March 1, 2024

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Veteran Memorials

Around Lake County - Libertyville

Thanks and prayers to all our

Vietnam War Families

If you live outside of Lake County and would like to include your town's memorial, please send a reasonably high resolution picture to us at Veterans@lakecountyil.gov with a subject line of "memorials".

Dates for Veterans Assistance Commission Meetings in 2024

The VAC Commissioners meetings for 2024 will be held on the following dates

NOTE THE NEW DATE! March 20, 2024

May 8, 2024

September 11, 2024

November 13, 2024

At the Gurnee American Legion Post 771

(749 Milwaukee Ave).



Meetings begin at 10:30 am. Visitors are welcome.

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

A very useful newsletter! Note the discussion about the Agent Orange Registry and the much-expanded PACT Act coverage for presumptive diseases.

Click here to see the entire newsletter.

The PACT Act, which was meant to help veterans receive care and benefits after being exposed to toxins and burn pits while serving their country, was billed as the most sweeping piece of veterans health care legislation ever passed. But for some veterans, like those exposed to things like the "black goo" and even cyanide at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, also known as K2, in Uzbekistan, it was not sweeping enough.

Military.com's veterans and health reporter Patricia Kime spoke to several veterans about being left out of this law after years of advocacy and months of political turmoil. What does being left out mean for their futures? How are they grappling with illnesses that advocates say should be covered by the VA's biggest health care law?

See the article here

On March 9, 2024, the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (Lovell FHCC) will launch the Federal Electronic Health Record (FEHR). The FEHR will enable the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) to operate on the same system which means Veterans and beneficiaries will have ONE health record—from the first time their uniform is worn through their transition to Veteran life and VA care. For staff at Lovell FHCC and across the country, the FEHR is an opportunity to improve care delivery and communication between facilities, agencies and the rest of the U.S. health care system.

What does this change mean for me? For our VA and DoD/TRICARE beneficiaries, Lovell FHCC’s transition to the FEHR means you’ll use new patient portals to manage your care online when you receive treatment or services at our facilities.

· Veteran beneficiaries will begin using My VA Health, instead of MyHealtheVet

· DoD/TRICARE beneficiaries will start using the MHS GENESIS patient portal, instead of TRICARE Online

· Dual beneficiaries will use My VA Health and MHS GENESIS patient portals

What capabilities do the patient portals provide? The My VA Health and MHS GENESIS patient portals will allow users to:

· Message your health care teams

· Manage your prescriptions

· Manage your health care appointments

· Access your health record

How do I learn more about the patient portals? To learn more about the new portals and what you can do to prepare for the change, go to the websites below.



How do I get more information about FEHR? 

In addition to finding information about My VA Health and MHS GENESIS patient portals on our website, we’re posting important FEHR-related content on our official Facebook page using the #FEHRFriday and #FEHRLovellFHCC hashtags.

You can view our recorded January patient town hall for more information about FEHR and our preparations for deployment, too.

Lastly, attend one of Lovell FHCC’s patient tele-town halls next month.

• VA patients - Friday, Feb. 16 from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• DoD/TRICARE patients - Wednesday, Feb. 21 from 5-6 p.m.

If you’d like to listen to the town hall(s) or ask a question, send an email with your phone number to FHCC.Feedback@va.gov.

SUPPORT FOR WOMEN VETERAN ENTREPRENEURS & SPOUSES

The Women Veterans Entrepreneurship Training (WVET) Program offers a multitude of in-person and online training opportunities, as well as one-on-one advising for women veterans aspiring or actively operating small businesses in the State of Texas. Women that are transitioning service member or spouses of active duty military or veterans are also encouraged to take advantage of our services.

