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Who says winter needs to be bleak?
Maybe this picture will help to remind us of some of the fun times we had in years past - ice skiting on the local pond, skiing on someone's back yard hill, snowball fights, sitting by a warm fire afterwards sipping hot cocoa. Times have changed and we don't do these things as much any more, but we can still get out and talk a walk along Lake Michigan or in the forest preserve on a crisp, sunny day. And on those less sunny days, you can start on pulling together your documents for filing your taxes. Don't forget that the AARP TaxAides are up and running this year, so if you need help, contact the VAC and they will put you in touch with the TaxAide program - we have one on our staff.
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The VAC Commissioners meetings for 2022 will be held on the following dates:
March 16, 2022
May 18, 2022
September 21, 2022
November 16, 2022
At the Gurnee American Legion Post (749 Milwaukee Ave).
All meetings begin at 10:30 am.
Visitors are welcome to attend.
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Veteran Memorials
Around Lake County -
Mundelein
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Thanks to all our
Women
Veterans
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Meet our Newest VSO - Allan Lacson
Allan recently retired from the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman Master Chief (HMCM), based at the James A. Lovell FHCC. After retirement, he worked for AbbVie Pharmaceutical in North Chicago. He has a BS in Healthcare Management from Trident University International.
During his Navy career, in between his normal assignments, he graduated from a numerous training commands including Surgical Technologist, Advanced Radiologic Technologist, Field Medical Service, Command Career Counselor and others.
Allan migrated from the Philippines in 1989, speaks 2 Philippino languages in addition to English, Married Gina Gomez in 1997 and has 2 daughters. He is also active in the Prince of Peace Catholic Church.
WELCOME ABOARD, ALLAN!
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While the year was a challenge for many people, and especially for some veterans, the VAC was able to support a lot of them and their families during the year. To the left is a summary of the results for the VAC during 2021.
Veterans in Lake County are receiving almost $153 million in compensation this year. We secured almost $ 9 million in new benefits this year.
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Special kudos to two of our very energetic VSOs who, between them, obtained over $4 million in new benefits for our vets this year!
Shane McNerneyaaaaSummer Padaoan
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This article was first seen on BottomLine Personal, written by Captain Ryan Guina, Illinois Air National Guard and founder of the website TheMilitaryWallet,com.
Some veteran benefits programs that are usually misunderstood, are brand new or have been modified.
- Whole life insurance for disabled vets.
- Expanded VA Home Loan eligibility for National Guard and Reserve veterans.
- VA home loans may be used for rental properties and second homes.
- Property tax breaks.
- Better burial benefits.
- GI Bill education benefits no longer expire for vets who served in or after 2013.
- New ways to get vet discounts.
The VAC can also assist you with many of these issues, so if you think you could use help on any of them, contact us at 847-377-3344.
The Military Wallet appears to be worth taking some time to review. There's good information on tax tools among other things.
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Another Benefit You Don't Want To Miss At Tax Time
If your county provides real estate or other tax adjustments for VA disabilities, you will need a letter to document the VA compensation dated in 2022. In Lake County, IL the real estate tax adjustments are:
- A disabled veteran with a 70% or higher service-connected disability will be tax exempt.
- A disabled veteran with at least 50%, but less than 70% service-connected disability will receive a $5,000 reduction in the property's EAV.
- A disabled veteran with at least 30%, but less than 50% service-connected disability will receive a $2,500 reduction in property's EAV.
To get this letter, you must be able to log into the VA eBenefits website. If you click on this disability letter link, it will prompt you for your sign in and take you directly to the page to download your disability letter.
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The VAC's on publicity roll!
We know we are only serving 25% of the veterans in Lake County, Note the two signs in Hawthorn Mall, and watch for the billboards to further raise awareness. If you know a vet, ask them if they know of the Veterans Assistance Commission and point them our direction.
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Did you Know?
The VAC is managed by the Delegates appointed from each post of the VFW, American Legion, Marine Corps League and other veteran organization in Lake County. That means there is a board of over 40 members, appointed by the post members. That board is then managed by its Board of Trustees. Click here to review the Board members and the post delegates.
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Bingo Night! at Stone City (Joliet) VFW - Feb 5th
Fight Northpoint Fundraiser
Northpoint Development is moving ahead and will seriously impact the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery. This fundraiser is to support the fight against Northpoint.
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Jeeps On The Run
On Sunday December 5th, 2021, Jeeps on the Run did their annual trip across Lake County to deliver toys for Toys for Tots. This year over 760 Jeeps participated!. This Jeep caravan, escorted by local police departments, travels from Fox Lake to Waukegan through the heart of Lake County.
The Jeeps filled up two tractor trailers with toys, and then the participants joined a big party at the Genesee Theater to celebrate. Silent auctions and raffles, including a Jeep, raised additional cash much of which was contributed to other Toys for Tots programs.
