By Larry Dandridge
The VA YouTube Video titled, “Veterans Benefits at 30% (VA Service-Connected Disability), the SITREP can be found at https://bit.ly/3qsSfZk. That video has been viewed more than 295,000 and is worth watching if you are a veteran, a family member of a veteran, or a Veterans Service Officer (VSO). The video covers 10 benefits of which veterans can take advantage.
Two benefits at the 30% level and higher
Two of the benefits discussed in the video are only available once the veteran receives a 30% or higher disability service-connected disability rating from the VA.
Benefit 1 (Extra Compensation): The first benefit that is available at the 30% or higher rating level is the benefit of receiving extra compensation for veterans’ dependents. For many veterans, this is no small potatoes.
The 2023 Veterans Disability Compensation Rates webpage, https://bit.ly/3WQlPEm, explains disability compensation rates for veterans at the 10% and 20% ratings and at the 30% to 100% ratings. The 10% and 20% disability rating levels and compensation are simple with the 10% disability monthly payment being $165.92 and the 20% disability rating paying $327.99.
Example 30% rates: However, at 30% to 60% and the 70% to 100% ratings, the VA’s tables for compensation, allow a veteran to be paid more based on the number and types of dependents he or she has. For example, the Basic Months Table shows the following BASIC rates for 30% to be:
1. Vetaran Alone (no dependents), $508.05.
2. Veteran With Spouse (no parents or children), $568.05.
3. Veteran With Spouse And One Parent (no children), $616.05.
4. Veteran With Spouse and Tw Parents (no children), $664.05.
5. Veteran With One Parent (no spouse or children), $556.05.
6. Veteran With Two Parents (no spouse or children), $604.05
There is also an Added Amounts Table for those veterans whose spouse receives Aid and Attendance benefits. For a spouse receiving Aid and Attendance, the added amount is $56 at 30%.
The Basic Monthly rates for a 30% disability rating for veterans with dependents, including children are:
1. Veteran With One Child (no spouse or parents)), $548.05.
2. Veteran With One Child and Spouse (no parents), $612.05.
3. Veteran With One Child, Spouse, and One Parent $660.05
4. Veteran With One Child, Spouse, and Two Parents, $708.05.
5. Veteran With One Child and One Parent (no spouse), $596.05.
6. Veteran With One Child and Two Parents (no spouse), $644.05.
If you have more than one child or your spouse receives Aid and Attendance, be sure to also look at the Added Amounts Table, and add these to your amount from the Basic Months Table.
The Added Amounts for 30% to 60% Disablity Rating shows:
1. For each additional child under age 18 a $30 additional amount for 30%.
2. For each additional child over age 18 in a qualifying school $97 additional amount for 30%.
3. For a spouse receiving Aid and Attendance an additional $56 for 30%.
Benefit 2 (Direct Hire at 30%)
The second benefit that starts at the 30% service-connected disability rating level is the option for the VA to direct hire veterans who are 30% or more disabled. This means that a federal agency or organization could potentially hire a veteran for a position without the veteran having to compete for the job.
For example, if a VA Medical Center is looking for a Heating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Technician, and a veteran who was receiving 30% or more disability has submitted the necessary paperwork to the VA’s Human Resources (HR) Department and is qualified for the position, the VA has the option to hire the veteran on-the-spot.
However, keep in mind that a federal agency or organization is NOT required to use this option to hire and the veteran must be qualified to get the job. A veteran must have the education, skills, knowledge, training, and experience for that HVAC position.
To find out if a federal agency or organization uses the direct hire process, veterans should contact their HR department and read the job announcement at USAJobs.gov
The other eight benefits
The other eight benefits discussed in the SITREP titled Veterans Benefits At 30% are offered to all veterans who receive VA service-connected disability compensation. Those eight benefits include (1) Service-Connected Monthly Compensation, (2) Wavier for VA Home Loan Funding Fees, (3) a 10-Point Hiring Preference, (4) Veterans Readiness and Employment Program, (5.) Burial and Plot Allowance, (6) Access to Commissaries and Exchanges, (7) VA Health Care, and (8) Travel Allowance for going to VA Health Care Appointments.
References
To learn more about these benefits read the information at:
- How to apply for VA Disability, https://bit.ly/3wYGMRJ.
- Veterans Disability Compensation Rates, https://bit.ly/3WQlPEm.
- Adding dependents, https://bit.ly/43LjWuY.
- Direct hire, https://bit.ly/3qvIppP.
- VA health care, https://bit.ly/42skTXY.
- VR&E, https://bit.ly/3Cl4Sbr and https://bit.ly/43r9wAJ.
- 10-point preference, https://bit.ly/3qvIppP, https://bit.ly/43hbhjX, and https://bit.ly/3OWCzrq.
- Travel allowance, https://bit.ly/3OWCzrq.
- Home loan waiver, https://bit.ly/3CgHg8a and the three Island News articles on this subject published on May 11, 18, and 25 of 2021.
- Burial & plot allowance, https://bit.ly/3dKZkyx.
- Commissary and exchanges, https://bit.ly/3OY6BeA.
- The Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center and Health Care System’s main number is 843-577-5011 and the Human Resources extension is 205949.
- Island News October 7, 2021, and October 27, 2021 articles on employment https://bit.ly/3OXWFBD and https://bit.ly/3qjsH0D.
The VA is funded and wants to help
The VA is fully funded to provide every veteran with all of their hard-earned benefits. Do not believe the old myth that you should not claim your VA benefits because some other veteran needs VA benefits more than you do. You and all other veterans earned your benefits through much blood, sweat, tears, loneliness, grief, sacrifice, and much more.
The bottom line
No one wants to be disabled but if you are a veteran and are suffering from service-connected injuries, illnesses, wounds, scars, or conditions, you should ask your local VSO to help you apply for all of the service-connected disability compensation you are entitled to. Veterans and veteran family members should also file for all of the healthcare, disability, education, training, employment, housing assistance, life insurance, pension, family member, and other VA and state benefits they are entitled to.
Larry Dandridge is a Vietnam War wounded warrior, disabled veteran, ex-Enlisted Infantryman, ex-Warrant Officer Pilot, and retired Lt. Colonel. He is a past Veterans Service Officer, a Patient Adviser at the RHJ VA Hospital, the Fisher House Charleston Good Will Ambassador, and the VP for Veteran Affairs for the local Army Association Chapter. Larry is the author of the award-winning book Blades of Thunder and a contributing free-lance writer with the Island News. Contact him at LDandridge@earthlink.net or 843-276-7164.