SERVICES WE PROVIDE:

• Small business workshops and online training sessions
• Responsive consultations in financial and business matters
• Business loans ranging from $500 – $500,000 for startup and established businesses
• Discounted interest rates for veterans and spouses
• Knowledgeable and supportive staff invested in your success

Click here for more information

Disability Housing Grants Available for Veterans

Veterans and service members with certain service-connected disabilities can receive housing grants from VA to buy, build, or modify a home to meet their needs and live more independently. Changes to your home may involve installing ramps, widening doorways, and more. Find out if you’re eligible for a disability housing grant and how to apply. 

Education Benefits for Survivors & Dependents

If you’re the child or spouse of a Veteran or service member who has died, is captured or missing, or is rated permanently and totally disabled, you may be able to get help paying for school or job training through the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program, also called Chapter 35. Find out if you're eligible for DEA.

Work while you study

Co-op training

Help with paying for tuition, books, and housing if you’re part of a college or university co-op training program.

Work study

The opportunity to get paid for part-time work while you study at a college, vocational, or professional school.

Click for more details on VS educational benefits

What are QCDs and how do you use them?

QCD’s – Qualified Charitable Distributions – provide a tax deduction for charitable donations made directly from your IRA to a 501(c)3 not for profit organization. The deductions are defined as pre-tax so they reduce the taxable amount of your RMD (Required Minimum Distribution). Since the QCDs only apply against RMDs, they are only available to Seniors who are required to withdraw an RMD each year. Here’s how the QCD process works.

·      During the year, you direct your IRA trustee to make donation payments to your desired charities. You may also be able to have a set of checks from your IRA account that you can write to your charitable organizations.

·      At the end of the year, you total up all the donations made. You might receive a statement from your IRA trustee providing this.

·      For tax filing, your IRA trustee will provide a form 1099-R showing your IRA withdrawals. If you have withdrawn more than the Required Minimum, you will need to know that because the QCDs can only be withdrawn up to the RMD amount.

·      This is the tricky part – Your gross distribution (box 1) will reflect the total amount of your IRA withdrawal. You will then subtract the QCD amount from the Gross Amount and the remainder is entered into the taxable amount - box 2a. Different tax software handles this slightly different, but you will also need to note that the reduction is due to QCDs.

If you have questions about this, since you will be a Senior when you are using it, contact the VAC – one of their volunteers is an AARP TaxAide and he can assist you.

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

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.

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.

• Community-based Vet Centers are available to you. Call 1-877-927-8387 or find one near you.
• Maketheconnection.net offers stories of hope and healing for Veterans experiencing challenging life events.
• Have a question for VA? 1-800-MyVA411 (800-698-2411) is available 24/7.

If you're wondering what the VAC and other veterans organizations are doing.

Contact the Lake County (Illinois) Job Center at 847-377-3450 or 847-377-3425 for further details on these and many other job opportunities.

Click to see the 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 for all county locations and times, or click on the link below for all the counties.

-- Mobile Food Pantry and CLC Pop-up Pantry

Just for Fun!

VA Benefits - November 2023

• This Benefits Bulletin provides links for vets of all to understand veteran benefits they might be eligible for.

Other Benefit topics:



VA News - 1/31/24 - -

• Spread the Word: VA Disability Compensation Outreach Kit 

Many Veterans are eligible for life-changing disability compensation benefits from VA, but they may not know how to get them. Use this outreach kit to help Veterans get the benefits they've earned.

Insights from MOAA

(Military Officers Association of America)

MOAA – 1/25/24

• What the FY 2024 NDAA Means for Your TRICARE Benefit

From pharmacy access to copay changes and more, learn how this major legislation reflects key MOAA priorities.

• 4 Tax Mistakes to Avoid

Have a Roth IRA? Have a rental property? Have multiple income sources? Learn what you could be doing wrong on your returns.

MOAA –2/1/24

• Planning Ahead for a VA Cemetery Burial

Determining eligibility now can make it easier for survivors later.

MOAA – 2/7/24

• Follow These Strategies to Trim Your Capital Gains Taxes

Know your rates and exclusions, and learn how to avoid a surprise hike in your Medicare premium.

