GRAND TRAVERSE VETERANS: Overall benefits soar 54% since 2018
Apr. 13—TRAVERSE CITY — Veterans say joining the military is like "writing a check, payable to the United States of America, in any amount, up to and including my life."
Derek Braun, the quartermaster of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2780 in Traverse City, holds that sentiment close to his heart.
After growing up in Oklahoma, he served in the Army for seven years — three years in Italy and four at Ft. Bragg in North Carolina.
Now 53, Braun is passionate about getting veterans the benefits they're entitled to.
"No matter where you serve or how long you serve, you're putting your life on the line the moment you sign up," he said. "Almost nobody else in our society does that, with the exception of first responders like firefighters and law enforcement.
"It's not a handout for veterans — it's something they've earned and our society owes to them," he added.
Getting that job done is a team effort, according to Mike Roof, director of the Grand Traverse County Department of Veterans Affairs. Local groups like the VFW and American Legion also help "immensely," he said.
Today, that team effort seems to be succeeding.
The total dollar value of veterans benefits received in Grand Traverse County rose 54 percent from 2018 to 2023, jumping from $24 million to about $37 million per year — even as the number of veterans in the county decreased from about 6,300 to about 6,000.
"We want people to know that the relatively small amount of money they pay for the veterans millage returns an enormous amount of benefits to our community," Roof said. "It's a fantastic investment."
WHAT BENEFITS?
The GTCVA issued its latest annual report on April 3 at a meeting of the county board. It details exactly who they serve and what benefits they're getting, even breaking down the data by war.
Roof said the most common benefits received locally fall into four main categories: 1) Health care, including both physical and mental health services; 2) Disability payments; 3) Pensions for military service; and 4) Family caregiver compensation.
Federal disability compensation and pension benefits paid through the Veterans Administration to veterans and their qualified dependents are generally tax-free.
Not only veterans are eligible for many types of benefits. Spouses, widows, dependent children and orphans may also qualify for certain programs, such as health care, life insurance or money to help pay for education or training expenses.
Certain burial expenses and grave markers are also covered, as well as bereavement counseling.
Home loan assistance is another major benefit area. The federal VA offers qualifying veterans, service members and surviving spouses a home loan guaranty benefit that can be used with private lenders such as banks and mortgage companies. That benefit often lowers the interest rate on such loans.
Veterans in serious need may also be eligible for emergency funds to pay for things like rent, utility bills and home repairs through the Michigan Veterans Trust Fund.
Not all medical needs are covered, however. Only veterans who are rated "100 percent disabled" are eligible to receive VA dental care.
In response to this growing need for dental services among older veterans, the local VA office applied for a $75,000 state grant to pay for restorative services to 33 veterans who depend entirely on Social Security.
"The need for dental services was greater than the grant funding," Roof said in a letter to county commissioners. To fill that gap, the county board approved ongoing funding for the United Way's "We Smile" program that provides free dental care to veterans every Friday at Copper Ridge.
One of the most popular services locally is the Community Based Outpatient Clinic located at 701 U.S. 31 S. in Traverse City. It provides confidential counseling services to veterans, active duty service members and families at no cost, including treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and military sexual trauma.
"I use that service myself and they do a great job," Braun said. "You can get both mental health and behavioral health care right there."
IMPROVEMENTS AT VA
Veteran Rocky Torres, 59, said VA medical services have improved "dramatically" in recent years. Case management is smoother and the quality of frontline staff has improved greatly, especially since the passage of the Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017.
Among other things, that bill authorized the VA "to remove certain employees or senior executives for reasons of misconduct or performance, including to permit such individuals to be reprimanded or suspended."
"The VA had a bad reputation for a long time, but I'm happy to say that things have changed," Torres said. "There's always room for improvement but, overall, it is so much better now."
Braun said attitudes among VA clinicians are also much better.
"My counselor has a father who served in Vietnam," he said. "She could be making a boatload more money elsewhere, but she's doing this in honor of her dad."
FUNDING SOURCES
The vast majority of funding for veterans programs and services comes from federal and state government sources, including the Michigan Veterans Trust Fund that was established in 1946.
That state fund offers combat-era veterans and their families a way to overcome unexpected expenses and get back on their feet financially.
On the federal level, the VA's total budget request for fiscal year 2023 was $297 billion
Closer to home, the county veterans affairs department is supported by a local millage of .1135. That means a homeowner with a property valued at $250,000 pays about $12 per year. (The taxable value of a home is much lower than the market value in most cases.) In 2023, that millage brought in about $700,000.
Unlike many government agencies in this age of inflation, the GTCVA actually asked the county board to lower that millage slightly in 2019 "to more closely mirror our expenses," according to the annual report.
GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES
Both Braun and Torres said there's a "huge difference" in attitudes about receiving benefits between the Vietnam generation and the post-9/11 generation.
"The post-9/11 vets are able to reach out and ask for benefits," Braun said. "But many of the Vietnam generation back away from the VA.
"A lot of those guys were treated very poorly when they returned from Vietnam and they may not want to be reminded of those days," he added. "Getting them to apply for benefits can be like pulling teeth in some cases."
Roof said the best strategy is simply to call or visit his office, which is located at 2650 LaFranier Road in Garfield Township, just one building north of the county health department.
That office is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday, with a lunch break from noon to 12:30 p.m. The phone number is 231-995-6070. All services are provided at no charge.
Roof's staff of five can help veterans and their families navigate the sometimes complex bureaucracy that manages benefits.
"If you get a letter from the VA with a bunch of unfamiliar terms, if you don't know what (veterans) benefits you qualify, just come and see us," he said. "It's our job to help you."
Roof, a Marine veteran, knows seeking help can make all the difference.
When he was in his early 20s with a new baby in the household, he lost his job. At the local employment agency in Illinois, a veteran directed him down the block to the town's VA office where he received emergency assistance for rent and other essentials for a month.
"That experience deeply affected me," he said. "It's a big reason why I decided to join this agency when the job became available."
The county VA department is overseen by an appointed committee of seven, all of whom must be veterans by state law. County Commissioner Lauren Flynn also sits on the committee to represent the county as a whole.
Because the GTCVA also has accredited service officers in Leelanau County, Steve Stanton sits on the committee to represent that area.
To learn more about the Grand Traverse County Veterans Affairs Department, visit gtcountymi.gov/995/Veterans-Affairs.
