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Sgt. Shaft

Articles by Sgt. Shaft

SGT. SHAFT: Obama urged to honor families of fallen

Dear Sgt Shaft: As national president of Gold Star Wives of America, a national veterans service organization, I recently wrote a letter to President Obama that Id like to share with you and your readers.

March 24, 2010

SGT. SHAFT: Rename to Dept. of the Navy and Marine Corps

Dear Sgt Shaft: Every year since 2001, Congressman Walter B. Jones, R-N.C., has introduced a bill in the House, to re-designate the Department of the Navy to the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps only to have it die in the Senate without action.

March 17, 2010

SGT. SHAFT: Vet preference limited for federal jobs

Dear Sgt. Shaft: I'm wondering why the veterans preference for the federal hiring process does not benefit all honorably discharged veterans with at least some points toward hiring, on a progressive sliding scale.

March 10, 2010

SGT. SHAFT: Making information accessible to blind veterans

Dear Sgt. Shaft: A staggering 13 percent of all wounded service members evacuated from Iraq and Afghanistan have suffered some type of serious eye injury, and others will have vision problems due to traumatic brain injury. Additionally, 7,000 veterans also become newly blind or visually impaired each year. It is our responsibility to ensure they get the information they need to protect themselves and their families.

February 24, 2010

SGT. SHAFT: Long wait for military records

Dear Sgt Shaft: I submitted forms over a year ago for my [discharge form] DD-214s, which were lost or stolen over a year ago and received no reply.

February 17, 2010

SGT. SHAFT: Personnel records provided at no cost

Five wounded warriors recently returned from the third "Operation Proper Exit" tour of Iraq. The visits are designed to help bring closure to wounded service members who have been injured in combat.

January 27, 2010

SGT. SHAFT: Getting savings bonds from safekeeping

Dear Sgt. Shaft: I was in the Marine Corps from November of 2002 until December of 2005. I signed up for the savings bond program in boot camp. Now that I am out, I would like to track down my bonds and have them mailed to me.

January 20, 2010

SGT. SHAFT: Social Security benefits don’t affect disability pay

Dear Sgt. Shaft: My husband is a veteran and receives some VA benefits for a service-connected disability. At this time, he is no longer working his regular job due to a disability and receives long-term disability. He is going to court to fight to receive Social Security disability and we just wondered: Can he receive both VA and SS benefits?

January 13, 2010

SGT. SHAFT: Adaptations need updating

I am on terminal leave, retiring with more than 24 years of service as a medical provider and Navy SEAL. Over those years, I have encountered many of our service members with severe wounds and have since made it my personal goal to do whatever it would take to increase the VA special-adaptation entitlements for both automobiles and housing.

December 31, 2009

SGT. SHAFT: Vietnam plaque needs care

Dear Sgt. Shaft, I recently visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington and walked those sacred grounds once more. As I passed by the statue "The Three Servicemen," I viewed at the foot of the statue the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Commendation Plaque, also known as the In Memory Plaque. As you and many of your readers know, the plaque was dedicated on Nov. 10, 2004, to recognize the veterans who died after service in Vietnam as a direct result of that service.

December 3, 2009

SGT. SHAFT: Separation pay review pending

Dear Sgt. Shaft: I am one of those veterans who got out on the premise that I would get my severance pay. I, too, was not told that if I got a service connection disability that I would no longer receive my pay.

June 25, 2009