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Hello {First Name},
Please Note>> Click here to load the entire newsletter into a new window
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The office looks outstanding and we're open for business again.
Up the center stairs and turn left.
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WE REALLY HAVE MOVED!!!
The VAC is now located at:
Hawkston Hall II
1790 Nations Drive (second entrance to Nations Drive,
north of Grand Avenue, off of Dilley Rd).
Gurnee, IL 60031
Phone - (847) 377-3344
Email - Veterans@lakecountyil.gov
Website - www.vaclc.org
The office looks outstanding and we're open for business again.
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Veteran Memorials
Around Lake County -
Lake Zurich
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Thanks and prayers to all our
Desert Storm Veterans
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Dates for Veterans Assistance Commission Meetings in 2023 | |
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The VAC Commissioners meetings for 2023 will be held on the following dates
September 13, 2023
November 15, 2023
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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You can also use the link below to log into the meeting: https://meet.goto.com/754472005
OR dial in using your phone.
in United States, call: +1 (312) 757-3121
and use Access Code: 754-472-005
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“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”
― Helen Keller, The Open Door
Lake County Honor Flight is looking for 3 people willing to take on the “daring adventure” of a lifetime: serving as a guardian to a deserving US veteran!
Guardians are still needed for LCHF #23, which journeys to Washington D.C. on October 6-8. This opportunity is open to able-bodied men and women of all ages willing to devote themselves to being a veteran’s “best friend” and assistant to help them enjoy this special tribute. We’re especially looking for first responders and active-duty military to serve as guardians on this flight. Is this you, or someone you know? We need you!! Please help spread the word!
Mandatory guardian training is scheduled for September 9. All the guardians would need to submit the guardian application ASAP. The guardian donation is $1400; please email info@lakecountyhonorflight.org with any questions. If you are a first responder or currently serving in the military or national guard, please note this on the application under "remarks/comments”.
We look forward to thanking you for YOUR service – to our veteran heroes!!
Click here for more information and to register.
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21 Aug 2023
Military.com | By Amanda Miller
The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that "potentially millions" more veterans or their survivors could be eligible to receive health care or financial compensation for toxic exposure-related medical conditions newly considered presumptive under the PACT Act, said Steve Miska, PACT Act transitional executive director.
The law's presumptive aspect "gives us the opportunity to automatically assume, that by virtue of a veteran having this condition, it must be due to their service," Miska told Military.com. "That is a game changer in terms of how veterans historically have had to file a claim" for PACT Act conditions: "Not only did they have to prove that those conditions were manifesting, but they also had to prove the service connection."
The law added what Miska described as 23 new "buckets of conditions," amounting to more than 330 medical conditions altogether. Some of the buckets contain, for example, a number of types of cancers.
Whereas in the past, the VA approved about 25% of claims related to burn pit exposures, the rate was about 78.6% for PACT Act claims in the first year, Miska said.
The PACT Act presumes a service connection -- provided the veteran served in a certain place at a certain time -- for the following conditions related to toxic exposures from burn pits, contaminated water at Marine Corps bases in North Carolina, and the Vietnam-era chemical defoliant, Agent Orange.
Read More
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What Survivors of Veterans Need to Know About the PACT Act | |
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The PACT Act linked medical conditions with certain toxins common during some eras or circumstances of military service. Here are some of the most important things survivors need to know if they think they may qualify for compensation under the new law.
31 Jul 2023 Military.com | By Amanda Miller
Surviving spouses, dependent children and some parents of deceased U.S. military veterans may have become newly eligible for compensation following Congress's creation of the PACT Act in 2022. Survivors may even qualify for backdated compensation if they filed a claim following the death of their family member from a now-"presumptive" medical condition that was originally denied.
Click here for some of the most important things survivors need to know if they think they may qualify.
