Did You Know?                  Project 112 Compensation          Project 112/SHAD (Shipboard Hazard and Defense) is the name of the program for both shipboard and land-based biological and chemical testing conducted by the U.S. military between 1962 – 1973.VA will provide physical examinations to veterans who participated in the testing. Veterans will receive medical care free of charge for conditions related to exposure.   Veterans may be eligible for disability compensation if they have a service-related disability and were discharged under other than dishonorable conditions.VA does not presume by regulation that any specific disabilities are related to participation in Project 112/SHAD. Veterans’ claims are decided on a case-by-case basis.    VA presumes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) diagnosed in all Veterans with 90 days or more continuous active military service is related to their service, although ALS is not related to Project 112/SHAD.Surviving spouses, dependent children and dependent parents of Veterans who died from health problems related to participation in Project 112/SHAD may be eligible for health care, compensation, education, and home loan benefits.               Income Assistance Programs for Veterans          The five (5) following programs assists homeless veterans with monetary help: Social Security – a monthly benefit program for people age 62 and over. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) – a monthly benefit program for disabled people with little to no income. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) – a monthly benefit for people who are disabled. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) – a cash benefit and work opportunities program for needy families with children. VA Compensation – A monthly benefit paid to veterans who are disabled by injury or disease that developed or worsened in the line of duty.             Free Passports     Passports are available to family members free of charge for the purpose of visiting their loved one’s grave or memorialization site at the American military cemeteries on foreign soil.                   Other Compensations If a veteran has a service-connected rating of 60% - 90% that causes unemployability, the veteran may be eligible for compensation at 100%. If a veteran is hospitalized for 21 days or more, or inconvalescent care for one month or more for service-connected disabilities, the veteran will be compensated at 100% during the time period. Any veteran rated 10% or more for a service-connected disability is eligible to receive training from Vocational Rehabilitation Training program. Any veteran rated 10% or more for service-connected disabilities may have the Home Loan fee waived.      New In-State Tuition Rules   Currently Post-9/11 benefits cover all in-state tuition and fees at public colleges and universities. But an estimated 3800 veterans annually face substantial out-of-pocket costs because they elect to attend state-run colleges as non-residents. That will soon change with a new law that will require schools to charge veterans using the GI Bill to receive in-state tuition rates. However, the first thing veterans using GI Bill education benefits should understand about new "in-state tuition" protection is that it won't take effect until the fall semester of 2015.       Transportation Discount    Tulsa Transit and city councilors announced Tuesday the expansion of the half-off public transportation discount for disabled veterans to all U.S. military personnel, active or retired. Active duty military personnel must present a current federally issued military identification. Veterans who have been honorably discharged must present identification from a recognized veteran’s organization, Veteran ID Card or a state-issued identification indicating veteran status.

What Every Veteran Should Carry                         No longer will you have to carry around your DD Form 214 as proof of your military service.  The Veteran ID Card will quickly establish you as a veteran, along with other essential benefits.  More... Veteran ID Card

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