Paralyzed Veterans of America
(PVA), and the Veterans of Foreign
Wars (VFW) have worked together to
put together a comprehensive budget
for the Veterans Administration. It
is touted as for veterans by veterans.
Please know many other VSOs as well
as non-veteran organizations support
the IB by signing on to the IB.
4
Some of the critical issues for 2013 are:
Protection of VA Healthcare and Benefits Programs;
• Reforming the Benefits Claims-Processing System;
• Transition, Employment, and Training for Today’s Veterans;
• The Continuing Challenge of Caring
for War Veterans and Transitioning
Them to Civilian life;
• Transforming the VA Health-Care
Delivery Model-Patient-Centered
Medical Home or Patient-Aligned
Care Teams;
• Maintaining VA’s Critical
Infrastructure.
You may remember a couple of years
ago, PVA and others worked to get the
VA budget under the Advance Appropriation program. Although we are in
2013, the newest IB brings issues for
the 2014 fiscal year. The Critical Issues
for 2014 are as follows: Protection of
VA Health-Care & Benefits Systems;
Successfully Completing Reform of
the Benefits Claims-Processing System;
Transition, Employment, & Education
for Today’s Veterans; The Continuing
Challenge of Caring for War Veterans;
and finally, Maintaining VA’s Critical
Infrastructure.
As you can see there is little difference between the Critical Issues for
2013 and 2014. Why do we keep going
back? Why do we need to repeat the
same issues from year to year? The IB
states the reasons why much better than
I could: “The
ongoing cost of
maintaining
VA’s Infrastructure and
caring for veterans who honorably served this
nation does not decline
simply because financial times become
challenging.”
Because this had to go to press soon
after the 15th, chapters did not yet
receive the position papers we will be
discussing when we get to Washington
DC. Please know that there are just
as many non-veteran service organizations that have signed on as did veterans
service organizations. I look forward to
reporting to our membership the meetings we had and what your Senator or
Representative had to say about the VA
and other issues pertaining to veterans
and the disabled community.
I
would urge everyone who has access
to a computer to check out the
Independent Budget at www.independentbudget.org. It may be a long
read but it will most definitely be worth
it. I may not know the answers to questions you may have about the IB but I
certainly know where to get them. We
can only make our voices heard if we
have a lot of them.
www.nepva.org
February 2013
Cord Word
Service Officer’s Report
Chapter 35 (Dependent’s Education Benefits)
There are various educational programs
sponsored by the Veteran Affairs. There
are so many educational benefits that
one can become confused quite easily.
The VA educational program I will
speak about in this article is “Chapter
35” benefits that are the “Dependents
Educational Assistance” program.
Eligibility
Eligibility for this program mandates
that applicants be either a dependant
spouse; surviving spouse or child to
include an adopted child and stepchild
of a military veteran. The veteran must
be either entitled to a one-hundred
percent service connected disability
compensation or entitled to Individual
Unemployability benefits and have a
disability that is considered to be permanent and total in nature, or have
passed away due to their service-connected disability before a dependant can
apply for this educational benefit. This
benefit also can be used by families of
an active duty military member who is
currently a “Prisoner of War” (POW) or
“Missing in Action” (MIA).
How to Apply for Chapter 35 Benefits
In order to apply you will need to fill
out a VA Form 22-5490, “Application
for Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance.” The form can be
obtained from your local Paralyzed
Veterans of America office or from
http://www.gibill.va.gov/. Please keep
in mind that a copy of the veteran’s DD
Form-214 (Military Discharge) will be
required along with a copy of a college
schedule and registration.
www.nepva.org
Eligibility periods for children
of qualified veterans
Children to include adopted children
and step children of qualified veterans
typically should apply for Chapter 35
benefits from the age 18 and no later
than 26. There are some cases however
where children can apply and begin the
program before the age of 18 and continue after the age of 26.
Marriage and Chapter 35 eligibility
Marriage will not affect dependent
children’s eligibility for the educational
benefit.
Eligibility periods for spouses and
surviving spouses
Spouses who become eligible due to
husbands/wife’s disability can use the
Chapter 35 educational benefit for a
period of 10 years from the effective
dates of veteran’s total and permanent
disability evaluation.