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Thanks to Ray CDJR in Fox Lake for organizing the JOTR.
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A special thanks to Robin Davis, an Associate Member of Marine Corps League Detachment 1395 and a very dedicated League member.
Robin has been managing the Detachment's role in Toys for Tots for 13 years and doing all of the coordination with MAC-48 - the Marine Reserve Unit in North Chicago that is the primary coordinator for Lake County. The detachment places and retrieves collection boxes in the Lake Zurich and surrounding areas.
She gets a major assist from other detachment members, especially Bill Simon who has been helping in distributing and collecting the Toys for Tots boxes for the same 13 years.
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Don't forget to say "Thank You" and "Welcome Home" to Our Vets who have served anywhere!
As I was reminded recently, the 20-year Middle East war is now the only USA conflict where we haven't celebrated the warriors who have given their time, energy and, in many cases, their limbs and mental stability in service to our country.
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When we think about the Middle East... |
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Visit Our Website
The Veterans Assistance Commission of Lake County has recently implemented a new, much improved website. The site is easy to navigate and provides information on how we can support you in different types of services. The site also includes all the documents a veteran or family member might need to get the ball rolling to file for any potential deserved benefits.
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Contact the VAC (847-377-3344) for information packets for each of its major categories of support:
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Its Tax Time!
If you can shop on the internet, read books on an ereader, find and bring down movies from multiple streaming services then you can use the very friendly tax software that is available to do your own taxes today.
Turbo Tax and HR Block are two most popular today - they ask you very friendly questions and walk you through the entire process. The Military Wallet provides a list of other software tools. Click here to review them.
There are also several on line tax filing tools where you can complete a simple return on line and file it directly. Check to make sure you get a printed return if you chose one of those services.
If you are uncomfortable doing it alone, try doing your return it in parallel with a return prepared by your selected preparation resource the first time.
If you still want a professional preparer to do your taxes, remember that:
- If you retired from the military or have been honorably discharged within 365 days, you can take advantage of a tax assistance service at the Great Lakes Naval Base.
- AARP provides certified Tax Aides to help you file - There are some income limitations for that service, and also some constraints relative to filing complexity.
- Check your area to determine whether there are other assistance services - especially for lower income filers.
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If you struggle with your bad ears to hear on the telephone, translating voice to visual may solve the hearing problem for you. Heroes With Hearing Loss offers telephones with translation to visual on a screen.
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Get your Vaccination!
Get your Booster!
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Are you the spouse or surviving spouse of—or a child of—a Veteran with disabilities or a Veteran who has died? If you don’t qualify for TRICARE (the Department of Defense’s health care program for active-duty and retired service members and their families), you may be able to get health insurance through the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA). Through this program, we cover the cost of some of your health care services and supplies. This is called cost sharing. Find out if you qualify for CHAMPVA and how to apply.
Find out if you qualify and to file for your benefits by contacting the VAC at 847-377-3344.
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We (the VA) are the world's leading research and educational center of excellence on PTSD and traumatic stress.
PTSD is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault. It's normal to have upsetting memories, feel on edge, or have trouble sleeping after this type of event. If symptoms last more than a few months, it may be PTSD. The good news is that there are effective treatments.
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Don't let the Coroners put COVID-19 on Veterans’ death certificates instead of the underlying issues as the cause of death
If you have a veteran death to deal with, check to make sure that any service related underlying cause of death is properly documented on the death certificate. If Covid-19 is recorded as the immediate cause, and if the contributing service connected conditions are not listed on the death certificate, a surviving spouse may lose their Dependent Indemnity Compensation . See item 5 in RSO Notes for further details. However, if the death was also caused by Covid-19, the survivor should investigate and apply for the FEMA Covid burial expense assistance discussed in the article to the right
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Covid Test At Home?
At-home rapid tests are antigen tests, which use a different mechanism to detect infection. These tests can be processed in your home using a kit that looks similar to an at-home pregnancy test and gives results within 10-15 minutes. Antigen tests are fairly accurate, when someone is experiencing symptoms and their viral load is very high. However, when someone has a lower viral load, such as in someone without symptoms might get false negative test results.
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An Alternative Death Benefit
One of our readers pointed out to me that FEMA also offers a death benefit - IF the death is attributed to Covid-19.
Therefore, if you are dealing with a death caused by Covid-19 and there is no question about veteran survivor benefits, you should apply to FEMA for their death benefit. Here's an extract from the FEMA information.
Who is Eligible?
To be eligible for funeral expense assistance, you must meet these conditions:
- For deaths that occurred after May 16, 2020, the death certificate must indicate the death was attributed to COVID-19.
