While the public is normally urged to “thank a Veteran” they meet, the head of Florida’s Department of Veterans' Affairs also wants people to ask a state vet about their earned federal and state health benefits.
Florida’s Department of Veterans' Affairs Executive Director Glenn Sutphin says he’d like other officials as well as the public to ask one simple question:
“Please talk to any veteran you see and ask, ‘have you got your benefits?’” I think 740,000 are being looked at by the VA in Florida of the almost 1.6 million veterans, and they're coming to us daily,” he stated.
” he stated, during Monday's Veterans Hall of Fame Council meeting.
Calling himself a “terrible example,” Sutphin says it took him 10 years before he applied for his benefits. But, he says he only did it after someone else spoke to him.
“My Sergeant said to me, ‘you don’t love your wife?’ And, I said, ‘Of course, I love my wife. It’s been 41 years.’ He said, ‘then, why don’t you go get your benefits, so when something happens to you, your wife or your spouse will be able to get those benefits.’ And, that’s how I’d like ya’ll to sell it,” he added. “If you don’t think you need it or want it, how about that wife or that spouse, who was your support battalion commander, while you could do all those wonderful, fun things that we got to do?”
While Sutphin says at least 35 percent of Florida veterans do not put in for their benefits, he believes that number is really closer to 45 percent.
While they predominantly cover health, benefits can also include state property tax exemptions, education vouchers, and pensions. For more information, visit FloridaVets.org.
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