Veteran Memorials

Around Lake County - Lake Zurich

Thanks and prayers to all our

Korea 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

March 13, 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

One of the new VAC signs at Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills.

Aloysius "Ali" Nelson

Ali was raised in South Florida, where his mother taught him discipline, integrity and how to succeed in life. He served in the US Navy for 28 years and retired as a Region Command Master Chief. In that capacity, he served as an advisor on enlisted personnel matters for 16 states. Upon retirement, Ali worked in county government for 12 years as lead director for two counties veterans services operations. He went on to support the Wisconsin State Association for County Veterans Service Officers which was comprised of 72 counties and 11 tribal nations in the following roles; president, vice president, region president, and lead trainer.

He currently holds a master's degree from Webster University and is working on his PHD from Benedictine University.

Keeyawnia “KC”  Hawkins

KC comes from a solid list of other military members in her family. She personally became involved with supporting members of the military while she served in the Army as a paralegal at Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg). completing her tour as a Brigade paralegal NCOIC. 

KC then went on to receive her Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. Upon receiving her degree, she became a VSO in South Carolina. KC then moved to Texas where she continued working as a Veteran Service Officer ultimately serving as the Director of Veteran Services.

KC is the current Secretary for the National Association of County Veteran Service Officers (NACVSO), and is also a NACVSO Trainer.

Join The VAC as Their First

Paralegal

Seeking a veteran or direct dependent of a veteran and an accredited Paralegal (BA/AA) for this position. We are seeking someone to fill a full time (40 hour) position.

** Must be able to provide a copy of DD-214, direct family member DD-214, and your certifications. 

** Support the Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Senior Veteran Service Officer (SVSO), Veteran Service Officer In Charge (VSOIC), and the Veteran Service Officer (VSO.

** Advocate for veterans and their immediate families or survivors to ensure receipt of benefits available from the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) including but not limited to, Service Disability Claims, VA Pension Claims, Survivor Claims, Education Benefits, employment training, and Healthcare.

** Advise staff on Illinois, National, and Veterans’ Laws, Statutes, perform legal research, educate staff, and provide technical assistance for the filing of claims under Title 38 United States Code and 38 Code of Federal Regulations as well as county and state benefits, where applicable. ** Has a thorough knowledge of veteran federal and state laws, statutes, rules, and regulations. Develops working relationships with applicable federal, state and county departments and agencies. Performs research and investigation of the prior claim decisions made by the agency of primary responsibility and reviews the findings and decisions for possible appeal. Maintains a working relationship with veterans’ organizations (at county, district, state, and national levels), and staff.

** Is essential to the ‘VA claims flow’ process and ensures the timeliness of evidence is gathered, provided, and submitted with claims. 

Click here for complete job description

Military.com | By Jim Absher, Published November 28, 2022



Did you know that many of your VA benefits have an expiration date?

If not, you are not alone.

Most veterans aren't aware of their benefits, let alone that many of them can expire.

Although these deadlines are generally set in stone, the VA has provisions to waive them if you have a legitimate reason for not applying before the given deadlines.

These may include health and disability issues. However the VA will not waive a time limit for not knowing the deadline for your benefits.

If you are receiving disability compensation of 30% or more from the VA, you are eligible for a reduction in property taxes in the state of Illinois. But you must re-file for this exemption each year in most cases. If you just started receiving compensation, then you need to file a somewhat more extensive application.

The Exemption levels established by the state are defined as follows:

This veteran with a disability must own or lease a single family residence and be liable for payment of property taxes. The property's total EAV must be less than $250,000 after subtracting any portion used for commercial purposes. The amount of the exemption depends on the percentage of the service-connected disability as certified by the United States Department of Veterans' Affairs.

·      A qualified veteran with a service-connected disability of at least 30% but less than 50% will receive a $2,500 reduction in EAV;

·      if the veteran has a service-connected disability of 50% but less than 70%, the annual exemption is $5,000; and

·      if the veteran has a service-connected disability of 70% or more, the residential property is exempt from taxation

For surviving spouses

·      An un-remarried surviving spouse of a veteran who was disabled and is now deceased can continue to receive this exemption on his or her spouse's primary residence or transfer this exemption to another primary residence after the original primary residence of a veteran with a disability is sold, not to exceed the amount previously granted, provided this exemption had previously been granted to the veteran with a disability.

·      An un-remarried surviving spouse in receipt of Dependent Indemnity Compensation (DIC) the residential property is exempt from taxation (regardless of if the Veteran had been previously granted based on disability level) (effective 2023 tax year).

In Lake County (Illinois) all the filing for the disability exemption can be made electronically. If you are not able to file electronically, you will need to take the necessary documentation to your local Township Assessor’s office and they can assist you in filing the application.

Click here for more details on how to file for your exemption.

Korea's Army of Senior Citizens Ready for Battle.

'I Don't Remember the Rifles Being So Heavy'

(from military news), Los Angeles Times | By Max Kim, Published December 05, 2023 at 4:42pm ET

(Editor's note - As a fairly Senior former "warrior" who trained with an M1, I related to this article - Hope some of you do too.)

