MINERAL COUNTY – In an open house last Tuesday representatives of the Montana Veteran’s Affairs Division and the Missoula Veteran’s Center spoke about the programs and services offered by the two organizations.

It was mentioned the MVAD was not the same as the Department of Veteran’s Affairs run by the federal government. MVAD is a state agency to assist and advocate for veterans who attempt to file for benefits through veteran’s affairs.

According to Andrea Knight, MVAD representative, one of the chief jobs of the division is to assist veterans with enrolling for healthcare through veteran’s affairs. She said this was all her office helped with in regards to the VA.

“We can’t answer questions, we don’t make appointments, we don’t cancel appointments,” said Knight. “Once we help you with the enrollment process, all we continue to do is help with the re-enrollment process.”

Knight also talked about benefits spouses could receive. She explained the VA does not have money set aside for the children or spouses of veterans, saving most of the benefits strictly for the health of the veteran. Because of this, dependents are not seen through VA healthcare systems despite the way qualifications are determined by joint income. However, family members are not left completely unprotected by veteran benefits.

Some benefits will transfer over to a veteran’s dependents post-mortem. The widow’s pension allows a spouse to receive some benefits after the veteran’s death if it is determined the death was caused by, or related to, a military-caused disability. The spouse must also have been married to the veteran at the time of death.

However, some benefits can still be collected if the veteran does not die of a service-related injury or illness. According to Knight, the Dependency Indemnity Compensation is for the benefit of veterans who are a certain percentage disabled, but not terminally ill. She said a spouse may collect benefits if the veteran was considered completely disabled for at least 10 years. All of these benefits require the veteran to sign up through the VA, which is where other problems come in.

According to Knight, many veterans are not signed up to receive benefits through the VA offices. She said many people may have had bad experiences with such services and do not trust them entirely. Also, due to the wide range of health problems to come out as a result of the Vietnam War, an income limit was placed on VA benefits.

“Before 2003, if you were a veteran, honorably discharged, you’d go get in the VA healthcare system,” said Knight. “2003 - things became real expensive. I believe…it had to do with a lot of the medical conditions Vietnam veterans were experiencing due to being exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War.”

As a result of this, she continued, the cap was put in place to make sure people were placed on the right co-pay levels. Veterans who were in the system before the cap was put in place were grandfathered in and should not have been affected by the changes. Knight stressed the universal requirement for all of these services to have a diagnosed disability. 

However, with how far Mineral County population is from the Missoula Veteran’s Center, and transportation needs of many veterans, the ability to travel to get benefits could be a problem. This was addressed by the open house’s second speaker.

Alvie Benskin, representative of the Missoula Veteran’s Center, came to speak about a new Missoula Mobile Veteran’s Center. The van is an extension of the vet’s center and acts as a way to get word out about some of the services offered at the main office.

The vehicle goes to events or areas where veterans will likely be present to act as a mobile office. From there, veterans can apply for services through the center or collect information on services. According to Benskin, the hope of the mobile center is to reach veterans about the services available.

According to Benskin, it is common for people who have served combat duty to isolate themselves after returning home. He said the VA wants to connect to these people and help them reincorporate into society.

Benskin said the focus of his office is combat veterans and readjustment issues. He explained the issues range from counseling, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, separation problems with family members and a variety of others.

“There are other things besides Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that become a readjustment issue when you come back from deployment, combat deployment especially,” Benskin said. “Sometimes you think everybody else is crazy and you’re the one who’s right.”

Benskin said his office also deals with military sexual trauma. He explained how the problem is not just one for women and many men deal with it to. Sexual trauma referred to sexual assault, but not in all cases. Benskin said it also covers sexual harassment cases and issues of unfriendly work environments. Anything where a person’s gender caused an uncomfortable environment qualifies as sexual trauma. Benskin’s office works to counsel people in these situations and work to improve the conditions.

The Montana Veteran’s Affairs representatives will come to Superior once a month and will work out of the Chamber of Commerce office. More information can be found online at montanadma.org/montana-veterans-affairs or www.va.gov.