Spouses of active duty military members who are POWs or MIA are eligible
for the Chapter 35 benefits beginning on the ninety-first day after the
service member is listed as missing or
held captive. If the service member is
determined to be alive and not missing, the spouse’s eligibility ends on that
particular date. If a spouse is enrolled in
college or other types of training when
the discovery is made, the eligibility can
always be extended to the end of the
academic term.
By Michael J. Kruse,
PVA Senior NSO, Buffalo, NY
Can divorce affect a spouse’s
eligibility?
Yes, divorce affects a spouse’s eligibility. When the marriage to a qualified
veteran ends in divorce, the eligibility
for Chapter 35 benefits ceases to exist
on the date the divorce is finalized with
few exceptions. One of these exceptions occurs when the spouse can prove
to the Veteran Affairs that the divorce
occurred through no fault of their own,
and the VA will consider extending the
eligibility. This is performed on a caseby-case basis.
Eligibility for surviving spouses
Surviving spouses of deceased veterans,
who died as a result of a service-connected disability, can elect the beginning date for the 10-year eligibility for
Chapter 35 benefits. The dates elected
must be between two events being the
determination that the death was due to
a service-connected disability and the
date of death of the husband or wife.
If your husband or wife died while serving on active duty, the eligibility period
for the benefit is approximately 20 years
from the date of death.
Surviving spouses and remarriage
If surviving spouses remarry before the
age of 57, eligibility will end on the
date of the remarriage. The Chapter 35
educational benefits can be reinstated,
but only if remarriage occurs after
November 30 1999, and the remarriage
ends. The remarriage must end due to
divorce, death or because spouses are no
longer living together.
continued on page 10
5
February 2013
Cord Word
Sports & Recreation
W
elcome to a great 2013! I hope everyone had a wonderful
holiday season! It was another successful year in sports and
everyone who participated had great times. There is not
enough room on this page to sum up all of the programs we did, but I
have plenty to tell you about 2013.
On January 5th and 6th, we were invited again by the Safari Club International to attend our 2nd hunting trip at Easton View Outfitters in Valley
Falls, NY. In attendance were: Mike Guilbault, Jim Wallack, Rick Nelson,VPDustin Soroka and myself. A great time was had by all and no one went
home empty handed. There were four Boars, three awesome looking
Rams and one 11 point Asian Buck (Sika Buck). It was a great two days
and I recommend this trip to everyone for next year (space is limited).
Next on the list is of course, the New England Winter Sports Clinic for
Disabled Veterans at Mt Sunapee, NH which took place January 14-18th. I
will have all the info in the next Cord Word on all the happenings there.
Our 6th annual Billiard Tournament will be held from May 18-19 at Breakaway Billiards again in Clinton, MA. There will be plenty of surprises as
usual. The Tournament is sponsored primarily by the APA (American Poolplayers Association), Budweiser, NEPVA, and many others. This plans to
be a very large event, open to disabled and able bodied players, so don’t
miss out!
On that note, I was informed the other day that we will be holding
another PVA National Billiard Tournament in September. The Tournament
By Brad Carlson
Sports Director
will be held at Westgate Lanes in Brockton, MA. More details will follow when we
know more.
Speaking of US Nationals- Our first annual
Trap Shoot will be held June 21- 23 in
Scarborough, ME. This is another event
that will be great to attend. We are lucky
to have National events like these as it is
good for the chapter. Again more info to
follow, please check our website to know
what events are going on because some come up last minute.
Don’t forget about the 33rd National Veterans Wheelchair Games to be
held in Tampa, FL from July 13-18. All applications for NEPVA team members MUST BE IN THE NEPVA OFFICE NO LATER THAN MARCH 15. THERE
ARE NO EXCEPTIONS! There is a lot of work to process these applications
and put the proper people in the right rooms, so please be on time.
Once again, on the PVA National Circuit, our name pops up. Our NEPVA
Bass Trail will host another PVA Bass Tournament slated the weekend of
September 6 through the 8th. Please be sure to watch for more information as it becomes available pertaining to this year’s PVA/NEPVA Bass Trail
event.
