USA > Indiana > Lake County > History Of Veterans Of Foreign Wars (1944) > Part 36
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relative of such officer or enlisted man pre- viously designated by him.
A recent decision of the Comptroller Gen- eral says: "I conclude that limiting the pay- ment 'to any other dependent relative-pre- viously designated' who has an insurable interest in the life of the deceased will more fully give effect to the intent, as well as the purpose and object, of the status than to re- quire a showing of actual dependency, even to a limited degree, of any relative previously designated."
It is held that the mother, father, brother or sister have an insurable interest and that more distant relations must prove an insur- able interest to be eligible to receive this benefit.
Claims for this benefit are presented to the Gratuity Pay Section, Finance Office, United States Army, Washington, D. C. on forms furnished by that Department.
NAVY, MARINE CORPS AND COAST GUARD: Payable to the widow, and if there is no widow, to the child or children, and if there be no widow or child, to any other dependent relative previously designated, or if no one in the designated classes, to any grandparent, parent, sister, or brother shown to be actually dependent upon the deceased.
As to those in the "previously designated" classifications the rule set forth by the Comp- troller General is the same as for the Army but as to the latter classifications there must be proof of both insurable interest and actual dependency.
Claims for this benefit are presented to the Bureau of Supplies and Accounts, Navy De- partment, Washington, D. C., upon forms furnished by that office.
Medical Care While on Leave
Army personnel on leave for twenty-four hours or less who require medical attention may arrange for the necessary civilian atten- tion at Government expense either through their commanding officer or as individuals. If the original leave was granted for more than twenty-four hours, it is impossible to secure reimbursement for civilian medical care. However, such individuals may receive medi-
cal care from any Army post or station or any Government hospital or dispensary. Such in- dividuals or some one for them should im- mediately report all facts relating to the injury or illness requiring hospital care to the surgeon's office of the proper Service Com- mand. The report should contain a complete statement of the case signed by the attending physician.
Naval and Marine Corps personnel on leave are not entitled to civilian medical care at government expense. Such personnel should report to their commanding officer or to the nearest Naval or Marine Corps station or nearest Naval or Marine Corps station or naval hospital.
Coast Guard personnel on leave who are be- yond reach of regularly established relief facilities are not entitled to medical care at government expense. Dependents of Coast Guardsmen may be given out-patient care at Marine hospital and some Public Health Serv- ice relief stations. Note: Since November 2, 1941, the Coast Guard has operated under the Navy.
Army Emergency Relief
The Army has made special provisions for soldiers whose families might otherwise suffer hardships before the first family allowances are paid. However, there are a number of private service organizations throughout the country which are giving help to soldiers' families who are suffering hardship because of the soldier's military service. For example, the American Red Cross has local chapters in over 3,400 cities and towns, and additional branches in many more villages. The Army Emergency Relief has a "Section Officer" in almost every Army post and camp, and a "Branch Officer" in every service Command Headquarters.
Navy Relief Society
Members of the Naval services or their families in need of emergency financial assist- ance may secure help by application to the Navy Relief organization at the Navy Yards or naval training station, and the naval air stations. If they are not conveniently near any such station, they should apply for such aid from the Navy Relief Society through their local Red Cross.
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Civil Relief
This law is for the purpose of protecting life insurance and property rights of those in the active military service.
It does not relieve one of his legal obliga- tions or fulfillment of contracts, however, it is effective when ability to meet obligations is impaired through service in the Armed Forces.
Generally, protection is afforded against eviction or distress for non-payment of rent, against taking undue advantage of one in serv- ice in court proceedings, in foreclosure of mortages or deeds of trust, and against assess- ment of penalties because of inability to pay taxes, et cetera.
It also affords protection through the Vet- erans Administration against lapsation of commercial life insurance contracts. Veterans Administration Form 380 should be available at all military and naval posts and is used to secure such protection.
All matters affecting real or personal prop- erty rights should be referred promptly to competent local attorneys for assistance and advice.
