VETERANS CHRONICLE
NOVEMBER 2025
Celebrate all those who have served
Veterans Day Nov. 11
LOOK INSIDE FOR
• How to access local support
• Making sure women veterans receive recognition
• Missing out on some VA benefits? Find where to start looking.
VETERANS CHRONICLE
HOW AND WHY THE VETERANS CHRONICLE BEGAN
It has a lot to do with the questions asked every issue
By Don Walker and Bryan Bledsoe Veterans Help Net
Let me tell you the story.
It all started at the “Dad’s Day” Washington State University football game in 2017. At halftime, the “Dad of the Year” was being honored. It turns out he was serving as active duty in the Air Force and was there in uniform. The announcer said lots of great thing the dad did to earn him this honor, but ended by saying “Besides all of those great things, this dad’s daughter is going to school on his GI Bill!”
I was shocked. That can’t be true! A kid can really use their dad’s GI Education benefits?
I looked around and there were a few of us with our jaws propped open. Not believing this was possible, I immediately looked it up on my cell phone and sure enough discovered that under certain circumstances the Post 9/11 GI Bill allows for a transfer of their education benefits to their kids or
VETERANS CHRONICLE
spouse!
Why didn’t I know that? I thought I was pretty informed. What other benefits were out there that me and lots of other veterans and families did not know about?
Thus begin my search for those little known, new, or quickly forgotten benefits and services.
I started gathering a bunch of “Hey Veterans, Did You Know?” articles and facts and have spent seven years trying to get these messages out to our local veterans.
I have spent the best part of the last seven years trying to get these message out to our local veterans. I found a bunch of local veterans and citizens that wanted to help get this message out and we eventually formed an action group and named it the “Veterans Help Net.”
This group is responsible for founding the Veterans Chronicle, a quarterly insert in The Spokesman-Review and the Veterans Press (published monthly) in the Coeur d’Alene Press in North Idaho
VETERANS CHRONICLE
and. Both have been published since 2019.
Since that 2017 football game…. Veterans Help Net has been responsible for 69 editions of the Veterans Chronicle, in Eastern Washington and 66 editions of the Veterans Press in North Idaho.
The message continues to be clear: help veterans and their families find “Help and Hope” by making them aware of the benefits, services and help they earned with their time in the service.
We have published over 300 “Hey Veterans, Did you Know?” articles and hundreds of stories about veterans, veterans organizations, and individuals that contributed to hundreds of veterans and their families “Finding Help and Hope.”
So now you know how all this started. What now?
Veterans Day 2025 will be the 7th anniversary of Veterans Help Net and we hope to continue finding more “Did You Knows?” to help veterans and their
families find “Help and Hope.” We will continue to write stories of organizations and individuals who are also helping.
We are always looking for more stories and articles. Send us your story, tell us about your organization, or tell us about someone who is making a difference in our veteran world. Please reach out at Veteranshelpnet.com, email us at info@ veteranshelpnet.com, visit our Facebook page, Veterans Help Net, or call us at (509) 998-6484.
Maybe your story will open someone’s mind and lead them to finding. “Help and Hope.”
Thank you for all your help and support over the last seven years.
Don Walker and Bryan Bledsoe Veterans Help Net
VETERANS CHRONICLE
VETERANS HELP NET
Don Walker
Bryan Bledsoe
MANAGING EDITOR
Joe Butler
MARKETING ADVISOR
Andrew Christensen
Veterans Help Net partners with The Spokesman-Review to publish Veterans Chronicle each quarter to increase awareness about veteran issues and to help veterans find hope and help.
To share a veteran story or information about resources for veterans, please contact don@vethelpnet.com call (509) 998-6484 or visit www.VeteransHelpNet.com.
For advertising information, please contact advertising@spokesman. com or (509) 459-5095.
No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent of the publisher.
BEST OF VETERANS CHRONICLE
Reflecting on ‘The Man in the Arena’ Roosevelt quote highlights the impact of volunteers
By Don Walker Veterans HelpNet
This Veteran’s Day Special Edition of the Veterans Chronicle is published on the 7-year anniversary of Veterans Help Net. In the last seven years we have provided most of the information and content for all the 69 Veterans Chronicles (Spokesman-Review) and 66 Veteran Press editions (Coeur d’Alene Press). We have a vibrant and informative web page (veteranshelpnet.com) and an active and impacting Facebook page (Veterans Help Net).
The Veterans Help Net Team is committed to the mission of expanding the awareness to Veterans and their families about the benefits and services they have earned with their service.
