FEDERAL
AGENCY:
VETERANS
BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
AUTHORIZATION:
38
U.S.C. 1110, 1131.
To
compensate veterans for disabilities incurred or aggravated during
military service according to the average impairment in earning
capacity such disability would cause in civilian occupations.
TYPES
OF ASSISTANCE:
Direct Payments with Unrestricted Use.
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USES
AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
No
restrictions.
ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant
Eligibility: Persons who have suffered disabilities
during service in the Armed Forces of the United States. The disability
must be shown to have been incurred in or aggravated by service
in the line of duty. Separation from service must have been under
other than dishonorable conditions.
Beneficiary
Eligibility: Disabled veterans.
Credentials/Documentation:
Military discharge certificate.
APPLICATION
AND AWARD PROCESS:
Pre-application
Coordination: None. This program is excluded
from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application
Procedure: An application (VA Form 21-526)
may be obtained from any VA office or regional office (see Appendix
IV of the Catalog) and submitted to the regional office.
Award
Procedure: Awards are authorized at the regional
office.
Deadlines:
None, but it must be filed within 1 year after separation from
service in order for entitlement to be established from the day
following discharge; otherwise, entitlement is established only
from the date of receipt of the claim.
Range
of Approval/Disapproval Time: Approximately
45 percent in 180 days or less.
Appeals:
Available through special board. In the event of a denial, claimants
are advised of appeal rights and procedures at the time of notification.
Renewals:
Not applicable.
ASSISTANCE
CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula
and Matching Requirements: Not applicable.
Length
and Time Phasing of Assistance: Not applicable.
POST
ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports:
The veteran must submit to an examination at the request of the
Department of Veterans Affairs when necessary to evaluate the present
extent of the disabilities. Failure to appear for such examination
may result in suspension of benefits.
Audits:
None.
Records:
None.
FINANCIAL
INFORMATION:
Account
Identification: 36-0102-0-1-701.
Obligations:
(Direct Payments) FY 01 $16,528,735,000; FY 02 est $17,957,675,000;
and FY 03 est $19,303,703,000.
Range
and Average of Financial Assistance:
Basic rates of compensation range from $103 for a 10 percent degree
of disability to a maximum of $6,188 a month for specified
very severe disabilities.
PROGRAM
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
In fiscal year 2001, 2,310,880 disabled veterans received compensation.
Fiscal year 2002, 2,364,237 veterans; and fiscal year 2003, 2,431,323
veterans.
REGULATIONS,
GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
38 CFR 3.4; "Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents," VA Pamphlet
80-00-1, $5.00, available from Superintendent of Documents, P.O.
Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954. The stock number is: 051-000-00220-2.
INFORMATION
CONTACTS:
Regional
or Local Office: See Appendix IV of the Catalog
for Veterans Benefits Administration field offices.
Headquarters
Office: Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington,
DC 20420. Telephone: (202) 273-7210.
Web
Site Address: http://www.va.gov
EXAMPLES
OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
Not applicable.
CRITERIA
FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
Not applicable.
