Lost A Good Friend On His 64Th B'day

[Philip Rogers]

Need a little help. A good friend died, on Friday, 5/6/11. He served w/101st Airborne(but he was a leg/non-airborne) 3/187 "Rakkasans," and was at Hamburger Hill. I'm fairly sure he was over 10yrs at 100%. Two days after he died the VA awarded him 10% for IHD, back to 5/2010, but no change in comp payment. We have the service and burial of his ashes, tomorrow. Cause of death was pneumonia, secondary to COPD. No autopsy done. COPD wasn't SC but has over 10yrs at 100%. Unfortunately no will or trust - people please do these things now!!! It's easier on the family if they know what you want. And, BTW, we "are" going to die, in case you have any doubts.

I need to help his wife and need to verify what I need to do.

1.) Apply for his final check.

2.) Appeal his IHD for a higher rating and EED. I believe he's a Nehmer claim, as he didn't file. The VA did it themselves.

3.) File a claim for her for 2yrs of whatever he may have had coming, if we can win the EED and increased percentage.

4.) Apply for his VA life ins benefit.

5.) Apply for DIC.

6.) Apply for funeral and burial benefit. Funeral home says maybe $600 max. I say roughly $2300 is due. ???

7.) Request a complete copy of his c-file and medical records.

8.) Anything I forgot???

Thanks to any who respond! He's at peace now and his wife is comfortable with her faith. She knows what happens, happens for the best, even tho we may not agree at the time.

pr

Edited May 13, 2011 by Philip Rogers

[carlie]

pr,

Sorry to read of your friends death.

I don't have anything else to add as Berta is on target.

XO !

[Philip Rogers]

Thank you Berta, Carlie, Susan, N Kelly, Pete, chr49, Terry and all, for your responses & condolenses.

Berta - I'm pretty sure he's a Nehmer case but won't know, for sure, until I receive his "c" and medical files. Thank you for all the links, they will be a big help.

We buried his ashes today. Full military honors and 3 active duty personel, including the electronic bugler for taps. I must say, I found the honor guard most embarassing. I believe they were from the local VFW and looked like a bunch of homeless vets, in cammies, from the VN era. I would have thought they'd have had a clean cut group, in pressed/starched uniforms. At least the active duty were in dress blues. I almost wished they(the honor guard) hadn't come but his wife was impressed and it's about her and him, not me.

Thanks again, all!

pr

[Pete53]

PR

In 2009 my wife's uncle a WWII Veteran had his funeral. As negative as she has been about the Army I was very surprised how the honor Guard an Officer and 2 enlisted from National Guard played taps on speaker system and folded the flag and presented to her Aunt with thanks for his service affected her. She cried and after the service thanked them and said that their participation touched her.

Taps always gives me a chill. I believe that no matter how they look they still represent a soldier or sailors last formal respect. It will be a sad day when they don't do it anymore.

In Dallas some of the service organizations have stepped in to assist active duty with the honor guard. I think all Vets who want it should have it and I appreciate those who do it for the families.

When my time comes I want to be cremated and have a good old fashioned wake at my house so that my friends and families can remember me hopefully in a fond way

Pete

[john999]

What is the cheapest way to go? When you are dead you are dead. You can bury my body down by the highway side, so my old evil spirit can catch a greyhoud bus and ride.

[carlie]

pr,

From what I know, unfortunately these details are actually being run pretty much

with skeleton crews.

I do not think many are signing up to do these details.

It's a shame the Honor Guard did not appear nice and crisp with pride.

I feel that their appearance is an important part of it all - in showing respect.

They are supposed to be provided with appropriate clothing and a stipend for their services.

http://www.militaryf...sd.mil/law.html

TITLE 10, UNITED STATES CODE - ARMED FORCES

CHAPTER 75 - DECEASED PERSONNEL

SUBCHAPTER II - DEATH BENEFITS

Sec. 1491. Funeral honors functions at funerals for veterans

-STATUTE-

(a) Availability of Funeral Honors Detail Ensured. – The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that, upon request, a funeral honors detail is provided for the funeral of any veteran, except when military honors are prohibited under section 985(a) of this title.

(b) Composition of Funeral Honors Details. - (1) The Secretary of each military department shall ensure that a funeral honors detail for the funeral of a veteran consists of two or more persons.

(2) At least two members of the funeral honors detail for a veteran's funeral shall be members of the armed forces (other than members in a retired status), at least one of whom shall be a member of the armed force of which the veteran was a member. The remainder of the detail may consist of members of the armed forces (including members in a retired status), or members of veterans organizations or other organizations approved for purposes of this section under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense. Each member of the armed forces in the detail shall wear the uniform of the member's armed force while serving in the detail.

© Ceremony. - A funeral honors detail shall, at a minimum, perform at the funeral a ceremony that includes the folding of a United States flag and presentation of the flag to the veteran's family and the playing of Taps. Unless a bugler is a member of the detail, the funeral honors detail shall play a recorded version of Taps using audio equipment which the detail shall provide if adequate audio equipment is not otherwise available for use at the funeral.

(d) Support. - (1) To support a funeral honors detail under this section, the Secretary of a military department may provide the following:

(A) For a person who participates in a funeral honors detail (other than a person who is a member of the armed forces not in a retired status or an employee of the United States), either transportation (or reimbursement for transportation) and expenses or the daily stipend prescribed under paragraph (2).

(B) For members of a veterans organization or other organization referred to in subsection (b)(2) and for members of the armed forces in a retired status, materiel, equipment, and training.

© For members of a veterans organization or other organization referred to in subsection (b)(2), articles of clothing that, as determined by the Secretary concerned, are appropriate as a civilian uniform for persons participating in a funeral honors detail.

(2) The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe annually a flat rate daily stipend for purposes of paragraph (1)(A). Such stipend shall be set at a rate so as to encompass typical costs for transportation and other miscellaneous expenses for persons participating in funeral honors details who are members of the armed forces in a retired status and other persons who are not members of the armed forces or employees of the United States.

(3) A stipend paid under this subsection to a member of the armed forces in a retired status is in addition to any compensation to which the member is entitled under section 435(a)(2) of title 37 and any other compensation to which the member may be entitled.

[john999]

If you are a Vietnam vet try and die from AO related disease. This way you can get the VA to pay the $2300 for the box or cremation. If we live long enough we should all die from an AO disease.