In our effort to garner support for our efforts we’ve visited with dozens of Veteran Service Organizations and talked to hundreds of veterans and volunteers. On this anniversary, I need to reflect on my observations about the hundreds of citizen volunteers I’ve met. Some are veterans, many are not.
A couple of things became clear: First, there are a lot of passionate, committed Americans out there spending their time and money finding ways to better the lives of those that have served our country. Second, there is a big difference between.
“Thanking you for your service” and “doing something to help.”
That principle was never stated better than in “The Man in the Arena” essay from a speech given by then-former President Theodore Roosevelt on April 23, 1910, in Paris, France. I have included a copy of “The Man in the Arena” speech in this article. Roosevelt’s sentiment and message from the speech have reverberated in my mind and made me think about how our “Veteran Volunteers” have done exactly that – they have all entered “The Arena.”
up and tries to do something about it. Many have great ideas and incredible insight, but few are willing to actually enter the Arena and do something to help. Ideas and good thoughts are nice but doing and acting are what makes the difference.
It isn’t the critic or the cynic that enacts change -- it is the man who steps
It’s not saying “Thank you for your service,” although, that is thoughtful
It’s not saying “I wish they had treated you better,” even if it is true.
It is saying “How Can I Help?”
There are hundreds of volunteers who have jumped into the arena and are trying to find a way to help. They comment with their actions and they express thanks with their deeds. Instead of offering good words, they offer a hand to help.
Volunteers work every day to make the veteran’s world better. They have “entered the Arena” and are making a difference, one day at a time, one veteran at a time, one Family at a time. Find a place. Find a group. Find an
organization. You can be “The Man in the Arena.”
Veterans Help Net tries to recognize and support volunteers by highlighting their missions and their good works. Let us know about your organization. Tell us about an impacting volunteer in the hope we can inspire others to enter “The Arena” and add good works to their good words.
Attention Veterans Organizations! Send us your story. Tell us about your volunteers.
Let’s fill the “Arena” and see what great things we can accomplish. Often we will try to feature a “Man in the Arena” and tell their story of why they jumped in and how they are helping veterans and their families have it better and how volunteering has enhanced their own lives.
We hope these stories will inspire others to volunteer.
Thank you for your service and again, “How can We Help?”
For questions or story ideas, please contact us at (509) 998-6484, email info@veteranshelpnet.com or visit VeteransHelpNet.com
What veterans value most BEST OF VETERANS CHRONICLE
Another Veterans Day has arrived and like any other previous year, there will be ceremonies, celebrations, and re-runs of classic war movies (or documentaries for the more serious armchair generals). Discussions and commentary about veterans-related issues will fill TV screens and the papers as well. Yet, beyond the parades, flag waving, and commentary, what does Veteran’s Day mean to veterans? My father is a Vietnam veteran, but had never spoken about his experience when I was younger. Without a military base near my hometown in Oregon, the topic of veterans was all the more foreign and distant. However, my perspective would radically change after joining the military and a particularly poignant experience immediately following my first combat deployment.
Late one evening in December of 2006, I stopped at a local store in Colorado Springs on my way home from Fort Carson. It was a frigid night typical of a Colorado winter. As I was leaving the store I heard a voice call out from behind me: “Hey Soldier!” I turned to see a man about my father’s age approach.
“Were you with those 4th Infantry Division boys that just came back from Iraq?” he inquired. “Yes, we just came back on November 11th of all days,” I replied. After seeing my rank, he reached out to shake my hand and said: “Welcome back Lieutenant!”
continuum that started long before us and continues on. It was from this conversation that I began to understand the value of connection for veterans.
Since joining the Army, Veteran’s Day has been a moment to pause and reflect on the experiences that tested our mettle and transformed strangers into brothers and sisters. The hardships, sacrifice, and challenges that we endured together forged an incredible bond. After this collective experience, it is hard to return to an American society that can be hyper-individualistic and divided.
Sometimes members of the public ask me what they can do to help veterans. From my perspective, it is simple: Listen and ask questions. Nonveterans will have a hard time relating to these stories, but asking questions like “What was your favorite memory from serving?” and “What are you most thankful for?” is simple, but shows interest while guiding the conversation in a positive direction. Interest shows value, which in turn starts the process of building the sense of connection that veterans often miss and value most about their time in serving our nation.
right sleeve. I handed it to the man and said, “From one veteran to another, thank you for your service and please take this 4th Infantry Division combat patch as a keepsake from our conversation tonight.” He held the patch for a moment, his eyes began to water and glisten under the parking lot lights. Suddenly, he stood straight, rendered me a salute, and said “Thank you, Sir!” I returned the salute and as I shook his hand, I repeated the 4th Infantry Division Motto “Steadfast and Loyal!” From the look in his eye, a sense
of connection and belonging had come alive inside of him. In that brief moment, he was a proud soldier standing among his comrades once again.
Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin J. Van Meter, U.S. Army, recently was the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Professor of Military Science at Eastern Washington University.
HOW CAN I GET HELP?
GO ONLINE
VA.gov
The Department of Veterans Affairs website has resources on every topic relevant to veterans.
VA.gov/welcome-kit
The VA Welcome Guide covers all types of benefits and services available for veterans, new recruits, active service members and their families.
Explore.VA.gov/benefitsnavigator
IN PERSON
Spokane County Regional Veteran Service
1117 N. Evergreen Rd., Spokane Valley, WA (509) 477-3690
Apply for emergency services, or have any benefits or service questions answered by 5 Veteran Service Officers (VSO) and staff.
Kootenai County Veteran Services and Benefits Office
120 E. Railroad Ave., Post Falls, ID (208) 446-1092
BY PHONE
Surprised, I asked him how he recognized my rank. “Sir, I was with the 4th Infantry Division in Vietnam back in 1968 and there’s a lot I still remember about the Army –including babysitting our young lieutenant!” I laughed at this classic Army joke and replied that “My dad is a Vietnam veteran as well and that’s the same time he was there too.” The man’s eyes lit up as we began talking about his time in Vietnam, my father’s experience, and the similarities of their experiences with mine while recently deployed to Iraq. During this conversation, a stranger had suddenly become a fellow comrade. Two different generations became part of a larger
A sharing of stories and developing new, common experiences with members of the community, will help veterans feel connected vs. alienated. I learned early in my military career that taking a moment of your time to listen can have a profound impact on others within the organization and within our community.
Outside that local store in Colorado, my conversation came to an end with a fellow veteran from another generation. He seemed overjoyed at the opportunity to meet a member of the newest generation from his old unit. The man also appeared content that he could relive his own story with someone who could understand and appreciate it to a degree. As we prepared to say farewell, I reached over and pulled off my combat patch from my
Explore VA benefits and discover which ones you and your family may be eligible to receive.
Meet with a VSO or staff for help with VA benefits enrollment, claims or other veteran needs.
Goodwill Support Services for Veteran Families (SSVF)
130 E. Third Ave., Spokane, WA (509) 828-2449
SSVF helps homeless veterans and their families find housing and connects veterans with other support organizations.
Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV)
504 E. Second Ave., Spokane, WA (509) 435-2019
Provides healthcare and outreach for housing, job opportunities and counseling.
Spokane County Regional Veteran Service (509) 477-3690
Kootenai County Veteran Services and Benefits Office
120 E. Railroad Ave., Post Falls, ID (208) 446-1092
Veteran Crisis Line 1 (800) 273-8255, press 1 North Idaho Crisis Center (208) 625-4884
Washington or Idaho 2-1-1
Dial “2-1-1” for health and human resources referrals. Every county and state has a Veteran Affairs office to answer questions about benefits
By Lt. Col. Benjamin J. Van Meter Special to Veterans Help Net
VETERANS CHRONICLE
Army veteran Tzena M. Scarborough continues to push for greater recognition for women veterans.
Moving forward together
A call to connection and healing for women who served in the military
Women who served in the U.S. military have often gone unrecognized for their service.
Local Army veteran Tzena M. Scarborough is determined to change that through a new movement called “Moving Forward Together.”
The initiative is a call to connection and healing for women veterans— those who served on active duty, in the Reserves, or the National Guard—who may not see themselves reflected in traditional veteran stories.
“Too many women who served don’t even identify as veterans because the narrative hasn’t been written with them in mind,” Scarborough said. “That ends now. We’re rewriting that story together.”
Scarborough’s passion for advocacy grew from her own experience. She served in the U.S. Army from 1976 to 1983, during the Cold War, and says recognition for her service was rare.
“After Vietnam, wearing the uniform wasn’t popular,” she recalled. “At Veterans Day events, only war veterans were asked to stand. Those of us who served during peacetime were often forgotten.”
Her perspective shifted in 1996 when a citizen shook her hand at The Vietnam
Traveling Memorial Wall and thanked her for her service.
“That moment changed everything,” she said. “I finally felt seen.”
Since then, Scarborough has become a dedicated advocate for veterans and their families. She now receives her full VA benefits—something that once felt out of reach.
