Clear up confusion over vets’ benefits

I echo the comments by Allan Ayers in his letter on Aug. 2. Health care for veterans and their surviving spouses is governed by Title 38 U.S. code. The problem we have is who is a veteran, the state defines guard and reserve members as veterans, but this does not give them access to Title 38 benefits unless they have active duty.

There’s always confusion between active duty for training versus active duty due to mobilization.

We have guard and reserve retirees who have 20 years of duty with the guard and reserve, but because they do not have active duty they’re not eligible for admission to our state veterans homes.

Our Illinois Veterans Coalition is working hard to try and get this changed, but we definitely need support from Senators Durbin and Duckworth and House Veterans Affairs Chairman Mike Bost from southern Illinois.

Prior to Desert Storm, it was very difficult to get active duty, but there was plenty of active duty training available. With the change of the Guard and Reserve from strategic reserve to operational reserve, active duty has been common.

The other problem is informing the spouses of their veterans benefits. We were able to pass legislation this year that made these benefits to surviving spouses retroactive. Recent legislation passed in Illinois has made Illinois the most veterans friendly state in the nation.

Michael Peck

Mundelein