That’s all from me this month. Please as usual, get out there and have fun
and stay healthy. Have a great year!
N E P VA Celtic s W in WC B a sketball W inter Cla ssic
T
he NEPVA Celtics wheelchair basketball team traveled to Concord, NC January
12-13 to compete in the Charlotte
Tarwheels Winter Classic. The Celtics
played against three top 20 ranked
teams in the NWBA defeating all of
them. (San Antonio Spurs, Fayetteville Flyers, and Charlotte Tarwheels).
They played the Charlotte Tarwheels
twice to take the championship game.
Omar Benitez won MVP.
6
Back row: Steve Stolberg, Damon Isles, Steve Davis, Omar Benitez, Gary Dutram
Front row: Bill Hill, Megan Anderson, Andy Garbarino.
www.nepva.org
33rd Games
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February 2013
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February 2013
Cord Word
OPERATION PAVE
PVA’s Vocational Program!
Re-entering the Workforce
I
t is frightening sometimes to
think about going back to work if
you’ve been out of the workforce
for a few years or decades!
Leaving the job market is done for
lots of reasons:
* Raise a family
* Early retirement
* Don’t need the money
* Get married
*Disability(s)
Returning to the job market is done
for lots of reasons:
* Children grown
* Financial problems
*Bored
* Personal fulfillment
* Death of spouse
Take stock of yourself.
Figure what you want to do.
* What makes you happy?
* What are your skills?
* What are your interests?
Be patient.
Take a skills inventory:
* Are skills you have applicable in the workforce?
Do they need to be updated?
* Do you have skills related to non-
paid life experience? Think about this: make notes.
* List non-paid experience and see what skills come from that. Have you helped a family member with a business? Have you volunteered somewhere?
Do your research.
Find out what skills are needed in the
area where you live and what skills you
have or do not have. Check job ads in
your area. Check on classes available at
a local community college. Explore.
Figure what you need to do and
when. It is ok to take small steps. Once
you know what kind of job or jobs you
would like to pursue and have found
out what kinds of job or jobs are in
demand in the area where you live then
you can figure if you have the skills or
necessary background to pursue such
work…if not, then identify where you
can gain the experience or skills.
Career Help Is Available
PVA Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
Ken Lipton can assist veterans in getting
back to work, school or training. He can
meet the veteran at their home, apt. or
another VAMC. He also can assist the
8
Remember to network.
Talk to people (family, friends, college
advisors, employment counselors, vocational rehabilitation counselors) who
can help.
Internet Resources:
www.msmoney.com/mm/career/
transitions/reenter_workforce/
reenter?workforce?intro.htm (information for women returning to work)
www.iRelaunch.org (gives webinars and
seminars about getting back to work)
www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/career/
re-entering (information for returning
college graduates)
www.jobsearch.about.com/od/
workfromhome/a/workathomejobs.htm
(work from home ideas and suggestions)
For further assistance contact:
Ken Lipton, M.A.,CRC
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
Paralyzed Veterans of America
1400 VFW Parkway, Room AG 60
West Roxbury, MA 02132
[email protected]
Office: 857-203-6091, Fax: 857-203-5797
Veterans with Spinal Cord Injury
or Spinal Cord Disease who may be
receiving SSDI or SSI and wish to
veteran’s family including the spouse,
work might consider calling a Para-
dependent or care giver with their
lyzed Veterans of America Certified
vocational goals.
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor.
www.nepva.org
February 2013
Cord Word
New England VAMC News
O
n December 14th, the SCI team at VA Central
Western MA held their annual holiday party for
veterans and their family members. The event
included a benediction by the chaplain, games, raffle for
gifts, food, and most importantly fellowship amongst SCI-D
veterans, family and
Our thanks go out
friends. Approximately 28
people attended, includto NEPVA for their
ing our past SCI nurse for
continued support
many years, Rich McNeil,
of this event and
who began the annual SCI
holiday party tradition 10
our monthly SCI
years ago. Our thanks go
peer support group.
out to NEPVA for their
continued support of this event and our monthly SCI peer
support group. The VA Central Western MA SCI Peer Support Group meets the second Thursday of each month from
1-3pm at the Northampton VAMC campus Occupational
Therapy Room. Please contact the SCI Coordinator, Janice
Cooper, at 413-584-4040 x2954 if you are interested in
attending or have any questions about the group.