Missing in Action
Public Law No. 490, 77th Congress, March 7, 1942, provides that when any person in active service is officially reported as missing, in action, interned in a neutral country, or captured by an enemy shall, while so absent, be entitled to receive or have credited to his account all pay and allowances to which he was entitled at the time of the beginning of such absence. This protects allotments for support of dependents and insurance pre- miums. It also permits allowances for members of family even though the missing person may not have made provisions for same.
Inquiries as to Army cases should be di- rected to the Adjutant General, United States Army, Washington, D. C., and Navy cases to the Bureau of Navy Personnel, Navy De- partment, Washington, D. C.
Many inquiries are received by the Veterans of Foreign Wars as to individuals whose where-abouts are unknown. We cannot give this information. The Service Department
concerned invariably notifies next of kin when a man is reported killed, wounded, or missing, before the facts are released to any- one else, and gives all information available.
Veterans After Discharge
Pensions
There is no provision at the present time for the payment of pensions to veterans of World War II except for service connected disability.
Service connection is established under Vet- erans Regulation No. 1 (a), Part II, which is more restrictive than are the laws and regula- tions allowing compensation to World War veterans.
However, full war time rates are payable under Public Law No. 359, 77th Congress, effective December 19, 1941.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U. S. Supported This Legislation
The injury or disease causing disability or death must have been incurred in line of duty, otherwise, service connection cannot be allowed.
Misconduct or discharge under other than honorable condition is an absolute bar against the payment of pension.
The decisions of the War and Navy Depart- ments as to line of duty or misconduct are not completely binding upon the Veterans Ad- ministration as these terms are defined for pension purposes by Public Law No. 648, 75th Congress, June 16, 1938.
There are no presumptions of service con- nection, but there is a rebuttable presumption of sound condition at enlistment after six months or more of active military service, which may be rebutted either by facts or medical judgment.
Veterans Administration Form 526 is used to claim disability pension and should be filed with the Veterans Administration Regional Office having jurisdiction over place of resi- dence. When a proper claim was filed coinci- dent with discharge it is not necessary to file a new claim.
Power of attorney, Form P-22, in favor of
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the Veterans of Foreign Wars should be filed with the claim. Pensions are payable only un- der the 1933 Rating Schedule on evaluations of 10 per cent or multiples thereof, plus statutory allowance in certain cases. No addi- tional disability pension is payable for or on account of dependents.
Disability incurred before December 7, 1941, with discharge thereafter, is pensionable at peace time rates unless there was an ag- gravation of the disability after December 7, 1941, or unless the disability was "a direct result of armed conflict, or while engaged in extra hazardous service, including such service under conditions simulating war" (Public No. 359, 77th Congress) .
Hospitalization and Domiciliary Care
Public Law No. 10, 78th Congress, ap- proved March 17, 1943, extends full hospital- ization privileges on the same basis as veterans of other wars, to "any person who served in the active military or naval service of the United States on or after December 7, 1941, and before the termination of hostilities or by concurrent resolution of the Congress: Pro- vided, That the term 'active military or naval service,' as used herein, shall include active duty as a member of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, Women's Reserve of the Navy and Marine Corps, and the Women's Reserve of the Coast Guard." Approved March 17, 1943.
This legislation was initiated and sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U. S. Pay and Allowance Due at Death
All claims for pay and allowances due to a service man at time of death in the active service are settled by the General Accounting Office, Washington, D. C.
These claims must be over the personal signature of the next of kin or legal represen- tative of the deceased.
Headstones
Upon application to the Quartermaster General. United States Army, Washington, D. C., headstones will be furnished for un- marked graves of soldiers, sailors, marines and army nurses who served in the Army or Navy
of the United States (including the Revolu- tionary War and service with the military forces of The Confederate States of America), they died in the service or after muster out or after honorable discharge. The headstones whether regular or volunteer, and whether for Civil and Spanish War are of American white marble, 39 inches long, 12 inches wide and 4 inches thick; for the World War, 42 inches long, 4 inches thick and 13 inches wide. Headstones will be shipped freight prepaid by the Government, only to the nearest station or steamboat landing.