MOAA – 2/2024

• A Fresh Look at MOAA Priorities for Caregivers and Veterans in the 118th Congress

By: René Campos FEBRUARY 20, 2024

MOAA and other veterans groups pushed hard to get a handful of caregiving bills included in an end-of-year omnibus package but were unsuccessful. It was far from an isolated problem: Fewer than 30 bills became law in 2023, the lowest number of bills in decades, and lawmakers still do not have a full budget in place for federal agencies five months into FY 2024.

  Both the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees (HVAC and SVAC) conducted numerous hearings, but the backlog of bills awaiting floor time grew, pushing the veterans’ package into the new year. While the committees’ negotiations have been a bipartisan, bicameral effort up to this point, it is unclear what the chances are of passing the legislation in the coming weeks ... or even by the end of the year.

• Scams Cost Veterans, Military Retirees $350 Million in 2023

By: Kevin Lilley FEBRUARY 20, 2024

Veterans reported $350 million in total fraud losses to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2023, up nearly $60 million from the previous year’s $292 million, according to the FTC’s annual data book.

MOAA – 2/27/24

If you are still working and thinking about changing jobs, check out the

Veteran Jobs @ at military.com

Here're some sample articles I found recently:

• GI Bill: Top 5 Things to Know
• 5 Tips for Succeeding Even When You're the Only Veteran in the Room
• 3 Fitness Activities We Need to Keep Doing (or Add to Our Routine) As We Age
• The Real 'Popeye the Sailor' Was Actually a Hard-Drinking Bar Brawler with a Heart of Gold

When most people think of Popeye, we probably think about a hard-hitting sailor man fueled by a love for canned spinach. But the real inspiration for the rowdy animated mariner came from someone who was known to be a fighter and was most likely to throw hands after a few drinks -- but certainly not over olive oil.

Frank "Rocky" Fiegel was a longtime resident of Chester, Illinois, and was certainly not a sailor. But at 5'11" and 175 pounds, many locals believed Rocky could have been a champion boxer if he had gone that route rather than just fighting in bars and saloons. Instead of that, in the early 1920s, those brawls earned him a notoriety that would extend far past the county line and well beyond his death in 1947.

• What Is Tower 22, the Military Base that Was Attacked in Jordan Where 3 US Troops Were Killed?
• More than Half of US Veterans Who Own Guns Store Them Unsafely, Survey Finds
• What Benefits Are You Eligible For as a Spouse of a Disabled Veteran?
• VA Plans to Expand Agent Orange Disability Benefits to Cover Exposure in a Dozen New States

The proposal would allow the VA to automatically extend presumptive status to veterans who develop an Agent Orange-related health condition from assignment to a location named on the Defense Department's list of areas where tactical herbicides were tested, used or stored within specific dates.

It adds locations in 12 states within the U.S., as well as Kumbla, India, in 1945 and 1946, and Gagetown, New Brunswick, in Canada, in June 1966 and June 1967. It also creates broader timelines for other locations that include Cambodia, Thailand, Guam and Laos, based on the DoD's 2019 list, which was published by the VA in 2020.

•  250,000 VA Patients Are at Risk of Receiving Wrong Medication Due to Electronic Health Records Issue Military.com | By Rebecca Kheel, Published February 15, 2024

About 250,000 veterans may be at risk of being prescribed medicine they are allergic to or that would interact poorly with their existing medications because of issues with the Department of Veterans Affairs' new electronic health records system, a government watchdog told lawmakers at a hearing Thursday.

A VA official testifying at the same hearing stressed that the department has not found any instances of patients being harmed by drug interactions specifically caused by the data issues.

But at least one veteran wasn't given critical medication they were prescribed because their records were incorrect, and the VA has not adequately notified patients their prescription records may be wrong, the watchdog said.

+ + + + + + +

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.

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.

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.

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.

Where is an IDVA Office?

 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

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.

Have a good week,

Veterans Assistance Commission, Lake County

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