By Matt Scherer 

 Imagine my surprise when I learned that one American Legion member was not receiving his monthly VA disability pay after suffering an injury as a security policema nearly three decades.. 

Hearing this, I asked Retired Army Command Sergeant Major E.G. Mais, a frequent content contributor to MILTrac ,how this could happen as this person said he still has pain from that injury. 

“I would guess that he didn’t ever visit a VA medical facility or get treatment after his service,” Mais said. 

Mais, the service officer for San Antonio’s VFW Post 8541, recently helped the team at  MILTrac.org with a VA benefits workshop at the Encino Park library. 

While helping military professionals, the retired Army noncom said all veterans should follow three simple steps (see graphic below) listed below to continue their disability payments for injuries suffered from military service. 

Tyrone Hewitt, a retired Navy senior chief, added veterans who are transitioning from the military should not listen to comments from their shipmates that the VA will provide only health care with those with disability ratings.

“I keep seeing comments on various posts that a transitioning service member has to wait for their VA Rating to apply / enroll in VA Healthcare….that’s not entirely true,” posted Tyrone Hewitt, a retired Navy chief and now a family life specialist, assigned  to the Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Fleet and Family Readiness in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Hewitt, a frequent contributor to our website, suggest veterans who are transitioning go to this graphic link (see below) to learn more about how to obtain this service.