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There are two bills working their way through the House and the Senate respectively that bill authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide grants to states to implement programs that improve outreach and assistance to veterans and their families to ensure that such individuals are fully informed about veterans' benefits and programs. The two bills are very similar but there will be a different emphasis on moving these bills through the deliberations.
Specifically, the VA may provide grants to states to (1) implement or enhance outreach activities or activities to assist in the development and submittal of claims for veterans, or (2) increase the number of county or tribal veterans service officers in the state.
The VA must prioritize awarding grants in areas with a critical shortage of county or tribal veterans service officers, areas with high rates of suicide among veterans, and areas with high rates of referrals to the Veterans Crisis Line.
We recommend you send an email to both of our senators supporting Senate bill S 106. Here are their email addresses:
https://www.durbin.senate.gov/contact/email
https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/connect/email-tammy
AND an email to your Congressperson supporting House Bill HR984. Here's a look up to find your congressperson and how to contact them.
https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
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Gary Sheftick/Army
This article by Karen Jowers originally appeared on Military Times, the nation's largest independent newsroom dedicated to covering the military and veteran community.
When the Blended Retirement System was created more than five years ago, one of its primary goals was to help service members set themselves up financially for the future, even if they didn’t stay for 20 years and retire. That aim is being met, according to defense officials.
Before BRS, under the legacy retirement system, fewer than 20 percent of troops served long enough to receive military retired pay. Today, the majority of active duty service members participate in the Blended Retirement System and will receive a government retirement benefit if they serve at least two years, even if they don’t qualify for a full retirement.
The setup is called “blended” because it’s a blend of the long-standing annuity provision for those who retire from service, plus matching contributions to the Thrift Savings Plan and other features. The TSP, a retirement savings and investment plan for uniformed service members and federal government employees, is similar to 401k plans in the civilian sector.
And it’s working. Data shows that young troops are building their retirement savings. For BRS participants, as of May, the average balance in their Thrift Savings Plan retirement accounts was $11,657, about $2,000 higher than the previous year, according to the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board.
Click here to learn more.
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Explore the History of VA – Click here for an for an interesting read about the VA in 100 objects
Object 62: 1956 “Clues to Suicide” Study
While suicide takes a toll on lives in every segment of society, Veterans in the post 9-11 era have statistically been more at risk than adults in the general population. VA’s efforts to combat the scourge of Veteran suicide owe a significant debt to the foundational research studies conducted by two VA psychologists in the 1950s. The work of Drs. Edwin S. Shneidman and Norman J. Farberow led to some of the earliest crisis intervention programs at VA and elsewhere and the establishment of the nation’s first dedicated Suicide Prevention Center in Los Angeles, California.
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Veterans Property Tax Exemption up to First $250k of EAV
From State Senator Julie Morrison's Office
District Office (847) 945-5200
400 Lake Cook Road #100B, Deerfield, IL 60015
The Governor has signed HB 2507 which includes Page 3 lines 23 and 24 specifically - 3) if the veteran has a service connected disability of 70% or more, as certified by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as of the date the application is submitted for the exemption under this Section for the applicable taxable year, then the first $250,000 in equalized assessed value (EAV) of the property is exempt from taxation under this Code; Click to read the bill.
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One year of the PACT Act: A historic expansion of benefits and health care for Veterans and their survivors
Since President Biden signed The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act (PACT Act) into law as a part of his Unity Agenda, VA has delivered more than $1.85 billion in earned PACT Act benefits to Veterans and survivors.
WASHINGTON — Today, VA released a PACT Act Year-In-Review Dashboard showcasing the care and benefits that VA has delivered to Veterans and their survivors since President Biden signed the PACT Act into law on Aug. 10, 2022. Partly due to this historic law, VA is delivering more care and more benefits to more Veterans than ever before.
Click here to read more.