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For deaths that occurred from Jan. 20 to May 16, 2020, any death certificate that does not attribute the cause of death to COVID-19 must be accompanied by a signed statement listing COVID-19 as a cause or contributing cause of death.
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OR, If you are interested in taking your own personal inventory, click here.
For more information about Whole Health at the James A Lovell FHCC, contact:
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In all the situations below, you can always contact the VAC (847-377-3344) directly for further assistance. If you are struggling with rent or mortgage payments with the elimination of pandemic forbearance programs, Call the VAC immediately!
- Rent or Mortgage payments or Emergency Housing
- Utility payments
- Food - Northern Illinois Food Bank - See Schedule or
- Midwest Veterans Closet (See the calendar below)Medical Care - Contact VAC when civilian benefits lost - Do not go to VA if not registered with them. Contact the VAC to get you registered.
- Most VA visits are currently by Video Conference
- Family problems - In Lake County, contact 211 for referral to proper resource.
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Call 211 for Social Services
in Lake County
Anyone in Lake County who needs help finding health and human service support can call 211 and get quickly connected to available resources. Lake County 211, provided by United Way of Lake County, is a free, confidential information and referral helpline that will enable Lake County residents to get the help they need 24 hours a day, regardless of the language they speak or where they live.
The 211 network also answers dozens of crisis hotlines, including the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
Know Someone Who Can Use Veteran Benefit Assistance?
If you have a veteran parent or know someone who might be eligible for some kind of benefits for their service, we encourage you to mention the VAC to them. We can assist with many different issues:
- Aid and Attendance Assistance
- Emergency Financial Assistance
- Survivor spousal benefits
- Burial arrangements
- Upgrading disability status
- Job skill preparation
- Referrals for services we cannot support.
If you or another veteran you know needs help, give us a call at 847-377-3344.
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Your Coin Helps Vets In Need Through the VAC Not For Profit
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Coins are $5.00 and you can pick one up when you come into the office, or you can send a check (make the check out to "Lake County VAC - Not-for-Profit - and mail to the address below) and we'll mail it to you. Mail check to:
Veterans Assistance Commission
501 North Route 21, Suite 106
Gurnee, IL 60031
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If you're wondering what the VAC and other veterans organizations are doing. Be sure to call first since many of these events and activities have been cancelled or deferred during the Covid-19 pandemic: |
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Midwest Veterans Closet
Mobile Food Pantry and Clothing
Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday - 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Food (Grocery Style selection)
Clothing, Housewares, and
LOTS of Furniture
2323 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, IL
847-354-2108
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Mundelein Park District
Healthy Minds Healthy Bodies
1401 N. Midlothian Rd, Mundelein, IL
Lake Zurich American Legion Post
51 Lions Drive
Lake Zurich, IL 60047
Coffee and Donuts - Every Tuesday, 8:30 - 10:30 AM
Check for open operations since new Covid-19 rules
Chicagoland North Chapter, Team RWB
Contact David Christensen
Lots of events scattered around Lake County
Lake County Honor Flight Reunions
Meet 4th Saturday each month (Dec meet 3rd Saturday)
Lunch - Mission BBQ, Gurnee - Feb 18, 11:00
Breakfast Golden Corral, Gurnee - Mar 22, 2022 10:00
Animal Therapy for Veterans
Veterans and their families are invited to
Veterans’ Weekend at the SOUL Harbour Ranch, Barrington, IL
Last Sunday of each month.
TIME: 10:30am to Noon
WHERE: SOUL Harbour Ranch
22093 N. Countryside Lane, Barrington, IL 60010
RSVP: Jodie @ 855-408-SOUL (7685)
QUESTIONS: Contact veteran liaison
USAF Pilot, Lt. Colonel Gina Stramaglio 316-708-9788
Northern Illinois Food Bank
There are three types of resources within NIFB
Pre-register at the link and order from list of items - limited locations and times
See below for the Lake and McHenry locations and times
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16. Do you know what’s really odd?
Numbers not divisible by 2.
17. When do you stop at green and go at red?
When you’re eating a watermelon
18. What word is always spelled incorrectly?
Incorrectly.
19. What do you call a happy cowboy?
A jolly rancher.
20. Why do we not tell secrets in a corn patch?
Too many ears.
21. Where does a penguin keep his money?
A snow bank.
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Contents From Our Previous Issue
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I
t Helps to Stay In Touch With the
James A. Lovell FHCC
To stay in touch with the James A. Lovell FHCC,
subscribe to the “Launch”, the Lovell Newsletter.
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Reminder about C&P Exams
What are C&P Exams? The C&P Exam (short for "Compensation and Pension") is an exam per-formed by a VA salaried or contracted physician to document the current severity of a condition that is being considered for VA Disability or for which you are currently being compensated. These exams are being conducted in person.
