“Every time we’ve done it veterans come back to us, over 50 percent get benefits that they did not know they were entitled to.  They’re getting medical aid, they’re getting treatment at the VA, they’re getting money, compensation they didn’t know they were entitled to it. Now with this PACT Act, it’s huge. The claims have gone through the roof.””

Bruce Wozniak, Quarter Master of the VFW and the Commander of the American Legion Victory Post 112

Pact Act helps Veterans

Veteran Service Directors described the unfaltering work their departments put in to help local veterans and their dependents get the benefits they need and deserve. They urged Veterans to contact their local Veterans offices for help.

March 29^th is the annual observance of Vietnam War Veterans Day designated by President Obama on May 28, 2012, to honor our nation’s Vietnam Veterans and their families for their sacrifice and service.  President Trump signed into law the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017 which designated every March 29 as National Vietnam War Veterans Day. This year March 29^th also commemorates the 50^th Anniversary of the departure of the last American troops from Vietnam and thus signifying the end of the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War was the second of the Indochina wars that was fought between North Vietnam and South Vietnam from November 1955 to April 1975. It is estimated that 58,220 United States service members lost their lives in the Vietnam War. According to the United States Census Bureau report in 2018, there are roughly 18 million American Veterans of the United States Special Forces in the United States. The Veterans Benefits Administration reports that only 5.2 million veterans or survivors receive compensation or pension benefits and the veterans who don’t use the benefits offered to them claim that they prefer to use other health care coverage or that the VA is too much trouble or red tape. Veterans Service Groups and local Legions and VFWs in the area are hoping to fix that.

The Stanley VFW Post 2711 organized a Veterans Service Event where County Veteran Service Officers answered questions and explained benefits regarding the PACT Act. The PACT Act was signed into law on August 2, 2022, by President Joe Biden and went into effect on January 1^st, 2023. The PACT Act, a new law that expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances, is possibly one of the largest health care and benefit expansions in VA history. Peter Johnson, Veterans Service Director in Chippewa County, and Aaron Griesen, Veteran Service Director in Clark County, were on hand to answer questions regarding Veterans compensation benefits and veterans exposed to burn pits or other toxins and affected by agent orange. Both Veteran Service Directors described the unfaltering work their departments put in to help local veterans and their dependents get the benefits they need and deserve. They urged Veterans to contact their local Veterans offices for help. Griesen understands the frustration some Veterans have with the Department of Veterans Affairs but explained the assistance recently available at the VA under the Mission Act that was signed into law by President Trump in 2018. He adds, “There are a lot of things wrong. There are a lot of things that people can point out that are problems with the VA. The people who work at the VA are regular people like us trying to do the best that they can.” On the benefits of the Mission Act, Griesen continues, “The Mission Act really went above and beyond helping Veterans in rural areas like this. The Mission Act was key for veterans in our area.”

Bruce Wozniak, Quarter Master of the VFW and the Commander of the American Legion Victory Post 112, who served in many capacities in the military, including Army Special Forces, helped organize the Veterans Service Event held at the Stanley VFW/ Legion Post Hall on Wednesday, March 22^nd to explain information on the PACT Act recently passed by Congress. He helped co-host the event because he strongly feels that these community events are important for local veterans in the area. “Every time we’ve done it veterans come back to us, over 50 percent get benefits that they did not know they were entitled to.  They’re getting medical aid, they’re getting treatment at the VA, they’re getting money, compensation they didn’t know they were entitled to it. Now with this PACT Act, it’s huge. The claims have gone through the roof,” Wozniak explains. Marthamae Kottschade, who co-hosted the event, agrees, “Just knowing that you helped one veteran makes a difference. The veterans aren’t the ones asking for the help. They need the help, but they’re not the ones asking for the help. Now they know where to get help from. It’s empowering them to get them the information.”

Veterans currently face many challenges including, unemployment, disabilities, homelessness, suicide, and mental health issues. Despite these numbers, Veterans can be hopeful. The VA has begun to increase its efforts to address the challenges that Veterans face. Bruce Wozniak, who was personally affected by veteran suicide, feels that it’s important for veterans to join their local VFW or Legion, “We do live in the greatest country in the world, and we have the greatest government in the world.  We want to give back to the country and keep the country together. The Veterans organization is where they can get support, find help, they can get benefits. It provides that glue to hold things together.” Dave Zien, former Wisconsin State Senator and Vietnam Veteran, agrees, “To know about the benefits and programs is one thing. Another one is the cohesiveness and comraderie. And anybody that joins, anybody that experiences that comraderie that knows their benefits, they’re going to tell other people.”  Marthamae Kottschade, whose two sons serve in the Marines, further explains why it’s important for veterans to join their local veterans’ organizations, “It’s important to show them their community is behind them. Stanley is a great community that we can still say supports our troops and backs law enforcement.”

Peter Johnson, Veteran Service Officer, expressed that it’s important for Veterans to take the health care offered to them through the Department of Veterans Affairs. “For a lot of veterans being in VA healthcare will help you a lot. A lot of veterans don’t use the VA health care. I will say that if veterans don’t use it, it will go away. I recommend if you are able to and you are qualified and eligible to use the VA healthcare, apply and use it.”  Johnson continues, “It’s a benefit, it’s not insurance. So, if you have Medicare or other insurances or have a work insurance, you can use it simultaneously with that.” Michael Hanke, Congressman Van Orden’s Outreach director for Veterans encourages Veterans to go to their local Veteran Service Offices and if they need more help to come to his office. Hanke adds, “At the Congress level we can open up a case for you, enquire more deeply into VA.”

Debbie Horan, Gary Loew and Jim Rennie, representatives from Sofas For Service, Inc., were also on hand to discuss their volunteer organization that gives free home furnishings to Veterans in need. Sofas For Service is a volunteer organization that strives to help all veterans who request it.  In 2014, Peter Hestekin discovered that Veterans who were given housing were not provided with basic home furnishings. Together with the help of his local Eau Claire Church, Hestekin collected donations and delivered them to the Tomah Veterans Administration Medical Center. Sofas For Service quickly grew and has now served over 500 Veterans and their families in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and South Dakota. Since there is a disturbing number of homeless Veterans in Wisconsin, Sofas For Service needs the donations and help of local communities to continue to serve Veterans. They accept most household furnishings in good to like new or new condition, including, living room and bedroom furniture, vacuum cleaners, kitchen wares and small kitchen appliances, lamps, fans, clocks and monetary donations. If you would like more information or to make a donation, call Sofas For Service at 715-309-9663.

For more information on Veteran Benefits, go to www.va.gov .  You can also call the Veterans Service Office in Chippewa County at 715-726-7990 or email veterans@co.chippewa.wi.us