Understanding that many veterans find the VA system to be a maze, Scarborough hopes to create a safe, supportive space where women veterans can share their stories, find resources, and heal through connection.
“She may be your mother, sister, daughter, grandmother, or neighbor—a woman who proudly volunteered to serve our great country,” Scarborough said. “It’s time we honor her story.”
Women veterans are invited to join the Women Veterans in the Spokane Area Facebook group to connect, share experiences, and learn more about upcoming gatherings. With Veterans Day coming up on November 11, reach out to women veterans you know and encourage them to STAND up and be recognized for their service.
To learn more, contact Scarborough at ladyveterans@comcast.net or call (509) 999-4939.
What we are hearing from our veterans about VA benefits
By Don Walker Veterans Help Net
“I tried once but I gave up.”
“The VA took so long, so I quit trying.”
“There are lots of veterans that really need help, my problem would take something away from them.”
“I started but they gave me a run around.”
“They kept asking for more stuff.”
“I couldn’t find my records so I quit”
“Is it really worth it?”
We also hear these statements a lot.
“I wish I would have kept trying.”
“I wish I would have known this 20 years ago.”
“How come nobody told me about this?”
‘I didn’t know it would help my family also?”
We hear these statement every day. We hear them over and over…
If you’re a veteran or you know a veteran, you need to read these next sentences:
It IS worth it!
You DO deserve it!
You CAN get through the process!
Look, soldier. you served.
Because you served, you owe it to yourself and your family to seek the benefits or services that you earned with your service
BEST OF VETERANS CHRONICLE
If you quit, try again.
If you never started, start now! They won’t do it for you…
You have to do your part. Make your application, gather your information or any documents they ask you to provide.
Ask for help.
“You will never know unless you ask” Don’t wait. Don’t be the veteran who says, “I should have done this 10 years ago.”
Hey vets!
Make your life better. Find out your options
Apply for the benefits or services you have earned.
How do you start? Contact one of the Veteran Service Centers listed in the “How Can I Get Help?” section in this publication. In Eastern Washington, you can also call Spokane County Veterans Services (509) 477-3690. In North Idaho, call North Idaho Veterans Services and Benefits Office at (208) 446-1090.
When veterans take their own lives: Why did he or she do it?
By Wesley Anderson Special to Veterans Help Net
Some weeks ago, in my capacity as chaplain, I assisted in setting up Military Honors. In my dealings with the family, I discovered that the veteran had committed suicide. Why is unknown.
He was a highly decorated U.S. Army veteran. He was a well-respected member of his community, a loving father, and a loving son. Then why did he take his own life?
We may never know. The members of his family and community asked what we could have done, and why did he take his own life. What were the demons that haunted him? He was seeking counseling. Why?
Veteran suicide is a growing issue and is a crisis that can only be improved through recognition and discussion in society. However, one part of the story that is rarely recognized is how deep its history goes. This problem is not one that’s limited to a single country or a point in time, nor is its importance limited to awareness days.
Military suicide has occurred for centuries around the world but has most often been overlooked or ignored. It is a difficult topic, yet, to save futures lives and pay respect to those who took their own lives, that history must be researched, acknowledged, and debated.
We must not forget the women veterans either. The issue of suicide among women veterans is complex. Women in the military may deal with a complicated trauma history as well as greater scrutiny of their emotional state and mental health.
Veterans suicide is a pandemic, not unlike COVID. How can we cure this pandemic? There is no vaccine or fast cure. There are phone numbers and outreach facilities, and other ways to help combat this pandemic. The big question is how to get this information out to the veterans in need. How do we help them in their time of need? We as a community have a moral obligation to see that all men and women veterans within our community have all the resources to help combat his pandemic. The pandemic that has taken veterans from their friends and families. These deaths have taken their toll on everyone.
Unanswered questions: What could we have done and how could we have prevented it? What were the signs? All of these questions remain unanswered. We as a community must find answers and implement them when and where we can. Men and women veterans are dying every day. It is crucial that we are recognizing this and discussing this so we can face it. One veterans suicide is one too many.’
Wesley Anderson is the American Legion Post 51 Chaplain/Service Officer.
If this sounds like someone you know, please see the “How Can I Get Help” resource page in this publication.
My Forever Friend Bill BEST OF VETERANS CHRONICLE
By Don Walker Veterans Help Net
In a lifetime you only get a few chances at a Real Forever Friendship. The kind that brings you back to them, no matter what. We all have some “goodtime friends” and “most of the time, buddies” but it is rare as hell to have a good-times, bad-times, all the times buddy.