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Register your Vet-owned Business to be posted on the VAC Website
The VAS is all about helping veterans in any way possible. One of those ways to to refer vet-owned businesses to our readers. To see what you can present, Click to go to the Partners page and scroll down to the Veteran Owned Businesses. Send an email to the VAC (veterans@veteransassistancecommission.com) with a subject line of "Veterans Business", or contact the VAC through the VAC website directly.
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Remember the Gold Star Families
Gold Star families have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, losing a loved one who served in the military. While we often commemorate their service on holidays like Memorial Day and Veterans Day, it's important to remember them throughout the year. These families need support and recognition beyond just those two days. By honoring their sacrifice and showing them compassion and understanding, we can help ease their burden and ensure they know their loved one's service will always be remembered. Join us in paying tribute to Gold Star families and ensuring they receive the respect and care they deserve every day of the year.
Go to the Gold Star Registry to find a gold star family in your town.
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The memorial features a rectangular fountain basin and stone wall inscribed with the names of those who died during the Vietnam War. "This memorial is dedicated to veterans from all branches of the armed services who served in Vietnam. It replaces the former Vietnam Memorial located on Wacker Drive that was dedicated on November 11, 1982. The inscribed stones from that memorial have been incorporated into the plaza of this memorial."
The featured sculpture was created by Gary Tillery, himself a Vietnam veteran.
The Chicago Vietnam Memorial located on the River Walk below Wabash Street.
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During the war, 28 submarines built in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, traveled down Lake Michigan, through the Chicago River and, ultimately, to the Pacific Ocean.
The memorial was made possible by two submarine veteran groups that were challenged in 2010 by Harry Alvey, a now-deceased WWII veteran from Wisconsin, to honor the memory of the Pearl Harbor attack. Since 2014, submarine veterans of the two groups — Crash Dive Base and the USS Chicago Base — raised $200,000 for the memorial.
The memorial is located on the Chicago Riverwalk just east of the N. Columbus Drive bridge.
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Military.com | By Tiffini Theisen
Morse code, the language of the telegraph, is a system of communication that's composed of combinations of short and long tones that represent the letters of the alphabet. The tones are sometimes called dots and dashes, or dahs and dits.
The primitive technology was a precursor to the telephone, radio, microwave, and even to microwave ovens, computers and space satellites.
Skilled operators, called telegraphers, could transmit Morse code messages faster than regular typists in some cases -- up to 84 words per minute, although about 30-35 words per minute was the average.
Much like older-model cars are often simpler to maintain, Morse code is considered a much more reliable communication method than more modern means since its signals need much less broadcasting power than voice messages.
Click if you're curious - or want to remember!
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Northern Illinois Food Bank provides food through a network of 900 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, youth and senior centers, and has a number of other direct distribution programs to assist hungry neighbors. The Food Bank acquires donated food directly from manufacturers, as well as retail stores through our Food Recovery and Direct Connect programs.
You might have noticed the schedule of mobile food pantries further down in this newsletter. In the newsletter, these only cover Lake and McHenry Counties. However, there are also mobile pantries in 9 additional Counties. In addition there are "Pantry Express" sites where you can order food to be picked up at one of the Pantry Express locations, or, if you meet to mileage requirement, have the food delivered to your home.
If you are interested in supporting Northern Illinois Food Bank by volunteering (as I do), Click here to see the types of volunteer opportunities you can sign up for and where they are.
If you have any questions, contact Allan Ayers at 847-377-3344
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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.
- Family problems - In Lake County, contact 211 for referral to proper resource.
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VA Life Insurance
If you still need/want to carry some life insurance, the VA has several different options to satisfy different needs. Click on any of the items below to learn more about the coverage and eligibility requirements.
Options and eligibility
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How to Get a VA Certificate of Eligibility
If you couldn’t get in on the low interest rates of earlier this year, but you want to get a VA loan or a Native American Direct Loan to buy a house, interest rates are still about one percent below commercial rates. The first step is to get your COE. National Guard members and reservists are eligible for a VA home loan if they have completed at least six years of honorable service, are mobilized for active duty service for a period of at least 90 days, or are discharged because of a service-connected disability. See the reservist details here.
