Many Missouri veterans missing out on benefits

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- About 550,000 military veterans live in Missouri, some with health problems stemming from their service. But few are receiving the benefits to which they are entitled from the federal government.

The reason is that many have never applied.

Missouri ranks near the bottom of states in the amount of veterans benefits paid per capita, according the Missouri Veterans Commission. Neighboring Oklahoma and Arkansas are at the top -- a disturbing fact to Missouri officials.

Starting Monday, a special veterans task force will begin crafting a public relations campaign encouraging more Missouri veterans to apply for benefits. There could be Internet sites, radio advertisements, even billboards.

"There are people sitting out right now in shacks all over this state who can't work because of their health," said Sam McVay, executive director of Missouri Veterans Commission. "They have never applied, but their health has been impaired while they were in the military, either partially or totally, and other people like them in other states are drawing a compensation check."

Low percentage

About 42,000 Missouri veterans, a little more than 7.5 percent of the total, already receive compensation from the federal Department of Veterans Affairs for service-related health problems ranging from old wounds to diabetes.

In Oklahoma, 13.5 percent of veterans are receiving similar benefits, partly because state and local officials do a better job of publicizing the aid, McVay said.

Aspiring to the same percentages, Missouri should have about 75,000 veterans receiving benefits, he said.

The newly created Veterans Benefits Awareness Task Force will try to determine why Missourians aren't applying for the program.

"The idea of this task force is to get to the root of the problems of that and figure out a way we can encourage those veterans who seem to be reticent to come out and get their benefits," said John Robinson, chief of staff for Lt. Gov Joe Maxwell and a member of the task force.

Maxwell, a retired National Guard officer, is joining the effort because of his personal interest and because his office is charged with advocating elderly issues. Many veterans are now elderly, Robinson said.

"One of the primary things we want to accomplish is ensuring that Missouri veterans -- all Missouri veterans -- get the benefits they deserve," Maxwell said in a speech last week in Jefferson City to the Missouri Association of Veterans Organizations.

The public awareness campaign could cost about $350,000, McVay said. The Veterans Commission plans to ask corporations to pick up part of the costs. The rest could be appropriated from the Missouri Veterans Trust Fund, which receives money from a check-off box on state income tax forms, McVay said.