Corsicana Daily Sun, Corsicana, Texas

Latest News

Related Photos

Discussion

November 8, 2008

Social Security serves Vets

By Polly Winn

At Social Security, we honor our nation’s veterans not only on Veterans Day, but every day of the year.

In fact, military service members receive expedited processing of their disability applications from Social Security. Under an agreement initiated by Social Security, the Department of Defense now transmits information to us that allows us to quickly identify military personnel injured in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

The expedited process is available for any military service member who becomes disabled during active duty on or after Oct. 1, 2001, regardless of where the disability occurs. Depending on the situation, some family members of military personnel also may be able to receive benefits, including dependent children and spouses.

If you, or someone you know, were wounded while on active duty in the military, find out more about what Social Security can do by visiting our website designed specifically for wounded warriors: www.socialsecurity.gov/woundedwarriors. There, you will find answers to a number of commonly asked questions, as well as other useful information about disability benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Please pay special attention to the fact sheets available on that website, Disability Benefits for Wounded Warriors and Expediting Disability Applications for Wounded Warriors.

You’ll also find links to useful Veteran Affairs websites, such as the “Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom Home” link and the “Veterans ON-line APPlication” website.

Although the expedited service is relatively new, military personnel have been covered under Social Security since 1957. Even people in the service before 1957 may receive special credit for some of their service. Military personnel are covered for the same Social Security retirement, disability and survivors benefits as everyone else.

A person’s Social Security benefit depends on earnings, averaged over a lifetime. Generally, the higher your earnings, the higher your Social Security benefit. Under certain circumstances, special earnings can be credited to your military pay record for Social Security purposes. The extra earnings are for periods of active duty or active duty for training. These extra earnings may help you qualify for Social Security or increase the amount of your monthly benefit.

To learn more about Social Security for people who have served in the military, read a copy of our publication, Military Service and Social Security. You can find it online at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10017.html, or call your local office at (903) 875-1656 or toll free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to ask us to mail a free copy to you.

On Veterans Day and every day, we at Social Security salute the service of those who have worn the uniforms of our military.

—————

Polly Winn is district manager of the Corsicana Social Security office.

Text Only
Latest News
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
AP Video
Raw Video: 19 Dead in Qatar Shopping Mall Fire Beryl Makes Landfall on Florida Coast Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice UN Blames Syrian Forces for Shelling Houla Raw Video: Gay Protest Blocked in Moscow Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium 50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Twitter Updates
Follow me on Twitter