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Quick Links
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I blame my lack of observational skill on my age now, but I just noticed that there are a set of menu tabs on the #VetResources page of the weekly VA News (Vantage Point). These tabs have lots of information and are generally easy to follow. |
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The Red Cross continues to confront challenges caused by COVID-19, including an estimated 10% overall decline in the number of people donating blood as well as ongoing blood drive cancellations and staffing limitations.
National Vietnam War Veterans Day is just over two months away, and any organization that wants a simple, free way to make the day more meaningful for Vietnam Veterans can become a Vietnam War Commemoration “commemorative partner.”
Healthy habits start by taking small steps: a daily 20-minute walk, go to bed 30 minutes earlier, or focus on getting more nutrients into your diet, such as adding a serving of green leafy vegetables a few times a week. Check out a variety of tips and free resources to get started on a healthier you.
Veterans and active duty service members can get one step closer to student loan forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Applications must be submitted by October 31, 2022.
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MOAA 1/13/22
JANUARY 12, 2022
Editor’s note: This article by Patricia Kime originally appeared on Military.com, a leading source of news for the military and veteran community. If you or someone you know is in crisis, contact the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 (press 1) or via www.veteranscrisisline.net.
The Department of Veterans Affairs is planning to drop copayments for outpatient appointments and decrease medication copays for veterans considered at high risk for suicide.
MOAA 1/20/22
By: Lila Quintiliani JANUARY 19, 2022
The average person changes jobs just over 12 times in a lifetime. That’s a lot of moving around, and sometimes things can fall through the cracks: In a recent analysis with the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, it was estimated there are over 24 million forgotten 401(k) accounts holding $1.35 trillion in assets, and another 2.8 million accounts left behind annually.
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Here're some sample articles I found recently:
Department of Veterans Affairs officials are hoping a new automated system that helps render decisions on disability claims will accelerate the process and decrease the backlog of claims applications.
The state of Illinois provides several (numerous) veteran benefits (in 2022). This page (link) explains them.
Be sure to get the latest news about post-military careers as well as critical info about veteran jobs and all the benefits of service.
+ + + + + + +
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There is far too much in the various issues of Military.Com to write or even extract from them. The trick is to find the pieces that are important to you. Therefore, we have provided a graphic that shows the various dropdown choices. As you will see, there is information on general news – with the choice to see the news for your own branch, service benefits, Job and transition support, military life and family issues. I get several versions, and then I’ll scan for titles that seem to be related to me. For example, I decided to try the the Veteran Jobs tab for Lake County. It provided over 400 postings for Lake County and Northern Cook County. See the dropdowns below. Then you can click on military.com to set up a subscription and select versions that you are interested in.
In addition, there are a wide assortment of resource links (including discounts for vets and families) to find other specific information. You might want to give the magazine a look. |
Below are the available hot links to some of the various VA Resources available. The actual hot links can be accessed at the bottom of the welcome kit . |
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How do you get "Veteran" on your driver's license?
Effective January 1, 2020, it will be easier to get "VETERAN" recorded on your driver's license. To get the “VETERAN” designation, veterans can bring their DD214 or other acceptable discharge document directly to a Secretary of State Driver Services facility.
If veterans choose to add the designation prior to their renewal date, they may obtain an updated driver’s license for $5 and an updated ID card for $10. Veterans over the age of 65 can obtain an updated state ID card at no cost.
A special note - If you are an older Vet and your DD214 was lost in the St. Louis fire in the early 1970's, you can obtain a "certificate" that replaces the DD214. However, for one vet we know, the DMV didn't accept that certificate.
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If you need a complete set of your military records
If you need a set of your military records for any reason, you can obtain them by faxing or mailing a request to the National Personnel Records Center. While they will accept a letter (if you get all the right information into it) it is best to use the standard form SF-180 to request it. You can download that form at Standard Form 180
Mail the completed form to:
National Personnel Records Center
1 Archives Drive
OR
Fax the form to 314-801-9195
If you need the records in emergency circumstances, contact our office (847-377-3344) and we can help you expedite the process.
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Deerfield - co-located with the Illinois Student Assistance Commission
Deerfield Facility
1755 Lake Cook Rd, Ste 1409
Deerfield, IL 60015-5209
847-948-6981 and 847-948-6982
Hours Monday - Friday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Palatine - located in the Palatine Township offices at:
721 S. Quentin Rd, Room 102
(847) 485-2772
Hours Monday -Thursday
8:00 am - 4:00 pm
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Factual Accuracy and Disclaimer:
Accuracy is important to us. if you believe an error has been made, please email the Lake County Veterans Assistance Commission at veterans@lakecountyil.gov. Use of social media does not imply endorsement on the part of the VAC. Content on these sites is not edited for accuracy and may not necessarily reflect the views of the VAC.
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Have a good week,
Veterans Assistance Commission, Lake County
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