Handwashing 101
How Should You Wash Your Hands?
* Use soap and warm, running water.
* Lather and wash thoroughly, including wrists, palms, back of hands, fingers, and under fingernails for at least 15 - 20 seconds. Try humming the Alphabet song!
* Rinse hands well under warm, running water.
* Dry hands thoroughly with a clean paper or cloth towel, or air dryer.
* Apply hand lotion if desired to help prevent and soothe dry skin.
* Washing hands with soap and clean water for at least 15 – 20 seconds is a sensible strategy for hand hygiene and is recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and other experts to prevent the spread of germs.
* Hand sanitizers are a good alternative to use when soap and water aren’t available. However, when hands are visibly soiled, they should be washed with soap and water.
2013 SLED HOCKEY CLINICS
Northeast Passage in partnership with the VA Boston
Healthcare System is pleased to announce the 20122013 Sled Hockey
Season. A seated version of hockey open to
anyone with
difficulty stand-up
skating.
If interested contact:
Jenny McLaughlin, CTRS
VA Boston Healthcare System
774-826-1955
[email protected]
Dates & Time:
9:30am-12pm
February: 3, 24
March: 3, 10
Held at:
Nobles School Rink,
10 Campus Drive, Dedham, MA 02096
VA Central Western MA SCI Holiday Party participants engaged in a
holiday word scramble game.
www.nepva.org
Clinics are free to those who register
9
February 2013
Cord Word
President’s Report
continued from page 3
On the 16th, I travelled to Foxwoods
Resorts & Casino in Ledyard, CT,
and met with High Rollers Bowling
Alleys staff regarding the possibility of
having an annual bowling tournament
at their alleys, which are located within
Foxwoods. As has been mentioned in
the past, NEPVA would like to host
an annual bowling tournament, with
the format being much like the many
AWBA tournaments around the country. Bowling is a very popular sport in
the disabled community and with our
members. Many AWBA members and
bowlers have asked and encouraged the
Chapter to do so, noting they would
like to attend a tournament in New
England. NEPVA has hosted a few
AWBA National bowling tournaments
in the past and the tournaments have
overall been well received. I’d like to
thank Executive Director Debra Freed,
Sports Director Brad Carlson, and
Maureen Morrison (Chapter volunteer
who has assisted NEPVA in past bowling tournaments and is involved with
the NEPVA Rollers bowling league
in Brockton, MA) for their assistance
with the meeting and going over the
many logistical needs for planning such
a tournament. The Chapter will soon
make a decision on when and where the
bowling tournament will be.
As always, feel free to visit NEPVA’s
web site (www.nepva.org), PVA’s web
site (www.pva.org), and the VA’s web
site (www.va.gov) for up to date and
recent news. If you have any questions,
comments, or concerns please contact
our office or your local NSO.
Service Officer’s Report
continued from page 5
Chapter 35 and other Veteran Affairs benefits
If you are a dependent child, surviving spouse or a spouse,
the Chapter 35 educational benefits will have no affect on
your other VA benefits. One thing to remember for dependent children of deceased veterans is that if eligible for DEA
(Dependents Educational Assistance) and death benefits
simultaneously, if DEA benefits are elected, the additional
amount paid for being a dependant under the Dependency
and Indemnity Compensation will be stopped.
10
Training
Chapter 35 benefits entail allowing veterans’ dependents the
ability to obtain college degrees, attend training programs,
pursue independent study programs, and certificate programs. The training has to be performed at VA approved academic institutions. This is why it proves important no matter
what academic institution elected to check with the Department of Veteran Affairs to ensure the school is approved.