SEOUL, South Korea — Dressed in borrowed camouflage fatigues, they fumbled with their ammunition belts and K2 assault rifles. Some had white hair and a slow, shuffling gait; their average age was 63, the oldest 75.

It was the most unconventional batch of trainees that the 52nd Infantry Division's Seocho Reserve Forces Training Center had ever seen, and Lt. Col. Hwang Hyeon-Seok received them with a strained smile, desperately hoping that none of them would get hurt.

"I couldn't sleep at all last night," Hwang told one of them with a nervous laugh. "Your enthusiasm worries me."

His concern was met with good-natured chuckles, but no reassurances.

Excluding the two women in the group, most of these retirees or near-retirees had undergone South Korea's compulsory military service in their youth. But the decades of rust were showing.

"I don't remember the rifles being so heavy," said 62-year-old Kang Shin-kwang.

Click to read the whole article.

Military.com | By Drew F. Lawrence - Published December 14, 2023 at 1:42pm ET



Most Americans would discourage a young person close to them from enlisting in the military, but a wide majority would encourage them to join as an officer, according to a new Rand Corp. study published this week.

The study found that 54.4% of respondents would dissuade a 17-year-old relative from joining the military as an enlisted service member, though nearly two-thirds of Americans would encourage them to go the officer route, either through a service academy or the Reserve Officer Training Corps, also known as ROTC.



The study comes amid one of the worst recruiting periods the all-volunteer military has known, with most branches failing to meet goals for signing Americans up to serve. Meanwhile, Rand also analyzed public perceptions of veterans, which were "overwhelmingly positive," according to the report.

Click to read the entire Military.com article

Editorial Comment: This is disheartening when we consider the enormous range of education and training opportunities that are available for the enlisted forces.

Operation Deep Dive™ (OpDD), a former service member (FSM)1 suicide and self-injury mortality (SIM)2 study encompassing eight states and five years of death data corroborated by the Department of Defense (DoD), indicates that FSMs take their own lives each year at a rate approximately 2.4 times greater than previously reported by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). OpDD™ data analytics was able to identify FSMs with the greatest probability of taking their own life. This interim report highlights the need to expand data sets to include additional states and the VA, and jointly identify suicide and SIM prevention efforts for FSMs. The implications of the data for prevention analysis and prevention application raise awareness to help prevent FSMs from taking their lives because “Together, We Can Do Better.”

OpDD identified that the number of suicides represented in the eight states (18% of US

veterans), are 1.37 times greater than reported by the VA from 2014-2018. If these eight

states and age adjustment represented a national rate:

·      Approximately 24 FSMs die per day by suicide (determined by coroner or medical

·      examiner) compared to the VA’s 2014-2018 average of 17.7 veteran suicides per day.

·      Approximately 20 FSMs die per day by Self-Injury Mortality (SIM)– previously listed as

·      accidents/undetermined – over 80% are coded as overdose deaths.

·      If these eight states collectively represented the national rate, the combined death rate would be at least 44 FSMs per day which is 2.4 times higher than the VA suicide rate.

OpDD analysis identified military service experience characteristics to refine the identification of FSMs with the highest probability of taking their lives.

·      The longer someone has served in the military, the lower their probability of taking their own life is 2% for every year served.

·      Those who served in the military for less than three years were at greatest risk for suicide/SIM.

·      Receiving a demotion during military service increased the FSM’s odds of dying by suicide/SIM by 56%.de

·      FSMs from the Coast Guard were most likely to die from suicide/SIM, followed by Marine Corps, Army, Navy, and Air Force.

·      FSMs from the Coast Guard were most likely to die from suicide/SIM, followed by Marine

OpDD analysis exposed lifestyle experiences to refine the identification of FSMs with the highest probability of taking their own lives.

·      In general, gender and race diversity were not associated with increased odds of suicide/SIM. Most FSM suicides and SIM were male and white.

• Local and state communities differed for at-risk demographics and specific areas of concern depending on the characterization of FSMs in the community.
• Living with a partner decreased the odds of suicide/SIM by nearly 40%.
• Data indicate that FSMs are at a higher risk of dying from suicide/SIM or natural causes such as heart disease or cancer before age 64 than those who never served in the military.

Click here to read the full report.

State Tax Information for Military Members and Retirees

Illinois

·      Military income: Tax-free

·      Retired pay: Tax-free

·      Survivor Benefit Plan: Tax-free

·      Social Security: Tax-free (be careful about this one!)

For more information click Illinois Department of Revenue

From Congressional letter to The Honorable Denis R. McDonough, Secretary of Veterans Affairs

“Veterans are increasingly facing more scams targeting them and their hard-earned VA benefits.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) testified during an April 19, 2023, Senate Veterans’

Affairs Committee hearing Veterans Consumer Protection: Preventing Financial Exploitation of

Veterans and their Benefits, its reporting network received more than 150,000 complaints of

fraud and illegal business practices in 2022, resulting in more than $414 million in damages.

