Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I have lost my discharge. Can I get a replacement copy?
A: Yes, we have a number of sources we can check, such as the county recorder’s office, the Ohio Department of Veterans Services, and the National Personnel Records Center.
Q: My father was a veteran. Does that make me eligible for benefits from VA or your financial assistance?
A: Not necessarily. VA benefit for dependents vary based on the benefit to which the sponsor (parent) was entitled. Children of veterans may be eligible for financial assistance from our office in very limited circumstances.
Q: My ex-spouse was a veteran. Am I entitled to benefits?
A: Generally, the answer is no. The end of the marriage normally means the end of eligibility for benefits.
Q: I am a veteran. VA will pay for my funeral and burial expenses, right?
A: No. Only veterans who are receiving monetary benefits at the time of death qualify for the payment of burial and/or funeral expense. Even in those cases, VA payments will not come close to paying for the average funeral and burial expense.
Q: I got hurt when I was in the service. That means I am service connected.
A: No – you are not service connected until the VA adjudicates your formal claim and grants service connection. It is a formal, legal process.
Q: I was told I cannot file a claim for service connection because I have been out too long.
A: Not true – it may be harder to get your claim approved, but there is no time limit for filing a claim for service connection. We recommend you file as soon as possible after release from active duty, because the effective date of your claim is determined by when you file, and the start payment date is the same. If you got out in 1958 and your claim is approved in 2010, you will be paid only from the date you filed your claim – not back to your discharge.
Q: I don’t want to go to Dayton or Cincinnati for medical care; I would rather go to Cleveland. Can I get transportation for my medical care appointments through your office?
A: No. We transport for medical care appointments only to Dayton or Cincinnati. If you choose to go to other VA medical facilities you will have to obtain your own transportation.