http://www.nonprofitquarterly.org/policysocial-context/22669-meaningful-ways-of-honoring-the-veterans-of-the-korean-war.html


This past weekend was the sixtieth anniversary of the signing of the Korean War armistice, ending three years of warfare on the Korean peninsula that saw the deaths of nearly 37,000 members of the U.S. military, with some 8,100 more still counted as missing. (Note that 415,000 South Korean soldiers died in the conflict, which is more than ten times the number of American soldiers who died-a fact that doesn't seem to make it into television and movie portrayals of the war.) It's a death toll that's hard to fathom, and would in all likelihood be found completely unacceptable by the American population today. From 2003 through 2012, the U.S. suffered 4,486 military fatalities in Iraq, and from 2001 to 2013, the military death toll in Afghanistan has been 2,255-over 8,000 coalition troops have died in both conflicts. Nearly 1.8 million Americans served in the Korean War, and over 5.7 million Americans were in the service, whether in Korea or elsewhere, during that time; CNN estimates that there are 2.275 million veterans still alive from that era.

Korea, however, was a different kind of conflict. Americans were tired of war and tired of a conflict that left both sides in trenches at the end of hostilities nearly where they were when the conflict started. President Obama's speech honoring Korean War veterans last weekend was unusual, laced with the odd, somewhat jingoistic statement that "that war was no tie, Korea was a victory." That speech had the president offering Korean War veterans, now in their late 70s, 80s, and beyond, the "highest tribute" that they should have received at the time of the armistice.

What could, or should, be the highest tribute to Korean War veterans now, six decades after the armistice? We can think of several arenas for White House and the Congress to explore that would honor Korean War veterans and stand as valuable correction and reevaluation of the vets' oft-stated rueful lament that their comrades had to "die for a tie.

Senior citizens: Data released by the Veterans Administration in the spring indicated that a significantly larger proportion of male war veterans were senior citizens than male non-veterans:

These statistics would imply that one of the best things the U.S. can do now for Korean War veterans is to ensure that they provide adequate funding and support for programs for the elderly and, given the proportion of the living 20 million veterans older than 85, for the frail elderly. If our nation is really committed to helping elderly Korean War veterans, it would be reversing the devastating sequestration cuts in the Meals on Wheels program that provides meals and other services to the homebound elderly, especially in rural areas. The nation would be assiduously protecting Medicare from cuts and trying to expand Medicaid; remember that there are millions of senior citizens who are considered "duals," so poor that they are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid simultaneously, and many in the age and health category of the frail elderly. To honor Korean War veterans, the U.S. wouldn't tolerate efforts like those of Governor Bobby Jindal to cut Louisiana's programs that help senior citizens by obtaining free medicines from pharmaceutical companies. The list could go on and on, but you get the point.

Rural America: While even the White House and the U.S. Department of Agriculture can't get the numbers correct, it appears, according to the intrepid reporters at the Daily Yonder, that rural residents enlist in the military at a rate 21.5 percent above the national average. The band of brothers and sisters who comprise the U.S. military today, much as they did during the Korean War, comes disproportionately from rural America. Assuming that a good proportion of veterans return to their home communities, and others of retirement age choose the lower costs of rural living, the U.S. would honor elderly Korean War veterans by making sure that the nation doesn't lessen its commitment to, and reinvestment in, rural America. Several reports show that sequestration has had a disproportionately negative effect on rural hospitals (including here, here, and here). Similarly, rental housing assistance in rural communities is going to take a huge hit in the second year of sequestration cuts, according to Moises Loza of the Housing Assistance Council. Defending programs for rural America, by virtue of geography, would benefit Korean War veterans.

