Evidence of meeting #70 for Veterans Affairs in the 41st Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was veteran.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Ben Lobb Conservative Huron—Bruce, ON
Does this include farm properties as well, or is it limited to residential?
Director, Benefits Assistance Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
It does include farms. It also includes native American properties—we do stuff on tribal lands as well.
Conservative
Ben Lobb Conservative Huron—Bruce, ON
That's very interesting.
You guys were faced with some very tough economic times five or six years ago. I was wondering if the level of benefits veterans receive was maintained through all those tough times. Were there cuts at all? How did the department manage through those tough economic times?
Director, Compensation Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
The benefits for veterans throughout the economic challenge were untouched, unchanged. Our Congress and our executive branch of the government determined that they would not go after this, out of respect for the veterans. So we've been very fortunate in that regard.
Director, Benefits Assistance Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
But because of the economic downturn we are seeing a large influx of veterans who are filing for disability compensation or who now qualify for a pension.
Conservative
Ben Lobb Conservative Huron—Bruce, ON
If a veteran feels, after analysis, more disabled than the department has recognized, is there an appeal mechanism that veterans can use if they feel their disability is more severe than the first assessment showed?
Director, Compensation Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Yes, there are three levels of appeal before it enters into other parts of the federal court. They can first appeal to us at the local level, by filing an appeal saying they don't agree with the decision, and we'll have a hearing and do the review at the regional office level.
If veterans still do not believe they got a fair representation, they can appeal to what we call the Board of Veterans' Appeals, which is an organization that reports directly to the Secretary. The chairman is appointed by our Congress for a six-year term. After the board goes through their process, if a veteran still believes it's not right, the veteran has the right to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, which is an independent judiciary branch of the government. They're the final determining factor. Beyond that, from there you can go in to the Supreme Court. In the last four years, there have been several cases that have made it that far.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Greg Kerr
Thank you very much for that.
Now we turn to Mr. Zimmer, a government member, for five minutes, please.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River, BC
Thank you, and I'll be sharing my time with my colleague, Mr. Lizon.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River, BC
Thanks for appearing at committee, and my thanks to all the men and women in the room who served our country, and to you in the U.S. for serving yours. We appreciate your service and what you've done, putting it all on the line for us.
We think we have a pretty good rehabilitation system in Canada. Can you outline what the United States does and the rehab program that happens? I know that's a big question, but you're a member who has used the rehab system in the U.S. and I'd appreciate your opinion on it.
Director, Compensation Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
We have a different program that is called VR&E, or Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment. This program is focused on getting an individual back to work again. If you lose a limb and you were a lineman and you can't climb anymore, we'll retrain you. Maybe you want to be a lawyer now.
There's a whole different set of rules. Getting back to the case management that we spoke to earlier, the VR&E program is specific case management, one on one with a counsellor. We sit down with you and do an assessment of where you are, what your needs are, and where you want to go. Then we lay out a program—quite often measured in years, up to four—that moves you, the veteran, from where you are today to a self-supporting state.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River, BC
How about you, Robert, because I think you've been involved in the program?
Director, Benefits Assistance Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Yes, I have. I graduated from it.
Conservative
Director, Benefits Assistance Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
It starts when you go into medical rehab. The goal is to get back into the community with quality of life again. I got my undergrad degree there. Everything is fully covered for you. You get a subsistence allowance as well. If you're going to take computer science, you can get a computer to help you, any adaptive equipment you may need, and if your disability is severe, they will do what they can to get you back to the standards of daily living, as they call it. They give you some sort of reintegration and quality of life. It's a great program.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River, BC
I know a degree is about four years, but how long did you spend in the program, and what is the average time spent in the program in the U.S.?
Director, Benefits Assistance Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
I don't know the average. I was probably in for about six years, because I didn't go to school full time. Your case manager works with you. At those early stages, you have ebbs and flows. I was in special forces in the army, so my not being able to do that anymore was a bit of readjustment back to the civilian sector, but it is a great program.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River, BC
Do you have a success rate in the program in the U.S.? How many people enter? Do you have that data?
Director, Benefits Assistance Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
I can get you the data. It's in the high-seventies percentage.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River, BC
What typically happens in the rehab program? Is it typically like a university model, where you go into...? You also spoke about getting a worker into the work world. What path is followed? Is it to go back to school, or is it to be retrained in a skill, or something like that? I guess it depends on the individual.
Director, Benefits Assistance Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
It's all unique, just as everybody's service-connected disabilities are unique: their desires, their aptitudes, and all that. It depends on the individual.
Director, Compensation Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
I'll give you two examples from running my regional office. We sent one gentleman through a construction trade school and we sent another one to law school. It was based on that individual's needs and desires. The gentleman who went to law school was paralyzed from the neck down, he could do nothing, but he's making a living today as a lawyer.
Conservative
Director, Compensation Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
It has to suit the individual.