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The Town of Westford's Department of Veterans' Services serves as an advocate for all veterans and their dependents. The department advises residents as to the availability of federal and state services and benefits to which they are entitled to. In addition, the department provides financial assistance to qualifying veterans, surviving spouses and their dependents.
This department also assists veterans in applying for federal VA benefits, such as service connected compensations, non-service connected disability pensions, medical benefits, home loans, educational benefits, death and burial benefits, as well as pension benefits for those veterans in assisted living or are housebound.
Westford Veteran’s Services offer the follwing assistance: -Financial Assistance -Medical Assistance -Burial Assistance -Cemetery Ceremonies -Military/Discharge records
Important Phone Numbers VA Healthcare Boston - 1-800-865-3384 (follow the prompts) Veterans Crisis Line - 1-800-273-8255 (Press 1) VA Benefits: 1-800-827-1000 For information about: Education, Home Loan, Disability, Medical Care, Burial, Life Insurance and Sexual Trauma VA Caregiver Support Line: 1-855-260-3274 (are you caring for a veteran at home?) VA Life Insurance: 1-800-669-8477 VA Education (GI Bill): 1-888-442-4551 VA Health Care Benefits: 1-877-222-8387 VA Income Verification and Means Testing: 1-800-929-8387 VA Mammography Helpline: 1-888-492-7844 VA Gulf War/Agent Orange Helpline: 1-800-749-8387 VA Status of Headstones and Markers: 1-800-697-6947 VA Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD): 1-800-829-4833
More contacts, click here
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2011 Historical Activities /Holidays/Events Memorial Day - Monday, May 30, 2011 Independence Day - Monday, July 4, 2011 Veterans Day - Friday, Novemeber 11, 2011
Local Service Organizations: American Legion #159, Cross St, 978-692-7042 2nd Wed. Sept/Nov/Jan/Mar/May, Time: 7:30 pm American Legion #437, 114 Dunstable Road, 978-692-7400 Disabled American Veterans #28, 978-369-6894 3rd Sat. of each month/Time: 10:00 am, Meets @ VFW VFW Post #6539, West Prescott St., 978-692-7015
Miscellaneous Links 2011 KIA sign dedication and Veterans Day pictures are found here!
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Can I get a hearing aid from the VA? - It is National VA Policy that hearing aids are furnished to eligible veterans in accordance with the restrictions defined in a VHA DIRECTIVE 2008-070 issued October 28, 2008. Read more here...
IRS and VA Disability Benefits - Do not include disability benefits you receive from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in your gross income. In particular some of the payments which are considered disability benefits include: • Disability compensation and pension payments for disabilities paid either to veterans or their families, • Grants for homes designed for wheelchair
living, • Grants for motor vehicles for veterans who lost their sight or the use of their limbs, or • Benefits under a dependent-care assistance program. The VA publishes an annual benefits booklet, a comprehensive guide for Federal Benefits for Veterans, Dependents and Survivors. If you are a military retiree and receive your disability benefits from the VA, see IRS Publication 525 for more information.
Do you qualify for a Utility or Telephone Discount? - Utility and telephone discounts are lower rates charged to low-income customers for gas, electricity, and telephone service. Massachusetts law requires regulated gas and electric utility companies to offer discounted rates to customers who receive public assistance benefits and meet income limits. Customers with low-income rates get the same level of service as customers paying the standard rate. Most utility discount programs use a gross annual income limit equal to 60% of the state median income (SMI), the income limits used by the LIHEAP fuel assistance program. Some utility companies may still use 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG). Check with your
utility company for their income eligibility rules. Read more at this link...
How do I get a "veterans" ID card? - There is no such thing as a government-issued "veterans" ID card. The military provides all veterans with a DD-214, i.e., your discharge papers as proof of service. This document should be safe-guarded. It is recommended that you make copies of your original and only use those copies and a photo ID (like a driver's license) as proof for those that seek it. What about an ID card for discounts? Read more...
Memorial Day 2011 message - Today is a day set aside to remember and honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, losing their life in defense of our country. We, who are here today are the beneficiaries of their service. As American citizens, we are called to a duty of our own - to stop for a moment, and actively remember those past service members who were our ancestors, our loved ones, our neighbors and our friends. Read more...
