VA benefits can make a real difference in quality of life, especially for older adults, yet not everyone who is eligible will apply.
Why?
I’ve covered some of the reasons why people don’t apply in other articles. Today, I want to focus on one of the reasons I hear on occasion from veterans and family caregivers.
Some people believe that VA benefits are a government handout. They don’t want any handouts, so they don’t apply.
I have news for you.
If you’re the veteran, you earned every penny of your VA benefits.
If you’re the veteran, I want you to think back to the day when you signed your contract for service. You knew that you were serving your country, and you probably knew that there would be some inconveniences involved. For most of us, military service involved more than a few things we didn’t necessarily like. Missed holidays. Service overseas. Long periods of time away from loved ones. Combat. Injuries. Disability. Though most of us knew what we were getting into when we signed up for military service, there were some unpleasant surprises. There was real sacrifice.
The deal you made with the military compensates you for that sacrifice, sometimes long after your active duty ends, by providing benefits later in life. It’s their way of saying thank you for giving so much of yourself. The VA is trying to care for those who served their country, served it honorably, and their service has caused injury and hardship—or they found themselves old and sick with few financial resources.
This is all part of the agreement you made when you signed up. It was part of the equation of service. It’s the United States of America trying to uphold its end of the deal. The Department of Veterans Affairs is tirelessly trying to uphold their end of the bargain. That’s one of the reasons why the VA is the second largest department in the government. They’re trying to take care of our veterans, which is an honorable intention.
As I see it, the hallmark of a civilized nation is how well they take care of its veterans—of the people so much for the freedoms we hold dear.
So, if you aren’t applying for VA benefits because you don’t want a handout, please give it some more thought. VA benefits aren’t a handout. You earned them. Let Takacs McGinnis Elder Care Law help you apply. Give us a call at 615.824.2571 to get the ball rolling.