We planned to laugh and golf and watch our kids grow up and grow older. That didn’t happen with Bill. He actually started to have serious future questions in 1968, before I even knew him. His future was cut short because he served his nation in the Vietnam War as a teenager.
Bill didn’t get killed or wounded by the enemy, but he received a fatal injury, all the same, from his exposure to Agent Orange. It took lots of years to start killing him, but as sure as a bullet, it started taking his life away.
We didn’t see it until he was around 50 and then his symptoms and health issues started to take away some of his life options.
First it was circulation and respiratory issues and then full-blown Parkinson’s Disease that took away his energy, balance, vision, and hope.
My Friend Bill isn’t dead. He’s still the same old cantankerous, opinionated Bill, but now he is in an assisted living place. For nearly two years nobody could visit him because of COVID. Tough to be hopeful and happy when alone and isolated.
I will never forget my “Forever Friend” Bill. He never, ever let me down. He often
“pissed me off,” but he always did what he promised and was there when you needed him a few chances of a Real Forever Friendship. I wish I could be there for you now.
Parkinson’s, but they did ease his suffering and did well in helping extend his life.
When Bill dies, as we all must, his name should be added to the Vietnam Veterans
I wish we could share golf and kid stories and make some more…. I never heard Bill blame or complain about “whose fault it was” and if you asked him how the VA Health Care treated him. He would tell you quickly that he felt he was treated with dignity and respect and he was cared for fantastically. They couldn’t stop the march of
Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. because he truly died because of fighting for his country.
Thousands of Vietnam veterans are dying each year from the impacts, injuries, and illnesses because of their service to our country in the Vietnam war.
My Brother 1st LT. Richard H. Walker’s
name is on that Wall. He was killed in action in 1968. Rich was a Silver Star recipient and he would have been proud to have fellow veterans like Bill listed beside him on the Wall.
None of those names will be on The Wall …but we will continue to honor them for their ultimate sacrifices.
God Bless them All and God Bless my Forever Friend Bill.
(Editor’s note: This piece was originally published in November 2002. Bill died on Dec. 3 of that year. He will never be forgotten)
Photos
Courtesy Don Walker
Don Walker, left, and his friend Bill went on the Honor Flight in October 2019 before Bill was forced to a wheelchair and had to move to an assisted living place.
BEST OF VETERANS CHRONICLE
What is the most important thing to remember on Veterans Day?
Editor’s note: This article was the result of asking ChatGBT “What is the most important thing to remember on Veterans Day?”
On Veterans Day, it is crucial to remember and honor the sacrifices made by our brave men and women in uniform. This day holds immense significance as it serves as a reminder of the selflessness, courage, and dedication
displayed by those who have served or are currently serving in the military.
The most important thing to remember on Veterans Day is the profound gratitude we owe to these individuals. They have put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms, uphold justice, and ensure our safety. It is a day to express our appreciation for their unwavering commitment and acknowledge the
immense sacrifices they have made.
Another crucial aspect of Veterans Day is to educate ourselves and others about the experiences and challenges faced by veterans. By understanding their stories and struggles, we can develop a deeper appreciation for the sacrifices they have made. It is important to recognize the physical and emotional toll that military service can have on individuals and their families.
Moreover, Veterans Day provides an opportunity to support and assist veterans in various ways. This could involve volunteering at veterans’ organizations, donating to charities that support veterans, or simply reaching out to a veteran in your community to express gratitude and offer assistance if needed. Small acts of kindness can make a significant difference in the lives of those who have served.
Lastly, it is essential to reflect on the importance of peace and strive for a world free from conflict. Veterans Day serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of war and the need to work towards peaceful resolutions. By promoting peace and understanding, we can honor the sacrifices made by veterans and create a better future for generations to come.
In summary, the most important thing to remember on Veterans Day is to express gratitude, educate ourselves, support veterans, and strive for peace. By doing so, we can honor the sacrifices made by our veterans and ensure that their service is never forgotten.
For many veterans, these five words of gratitude are difficult to receive. A recent survey found that nearly 70 percent of service members and veterans feel uncomfortable or awkward when people tell them, “Thank you for your service.”
Over the years we have had friends communicate that they are genuinely thankful and ask why veterans feel uncomfortable with this heartfelt sentiment. Each time they have struggled to explain that the phrase doesn’t convey an understanding of the sacrifices and experiences we’ve had in the military. This past Veteran’s Day one of our team members was listening to a doctor’s insight on the importance of honoring our military, beyond the words “Thank you for your service.”
