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DEPARTMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA
MARINE CORPS LEAGUE


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 Information Central for Marine Vets and Their Families

Bureau for Veterans Affairs

Pennsylvania State Veterans' Commission

Please visit our website and see what Pennsylvania does for its veterans!à www.paveterans.state.pa.us

Click on the links above for ongoing info for PA Veteran's. Check back often.

30 September 2011

The National Personnel Records Center sent the information below concerning its new mailing address, tips on safeguarding personal documents and recommend ways to request documents from the National Personnel Records Center. Please distribute the information to as many veterans as possible.

The new address for the National Personnel Records Center is: 

National Personnel Records Center

1 Archives Drive

St Louis, MO  63138-1002

USA 

The majority of personnel have moved to the new location and the military personnel records are in the process of moving.  The entire move should be completed by the end of the Summer of 2012. 

As a reminder, ALL retirees and Honorably Discharged veterans should ensure that their family knows the location of their military Separation Document (DD Form 214 from 1950 to present and WD (War Department) Form 53-55 and other variations prior to 1950).  Note that registering a copy at the county court house may make that document a public record.  Separation Documents issued after 1969 may contain a Social Security Number which could be used for identity theft.  Storing the Separation Document in a safe deposit box may make it difficult to retrieve immediately upon the death of the retiree or honorably discharged veteran.  The better storage locations are: 

1-Fire safe in a secure location of the house (not in the bedroom, as this is where most thieves search first).  Be sure spouse/NOK knows the location and has key/combination. 

2-In a watertight food container (Glad, Tupperware. etc.) in the refrigerator.  Most refrigerators are fire resistant.  Additionally, a refrigerator is heavy enough to fall through the floor of a building into the cooler part of the fire in the basement and better survive. Finally, a refrigerator is large enough to be easily located in the ash and ruble of a fire or other serious incident.  (As a bonus, everyone has a refrigerator, not everyone has a fire resistant storage box).  Be sure to inform your spouse and relatives where to locate your Separation Document - and any other important papers.

As a reminder, the preferred method of submitting a request to the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) is via the Internet.  Please note that in some cases using a browser other than Internet Explorer may create problems with data entry.  As you know, the NPRC provides copies of documents from military personnel records to authorized requesters. Our web-based application will provide better service on these requests by eliminating our mailroom processing time.  Also, since the requester will be prompted to supply all information essential for us to process the request, delays that occur when we must go back for more information will be minimized. You may access this application at: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/

 This improved on-line request process should be used INSTEAD OF Standard Form 180 for requests from the veteran or the veteran’s next of kin, if possible. Your assistance with this initiative will allow us, and you, to better serve the needs of our veterans.  If you do not wish to use the Internet, you should use Standard Form 180.  You should print Standard Form 180 as you need it, not in advance because the form is periodically revised and updated.  It should not be available on your web site. You can have a link to the NPRC web page.   

The link is: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/standard-form-180.html  

Since the Standard Form 180 is updated periodically, it is NOT recommended that large quantities be printed/photocopied and stocked.  

The form will be updated with the new address within six months.  The US Postal Service will forward mail if requests are mailed to the old location until February 2012.

Veterans Information on the Internet

Department of Veterans’ Affairs Web pages – home page: http://www.va.gov/

Directory of Veterans Service Organizations http://www1.va.gov/vso/index.cfm?template=view

Eligibility: http://www.va.gov/elig// Board of Veteran's Appeals http://www.va.gov/vbs/bva/

Understanding the Appeal Process: http://www.va.gov/vbs/bva/pamphlet.htm

CARES Business Plan Studies http://www.va.gov/cares/

Forms and Records Request httvp://www.va.gov/vaforms/ Online VA Form 10-10EZ https://www.1010ez.med.va.gov/sec/vha/1010ez/

2007 Federal Benefits for Vets& Dependents booklet:

http://www1.va.gov/opa/vadocs/fedben.pdf http://www1.va.gov/opa/vadocs/current_benefits.htm

Geriatrics and Extended Care http://www1.va.gov/geriatricsshg/ VA’s Cool Stuff for Young People: http://www.va.gov/kids

Programs & Initiatives for Women Veterans: http://www.va.gov/womenvet

Benefits Administration: http://www.vba.va.gov

National Cemetery Administration http://www.cem.va.gov My Health e Vet http://www.myhealth.va.gov/ Homeless Veterans http://www1.va.gov/homeless/ OMI (Office of Medical Inspector) http://www.omi.cio.med.va.gov/ HSR&D Home http://www.hsrd.research.va.gov/ Electronic Code of Federal Regulations http://www.gpoaccess.gov/ecfr/ National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention http://www.warms.vba.va.gov/regs/38cfr/bookc/part4/s4_124a.doc

National Archives & Records Administration:

Code of Federal Regulations: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html

Military Personnel Records Center: http://www.archives.gov/ Gulf War Veterans Assoc http://www.gulfwarvets.com/

U.S. Congress – for legislative bills, votes and actions http://thomas.loc.gov

U.S. Government Manual http://www.gpoaccess.gov/gmanual/index.html

Health Issues:

Women’s Mental Health Center http://www.womenvetsptsd.va.gov/

National Association of Atomic Veterans http://www.naav.com

Chemical Warfare page http://www.chem.sc.edu/faculty/morgan/resources/cw/cw.pdf

Agent Orange Website http://www.lewispublishing.com/orange.htm

VA Fact Sheets http://www1.va.gov/OPA/fact/

National Center for PTSD http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/index.jsp