In addition to the above described marker there is authorized a flat marker 24 inches long, 12 inches wide and 4 inches thick. Placed flush with the ground. Inscription will be placed parallel to the greatest dimension on the stone and will consist of the full name of the veteran, the State from which he came, his rank, regiment, and date of death. There will be no religious or other emblems or shield on this marker.
The issuance of bronze markers was also authorized, but because of the scarcity of bronze and the need for same in our War effort their use has been discontinued.
Women Veterans
Members of the Army and Navy Nurse Corps are entitled to disability pension on the same basis as male members of the Armed Forces. The Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, the Womens' Reserve of the Navy and Marine Corps, and the Women's Reserve of the Coast Guard are not yet covered by the pension laws, and disability and death claims for these units are handled by the U. S. Employees' Compensation Commission, 385 Madison Ave- nue, New York City. The WAVES as well as members of the Army and Navy Nurse Corps are entitled to National Service Life Insurance while the WAACS are not. Under Public Law No. 10, 78th Congress members of the WA ACS, WAVES, SPARS and Marine Corps Auxiliary Reserve are eligible to hospitaliza- tion benefits on the same basis as members of the Armed Forces.
Vocational Rehabilitation
"Public No. 16, 78th Congress, amended Veterans Regulation No. 1 (a), as amended, to provide among other things 'that any per-
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son who served in the active military or naval service at any time after December 6, 1941, and prior to the termination of the present war, who is honorably discharged therefrom and who has a disability incurred in or ag- gravated by such service for which a pension is payable under laws administered by the Veterans Administration or would be but for the receipt of retirement pay, and is in need of vocational rehabilitation to overcome the handicap of such disability, shall be entitled to such vocational rehabilitation as may be prescribed by the Administrator of Veterans Affairs to fit him for employment consistent with the degree of disablement'
It is to be distinctly borne in mind, in ap- plying the above definition, that there is a clear distinction between average impairment in earning capacity for pension purposes and a vocational handicap requiring vocational rehabilitation to overcome the handicap. A person who is totally disabled on the basis of average impairment in earning capacity may nevertheless be fully able to secure and pursue employment in some occupation for which he is well qualified. Conversely, a person who has a very slight pensionable disability may, on account of peculiar relationships existing be- tween specified skills and his occupational ex- perience, have a vocational handicap which would require vocational rehabilitation to
overcome. It should also be borne in mind that unemployment is not necessarily an indication that a vocational handicap exists, nor is em- ployment alone sufficient to support a deter- mination that no vocational handicap exists. Mere temporary employment, the tenure of which may be dubious or which is not suitable for the individual, or comparable with his education, occupational training and skill, is not incompatible with the existence of a vo- cational handicap. A disabled person may be able to follow occupations not comparable with the occupation pursued prior to service and still have a vocational handicap. By com- parable is meant, substantially similar or on a parity with regard to remuneration, perma- nence of employment, opportunities for ad- vancement, and environment. When, how- ever, the disabled person's best interests will be served by seeking and pursuing employ- ment for which he is qualified, that is, when this offers a suitable career, it may not be held that a vocational handicap exists.
Application for vocational training should be made on Veterans Administration Form 1900, which may be secured from any Vet- erans Administration Regional Office.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U. S. was a joint sponsor of this legislation.
SOF FOR
WARS . 1
VE UNITED
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Veterans' Administration Facility Hines, Illinois
Charles Gordon Beck, the present manager of the Veterans' Administration at Hines, Illinois, was born in Decatur, Nebraska, in 1892. He was a graduate of the University of Nebraska in 1914, enlisted in the United States Army September 19, 1917, and was dis- charged from the service January 24, 1919. He served as a Lieutenant in the Infantry.