PTSD Survey - Jessie Benoit-Stacy, formerly of Westford and Townsend, is a graduate student who is doing research on the VA's support of PTSD and the veterans population. She has created a series of questions, she would like to have you answer with regards to PTSD and support from the VA. Please click on this LINK to participate.
Launch of Veterans Book Corner at Cameron Senior Center - A Veteran’s Book Corner has been launched at the Cameron Senior Center in Westford providing books of interest to veterans such as memoirs, biographies, and nonfiction books with military themes. Initiated by the Westford Women’s Club with a vision to provide easy access of books in this genre to veterans of all ages, the initial collection of books housed in the second floor library at the Cameron is now open to the public. Thanks to the staff at Cameron for hosting this veterans resource. Press release can be found here.
NEW PROCEDURE/POLICY effective November 2010 - Flags on Veterans graves... Flags on Veterans graves will be retired after Veterans Day and replaced prior to Memorial Day. The Veteran Marker/Flag holder will remain on the grave site. Veterans organizations will be removing flags starting on November 14, 2011. Please report any missed grave markers by calling 978-392-1170.
Telemarketer targeting Westford residents on behalf of local veterans? - We have received a number of calls from residents about a telemarketing firm who may state that they are calling on behalf of local veterans soliciting for a contribution to aid soldiers overseas or a veterans benefit. Westford's Department of Veterans Services is NOT soliciting for funds in this manner... More on the VSO Blog, linked
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VSO Blog...We have started using a blog for propagating information on veterans’ services, benefits or programs. All visitors to this site can "subscribe" to the blog and get notification when new content has been posted. Look for the VSO Blog link on the left.
Benefit Information
Financial Aid – If you are a veteran, dependant of a veteran or a widow/widower of a veteran and struggling financially, you may be entitled to assistance. Assistance is based on your income and assets, means-based. This benefit is under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 115.
Help for Veterans in danger of foreclosure – To obtain help from a VA financial counselor, veterans can call VA toll-free at 1-877-827-3702 or visit the VA's home loan guaranty program. Web site http://www.homeloans.va.gov
VA headstones, markers and medallions - VA offers a service-related medallion as an alternative to a headstone or marker to eligible veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) furnishes upon request, at no charge to the applicant, a Government headstone or marker for the unmarked grave of any deceased eligible Veteran in any cemetery around the world, regardless of their date of death.
Welcome Home Bonus – Have you received your Massachusetts Welcome Home Bonus? Active Duty service during WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf and the Global War on Terror (OEF/OIF/GWOT) means you are entitled to a Welcome Home Bonus. Amounts vary depending on assignment and there is no time limit on
applying for this bonus. Current award for the GWOT is $1,000 for service in Afghanistan and Iraq or $500 for service in other locations. Update: Multiple Welcome Home Bonuses are now authorized. Under new legislation, enacted November 2009, veterans serving multiple deployments since September 11, 2001 are eligible for multiple bonuses:
Multiple Welcome Home Bonus Requirements:
1. Must show six months to one-year residency in Massachusetts before latest deployment.
2. Must have received your original Welcome Home Bonus under Chapter 130 Acts of 2005.
3. Service inside of Iraq/Afghanistan, or at least 180 days of active Foreign Service.
4. Veteran must have received an honorable discharge
5 Years of Cost Free Health Care – OEF/OIF combat Veterans can receive cost free medical care for any condition related to their service in the Iraq/Afghanistan theater for five years after the date of their discharge or release. In order to take advantage of these benefits, OEF/OIF Vets need to enroll in VA's health care system. Don't delay!
What benefits/resources are available to veterans - Here is a 90 minute webcast session done on June 16, 2009 with a lot of Q&A and solid information about what is available to Massachusetts veterans and returning service members. Go to http://weoweu.org/
VA Loans - Veterans, did you know that you can buy a home with no money down and virtually no out of pocket expenses? The Department of Veterans Affairs offers home loans like this to veterans. Read more about this extremely beneficial program at the following link http://www.mortgageloan.com/veterans/
Disabled Westford veterans... Do you qualify for a real estate tax exemption? Check for eligibility at this link. Download the application at this link.
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