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VA Benefits for Former Prisoners Of War
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Former American Prisoners of War are eligible for special veterans
benefits, including medical care in VA hospitals and disability
compensation for injuries and diseases caused by internment. These
benefits are in addition to regular veterans benefits and services to
which they, as veterans, are entitled.
As a prisoner
of war the starvation, exposure to the elements and other things
encountered by the Prisoner of War have been proven to cause long term damage, of
which you may not be aware, to vital organs. Now,
many years later many common conditions that you may now have (like
arthritis, heart disease, post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, etc.)
can be directly traced back to your incarceration as a prisoner of war and
as such you are entitled to receive VA disability compensation for them.
The American Ex-Prisoners of
War would like to help you apply for your benefits or get your rating
increased to the full 100%. We have National Service Officers
throughout the country that have been trained to help you present your
claim to the VA as former POW. There is no charge and you do not
have to be a member of AXPOW to receive this assistance. The amount that is paid to
a former POW who has qualified at the full 100% rating is $2,287.00
(tax-free) per month.
We are trying to find all of our
former Prisoners of War and their widows so we can help them!!
Please contact one of our National Service Officers if you are a former
POW or the widow of a former POW and not currently receiving your benefits
or you are not at the 100% rating - a listing of them can be found on this
page of the website -
American Ex-POW National
Service Officer
AXPOW National
Services Officers Can Help You With Your VA Claim
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There are not enough of
them, but if you want to present your claims as a POW to the DVA, the best course of action is this: Ask the
American Ex-POW National
Service Officer
in your area to help you put
your claim in order, to present to your VA Regional Office. They have been
trained in putting your POW experience testimony in the best order and
light, for considering how the 20-plus POW presumptives may apply to your
case. They relate to you and your POW experience in a way that most VA
interviewers cannot. If there is no AXPOW NSO available, then another
veterans service officer (DAV, VFW, etc.) or your county veterans service
officer could be helpful. But remember, a qualified AXPOW NSO knows how to
relate the POW presumptives best, to your personal case. They are your
“specialists”.
Unless you have some
very special connections with the VA POW Coordinator or specialist, DO
NOT
simply take your papers and present yourself to the closest VA hospital for
a protocol examination. If you intend to file a claim, you need to use a
service officer from the very start. The VA is very much interested in
reaching out to all the POWs who have never connected with them, or who do
not have 100% disability compensation already. They want to reach out and
help upgrade all POWs with their VA claim benefits. And they are very
helpful in working with our AXPOW NSOs, to achieve the highest disability
compensation rating possible for us. Your AXPOW NSOs are here to help!
Before you go to the VA, see us, or another qualified veterans service
officer.
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What is a National Service Officer?
Recently a person inquired about Service Officers and what they
do, and also asked if it is necessary to have a Service Officer to file a claim.
In reply to the first query, a Service Officer is an advocate
for the veteran, and is not an adversary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
He or she helps a claimant in preparing a well-grounded claim. The Service
Officer is thoroughly familiar with the process and will assist from the
development of a claim to the final adjudication.
Many former POWs do not consider all of the things that happened
to them while they were in an enemy's hands - the physical abuse, such as forced
marches, or beatings, the mental abuse of being questioned over and over again
about military matters, and spending time in solitary confinement, or other
forms of torture. Were you well fed, did you have adequate clothing and
housing, and have leisure time in the company of your buddies?
Unfortunately not. Maybe you managed to get along fairly well right after
you returned home, but how are you feeling now - 50 or 55 years later?
There are 20 PRESUMPTIVES - you'll find them listed often in
MedSearch, in the EX-POW BULLETIN - a Service Officer can review these with you
and see which ones apply to your case. For example, if your feet were
frozen while you were in prison camp, and you now have swollen feet and ankles,
they may be associated with some heart problems. Only a doctor can make
the decision, but the Service Officer can help you write your history so the
facts are presented.
You and your spouse can sit down with an NSO, go carefully over
the necessary forms, and then talk you about what is happening in your life that
may make you eligible for compensation. He or she will make no promises,
but will put forth every effort to assist you.
In order to work with you, a POW Service Officer must have a
Power of Attorney, issued to the American Ex-Prisoners of War. This has
nothing to do with any of your financial arrangements; it is ONLY to grant
authority to use your military records as needed to back up your claim for
disability compensation. And by the way, don't neglect to try for
compensation - it isn't a handout; you have earned every penny!
As to the second question - no, one does not need a Service
Officer in order to file a claim - but why not take advantage the knowledge
available through one? These men and women are volunteers, and they are
Ex-POWs or next of kin who are ready and willing to help you get what you
deserve. Click here to find
a listing of these officer's located near you. And remember if you
don't apply for yourself, consider applying for your spouse's benefit as this
compensation will pass on to them.
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About
40 percent of the Americans held prisoner in the last five conflicts are now
living. Records show that 142,232 Americans were captured and interned during
World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and
the Somalia and Kosovo conflicts. This includes 81 women seized on Guam or in
the Philippines during World War II, and two during the Gulf War.
Of
that total, an estimated 49,707 were living as of Jan. 1, 2000. This includes
one from World War I, 44,418 from World War II, 2,659 from the Korean War, 602
from the Vietnam War, 23 from the Gulf War, and one from Somalia and three from
the Kosovo Conflict.
