| Compton: Contact office to apply for the state park Pass Program By George Compton Q. What are the requirements needed to be eligible for the State Distinguished Veteran Pass Program? A. The Pass Program is for veterans who are residents of California and have been given the Congressional Medal of Honor, veterans who were prisoners of war, and veterans with a service-connected disability of 50 percent or greater and served during a wartime period. The Pass Program entitles the holder to the use of all basic facilities operated by the State Park System at no charge. This office will provide application forms and specific details on the program. For those veterans with a disability rating of 50 percent or higher, the VA will provide a letter stating the veteran had an honorable discharge, the VA disability rating, and that the veteran served during a wartime period. Proof of residency requires only a copy of a California driver’s license or identification card. Q. How can I find out about a national cemetery in another state? A. Go to http://www.va.gov and on the index on the left side go to benefits. From the benefits menu, select burial benefits. On that index you will find cemeteries. All 125 national cemeteries are listed. The cemeteries are listed by state, and when you highlight a cemetery you will go to its Web site. Q. My brother has been receiving a pension from the VA, and he is now going into long-term care with Medi-Cal. Should I notify the VA of his change in status? A. We need to change his pension status with the VA. The VA will not continue to provide his current pension to Medi-Cal, but there is another pension that will provide him $90 per month that is exempt from share-of-cost under Medi-Cal. Your Medi-Cal intake worker will provide this office a form (CW-5) to get the process started. Q. Last year, I attended a veterans’ health fair in Oxnard. Will there be another one this year? A. The third annual Veterans’ Health and Resource Fair will be Aug. 23. As the date gets closer, I will provide more details. We are still seeking vendors. — George Compton, retired Army colonel, is the veterans service officer for the County of Ventura, Human Services Agency. Send your questions to Veterans Service Office, 1701 Pacific Ave., Suite 110, Oxnard, CA 93033; phone number: 385-6366; fax: 385-6371; or e-mail: George.Compton@ventura.org. |