This was an increase of more than 50 percent from the previous year. Additionally, VA testified

more than 40 percent of all complaints received by veterans from 2018 to 2022 were against

unaccredited individuals. We passed the PACT Act last year to provide toxic-exposed veterans

their earned VA care and benefits. We did not expand benefits as a way for unaccredited

scammers to profit from veterans.”

This letter was signed by 31 Representatives and Senators.

Click here to see the entire letter.

From a letter from the National Association of Attorneys General addressed to to the leadership of both Congressional Houses.

“Unaccredited actors advertise their services as superior to the free services offered

by accredited actors, like veteran service officers, claims agents, and attorneys, who are

trained, tested, supervised, regulated, or otherwise held accountable. They boast quicker

response times and better or even guaranteed results, neither of which is based in fact or

even remotely quantifiable.

Assisting or representing veterans and their families in preparing, presenting, and

prosecuting claims for VA benefits is governed by federal statute and requires VA

accreditation. So unaccredited actors advertise their services as “coaching” or “consultation”

instead of assistance or representation to avoid oversight or accountability. Many use

language in their advertising and their contracts indicating that the veteran will be doing all

the work that requires accreditation and that the unaccredited actors are only there to

answer questions or advise. In fact, they typically do everything except sign the claim.

Conversely, other unaccredited actors do absolutely nothing except point the veteran to DIY

websites and online videos that the veteran could have found themselves.”

This letter was signed by 46 State Attorneys General.

Click to see the entire letter.

We encourage you to write your national representative and senators about your reactions to the use of unaccredited solicitors charging to help file claims. We also encourage you to contact the National headquarters of your military organizations and tell them how you feel about having to pay for filing claims for disability compensation.

is a non-profit law firm that provides FREE civil legal services to low and moderate income individuals in 36 counties across Northern Illinois. We provide free advice and representation to individuals who have serious legal problems and cannot afford an attorney to help solve those problems.

What legal issues can PSLS help with?

●     Housing –

○     Eviction, foreclosure, poor housing condition, discrimination, nursing home issues

●     Public Benefits

○     Denial/termination from benefits like Social Security, SNAP, TANF, Medicaid/ Veterans benefits

●     Safety

○     Orders of Protection, stalking, adult guardianship and POA

●     Financial Stability

○     Criminal records expungement, license reinstatement, school issues, tax disputes, identity theft

Ask a Lawyer

Ask a Lawyer is moving to North Chicago and Zion-Benton Public Libraries in 2024! Starting today (January 11th), we will be at NCPL every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month and ZBPL every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month from 1 to 3 PM. Because of the Expungement Fair, we will not be at NCPL on January 25th, but the schedule will remain the same after that date. The program will remain the same as it was at Waukegan Public Library; community members can come and get FREE legal advice on civil legal problems they are facing.

Click here to see more about Prairie State Legal

Click here to download a referral form

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.

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 here to register

Click here for a fun evening in Rockford

When registering for the "Honorable Night Out" on the A J Lynch website, enter each guest as a separate "item" so you can select different menu items for each.

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

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.

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 - 1/3/24 -

• Six Benefits of Launching a Business Franchise in 2024

Are you reconsidering your professional future? For Veterans who don’t want to work for someone else, there’s an option worth considering: starting a franchise. Go to vetrepreneur.com to get started.

Insights from MOAA

(Military Officers Association of America)

MOAA – 1/18/24

• Where Servicemembers, Veterans Can Get Free Tax Prep Help

Seeking free tax help? You have options.

Servicemembers, veterans, and military family members may be eligible for a number of no-cost assistance programs, whether you’re looking to file online yourself (with a little extra guidance) or want an in-person assist.

Before you file, check out these options – and register for MOAA’s free Feb. 6 webinar, where you can learn what’s new for the upcoming tax season.

• Read MOAA's 2023 Stakeholder's Report

The annual document covers advocacy successes, membership efforts, new philanthropy programs, and much more.

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:

• How Soon Is Too Soon to Ask for a Favor from Your Network?

Networking is an art form, especially over social media like LinkedIn. If you've ever been unsure about how to connect with people and when to make an ask, you aren't alone.

• New Year, New Career: How to Get Your 2024 Job Hunt Off to a Fresh Start in January
• 5 Signs Your Job Deserves a Do-over
• From Houthis to Hezbollah, a Look at the Iran-Allied Groups Rallying to Arms Around Middle East
• 9 Places Transitioning Veterans Can Get Industry Certifications for Free in 2024

Veterans leaving the military should always prepare as much as possible for the civilian job market. No matter how long they've served, military members should get every bit of education and training benefit they can for their chosen career while on active duty. It just makes sense; after separating, a lot of benefits are no longer available.

Some of those benefits include industry certifications in areas like project management, Amazon Web Services, wealth management and more -- so many more. But even after leaving the military, there are many, many organizations that want to help, and some will even help you find a job when those certifications are complete.

• Compare the Best Pet Insurance Providers & Protect Your Pet *
• 4 Outright Lies Veterans Believe About VA Home Loans
• Using Your GI Bill for Apprenticeship and OJT Training
• Groot, Professor X or Dr. Strange: How Veterans Best Network in the Civilian Multiverse

+ + + + + + +

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.

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.