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AMERICAN PRISONERS OF WAR
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Total |
WWI |
WWII |
Korea |
Vietnam |
Gulf |
Somalia |
Bosnia |
Kosovo |
| Captured & Interned |
142,232 |
4,120 |
130,201 |
7,140 |
744 |
23 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
| Returned to US Military Control |
125,207 |
3,973 |
116,129 |
4,418 |
660 |
23 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
| Refused Repatriation |
21 |
0 |
0 |
21 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Died while POW |
17,004 |
147 |
14,072 |
2,701 |
84 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Alive as of Jan. 2000 |
49,707 |
1 |
46,418 |
2,659 |
602 |
23 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
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Congress defines a prisoner of war as a person who, while
serving on active duty, was forcibly detained by an enemy government or a
hostile force, during a period of war or in situations comparable to war.
COMPENSATION
Studies have shown that the physical hardships and psychological stress
endured by POWs have life-long effects on health and on social and vocational
adjustment. These studies also indicate increased vulnerability to psychological
stress.
The laws on former POW benefits recognize that military medical records do
not cover periods of captivity. A former POW is eligible for disability
compensation if any of the following disabilities are found at any time at a
compensable level (at least 10 percent disabling): vitamin deficiency diseases
such as beriberi and pellagra, chronic dysentery, helminthiasis, malnutrition,
miscellaneous nutritional deficiencies, residuals of frostbite, post-traumatic
osteoarthritis, psychosis, any of the anxiety states, dysthymic disorder,
peripheral neuropathy, irritable bowel syndrome, peptic ulcer disease, or
ischemic heart disease (if there was localized edema during captivity).
For POWs detained for 30 days or more, it will be presumed that the
disability was incurred in or aggravated during military service, unless there
is evidence of some other cause.
Compensation is paid based on the degree of disability. Veterans rated as 30
percent or more disabled qualify for additional benefits based upon the number
of dependents. Dependents of those rated 100 percent disabled may qualify for
educational assistance. Spouses of veterans who die as a result of
service-connected disabilities are eligible for dependency and indemnity
compensation.
Spouses of former POWs rated 100% disabled for one year or more prior to
death are eligible for dependency and indemnity compensation.
As of Jan. 4, 2000,
there were 26,364 veterans receiving VA compensation or pension for conditions
related to their service and incarceration as POWs.
Current
monthly compensation, according to degree of disability:
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| 10 percent...............$98
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60 percent................$743 |
| 20 percent...............188
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70
percent..................937 |
| 30 percent...............288
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80 percent...............1,087 |
| 40 percent...............413
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90
percent...............1,224 |
| 50 percent...............589
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100
percent.............. 2,287 |
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MEDICAL
CARE
Former POWs are not
subject to VA's health-care eligibility assessment and are entitled to VA
hospital care. VA may provide outpatient care without limitation to former POWs.
POWs held for more than 90 days are eligible for dental treatment. Those held
for less than 90 days are eligible for dental treatment for service-connected,
noncompensable dental conditions.
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Dependency and Indemnity
Compensation (DIC)
What is DIC ?
DIC is a monthly check paid to
eligible survivors of certain deceased veterans.
Who is Eligible ?
To get
DIC, you must be an eligible survivor of a veteran who died because of a service-related
illness or injury.
If the
veteran's death was not service-related, you may
still be eligible if ANY of the following conditions
existed at the time of death:
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the veteran was getting VA Disability Compensation for a total
disability for the last 10 years. (Note:
This also includes veterans who would have received VA compensation
but didn't because they were getting military retirement or disability pay.)
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the veteran was getting VA Disability Compensation for a total
disability continuously since released from active duty and for at least 5
years.
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the veteran was a former prisoner of war, was getting VA
Disability Compensation for a total disability continuously for at least one
year before death, and died after September 30, 1999.
You may be an eligible survivor
if:
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you were married to the veteran for at least 1 year (Note: If a child was born, there is no time
requirement) AND
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your marriage was valid AND
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you lived with the veteran continuously until his/her death or,
if you were separated, you
weren't at fault AND
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you are not currently remarried. OR
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you are an unmarried child of a deceased veteran AND
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you are under age 18, or between the ages of 18 and 23 and
attending school.
Note: Certain helpless adult children and some parents of deceased
veterans are entitled to DIC. Contact
a NSO Officer for the eligibility requirements for these survivors.
How Much Does VA Pay ?
VA pays a basic monthly rate of
$911 to eligible surviving spouses.
In some cases, VA can pay more.
Contact a NSO Officer for information about rates paid to
eligible children.
How Can I Apply ?
You can apply by filling out VA
Form 21-534, Application for Dependency And Indemnity Compensation, Death
Pension And Accrued Benefits By A Surviving Spouse or Child, and mailing it
to the VA regional office that serves your area. Contact a National Service Officer for information about other
supporting materials that the VA may need to process your claim.
Related Benefits
Health Insurance (CHAMPVA) Home Loan Guaranty
Federal Employment Preference Survivors' & Dependents'
Educational Assistance
For more information
contact one of our NSO Officers
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VA Benefits for former Prisoners of War: http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Benefits/POW/powpam.htm
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