 Hi everybody, this is Ashley with DAV and I am joined by past DAV national commander Dennis Joyner Dennis Thank you so much for joining us today. Thank you, Ashley And today is actually a pretty big day something that many veterans and their caregivers have to celebrate and something DAV has fought For quite some time to bring about and so we're very proud to announce that today The VA finally announced the expansion to phase one veterans of their program of comprehensive assistance for family caregivers Which is the program that provides, you know a modest stipend other education and support services to those family caregivers of veterans who were disabled in service and phase one is now officially open for veterans to apply for those support services and Phase one includes those veterans who were injured or became ill due to their service By May 7th 1975 or prior So that's including all Vietnam era veterans Korean War veterans and World War two veterans So something we're we're very excited about again. This is something DAV has been Fighting for for quite some time and we're very excited that it includes not only veterans who were injured, but also veterans Who now suffer from illnesses due to their service? So Dennis, can you tell me a little bit about your service and how it is? You know, most of our viewers are probably familiar with you But for those who might not be can you tell me just a little bit about your service history? And how it is that you came to be a veteran who was in need of a family caregiver. Yeah Yeah, back in 1969. I was drafted into the Army After my you know training. I was sent off to Vietnam I served with the 9th Infantry Division and this is may Kong Delta Was there only 32 days and on a patrol? I was I tripped a Booby-trap 105 rounds what they think it was and it immediately blew off both of my legs above the knee and my left arm so after You know being sent back, you know to the States and recovering at Valley Forge Army Hospital for four or five months I went back home to to pick up my life At the time, you know that this happened. I was 20 years old. I actually spent my 21st birthday at Valley Forge From that point when I went back home Obviously, you know, I was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of my life At the time I I tried artificial limbs, but with my my limbs Legs off above the knee. It was quite difficult at the time They don't have you know the the high technology and in the prosthesis that they have today So I I just found it easier You know and it became as mobile as I possibly could you know in my wheelchair Well, obviously there's a lot of things you know over the years that that I could do and of course That's what I focused on but there's obviously a lot of things that I needed assistance with and You know, that's you know, what happened to me and you know back then. Yeah, I joined the DAV You know immediately, you know after you know coming back and you know that is what you know made me You know a veteran So, you know, you're certainly not alone. There are many many other veterans and with you know within our organization We know personally many of these veterans who have you know, they've suffered injuries or illnesses decades ago and They've been living with those making a life with those and in many cases They've had a family caregiver assisting with daily necessities from for many many years all Without the support services that are provided through this program to post 9-eleven veterans So my question to you is you know, what does this mean to you and to Donna? You're you know, your wife your caregiver to have this finally open and available to you Answer that actually I think it's twofold First is is the physical and emotional just linking them together side of it You know having someone there, you know to support you physically. I mean at times it's You know getting you know from my my wheelchair, you know onto a chair Onto a shower chair at times. I may need some some help, you know and making sure That you know the cleanliness, you know the body, etc. So physically Even and also preparing meals. I mean you can't cook something on a stove and with a wheelchair Try to move it to a table and and things like that So there's just so many little every day-to-day things that if you're not missing three limbs are just so normal, you know To to everyone but to to us and to me, you know, it's not that that simple and The emotional side of it. There's times that you get down you get frustrated There's things you want to do Just as an example if I want to go out to eat to a restaurant It's not like I can just say well Let's let's go down to so-and-so restaurant and just get in the car and away we go before I go do anything like that I end up, you know making a call and I get into the restaurant. Is it accessible, you know there's a lot of a lot of You know little things like that that you know really affect your your everyday life The other side of it is how it really is affected, you know Donna and just looking at at the financial side of it Back in 2008 my my right shoulder after 35 or so years pushing one-arm drive wheelchair It gave out had to have major major rotator cuff surgery one doctor even Put in notes that basically it put me in a situation and I was probably somewhat equivalent to someone that you know was You know struggling, you know, maybe with four for limbs missing