In any case, the first step is getting your Certificate of Eligibility (COE). It confirms for your lender that you qualify for the VA or NAD home loan benefit. Learn how to apply for your COE online.
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If you have an illness or injury that you believe was caused—or made worse—by your active-duty service, you can file a claim for disability benefits 180 to 90 days before you leave the military. This may help speed up the claim decision process so you can get your benefits sooner. Find out how to file a claim through the Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) program—and what to do if you have less than 90 days left on active duty.
The VAC also assists in filing BDD Claims.
You can use the BDD program if you meet all of these requirements.
All of these must be true:
- You’re a service member on full-time active duty (including a member of the National Guard, Reserves, or Coast Guard), and
- You have a known separation date, and
- Your separation date is in the next 180 to 90 days, and
- You’re available to go to VA exams for 45 days from the date you submitted your claim, and
- You can provide a copy of your service treatment records for your current period of service when you file your claim.
Learn more here.
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VA is Here for You During Times of Emotional Distress
Feeling distress is a normal response to negative events, especially events that feel personal. Veterans and those who care about them are encouraged to learn more about available mental health and healing resources.
Call the Veterans Crisis Line 24/7 at 988.
Every VA facility has mental health specialists. Find one near you.
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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:
Until end of July:
Veterans Assistance Commission
501 North Route 21, Suite 106
Gurnee, IL 60031
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Allen J Lynch Foundation Board Celebrates 8th Golf Outing at White Deer Run Golf Club
A gorgeous day, lots of players on the course and a light dinner afterwards resulted in a very enjoyable fund raising event for the Lynch Foundation.
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If you're wondering what the VAC and other veterans organizations are doing. | |
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Post Your Event Flyer
If you want a vet-oriented event posted, please send a flyer to the VAC (veterans@lakecountyil.gov) with a subject line of event flyer not later than the 25th of the month for the next month and we'll include it.
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Assorted Military Association Meetings
We have now compiled a list of posts, detachments and various associations (currently MOAA, MOWW, ROA, Navy League) and their normal meeting dates and locations. This schedule will expand as we get additional information.
Click here to find your favorite meetings
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Midwest Veterans Closet
Food Pantry, Clothing, Shoes/Boots
Housewares, Linens
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
mundeleinparks.org - 847-566-0650
Click for details
Lake Zurich American Legion Post 964
51 Lions Drive
Lake Zurich, IL 60047
Coffee and Donuts - Every Tuesday, 8:30 - 10:30 AM
Mundelein American Legion Post 867
145 N. Seymour (Behind Taste of Paris, next to Rogan Shoes
Lake Zurich, IL 60047
Coffee and Donuts - Every Wednesday, 8:00 - 10:00 AM
Chicagoland North Chapter, Team RWB
Click for Chapter website
Contact David Christensen
Lots of events scattered around Lake County
Lake County Honor Flight Reunions
Meet 4th Saturday each month
Breakfast Anastasia, Waukegan - June 24 2022 10:00
Lunch - Mission BBQ, Gurnee - July 22, 11:00
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
www.soulharbourranch.com/
RSVP: Jodie @ 855-408-SOUL (7685)
QUESTIONS: Contact veteran liaison
USAF Pilot, Lt. Colonel Gina Stramaglio 316-708-9788
Native American Heritage Council
Building 617 - Base Library
Naval Base Great Lakes
2nd Thursday of Month - 10:00 am
Click here to see complete flyer
Northern Illinois Food Bank
There are three types of resources within NIFB
-- My Pantry Express
Pre-register at the link and order from list of items - limited locations and times -
See below fore the Lake and McHenry County locations and times, or click to see other counties.
-- Mobile Food Pantry and CLC Pop-up Pantry
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A soldier shows up for military training but realizes he forgot to bring his gun.
