Page 7 - TVTimes.10.21.18

Sunday, November 11, 2018
Pension: Continued from Page 5D
The VA divides this amount by 12 and rounds to the nearest dollar. This is the approximate amount of your monthly pension payment.
The VA deducts certain expenses you pay, such as unreimbursed medical expenses, from your annual household income. This will decrease your countable income and increase your monthly pension payment.
How can you apply?
You can apply for pension by filling out VA Form 21P-527EZ, “Application for Pension,” located at www.vba. va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA- 21P-527EZ-ARE.pdf.
Mail or fax the form and veteran’s death certificate to the Pension Management Center serving your state, which for Arkansas would be:
Milwaukee VA Pension Center
Department of Veterans Affairs Claims Intake Center
Attention: Milwaukee Pension Center Janesville, WI 53547-5192
P. O. Box 5192
Fax: 1-844-655-1604
For more information on VA Pensions visit the web pages listed above, or call 1-800-827-1000.
Quilts: Continued from Page 6D
is was the veteran prefers. Group presentations typically take place at the El Dorado Conference Center. “They allow us to do that free of charge,” Moss said. “That’s their donation to us, using their facility. We really do appreciate them allowing us to do that.”
During a group presentation, typically 10 to 15 quilts are awarded to veterans. Moss said they try to present the quilts according to the dates of service. “It’s not done on a first come, first serve basis,” she said. “If we have somebody that’s a World War II veteran, they take precedence over some of the other ones.”
She added that if somebody is ill, “we want to make sure they get their quilt before they pass away.”
Moss said the veterans are always very appreciative when they receive a quilt.
“What we hear a lot of times, even from World War II veterans, is this is the first time anybody has ever thanked them for their service,” Moss said. “It’s a comfort to them because they realize that they didn’t go through all of that for nothing,
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Offices located in El Dorado, Warren & McGehee 870.863.0012 www.superiorseniorcare.com
706 W. Grove St. • 870-863-8444 • El Dorado, AR
Timber Professionals, Serving Arkansas and Louisiana Since 1950
Thank you for your service!
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give.”
“You can only make so many quilts for
your house,” she joked. “And then you have to start looking for a good cause to give them to. And anytime a quilters makes a quilt, she’s putting bits and pieces together and sewing it together with love, so she’s actually giving you a piece of her self.”
Moss compared putting the pieces of fabric together for a quilt to the soldiers coming home from war.
“We take our scraps of fabric and sew them together and that’s the way I feel like the soldiers are,” she said. “They’re broken when they come back from war. You think about what they go through and they have to scrap their lives back together, and that quilt represents love and comfort for them.”
“What we’re trying to do is let them know that they are loved and we’re thankful for our freedom,” she added.
For more information on donating to the Freedom Quilters of El Dorado or about how to nominate a veteran, contact Moss at 870-862-0580.
Kaitlyn Rigdon can be reached at krigdon@eldoradonews.com or 870- 862-6611.
El Dorado Homes
Specializing in Manufactured Homes since 1991
1724 Junction City Rd • El Dorado • (870) 862-9594
We support all Veterans and their families. Thank you for your sacrifices.
Timber Estimates Appraisals
Mary S. Clapp, ACF, RF, CF Ryan Jackson, ACF, RF
Forest Management Timber Marketing
P.O. Box 1994 Eric Clapp, RF El Dorado, AR 71731
E-mail: sfsi@stevensforestry.com
Phone: (870) 863-5068 Fax: (870) 863-5156
EL DORADO NEWS-TIMES — 7D
Changes to GI Bill benefits
Last year, the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, also known as the Forever GI Bill, was signed into law, bringing several changes to education benefits for veterans.
These changes include:
As of Jan. 1, 2018, those who use the Post-9/11 GI Bill should receive a monthly housing allowance based on the Department of Defense basic housing allowance for monthly housing rates.
As of Aug. 1, 2018, entitlement charges for licensing and certification exams and national tests under the Post-9/11 GI Bill are prorated based on the actual amount of the fee charged for the test, lowering the entitlement charge to benefits.
As of Aug. 1, 2018, the amount of entitlement for those eligible under the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance program is decreased from 45 months to 36 months.
As of Aug. 1, 2018, military and veteran families who transferred an entitlement to a dependent can reallocate them if that person dies.
As of Aug. 1, 2018, the VA must make available to educational institutions information about the amount of educational assistance to which a beneficiary is entitled.
As of Aug. 1, 2018, the VA must prorate the monthly housing allowance under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill, meaning students will receive housing payments
effective the day of discharge, instead of receiving it the following month.