The benefit will also help pay for apprenticeship and OJT
(On-Job-Training) programs to include high school programs
if one did not graduate high school. Chapter 35 benefits
include reimbursement for the costs of licensing and certification tests. Again, please check with your VA educational
counselor before signing up for any type of licensing or certification testing to ensure these tests will be reimbursed in
full.
Government Work-Study Benefits
While using Chapter 35 benefits veterans’ dependents may
qualify for additional allowances under the “Government
Work Study” program. To qualify, one must be attending
college between three-quarter time and full-time. Please
check with your VA educational counselor or your PVA representative to explain the Government Work Study benefits
in full details.
The Chapter 35 benefit is a helpful benefit aiding veteran’s
dependents to go to college. I want to relay to all recipients
to become acquainted with the VA Advisors located at most
colleges nationwide. The advisors are college employee’s who
certify college enrollment every month to the Department of
Veteran Affairs. The VA advisors will handle issues with the
college, classes, and all VA paperwork.
The PVA offers extensive knowledge and expertise in handling these types of claims. Your spouse, father or mother
served his or her country and earned this benefit for you to
enjoy. Please do not hesitate to use Chapter 35 educational
benefits not only to enhance your life, but also possibly
changing your life forever. For further information on Chapter 35 Dependents Educational Assistance benefits, please
contact your local Paralyzed Veterans of America National
Service Officer.
www.nepva.org
February 2013
Cord Word
PVA News
Repeal of CLASS Legislation Affects Americans with
Long-Term Care Needs, Including Disabled Veterans
O
n January 1, 2013, Congress took a step backwards
from solving an acute American problem with its
repeal of CLASS (Community Living Assistance
Services and Supports) legislation. The CLASS Act provided
a framework for addressing how our country pays for longterm services and support, and this framework could have
been adjusted and implemented to help millions of American
families who struggle with paying for the care they need.
“Advance CLASS and its member organizations are extremely
disappointed that Congress and the Administration chose to
remove the CLASS Act from law. However, we are grateful to
Senator Rockefeller for intervening, and hopefully, the bipartisan Commission he argued to establish in its place will work
quickly and aggressively to propose a plan that holds true to
the core principles of the CLASS Act: broad participation,
supporting personal responsibility, and flexibility in choice of
long-term services and supports,” said Connie Garner, Executive Director of the Advance CLASS coalition.
Lee Page, Associate Advocacy Director for Paralyzed Veterans of America, adds, “Most Americans are ill prepared for
the true cost of what their long-term care needs will be. By
repealing the CLASS Program, Congress takes a step backwards from trying to solve retiring baby boomers and disabled veterans needs.”
Advance CLASS and its member organizations, including
Paralyzed Veterans of America, will continue to advocate
for policy solutions and a strong and vital long-term services
and supports program that will help make it affordable for
Americans to get long-term services and supports they need
for years to come.
FOR SALE
1999 Ford F150 Van
Very good condition. 39,000 miles. Rycon heavy- duty lift.
6-way seat allows a handicapped person to transfer to driver’s seat.
Hand controls, EZ lock, tie downs and remote starter.
Well maintained. $9,500.
Call the NEPVA office at 508-660-1181
With dozens of fabulous high-quality
brands, Frank Webb’s Bath Centers are the
showrooms of the F.W. Webb Company, the
largest plumbing supplier in the Northeast.
This means more products, expertise and
value in bath and kitchen plumbing
fixtures and lighting.
Accessible living & style are
not mutually exclusive.
A bathroom must be accessible, secure and supportive in order
for us or our loved ones to live comfortably. Our Methuen showroom
Visit our Accessible includes 2,000 square feet of accessible living and aging-in-place bath
Living Idea Center design ideas, proving that accessibility doesn’t mean giving up style!
in Methuen!
Roll-in showers, walk-in tubs, comfort-height toilets, hand-held
showers, grab bars and more. Our array of products and expertise create a bath
that supports privacy, comfort and dignity – all without sacrificing style.
Selection. Knowledge. We’re here to help.
www.nepva.org
WEBB_PVAnewz_1_13.indd
1
Methuen, MA
98 Lindbergh Avenue • 781-325-7140
Exit 47 off Route 93, right onto Mystic Street.