Comrade Beck was a former Manager of the Veterans' Administration at Lincoln, Nebraska, and also in Des Moines, Iowa. He served as training assistant of the Administra-
tion in the St. Louis office. He was associated with the Veterans Administration since 1919. In 1934 he was made Manager of the Admin- istration in Des Moines, Iowa, June the first, 1939, he was transferred to Hines, Illinois, as Acting Manager and was appointed Manager September first, 1939.
The World War is responsible for the estab- lishment of a series of government hospitals throughout the United States where disabled veterans are receiving treatment for disabili- ties incurred during their military and naval
Charles Gordon Beck, Mgr.
HINES HOSPITAL, HINES, ILLINOIS
service, in many instances for disabilities which can be classified as the after-effects of the war. In the early history of the World War, the engineers of the War Department were determined to select a central location where one of the largest government hospitals might be built. The War Department finally
decided upon a 320-acre tract located directly south of Maywood, Illinois, upon which tract was built and developed the present Edward Hines, Jr., Memorial Hospital. Construction was completed in August, 1921, when the first patient was admitted for treatment.
The hospital was named in honor of the son
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of the late Edward Hines, owner of the Hines Lumber Company. Lieutenant Hines lost his life in France during the World War, and was one of the first commissioned officers from the Student Army Training Corps to see foreign service. Dr. White was the first medical officer in charge of this institution, and he was suc- ceeded on August 1, 1922, by Dr. R. W. C. Francis, a surgeon of the United States Public Health Service, followed by Col. Hugh Scott in 1927 and the present manager, Mr. Charles G. Beck, in 1939.
The Hines reservation comprises today ap- proximately 31 buildings, the chief building being the hospital, which is four stories high, covering an area of 2040 feet in length and 50 feet in width. It has a bed capacity for the hospitalization of 1750 patients, and is divided into eight wards, A to G, and a women's ward for war nurses. Ward A houses all tuberculosis patients; Wars B and C are surgical wards; Ward D, the diagnosis center; Ward E, tumor and cancer cases; and Wards F and G house the mental and neuropsychiatric patients.
This hospital has been developed into one of the foremost cancer clinics in the world, and the cancer equipment today contains every mechanical appliance known to science, in- cluding the latest development of a deep X-ray machine. For the purpose of general administration as well as specialization of ail- ments, aside from cancer, the staff of the hos- pital has made great strides in fighting tuber- culosis and other diseases. Another ward of the facility where much progress has been made in recent years is the Diagnostic Center, where baffling cases are studied by staff specialists, supported by consultants who are considered the best authorities in their partic- ular branches of medicine in the country. Nervous cases are also hospitalized at this facility, but when the neuropsychiatric con- dition assumes a more advanced stage, the patient is transferred to the Veterans' Ad- ministration Facilities at North Chicago or Danville, Illinois, which are equipped primar- ily for the treatment of mental disorders.
Aside from giving veterans all the medical attention possible, patients hospitalized at this facility also find their recreational activities are not neglected. The best theatrical per- formers obtainable in the Chicago area cheer- fully donate their services to make the vet-
erans forget their disabilities and forget that the war, in many instances, left them physical wrecks so that they were never again able to resume gainful occupations. The library fur- nishes diversified reading matter and litera- ture, while the occupational therapy depart- ment teaches the disabled veterans various crafts, such as rug-making and leather work, in order to relieve them of the monotony of hospital existence. In many instances veterans who were unable to resume their former oc- cupations after being discharged from the hospital, are able to earn a livelihood by weav- ing rugs and making other objects which they are taught while at the Hines Facility.
This hospital has been developed into a training center for government physicians, who study specialized fields of medicine, and upon completion of their courses at Hines, are transferred to other government hospitals throughout the United States.
The complete clinical laboratory equipment is further utilized in developing and furnish- ing serum, slides, et cetra, for other hospitals under government supervision.
Our government is continually striving to alleviate the distress of the disabled war vet- erans by introducing the latest methods of treatment and equipment known to medical science, which in many cases results in ex- tending the longevity of our veterans.