The sergeant hands him a stick and gestures to the training field.
“You’ll have to use this, soldier. If you need to shoot someone, just aim your stick at them and shout ‘Bangity bang-bang’. If someone gets too close to you, poke them in the gut with it as though it was a bayonette and shout ‘Stabbity stab-stab’. Now get moving.”
The soldier thinks this is pretty ridiculous, but to his surprise, when he aims his stick at a fellow trainee across the field and shouts “Bangity bang-bang!” the other soldier goes down in a theatrical display. Then, another trainee tries to run past him, so he pokes the guy in the ribs and shouts “Stabbity stab-stab!” and he too goes down, pretending to be dead.
So, the soldier starts running through the mock-battlefield, shouting “Bangity bang-bang” and occasionally “Stabbity-stab-stab”, until eventually, he realizes he’s the last man standing.
He’s feeling pretty proud of himself until another soldier rounds a corner and starts walking toward him. Slowly. Stiffly. Menacingly.
The soldier takes aim with his stick and shouts, “Bangity-bang-bang!”
But the other soldier doesn’t go down this time. He keeps approaching, arms stiff at his sides, boots stomping aggressively into the ground.
The soldier begins to sweat. He clears his throat, adjusts grip on his stick and hollers, “Bangity bang-bang!” But nothing happens. The other soldier keeps marching toward him.
Now the soldier panics. He pretends to reload his stick and desperately cries out, “Bangity bang-bang! Bangity bang-bang! Stabbity stab-stab!” But to his dismay, nothing works.
Finally, the other soldier reaches him, kicks him in the shin and knocks him onto the ground. He stands over the fallen soldier and says:
“Tankity tank-tank.”
(Sorry, I couldn't resist this one!)
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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.
To get a subscription, – click here.
Here is a directory of the resources at James A. Lovell FHCC. To access the electronic directory, click here and scroll down to the bottom of the page.
Herre 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.
Click here to subscribe to the Weekly VA Newsletter.
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VA Benefits - August 2023
This Benefits Bulletin provides links for vets of all to understand veteran benefits they might be eligible for.
Other Benefit topics:
VA News - 7/26/23 -
VA News - 8/2/23 -
"I went to VA, they asked me my symptoms, where I had served in the military, and they handed me a small, hand-held bag and told me to breathe into it." Learn how one Veteran found answers from VA and received the treatment needed.
VA News –8/9/23 –
This is a four-part series about Afghanistan Veterans and how they can get help through VA. The first part discusses how Veterans can reconcile their service. The second part of this series focuses on how those who served in Afghanistan can learn from those who served in Vietnam. The third part of this series focuses on spouses and caregivers, who are often on the front lines of helping a Veteran deal with posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Finally, the last part of this series focuses on resources available for PTSD. While this series is focused on Afghanistan Veterans, options apply to all Veterans. We’re publishing one part of the series on each Tuesday of the month of August 2021.
VA News –8/16/23 –
VA News –8/23/23 –
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Insights from MOAA
(Military Officers Association of America)
MOAA 8/3/23
MOAA 8/9/23
Make sure you're prepared for the changes in long-term care. (Sponsored Content)
MOAA has long supported such accounts, which may be available to about 400,000 qualifying servicemembers.
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AARP Veteran Report - August 24, 2023
I’m 50. Here Are 7 Things a Veteran Should Know by 40.
A decade’s worth of wisdom can go a long way in life
Navy Prepared Me for When Major Crisis Hit My Mother.
Caregiving for a parent has been my biggest challenge
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Here're some sample articles I found recently:
Identifying the top employers with a true heart for veterans is an important part of our strategy at the Veteran Employment Project. In addition to looking for mechanisms to bridge the networking gap, what other factors should we consider? Military.com staff weigh in.
+ + + + + + +
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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.
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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
Saint Louis, MO 63138.
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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