Visit frankwebb.com for design and product ideas,
and directions to over 30 showrooms.
1/11/13 4:54:10 PM
11
February 2013
Cord Word
Washington Update
Lame-Duck Session Leads to Fiscal Cliff Deal,
Other Issues Remain for 113th Congress
A
fter a long election season, the
112th Congress worked up until
December 31 to agree upon a deal to
avert the “fiscal cliff.” The major issues
surrounding “fiscal cliff” negotiations
involved increasing the top marginal tax
rates for high income earners and cuts
in federal spending tied to reform of
entitlement programs.
In the end, the House and Senate
begrudgingly agreed on a bipartisan basis to a legislative package that
addressed some of the concerns caused
by the “fiscal cliff”, but that left other
issues incomplete. The “fiscal cliff” deal
included:
1.Extension of the Bush-era tax cuts
for most people. The top marginal
tax rate was increased for individu-
als making over $400,000 per year
and for married couples filing a joint
return making over $450,000 per
year. The legislation also included a
number of individual and business
tax extensions.
2.Extends unemployment benefits
through December 31, 2013.
3.Sequestration. The “fiscal cliff” deal
delays sequestration until March 1,
2013. Sequestration would require
automatic, mandatory reductions
in most federal spending across the
board with half of the reductions
coming from defense spending and
the other half coming from nondefense discretionary spending. The
agreement on this issue is the very
definition of “kicking the can down
the road,” leaving Congress to deal
Produced by PVA
Government Relations Department
with this issue again within the next
two months. Fortunately, if sequestration does take effect, VA funding
is exempted from these cuts.
4.Expiration of the payroll tax reduction. This temporary measure was
extended at the beginning of 2012,
despite generally bipartisan support
for allowing this reduction to expire.
The payroll tax is paid into the Social
Security trust fund. With this expiration, the payroll tax rate will increase
from 4.2 percent to 6.2 percent (the
previous level three years ago). Interestingly, the expiration of this reduction will lead to average working
Americans seeing a reduction in their
take-home pay every month (approximately $1,000 for every $50,000
earned).
continued next page
“Wheels for Independence, Service for Life”
-Serving Connecticut & Massachusetts since 1988-NMEDA Charter Member and QAP certified-Winner of the Toyota Ichiban customer service satisfaction award for theToyota Sienna Rampvan
-VA Assistance Support-24/7 Roadside Assistance15F International Drive, East Granby, CT 06026
(877) WHEELS-3
www.advancedwheels.com
12
ACCESSIBLE MINIVANS
-Chrysler T & C-Dodge Gr. Caravan-Toyota Sienna-Honda OdysseyMOBILITY OPTIONS
-Full Size Conversions-Wheelchair Lifts-Scooter Lifts-Hand Controls-High Tech Driving Systems-Pedal Extensions-Turning Automotive Seating-
PROUDLY SERVING VETERANS’
MOBILITY NEEDS SINCE 1988.
www.nepva.org
February 2013
Cord Word
Meanwhile, another major issue that
was not addressed in the “fiscal cliff”
deal looms very large—an increase in
the debt ceiling. The debt limit reflects
the maximum amount of all spending
obligations that the federal government
has for everything ranging from Social
Security benefits to veterans compensation benefits. If the debt ceiling is
exceeded, then the country essentially
defaults on its obligations and the
federal government could potentially
choose not to pay certain federal benefits. The country is projected to breach
this limit by early March. This means
Congress will attempt to negotiate a
deal on a debt limit increase while also
having to address sequestration again.
Also, Congress still has to complete
work on FY 2013 appropriations for
all federal agencies. The federal government is currently operating on a
6-month Continuing Resolution which
expires on March 31, 2013. The partisan rancor surrounding the debt ceiling
debate could have an impact on completing the appropriations work leaving
open the possibility that the federal government faces a partial shutdown.
