Did You Know?          South Dakota offers a bonus to members of the Armed Forces who were legal residents of the state for no less than six months immediately preceding their period of active duty and who served on active duty during one or more of the following periods: (1) Aug. 2, 1990 to March 3, 1991; (2) March 4, 1990 to Dec. 31, 1992, with exceptions; (3) Jan. 1, 1993 to Sept. 10, 2001, with exceptions; (4) Sept. 11, 2001 to a date yet to be determined. Also, Veterans with qualifying service before Dec 31, 1992 and after Jan 1, 1993 may receive two separate bonuses of up to $500.00 each. Veterans may apply through the nearest County or Tribal Veterans Service Officer. Those living outside of South Dakota may apply by e-mail at john.fette@state.sd.us. Be sure to include military branch and dates of service. Veterans may also request an application and instructions by calling 605-773-7251.         DD Form 214 Online      Gaining access to your DD Form 214 has never been easier.  This may be particularly helpful when a veteran needs a copy of the DD-214 for employment purposes. NPRC is working to make it easier for veterans with computers and Internet access to obtain copies of documents from their military files. Military veterans and the next of kin of deceased former military members may now use a new online military personnel records system to request documents. The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) has provided the following website for veterans to sign access to their dd-214 online: http://vetrecs.archives.gov         How to Secure Compensation for Dependents      All veterans having a 30% or more service-connected evaluation may be entitled to additional compensation for a spouse, dependent parents, or unmarried children under 18 (or under 23 if attending an approved school) or a child who became permanently incapable of self-support because of mental or physical defect prior to age 18. The additional benefit for a spouse is payable in a higher amount upon receipt of evidence establishing that the spouse is a patient in a nursing home or disabled as to require the aid and attendance of another person.           How to Increase Benefits for Unemployability   If your service-connected disabilities are seriously disabling to the extent that you are unable to secure and hold steady work or employment, you may apply to receive total disability. To apply for this benefit, you should contact the nearest VA Regional Office and complete VA Form 21-8940, “Veteran’s Application for Increased Compensation Based on Unemployability.” Forms are available on the VA forms.                 Compassionate Allowances Conditions Expanded                 The Social Security Administration has announced 25 new Compassionate Allowances (CA) conditions. The CA program reduces the time it takes to make decisions on disability applications filed by Americans with the most serious disabilities, so they receive decisions on their claims within days, instead of months or years. The new conditions include a dozen cancers and disorders that affect the digestive, neurological, immune and multiple body systems.            Expedited Social Security Process for Vets      The Social Security Administration has unveiled a new initiative to expedite disability claims by veterans with a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation rating of 100% Permanent & Total (P&T). Under the new process, Social Security will treat these veterans' applications as high priority and issue expedited decisions, similar to the way the agency currently handles disability claims from Wounded Warriors. In order to receive the expedited service, veterans must tell Social Security they have a VA disability compensation rating of 100% P&T and show proof of their disability rating with their VA Notification Letter. Social Security plans to launch the expedited process in mid-March.          IU Facts   Individual unemployability is a part of VA’s disability compensation program that allows VA to pay certain veterans compensation at the 100 percent rate, even though VA has not rated their service-connected disabilities at the total level. To be eligible, a veteran must be unable to maintain substantially gainful employment as a result of his/her service-connected disabilities. Additionally, a veteran must have one service-connected disability ratable at 60 percent or more, or two or more service-connected disabilities, at least one disability ratable at 40 percent or more with a combined rating of 70 percent or more. Veterans who are in receipt of Individual Unemployability benefits may work as long as it is not considered substantially gainful employment. The employment must be considered marginal employment. Substantially gainful employment is defined as employment at which non-disabled individuals earn their livelihood with earnings comparable to the particular occupation in the community where the veteran resides. Marginal employment is generally deemed to exist when a veteran's earned income does not exceed the amount established by the U.S. Census Bureau as the poverty level for the veteran only.

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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