Helping all veterans: It would be hard to imagine that Korean War veterans aren't concerned, or sometimes aghast, at assistance to the veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq as they return stateside. Last year, the VA reported that 45 percent of veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan were seeking compensation for service-related injuries-more than double the rate of filings by veterans from the Gulf War-and, on average, for eight to nine ailments at a time (compared to four for Vietnam veterans receiving compensation, and two for World War II and Korean War veterans). Although the Veterans Administration was suffering from a huge backlog of claims as of last year, the VA has made progress in cutting into the volume of pending claims in the past year. However, still-pending claims in May of 2013 were almost twice as many as in May of 2009, and claims classified as backlogged were four times as high. The progress that the VA has made isn't due to the administration's internal impetus for improvement, but as a result of the scathing criticisms from associations of Afghanistan and Iraq war veterans as well as members of Congress. What would honor the veterans of the Korean War would be a successful reform of the VA's longstanding dysfunctional culture.

The problems at the VA are being addressed, and other problems faced by U.S. veterans, particularly the high unemployment rate of veterans, have begun to recede. But improvements at the VA, while demonstrable, still leave 800,000 pending claims and 500,000 backlogged claims. Unemployment for veterans, once higher than the general public, is now relatively equivalent to the unemployment rate of non-veterans-too high to be sure for any economy, and too dependent on low-wage, part-time jobs, but an improvement in veterans' conditions nonetheless. If we want to honor 80- and 90-year-old Korean War vets, our nation might choose to ensure that the veterans of today's wars get the assistance and support they need to successfully integrate back into domestic life.-Rick Cohen


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http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20130710/COLUMNISTS0804/307100055/Senior-Consult-Program-aids-ailing-veterans

"I don't know how we're going to manage." Polly was in tears. "We were doing just fine. The house was paid off, and we had saved enough to get by."

"I had to stop driving because of my eyes, but Harry did all that until his stroke. Now, I can't leave him alone. We can't afford assisted living or even help at home." She started to break down. Harry used his good arm to rub his wife's shoulder.

"Were either of you veterans?" I asked.

"Harry was - during the Korean War. But he was stationed in Japan."

"That's OK," I smiled. "As long as he served during wartime and has a good military discharge, he might be eligible for the VA Aid and Attendance program."

"What's that?" Polly asked, her eyes brightening.

"Let me have Janet, my social worker, talk to you."

In our office, the VA Aid and Attendance program is the best thing since sliced bread with butter and jam. It has helped many of our veterans and surviving spouses of veterans pay for care at home or in assisted living.

But many families who are struggling to care for an ailing veteran have never heard of it, or they think that it is only for career military retirees or veterans who have a service-related disability.

The VA Aid and Attendance program can provide up to $1,703 a month in aid for a single veteran, $2,019 for a married veteran or $1,094 a month for a surviving spouse. This helps pay for in-home care or assisted living.

Eligibility depends on income and assets.

Janet took my place in the exam room. Now, our couple was smiling through the tears - finally a ray of hope and help.

"First," she started, "you'll need some information when you go to apply. Like a copy of your discharge papers. You can track these down online. You'll need financial information like proof of income, banking and investment statements, your annual Social Security Award Letter, that sort of thing.

"Then you'll need to gather your medical expenses - insurance premiums, medication costs, anything that's not covered by Medicare or Medicaid, including payment for caregivers. Also, make a list of all your doctors and the hospitals you have been admitted to over the past year."

"That's not hard," Harry squeezed Polly's hand. "She's a great organizer."

"For some folks, it's a little daunting," Janet said. "This program even serves surviving spouses of veterans, and they have to include their marriage license, spouse's death certificates, etc."

Janet continued, "The doctor will fill out the physician's statement. It explains that the patient requires assistance with activities of daily living, like medication management, meal preparation, bathing and dressing, and whether they are home bound, bed bound, blind or have dementia."

"It may take a few months before your application is approved, so be patient. Until then, we will work on getting you some affordable private duty help at home."

"What if we have questions?" Polly asked.

"Call our friends at the Brevard County Veterans Service Team. They are at the County Government Center in Viera. Their phone number is 321-633-2012."

Harry and Polly breathed a sigh of relief as they left the office.

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