On this Veterans Day, we salute those who have given a part of their lives to protect us all.
Unfortunately in the process of doing that, many veterans do not come home the way they left. Physical injuries can plague people for years, and no less significant are the psychological trams people suffer as a result of war and its atrocities. There has been a significant improvement since the Vietnam era in the way veterans are welcomed home, on many levels. One of this is the way Social Security treats veterans. In the last few years, Veterans have been eligible for expedited processing of disability claims from Social Security. Benefits available through Social Security are different from those from the Department of Veterans Affairs and require a separate application.
The expedited process for Social Security is used for military service members who become disabled while on active military service on or after October 1, 2001, regardless of where the disability occurs. Also important to remember is that members of the military may be eligible for BOTH Social Security Disability and VA benefits. Anyone with a work record outside the military is also covered by Social Security for that work and this included coverage for disabilities.