As of Aug. 1, 2018, the VA must develop a pilot program to provide eligible veterans with the opportunity to enroll in high technology education programs that the VA determines will provide training and skills sought by employers in a relevant field or industry.
As of Aug. 1, 2018, Purple Heart recipients who received the award on or after Sept. 11, 2001, are entitled to Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits at the 100 percent benefit level for up to 36 months, if not already entitled.
As of Aug. 1, 2018, additional Guard and Reserve service now counts toward Post-9/11 GI Bill
eligibility.
As of Aug. 1, 2018, recipients
of the Fry Scholarship and Purple Heart may use the Yellow Ribbon Program.
As of Aug. 1, 2019, the VA will provide up to nine months of additional Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to eligible people who are enrolled in a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) field program of education.
As of Aug. 1, 2020, the 40 percent benefit level will be eliminated and the 60 percent benefit level will be expanding under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
As of Aug. 1, 2022, active duty service members may use the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Veterans are eligible for multiple education benefit programs. Below is a quick introduction to some of the main benefit programs.
Post-9/11 GI Bill
Available to those who served at least 90 days of aggregate service after Sept. 10, 2001. Veterans must have an honorable discharge to be eligible. In order to be eligible for 100 percent of the benefit, you must have served an aggregate of 36 months of active duty service or have been discharged
for a service-connected disability after 30 days of continuous service after Sept. 10, 2001.
If you served less than 36 months, the percentage of benefit ranges from 40 percent to 90 percent:
90 percent - served 30 total months, including service on active duty in entry level and skill training.
80 percent - served 24 total months, including service on active duty in entry level and skill training.
70 percent - served 18 total months, excluding
service on active duty in entry level and skill training.
60 percent - served 12 total months, excluding service on active duty in entry level and skill training.
50 percent - served six total months, excluding service on active duty in entry level and skill training.
40 percent - served 90 or more days, excluding service on active duty in entry level and skill training.
The percentage equals
how much of the tuition benefit, monthly housing allowance and stipend for books and supplies a veteran is eligible for.
Approved training under the Post-9/11 GI Bill includes:
Graduate and undergraduate degrees;
Vocational/technical training;
On-the-job training; Flight training; Correspondence
training;
Licensing and national
testing programs; or Entrepreneurship
training and tutorial assistance.
Montgomery GI Bill- Active Duty
Available to active duty service members after two years of active duty. Available to veterans who entered active duty for the first time after June 30, 1985; received a high school diploma or equivalent before the end of your first obligated period of service; received an honorable discharge;
See GI, Page 9D
Thank you Veterans, for your service!
that it was appreciated.”
Any one who has served, or currently
serves in the military can receive a Quilt of Valor.
Moss said all of the quilts that have been made have been 100 percent out of their pocket.
“There have been a few donations that have been given to us,” she said. “What has been given to us, we buy batting and quilt materials and things with it.”
Moss added that the ladies are beginning to get financially burdened. “They’re not able to donate as much as what they were, which is why we’ve kind of slowed down on what we’re doing,” she said. “People dont realize how much fabric costs now days.”
The Freedom Quilters of El Dorado accept cash, check and material donations. Moss said if someone writes a check to the Quilts of Valor Foundation for the El Dorado group, to make sure they note that the donation is for the Freedom Quilters of El Dorado, Arkansas, so that money goes to them.
To nominate a veteran to receive a quilt, visit the Quilts of Valor website at qovf.org. There is a “request a Quilts of Valor” option under the “take action” header on the website.
The group usually has two “sew days”
per year, where they work on the quilts. Other quilt organizations also contribute quilts, including the Union County day and night guild.
“Sometimes we may have 30 people show up,” Moss said about the sewing days. “So we have more that work on (the quilts) than just members.”
Moss said they don’t turn down anyone who asks for a quilt and have received requests from other counties in Arkansas. “We have people that specifically want their quilts to come from our group because we have that many dedicated perfectionist quilters,” she said. “They pay that much attention to what they’re doing because they take pride in what they’re doing for the veterans.”
Moss said the ladies in the Freedom Quilters of El Dorado group produce pristine quilts.
“I am so proud of our ladies,” Moss said. “We have the best group of ladies and they get along so well to be able to produce these kinds of quilts and they do a fabulous job on what they do. They don’t cut corners on them.
“If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do,” she added. “It’s strictly a group effort.”
Moss said quilters are the kind of people that “just feel like they need to
Education benefit programs
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• Obstetrics - Normal & High Risk • Birth Control
• Menopausal Disorders
• Bone Density Screenings
• Cervical Cancer Screenings
• Dysport, Restylane & Perlane • Gynecological Exams
Dr. John Ratcliff Dr. Donya Watson Dr. Greg Booker
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