First, everyone should give a big shout out of thanks to all the American Veterans and to the many men and women who are currently serving this great nation.  Daily they had or are currently putting themselves in harms way to protect our freedoms that we must never lose.

This is a note to Veterans and their survivors or dependents.

Veterans in case you are not aware, in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act there was money set aside for one-time payments of $250 to eligible Veterans, and their survivors or dependents.  The VA began releasing these one-time payments in June 2009.  In case you have not received your payment please read below.

Information from the Department of Veterans Affairs is as follows:

• You do not need to apply to receive this payment.
• Your one-time payment will be $250.
• The VA will issue the payment separately and will not include it in your regular benefit payment.
• The VA will send this payment to you in the same way that you receive your current VA benefit, by direct deposit or mail.
• This payment will not affect the amount of your regular VA benefit, or any other Federal benefit, nor will the Internal Revenue Service consider it as taxable income.

IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED THIS ONE-TIME PAYMENT BY NOW PLEASE CONTACT THE VA BY E-MAIL, LETTER, OR TELEPHONE.

1. If you use the Internet the address is https://iris.va.gov/.
2. If you send a letter get the address of the local Department of Veterans Affairs
3. The phone number to use is 1-800-827-1000.
4. For more info you can also visit http://www.va.gov.

This is hoping most of you have received this one-time payment but sometimes things slip through the cracks and the VA does not have your address and you may not have been aware.  This payment really should have been at a minimum 4 times what you are receiving unfortunately not everyone in Washington sees it that way.

God Bless and Take Care.