Gulf War Veterans Information http://www.va.gov/gulfwar/

National Gulf War Resource Center http://www.ngwrc.org

VA Diabetes page http://www.va.gov/diabetes

VA Hepatitis C page http://www.hepatitis.va.gov/vahep?page=pt-home

Department of Defense Military Health System http://www.tricare.osd.mil

Vet Centers (Readjustment Counseling) http://www.vetcenter.va.gov/

MS (Multiple Sclerosis) Centers of Excellence http://www.va.gov/ms/

Guideline Chronic Pain and Fatigue MUS-CPG http://www.oqp.med.va.gov/cpg/cpgn/mus/mus_base.htm Ionizing Radiation http://www1.va.gov/irad/ Parkinson's disease and Related Neurodegenerative Disorders http://www1.va.gov/resdev/funding/solicitations/docs/parkinsons.pdf

http://www.parkinsons.va.gov/Front_Page.asp

Veterans’ Organizations

Directory of Veterans Service Organizations http://www1.va.gov/vso/index.cfm?template=view

American Legion: http://www.legion.org

AMVETS National: http://www.amvets.org

Disabled American Veterans: http://www.dav.org

Gulf War Veterans: http://www.gulfweb.org/

Jewish War Veterans: http://www.jwv.org/

Military Order of the Purple Heart: http://www.purpleheart.org

Paralyzed Veterans of American: http://www.pva.org

Vietnam Veterans of American: http://www.vva.org

National Veterans Organization http://www.nvo.org

Centers

Center for Minority Veterans http://www1.va.gov/centerforminorityveterans/ Center for Women Veterans http://www1.va.gov/womenvet/

Gulf War

Evaluation Protocol for Non-Gulf War Vets with Potential exposure to depleted uranium http://www1.va.gov/gulfwar/docs/duhandbooknongw130340304.doc http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=1158 Depleted Uranium Fact Sheet http://www1.va.gov/gulfwar/docs/DepletedUraniumFAQSheet.doc Guide to Gulf War Veteran's Health http://www1.va.gov/gulfwar/docs/VHIgulfwar.pdf Gulf War Subject Index http://www1.va.gov/GulfWar/page.cfm?pg=7&template=main&letter=A Gulf War Veteran's Illnesses Q&As http://www1.va.gov/gulfwar/docs/GWIllnessesQandAsIB1041.pdf

OIF/OEF

Iraqi Freedom/Enduring Freedom Vets http://www.seamlesstransition.va.gov/index.asp

Compensation

Compensation Rate Tables, 12-1-06 http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Rates/comp01.htm Disability Examination Worksheets Index http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Benefits/exams/index.htm Peacetime Disability Compensation http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=browse_usc&docid=Cite:ჲUSC1131

General Compensation Provisions http://www.access.gpo.gov/uscode/title38/partii_chapter11_subchaptervi_.html Index to Disability Examination Worksheets C&P exams

http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/benefits/exams/index.htm

Pension for Non-Service-Connected Disability or Death

http://www.access.gpo.gov/uscode/title38/partii_chapter15_subchapteri_.html

http://www.access.gpo.gov/uscode/title38/partii_chapter15_subchapterii_.html

http://www.access.gpo.gov/uscode/title38/partii_chapter15_subchapteriii_.html

Hearings http://www.warms.vba.va.gov/admin21/m21_1/mr/part1/ch04.doc Due Process http://www.warms.vba.va.gov/admin21/m21_1/mr/part1/ch02.doc Duty to Assist http://www.warms.vba.va.gov/admin21/m21_1/mr/part1/ch01.doc

M21-1 Table of Contents http://www.warms.vba.va.gov/M21_1.html

Mental Health

Mental Disorders, Schedule of Ratings http://www.warms.vba.va.gov/regs/38cfr/bookc/part4/s4_130.doc Mental Health Program Guidelines http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=1094 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Centers http://www.mirecc.va.gov/

Neurological Conditions and Convulsive Disorders, Schedule of Ratings

http://www.warms.vba.va.gov/regs/38cfr/bookc/part4/s4%5F124a.doc

 

 

 

 
 

VA Benefits 2011 Edition Benefits Book

 
http://www.va.gov/opa/publications/benefits_book.aspIntroduction and Acronyms

Chapter 1: VA Health Care Benefits

Chapter 2: Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities

Chapter 3: VA Pensions

Chapter 4: Education and Training

Chapter 5: Home Loan Guaranty

Chapter 6: VA Life Insurance

Chapter 7: Burial and Memorial Benefits

Chapter 8: Reserve and National Guard

Chapter 9: Special Groups of Veterans

Chapter 10: Transition Assistance

Chapter 11: Dependents and Survivors Health Care

Chapter 12: Dependents and Survivors Benefits

Chapter 13: Appeals of VA Claims Decisions

Chapter 14: Military Medals and Records

Chapter 15: Other Federal Benefits

VA Facilities
Phone Numbers and Web Sites VA Direct Link

Mary Ann Merritt
 
Ask me about the 4th Annual Golf Outing for the Fallen Warrior Women Marine Scholarship at Selfridge Air National Guard base May 19, 2012. Register Early for 10% off!




Listing of Pennsylvania's County Veteran Affairs Offices

With Website Links and Email Addresses

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