Articles written by Ken Cruickshank
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Veterans Court
Tulare County has a Veterans Court! Established in 2010, the court serves veterans of Tulare County in the criminal justice system. Several agencies and community partners,... — Updated 1/8/2022
Two Important Letters
When the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) decides on your claim, they will provide you with two important letters amongst all the paperwork they will send you. The first letter i... — Updated 11/9/2021
Veterans ID Cards
Are you aware that as a veteran you might be eligible for discounts at participating merchants that you might do business with? You have a few options to get a Veterans ID card to... — Updated 8/31/2021
Burial Benefits
Are you aware that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers burial benefits? One of these benefits is burial in a National Cemetery. National Cemetery burials include (at no... — Updated 7/8/2021
California College Fee Waiver Program
Are you aware of the California College Fee Waiver (CFW) Program, an education benefit available to the spouses and children of U.S. veterans through the California Department of... — Updated 5/1/2021
The Beneficiary Travel Benefit
When you travel to get health care, you may be eligible for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Beneficiary Travel (BT) benefit. This benefit is provided to a veteran when... — Updated 3/3/2021
Replacing Lost Military Service Records
Are you in need of a copy of your official Military Service Records, which you now realize have been lost or misplaced? Many service members are unaware of the importance of the... — Updated 1/13/2021
The Property Tax Postponement Program
In this column, I would like to pass on information that is not limited to just veterans. It is my hope that this information will assist others who might qualify as well. With all... — Updated 11/1/2020
The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act
In this column I would like to address a benefit that you might qualify for that is not a Department of Veterans benefit. This is a benefit that is provided through the Department... — Updated 10/11/2020
Benefits for Former POWs
Before I get into this column’s topic, I would like to let everyone know that the Veterans Services Office is still closed to the public due to COVID-19. We are unsure when exactl... — Updated 7/24/2020
Presumptions for Claims
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has established presumptions for service connection for veterans who were on Active Duty, Reserves or in the National Guard, and served at... — Updated 5/9/2020
CalVet Veterans Homes
In this article, I would like to talk about the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) Veterans Homes. Currently, there are eight homes throughout the state with varying... — Updated 4/18/2020
Accrued Benefits
Did you know that veterans’ survivors may continue Accrued Benefits claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)? Accrued benefits are benefits due to a beneficiary on a... — Updated 4/10/2020
Beneficiary Travel
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a Beneficiary Travel (BT) benefit. The benefit is provided to a veteran when there is a need to travel to a VA medical facility. VA is... — Updated 2/19/2020
The Blue Water Act
Recently, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act (H.R.299) was signed into law. Last year, the House unanimously passed the bill only to have it stall in the Senate Veterans... — Updated 9/2/2019
Veterans with ALS
In earlier columns, I discussed disabilities that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may consider as presumptive to where and when a veteran served. However, in this edition I... — Updated 8/11/2019
Discharge Upgrades
Former service members might remember hearing: “Just take the General Discharge; it will automatically be upgraded to Honorable in six months.” Most veterans who tried this... — Updated 6/11/2019
New Appeals Process
Recently, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) formalized the process to update their appeals process. This process was the result of the Veteran Appeals Improvement and... — Updated 5/28/2019
When a Claim is Denied
When a claim is denied, it is usually because the veteran is missing one of the elements for any service-connected disability claim. If the VA denies your claim and you feel there... — Updated 10/9/2017
Vet Centers
Congress established the Vet Center Program in 1979 because a significant number of Vietnam veterans had problems readjusting to civilian life. They are community based, and in... — Updated 10/9/2017
Burial Flags
Upon a veteran's death, the Veterans Administration (VA) provides a United States flag honoring the veteran's military service. The flag will drape the casket or accompany the urn... — Updated 7/26/2017
Veteran's Corner - Speeding up Your CLAIM
Want to speed up the processing of your claim? The VA has implemented the Fully Developed Claims (FDC) Process, which has significantly decreased the time it takes to process these... — Updated 2/27/2017
The Four Types of Claims
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) identifies four basic types of claims: Original, Reopened, New and Secondary claims. Active duty service members, veterans and survivors of... — Updated 1/1/2017
Agent Orange
Between 1962 and 1972, about 20 million gallons of herbicides were utilized in Vietnam. The primary ingredient in these defoliants was dioxin, which is now a known carcinogen.... — Updated 10/27/2016
Military Service Records
Do you need a copy of your official Military Service Records? Many service members don’t realize the importance of the documents provided upon separation from service, but as... — Updated 8/28/2016