The phrase honors people willing to lay down their lives for our country. Such a group of people who will sacrifice themselves for the greater good have earned a special place in our society and deserve our gratitude and appreciation. Touched by these words, we want to share this with hardened, experienced veterans. We all have similar responses: a relaxing of the shoulders, softening of the face, and perhaps a welling of tears of relief – the kind that occur when
you’re finally seen and understood.
We recently heard a story told by Nicole Malachowski, the first female Thunderbird pilot. Struggling with these same words, she asked a World War II vet how he handles this phrase.
He said he made a decision to create connection. Anytime someone says, “Thank you for your service,” he pauses, looks them in the eye, and says, “You were worth it.”
We are conditioned to downplay our experiences. As veterans, we all know someone who had it worse, or harder, or perhaps didn’t make it home. We see this at the Spokane County Regional Veterans Service Center when folks are reluctant to inquire about benefits they may be entitled to. As Veterans Day approaches, a time to we remember and honor the sacrifice of our friends, squad mates, and more, we hope you are able to take a moment and realize that “You are worth it.”
This article was printed in the June 2024 newsletter of the Spokane County Regional Veterans Service Center. For more information, look at the “How Can I Get Help?” section in this publication or contact the local Veterans Service Center at (509) 477-3609.
VETERANS CHRONICLE
VA Spokane Health Care System receives top scores in latest hospital ratings
VA Spokane Health Care System
recently received a five-star rating as part of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 2025 hospital quality ratings.
CMS’s hospital ratings are based on five categories: mortality, safety of care, readmission, patient experience and timely and effective care. A higher star rating indicates better performance on these quality measures.
Within the last year, VA Spokane Health Care System has instituted several visible improvements to better serve veterans. These include expanding Primary Care access by opening a new VA clinic in Spokane Valley, Washington; adding a second state-of-the-art MRI machine to the existing suite of Diagnostic Imaging equipment; and expanding the Community Living Center to provide even more Geriatrics, Rehabilitation, and Extended Care Services with the addition of a new wing.
“This honor reflects the unwavering dedication and hard work of our entire team in providing the highest quality care to our veterans. Each staff member’s professionalism, compassion, and commitment to excellence has been crucial in this achievement,” said Robert J. Fischer, MD, Medical Center Director, VA Spokane Health Care System.
“Moving forward, our priority will remain to continually enhance patient safety, access, and the quality of care delivered to our veterans. Together, we will build on this success and uphold our mission to serve those who have served our nation.”
As part of CMS’s 2025 ratings, 77% of VA hospitals that received an Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating received 4 or 5 stars, and no VA hospitals received a one-star rating. More than 90% of VA hospitals with ratings maintained or improved their 2024 star rating. Overall VA improvements during the
second Trump Administration
• The backlog of veterans waiting for VA benefits is down more than 37% since Jan. 20, 2025.
• VA has opened 16 new health care clinics, expanding access for veterans around the country.
• VA is spending an additional $800 million on infrastructure improvements to ensure department facilities provide safe and effective patient care.
• Since Jan. 20, VA has offered nearly 1 million health care appointments outside of normal operating hours. These early-morning, evening, and weekend appointments are giving veterans more timely and convenient options for care.
• VA is processing record numbers of disability claims, reaching an all-time fiscal- year high of 2.52 million ratings claims for FY25 as of Aug. 8.
• VA has made it easier and faster for VA-enrolled veterans to access care from non-VA providers at the department’s expense.
• VA has implemented major reforms to make it easier for survivors to get benefits.
• VA is accelerating the deployment of its integrated electronic health record system.
• VA partnered with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to identify and recover $106 million in duplicate billing.
• VA has brought tens of thousands of VA employees back to the office, where we can work better as a team to serve veterans.
• In fiscal year 2025 through June, VA has housed 37,534 homeless veterans.
For more information, contact the Spokane VA Health Care System Public Affairs team.
VETERANS CHRONICLE
Understanding Aid and Attendance benefits Learn more about the C&P claim exam
VA Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits provide monthly VA pension payments to those qualified veterans and survivors. If you are housebound or need help with daily activities, you may qualify if you receive a VA pension and you meet at least one of these following requirements:
• You need another person to help you perform daily activities, like bathing, feeding, and dressing
• You have to stay in bed—or spend a large portion of the day in bed—because of illness
• You are a patient in a nursing home due to the loss of mental or physical abilities related to a disability
• Your eyesight is limited (even with glasses or contact lenses you have only 5/200 or less in both eyes; or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less)
Housebound benefits eligibility
You may be eligible for this benefit if you get a VA pension and you spend most of your time in your home because of a permanent disability (a disability that doesn’t go away).
