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BuffaloSoldier1 Asked October 2013

A 99 year old wwII vet is in desperate need of hearing aids and cannot afford to pay for them. DD214 can't be located. Any help!

What do I have to do to help get her the hearing aids she needs? She is residing in Bowie, Md.

MaggieMarshall Aug 2014
Garden Artist. It's been a while. Actually John (I've spoken about him) bought it for his brother. When I see him next, I'll surf and have him identify the one he bought. I'll private message you when I find it. My pleasure.

MaggieMarshall Aug 2014
I'd forgotten! This resource is mentioned on this website. The Lions Club:

http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/member-center/planning-projects/sight-hearing/hearing/programs-hear-recyclepolicy.php

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runragged Aug 2014
Hey, quick correction to something posted by Loridtabbykat - a veterans does not have to have a service connected hearing disability to obtain hearing aids from the VA although that is one way they can. Check out Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations (38 CFR 17.149 - http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=6dc71c17df9a44aa1c872f61941625dd&node=se38.1.17_1149&rgn=div8) for more details...it's unfortunate that us veterans need to know more about CFRs than active duty personnel ever needed to!

GardenArtist Aug 2014
It's occurred to me that those here who have Veterans in their families might benefit from the newsletter published by a former AF officer:

/themilitarywallet/

There's a lot of good information for younger Veterans, and links to other good info on benefits, including financial institutions that consider military service in programs they offer, annual Veterans' Day freebies, and more.

A list of Veterans' organizations that offer assistance is here. There's also a link to a downloadable massive guide prepared by the VA for the same purpose:

themilitarywallet/veterans-service-organizations-benefits-claims/

loridtabbykat Aug 2014
Here's the answer I received from a friend .

They need to check with a service organization in their area, i.e. Disabled American Veterans; VFW; American Legion; Military Order of Purple Heart (if he or she is a Purple Heat recipient) of Vietnam Veterans of America. They can assist him or her with obtaining a new or replacement DD 214. They can also go online at National Archives and Records Administration and obtain the form that must be completed in order to get the DD 214. They can fax it in and get it back in about 5 days to fax#: 301-837-0483. The service officer with any of the service organizations can assist the veteran with a claim for disability for their hearing loss. They have to be service connected in order to be eligible for the hearing aides through the VA. Or the can call VA directly and have the forms mailed out to them at 1-800-827-1000. It is very difficult to get through there menu options.



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pamstegma Aug 2014
a WWII Vet would not have a DD 214, but a one page "Notice of Separation".

loridtabbykat Aug 2014
I have a friend that might be able to help you. I'm going to send her an email.

GardenArtist Aug 2014
Maggie, do you have product/item, etc. numbers for the units that you bought? I'll search online then contact local Radio Shacks for them, as I'd like to try this before falling back on the more expensive hearing aids.

It might be that I'll need to find a bigger store in a more upscale area - they generally have a better selection of merchandise to offer.

Were there any aspects of the amplifiers that your mother found problematic?

MaggieMarshall Aug 2014
Just for others, that wasn't our experience at a local Radio Shack. The unit finally settled upon cost $49.95. That was after exchanging two separate times. Nothing was ever said that we couldn't return for full credit if we so chose.

GardenArtist Aug 2014
After learning about the hearing amplifiers on another post, I called, located a Radio Shack which did have them (not every store does) and we went to check them out.

The salesman was courteous but politely refused to allow my father to test one to determine if it would help and if he was comfortable with it.

Cost for one amplifier was $199.99.

Salesman did say we could return it and possibly find something else, but that wasn't an option given that the only amplifier was the model he showed us.

Needless to say we left, empty handed.

MaggieMarshall Aug 2014
In the meantime, go to Radio Shack and buy her their best amplifier. It may help her quite a bit.

runragged Aug 2014
Thinking further, you might want to check with PG County and see what the Dept of Social Services offers for hearing aid assistance to seniors who cannot afford them. Where we live now, the state/county offers some assistance but we don't live in MD anymore. This would be a whole lot faster than struggling with the VA process. I still recommend you track down a copy of her discharge papers, though. The VA may still prove to be useful in providing care or even the State of Maryland.

runragged Aug 2014
There is a way to get a copy of her discharge papers from the National Archives in St. Louis, MO. Veterans discharged that long ago did not receive DD-214s, we came to discover. But there were discharge papers that vary depending on her branch of service.

http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/

An alternative is to check with the county clerk in the county in which she resided immediately after discharge. My FIL's discharge papers were marked as having been filed with the county. I would imagine, then, that the county clerk's office might be able to find you a certified copy if those papers were filed there.

If she has a VA determined service connected disability, that paperwork will be important as well. A combined disability rating of 50% or higher means free medical care for those vets. Otherwise, you'll have to submit the means test based on what monies she brings in.

Despite all that's been in the news lately about veterans waiting months for care and all that's being done about it, a long wait is still likely your scenario. She'll need a hearing test at whatever VA Medical Center/outpatient clinic you choose (centered on Washington DC or Baltimore). That can be a several month's wait after she gets seen by an assigned PCP within the VA medical system. Then it can be several more months before you can get back in to pick up the hearing aids and get them adjusted. That's all scheduling based on the number of vets using the system...the hearing aids will be on hand at the VA Medical Center within a couple of weeks.

One way around the wait is to check periodically for cancellations and grab one of those sudden openings. That's how I got my hearing aids within a month of having the hearing test.

There may be additional benefits available to her from the VA but only if she is enrolled and receiving care through the VA medical system.

BuffaloSoldier1 Oct 2013
Unable to locate DD214

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