FREE TO MEMBER
Trapeze
Hoya Lift
with sling and batteries
Bath Chair
Pick up in Canton, MA
Manual Wheelchair
new, good condition,
for average size person
Adjustable Shower Chair
Mini refrigerator-(about 3 ft. tall)
Pick up in Fitchburg, MA
Power Wheelchair
If you would like to receive your Cord Word via email,
please send us your email address. Email us at: info@
nepva.org or call the NEPVA office at: 800-660-1181.
from the Scooter Store
3 Years old, in excellent condition
Pick up in North Providence, RI
for contact info on these items
Call the NEPVA office
888-Ride-Away (888-743-3292)
www.Ride-Away.com
“(Ride-Away)
Steve poses here with his Ride-Away
Sales Consultant, Dave Qualey, of the
Londonderry, NH facility.
knew what to do.
Dave made all the
phone calls to the
VA... saving me
$25,000!”
-Steve Hodgkins
Malden, MA
VetsMobileOps Program
VA assistance support
• All vehicle trade-ins accepted
• 24/7 Roadside assistance
• QAP Certified factory trained technicians
•
•
www.nepva.org
It’s no wonder why Ride-Away customers remain so loyal — Superior Support!
Ride-Away — America’s #1 provider of modified vehicles for people with disabilities.
13
February 2013
Cord Word
Welcome To
Adaptive
MobilityEquipment
VOTED #1
IN CUSTOMER
SERVICE
If you can’t
come to us
we’ll come to you
-VETERAN SPECIALSFree Veterans
Maintenance Program*
We work with the VA for you. New
van upgrades every 2 years saving
you $25,000 on average and
sometimes very little out of pocket.
1-800-311-2849
www.amemobility.com
1551 Fall River Avenue, Seekonk, MA 02771
14
LIFETIME
WARRANTY
(Call or visit us fo
r
more information)
LARGEST RAMPVAN
INVENTORY AT ONE
LOCATION IN SOUTHERN
NEW ENGLAND!
*Please call for details and qualifications
www.nepva.org
February 2013
Cord Word
Update your hand controls!
...drive with both hands on the wheel
DARIOS let’s you drive with both hands
on the wheel
Digital Accelerator Ring optimized for speed
It’s so comfortable!
Just press the ring to accelerate.
Brake with the left- or right-hand
brake integrated in the dashboard.
Your knee area remains free of
metal parts.
You maintain all adjustments
of your steering column and all
airbags including the kneeairbag remain functional.
DARIOS adapts its sensitivity
to the speed of your car.
DARIOS uses 2 sensors inside the
steering wheel to be compliant
with car manufacturers’ safety
standards.
It sends the information from
the ring to its main controller
under the dashboard using digital
signals to be immune to electromagnetic noise.
Users’ comments: “I feel like I’m in control of my vehicle again!”
“The system appears a part of the original equipment of the vehicle.”
DARIOS is VA accepted.
KEMPF features nationwide free at-home pick-up and
delivery and at-home service.
KEMPF is a NMEDA member.
Visit: www.kempf-usa.com to find comments from
users accross the country or to request a quotation.
Call Toll-free: 1-888-4-KEMPF-US (453-6738) for
a free DVD and free brochure.
www.nepva.org
15
New England PVA
1600 Providence Highway, Suite 143
Walpole, MA 02081
tel: 508 660-1181
800 660-1181
fax: 508 668-9412
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Leominster, MA
Permit No. 17
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00am-4:30pm
Thanks to our Bass Trail Volunteers
Bass Trail volunteers
and disabled anglers
displayed a booth at
the Rockingham Fish
and Game Trade
Show, Rockingham
Park, Salem NH.
The event was held
January 4-6. The
American Eagle Bass
Assoc members, all
volunteers who run
the NEPVA Bass
Trail, gave up their
weekend to fundraise
for the Trail. The
NEPVA Bass Trail
has remained free for
more than 10 years
because of their selflessness and dedication to NEPVA members, veterans, and the disabled community. Shown in the photo are: (rear
l. to r.) Gary Clawson, Lori Chase, Sherry Brosseau, Laurie Campbell Morin, Tiny LaFontaine; (front l. to r.)
Peter Moore, Ray Brunelle, George Morin, Tom Blanchard. (Photo by Bob Abbott)