This facility today is not only recognized by the government as the foremost govern- ment hospital, but also receives the heartiest support of service and civic organizations throughout the country.
A Message from Charles G. Beck
It is quite obvious to all that, in order to ex- tend the benefits of hospitalization and medi- cal care of veterans of World War II that are now being extended to veterans of prior wars, it will be necessary for the Veterans Adminis- tration to increase the size of many of its fac- ilities, and, perhaps, acquire new facilities. With his usual foresightedness, Brigadier-Gen- eral Frank T. Hines, Administrator of Veter- ans Affairs, has arranged with the Army that, insofar as practical and possible, the construc-
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State of Indiana Veteran's Benefits
59-1001 (13684). Pension papers - No fees charged. - All clerks of circuit courts, county auditors and county recorders shall administer oaths, affix jurats and attestations and the seal of their respective office to any and all instruments in writing necessary for the procurement or drawing of any pension, bounty, back pay or prize money, for any and all soldiers, seamen, their widows or or- phans, free of charge. (Acts 1897, ch. 12, Sec. 1, p. 12.)
59-1002 (13685). Discharge papers of soldiers and sailors - Permanent record. - For the purpose of providing a special and permanent record for recording discharges from the army or navy or any other branch of the naval, military or other service of the United States, of soldiers, sailors, marines or members of any other branch of the service, and residents of the state of Indiana, who have served in any capacity in any of the wars in which the United States has been engaged, the recorder of each county, at the expense of the county, is hereby authorized and required to procure, immediately, a sufficiently large and well-bound book of good material, in which he shall record all discharges of such soldiers, sailors, marines or other such persons who served in any capacity in any such war, which are delivered or presented to such recorders for recording. (Acts 1925, ch. 131, Sec. 1, p. 325.)
59-1003 (13686). Discharge papers - Form of record books. - Such book providing for the recording of discharges from the army, navy, or any other branch of the service, shall consist of printed forms in blank, similar to and in conformity with the wording of the forms of discharge used by the United States government, the size of type being reduced to permit the printing of the form of the dis- charge on one (1) page of said record, and
each book shall be provided with an alpha- betical index. (Acts 1925, ch. 131, Sec. 2, P.
59-1004 (13687). Discharge papers - Duties of recorders - No fees permitted. - It shall be and is hereby made the duty of the recorders of the several counties of the state of Indiana, and as a part of their official du- ties, to record all discharges from service in any war in which the United States has been engaged, of soldiers, sailors, marines or mem- bers of any other branch of the service, with- out charge, and no fee shall be assessed or col- lected by the counties or recorders thereof for such recording. (Acts 1925, ch. 131, Sec. 3, p. 325.)
59-1005 (13688). Withholding and de- stroying papers. - It shall be unlawful for any person or persons who has or have the possession or control of, or who may hereafter become possessed of, the commission or dis- charge papers of any officer, soldier, sailor or marine of the United States army or navy, to withhold the same from the party named in such commission or discharge when such officer, soldier, sailor or marine shall demand possession thereof. It shall also be unlawful for any person or persons having possession of any commission or discharge as aforesaid to wil- fully destroy (deface), mutilate or destroy or make away with such commission or dis- charge, to the prejudice of the owner thereof, or to deliver the same to any other person other than the party named therein without the written request of such officer, soldier, sailor or marine: Provided, That in case of death of the party named in such commission or discharge when the possession may be as aforesaid, the party or parties having posses- sion shall deliver up the same on a written re- quest of the widow or legal representatives of such soldier, sailor, officer or marine. (Acts 1889, ch 237, Sec. 1, p. 444.)
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59-1006 (13689. Withholding and de- stroying papers - Penalty. - Any person or persons who shall violate the provisions of the preceding section, or refuse to comply with the requirements thereof, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction thereof, shall be fined not exceeding five hun- dred dollars ($500) and imprisoned not ex- ceeding three (3) months, or both or either, at the discretion of the court or jury trying the cause. (Acts 1889, ch. 237, Sec. 2, p. 444.)
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