Edsel Stallings: A True American Hero

Meet Former Marine Sgt. Edsel Stallings, the latest Veteran Fausone Bohn and Legal Help For Veterans have the honor of assisting.  Now 93 years old, Stallings is one of the few remaining members of the Montford Point Marines. This distinguished group was the first all-black Marine unit that served in the Pacific in World War II. Overcoming segregation at home and the enemy abroad, the Montford Point Marines were finally honored for their service in 2011 with the Congressional Gold Medal. The Medal is awarded by Congress as the highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions. With this recognition, Edsel and his unit join an elite group of African American medal recipients including Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., The Tuskegee Airmen, Joe Louis, and Jackie Robinson.

The Medal is planned to be displayed permanently at the Smithsonian Institution so that everyone has a chance to hear this amazing story and pay their respects to these heroes.

We want to thank all Veterans for their service to our country and would be honored to assist anyone who is seeking veteran benefits from the VA. Contact Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC today to find out how you or a loved one can receive the benefits you deserve: http://www.legalhelpforveterans.com/

Check out the remarkable story of Stallings and the Montford Point Marines here: http://archive.freep.com/article/20111111/NEWS06/111110383/Overlooked-decades-Montford-Point-Marines-awarded-top-medal

Do Disabled Veterans Have to Pay Property Taxes in Michigan?

A relatively new Michigan law does indeed give some disabled veterans an exemption on their property taxes. And the good news: it’s pretty easy to apply for the Disabled Veterans Exemption.

Disabled veterans, un-remarried spouses, or their legal designee can apply by completing the one page Form 5107 and filing that with your local assessor’s office. If the local Board of Review approves the exemption, then you will be granted a refund for that year’s taxes.

You can download form 5107 here to apply for the exemption:

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/treasury/5107STCAffidavit_441749_7.pdf

Note – Michigan veterans must apply each year for this exemption.

Who qualifies as a “Disabled Veteran” under the law (MCL 211.7b)?

The law defines a disabled veteran as a resident of Michigan who meets one of the following criteria:

(a) Rated 100% for disability as a result of military service by the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

(b) Has a certificate from VA certifying that the veteran is receiving or has received financial assistance due to disability for specially adapted housing.

(c) Rated by VA as individually unemployable.

This is a great money-saving benefit for disabled veterans in Michigan that you should try and take advantage of if you meet the criteria.

Do you need help with your VA disability rating or your VA claim? You can call the team at Legal Help For Veterans, PLLC today. We fight to make sure you get the benefits you deserve from VA. Call us today at (800) 693-4800 or visit us online at www.LegalHelpForVeterans.com. 

A New Year’s Resolution: Do Better for our Veterans

We Veterans had a tough news year in 2014: from the VA hospital scandals and questionable scheduling practices for appointments, to increasingly severe health problems, to rising reports of sexual assault in the military.

Yet, despite this seeming roller-coaster of bad news, I am hopeful for our Michigan Veterans in 2015. The two year old Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA), led by Director Jeff Barnes, has achieved progress on several fronts. And while some will argue progress has been slow, you have to start somewhere.

For starters, Michigan has seen a 10 percent increase in the number of Veterans signing up for benefits, and per-capita income for veterans receiving federal funds has increased by approximately $1,020 per veteran.

That puts the state at 48^th among the states and territories in federal veterans expenditures. Clearly, there is much room left to grow, but we should not forget that Michigan ranked 53^rd in the category at one point.

A pilot program, known as Veterans Community Action Teams (VCATs), which Governor Snyder’s administration has funded, has fostered beneficial collaboration with local organizations, allowing them to better serve Veterans. These VCATs connect various service providers in their area of expertise assist the Veteran.  Previously, these isolated organizations had no contact and no knowledge of each other’s skillsets.  The MVAA’s pilot programs in Detroit and Grand Rapids were successful enough to have the program expanded to four more communities in 2015, followed by another four in 2016.

Also, the legislature took positive action in 2014 to reverse the negative trend of rising unemployment among veterans, which ticked up to 10.6 percent in 2013 from 7.9 percent in 2012. The most recent bills ease licensing requirements in certain professions that can fast-track veterans and allow them to apply their military experience toward those credentials.

Some estimates show some 80,000 skilled jobs are available in Michigan. Meanwhile, there will be anywhere from 30,000-50,000 veterans returning home in the next five years. The training our Veterans receive from the military is the best in the world. Let’s tap into that potential.  I call on the legislature, the MVAA, and Governor Snyder to continue efforts to ensure our Michigan Veterans have their particular skillsets matched for these skilled jobs so that they can be plugged into these positions.   We can accomplish this goal by continuing to foster collaboration.

Lastly, Michigan leads the nation in “Veterans Treatment Courts,” which help reintegrate veterans into their communities. In 2012, Michigan had just six of these courts; today, the number is 20. Combining drug court and mental health court principles, these courts have yielded tremendously positive results toward helping veterans overcome addictions and other mental conditions.

So I look forward to the next 12 months with optimism. One New Year’s Resolution all of us – citizens, policymakers, and elected representatives – should have is to do right by our Veterans.

Brigadier General Carol Ann Fausone (ret.)

General Fausone began her military career in the U.S. Air Force, and ended her service as the first female Brigadier General in the Michigan National Guard’s history. Today, she continues to help veterans and their families nationwide with her husband, Jim, at Legal Help For Veterans, PLLC.

www.legalhelpforveterans.com

Vet Driver’s License Designation

Matthew Worley, Esq.

As a small way to say to show gratitude to Michigan veterans, the Michigan Legislature recently passed and Governor Rick Snyder signed legislation creating a special veteran designation on state driver’s licenses.

The law allows Michigan veterans who were honorably discharged from service to receive the designation on their driver’s license. This will allow them to easily prove their status as a veteran allowing them to more easily obtain discounts and other benefits reserved for them.

The Secretary of State will begin processing requests for these licenses in one year after transitioning to a new computer system.  Adding the designation is voluntary and free of charge to Michigan veterans.

There is also a hope that when store clerks, bank tellers, and others see the designation, it will provide an opportunity for that person to thank the veteran for their service.  This new law is just a small way to increase awareness of the state’s nearly 700,000 veterans and remember the sacrifice each of them has made for this country.