Maybe not quite that bad, but bad enough and so Donna gave up her job You know, she came came home. She had worked for a number of years. Where's her pension went away? It affected, you know, what she's going to be receiving, you know for social security And it obviously, you know the the social side for her. I mean she wasn't around, you know co-workers Like she she was for a number of years. She came home to to care care for me because you know, I I had quit working, you know with the shoulder problem, etc and You know, it just had a lot of effect on her and has obviously changed her life Maybe not physically, but you know in the things that she's able to do and making sure that you know She is here and assisting me and helping me move around and you know, it is it also has taken, you know somewhat of a toll physically, you know on on her too So it As I said to me getting two sides to it, you know the physical and emotional difficulties that someone with a major disability Amputation or whatever it might be and maybe some PTSD, you know or a major illness I mean what we have to go through plus the physical or financial side, you know of what, you know Our caregiver our spouse would have to go through You know, I mean you touch on so many important points there and it kind of made me think You know a large portion of the veterans that I'm sure will be applying for this program Our Vietnam era veterans and they came home From the war to a country that that was not as welcoming or grateful as as it very well should have been So it seems almost like this is It almost is a little bit of recognition too for what you What you did for what you did in the war for what you came home and had to to work with So do you feel that at all like this is a it's almost a sense of recognizing your service in a way? well Maybe not so much recognizing my actual service in the military But it's recognizing what happened to me, you know in my service the country where I was willing to go No questions asked and I was willing to put my life on the line. I mean fortunately, you know Uh The good lord had a had a different, you know, uh plan for my life and it I could get out and go and try to help others et cetera, but you know, the yeah, it I don't know that it, you know has That I feel that that that takes a place of you know, the the fact that we got, you know Very little recognition when we come back You know We went and did what we were asked to do. It sure wasn't our fault Um, it probably wasn't as difficult for me in facing the public when I came back home because I came back to the hospital system And I also came from a small small community. So when I come home, you know, there was a lot of Individuals that you know, were very caring and and wanted to see that You know, my life was going to be, you know, as good as possibly could be even though I had, you know You know severe disabilities Because of it right Well, I Dennis, I appreciate you you sharing all that with me today once again wanted to just note today again big day for veterans and their caregivers If you are a veteran who has a family caregiver and and you think you might be eligible for VA's program of comprehensive assistance for family caregivers I would encourage you to click the link above Check out the new eligibility criteria if you find yourself eligible Do apply If you currently have a caregiver those benefits will be marked back to the date of application If if you do not have a family caregiver at that point It might it might vary when those benefits might kick in or when when retroactive benefits might be applied But again visit the link above and you can find all the information That you need right on VA's website And we'll we'll be sure to be posting more Dennis. I'm sure there will be no time wasted. I know that you've been keenly Watching this issue and so yours will be your application will be top of the stack. I'm sure In that application process. So Big day for you Yeah, I'm I'm excited about it. I mean we worked hard Meaning the organization and some of us individually to to see this day finally come to pass I personally always felt that it was quite discriminatory Against those of us that had served many years ago But I'm sure it wouldn't take away from, you know, the service of those, you know Who were eligible for it whenever, you know, the first part of it That come to pass. So, yeah very Exciting day. I think it's a day in which, you know, it's been a long time coming and They're sure a lot of deserving caregivers out there that Sure deserve, you know, what what little bit they're going to get can never make up for You know, all the the lost time or lost finances and those effects in life, but It's it's finally here. It's a great day and We, you know, I know the dav Has been so supportive and has pushed this and fought for it for so long and It's it's a great feeling, you know, for me individually and I'm sure for the organization itself And we thank you Thank you, Dennis. And of course pass my thanks on to Donna as well. I know she's she is truly a Superstar and what she does and and she she does everything she does out of a labor of love. So Thanks to her and all the caregivers Again, click the link above Check out the the new eligibility criteria and and if you have any questions go ahead and comment below And we will be sure to check those comments. Thanks so much. Thank you