(You can’t get Aid and Attendance benefits and Housebound benefits at the same time.)
For more information or clarification, see “How Can I Get Help?” in this edition or contact your local Veteran Service Office. The Spokane Regional Veterans Service Center is at (509) 477-3690 and Kootenai County Veterans Service Benefits Office is at (208) 446-1092.
After you file your disability benefits claim, you may be asked to have a claim exam (also known as a compensation and pension exam, or C&P exam.)
Here are answers to commonlyasked questions about it:
Why might I need a VA claim exam?
This exam will help determine if you have a service-connected disability. It will also help rate your disability if you have one.
Your rating is based on how severe your disability is—and your rating will affect how much disability compensation you’ll receive. Compensation may include things like monthly payments and enrollment in the VA health care program.
Does everyone who files a claim need to have a VA claim exam?
No. You’ll be asked to have a claim exam only if more information is needed to decide your claim.
If you have enough medical evidence in your file to support your claim, VA officials will follow the Acceptable Clinical Evidence (ACE) process.
This means they will review your medical records and ask you to submit more evidence if needed, instead of asking you to have an exam. Medical evidence may include doctor and hospital reports, test results, and other documents.
Will I need more than one VA claim exam?
You may need more than one exam in these situations:
If you submit a claim for more than one condition, you may need more than one exam. The VA will try to schedule all your exams on the same day.
For some conditions, you may need follow-up exams (called “review exams”). In a review exam, the provider will determine whether the severity of your condition has changed since your last exam.
If you request a decision review of your claim decision, you may be ask to have another exam.
VETERANS CHRONICLE
The number to call when you don’t know who to call.
You only need to remember one number for information on VA care, benefits, and services or to speak to a live agent for assistance!
1-800-MyVA411 serves all members of the Veteran and service member community seeking information or assistance. Call for helpful information on:
• Health care eligibility and enrollment
• VA benefits, such as disability, compensation and pension, education programs, caregiver support, insurance, home loans, and burial headstones and markers, among others
• The nearest VA medical centers,
benefits offices, or cemeteries for veterans
• Directory assistance and connection to all VA contact centers and VA Medical Centers
• Technical support for VA.gov
• Debt and payment options
• Immediate transfer to the Veterans Crisis Line or the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans
Will I be able to speak to a live agent? Yes!
When you call 1-800-MyVA411 and press 0, you will reach a live agent for immediate assistance or connection to the right VA experts.
VETERANS CHRONICLE
Get to know the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States 6 VFW posts in the greater Spokane area
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a nonprofit veteran’s service organization comprised of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, guard and reserve forces.
We trace our roots back to 1899 when veterans of the Spanish-American War (1898) and the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902) founded local organizations to secure rights and benefits for their service. Many arrived home wounded or sick. There was no medical care or veterans’ pension for them, and they were left to care for themselves.
In their misery, a small group of these veterans banded together and became known as the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. After chapters were formed in Ohio, Colorado and Pennsylvania, the movement quickly gained momentum. Today, membership stands at more than 1.4 million members of the VFW and its Auxiliary.
Our voice was instrumental in establishing the Veterans Administration, development of the national cemetery system, in the fight for compensation for Vietnam vets exposed to Agent Orange and for veterans diagnosed with Gulf War Syndrome. In 2008, we won a longfought victory with the passing of a GI Bill for the 21st century, giving expanded educational benefits to America’s activeduty service members, and members of the guard and reserves, fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
We were the driving force behind the Veterans Access and Accountability Act of 2014 and continually fight for improved VA medical centers services for women veterans. The VFW’s
legislative advocacy efforts were also the driving force behind the passage of the 2019 Blue Water Navy Veteran Act, and the passage of the 2022 Honoring Our PACT Act, which the VFW considers one of the most significant pieces of veterans’ legislation in history.
Besides helping fund the creation of the Vietnam, Korean War, World War II and Women in Military Service memorials, in 2005 the VFW became the first veterans’ organization to contribute to building the new Disabled Veterans for Life Memorial, which opened in November 2010. And in 2015, we became the first supporter of the Desert Storm and Desert Shield Memorial which broke ground in July of 2022 and is expected to be dedicated this year.
We have many programs and services that work to support veterans, service members and their families, as well as communities worldwide. Please check out our latest fact sheet at vfw-orghqagarhxahbybyd9.z01.azurefd.net/-/ media/VFWSite/Files/Media-and-Events/ Press-Room/VFWFactSheet.pdf. You can also spend time browsing our site vfw. org to learn why No One Does More For Veterans®.
