advertisement

Vets overlooked in ALS discussion

Vets overlooked in ALS discussion

I am very pleased to see all the attention ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease, has been receiving lately. What seems to be missing from the conversation is the impact ALS has on the veterans' community.

In September, 2008, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recognized a correlation between military service and the development of ALS. While it is unclear what that relationship is, it is clear that those who served seem to have a higher rate of developing ALS than the general population.

Any veteran who served for at least 90 consecutive days and later develops ALS is presumed to have developed it as a result of military service. This is regardless of the length of time between qualifying active military service and the diagnosis of ALS.

What this means for the veteran and his/her family is much needed financial support and medical care for the veteran. The VA also can provide assistance to the surviving spouse of a veteran who died from ALS.

The Veterans Assistance Commission of McHenry County can assist veterans and their families with the claim process for this and other VA benefits. For more information, call the office at (815) 334-4229.

Michael A. Iwanicki

Superintendent,

Veterans Assistance Commission of McHenry County

Woodstock

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.