Our Mission: To foster camaraderie among United States veterans of overseas conflicts. To serve our veterans, the military and our communities. To advocate on behalf of all veterans.
Our Vision: Ensure that veterans are respected for their service, always receive their earned entitlements, and are recognized for the sacrifices they and their loved ones have made on behalf of this great country.
Our Core Values:
• Always put the interests of our
members first
• Treat donors as partners in our cause
• Promote patriotism
• Honor military service
• Ensure the care of veterans and their families
• Serve our communities
• Promote a positive image of the VFW
• Respect the diversity of veteran opinions
Where are we located in the Spokane/ Coeur d’Alene area?
• Department of Veterans Affairs, 13109 E Mirabeau Pkwy, Spokane Valley, (509) 892-4050
• VFW Post 1474, 2902 E. Diamond
Avenue, Spokane, (509) 487-3784, https://vfw1474.org/di/vfw/v2/default. asp
• VFW Post 51, 300 W. Mission, Spokane, (509) 327-9847, vfw51.org
• VFW Post 889, 406 N. Fourth Street, Coeur d’Alene, (509) 327-9847, https:// www.vfwcda.org/
• VFW Post 1435, 212 S. David Street, Spokane Valley, (509) 892-4050, vfwpost1435.org or facebook.com/ vfw1435/
• VFW Post 3603, 1225 E 3rd Ave, Post Falls ID (208) 755-6342
50 medical conditions that can lead to disabililty benefits
By Don Walker Veterans Help Net
Attention veterans and their families -- you need to read this! If you ever wondered what issues other veterans have claimed and are receiving disability benefits, see this list below. Do you or some veteran you know have one or more of these issues?
It is time to see if you qualify for VA disability benefits?
It is not complicated or difficult to find out. Go to “How Can I Get Help?” on Page 5 of this publication and contact the professionals who will tell you how to get started. It is important. You earned these benefits with your service. Ask the question.
• Tinnitus.
• Hearing Loss
• Limitation of Flexion of the Knee
• Post -Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Lumbosacral or Cervical Strain
• Scars, General
• Paralysis of the Sciatic Nerve (Sciatica)
• Limitation of Range of Motion of the Ankle
• Migraines (Headaches)
• Limitation of Motion of the Arm
VETERANS CHRONICLE
• Degenerative Arthritis of the Spine
• Sleep Apnea
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
• Major Depressive Disorder
• Asthma
• Diabetes Type 2
• Cancer
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• Pes Planus (Flat Feet)
• Radiculopathy
• Adjustment Disorder
• |Somatic Symptom Disorder (Chronic Pain Syndrome)
• Gastroesophageal Reflex Disease (GERD)
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Erectile Dysfunction
• Plantar Fasciitis
• Arthritis
• Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
• Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD)
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
• Fibromyalgia
• Eczema
• Allergic Rhinitis (Hay Fever)
• Sinusitis
• Meniere’s Syndrome
• Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease (Coronary Artery Disease)
• Chronic Conjunctivitis
• Limited Motion of the Jaw (Temporomandibular Disorder)
• Hiatal Hernia
• Hemorrhoids
• Varicose Veins
• Nephrolithiasis (Kidney Stones)
• Hypothyroidism
• Anemia
• Peripheral Neuropathy
• Prostate Gland Injuries
• Ischemic Heart Disease
• Vertigo
• Urinary Incontinence
How do I start getting my Veteran Benefits or VA Medical help? What are my first steps?
Many deserving veterans or their families believe they may qualify for some earned veteran benefits or medical help but don’t know where or how to start the process. Below you will find three steps to get you started on the path to hope and help.
Step 1. Find your DD 214 (Discharge Papers). It certifies your service, your service time and your status. You will need it before you can file any claim or get any benefits.
Can’t find it? You can order it by going to one of the Veteran Service providers listed in the “How Can I Get Help?” Section of this edition.
Step 2. Make an appointment with a Veteran Service Officer (VSO). These are the experts that can walk you through the process and help you find out what you need to make a claim or start receiving your earned benefits. You can find a VSO at many different Veteran Service organizations (They can also help you get your DD214). The Veteran Service Officer help never costs you anything. The service is free. (See “Resource Directory” In this edition). Call, visit or go online.
Tip: Talk to a VSO before you try to apply online. It will save you some time and reduce your frustration.
Step 3. Start today. Don’t wait any longer. It’s your life, health and money.
Reach out to the Spokane Regional Veterans Service Center (509) 477-3690 or Kootenai County Veterans Service Benefits Office (208) 446-1092.
