ARMSTRONG LEGION
Branch 35
Veteran's Services
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Veteran's Benefits
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Veterans, current and former Members of the Canadian Forces (regular or reserve), Merchant Navy veterans, current and former members of the RCMP and their dependents may qualify for benefits.
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You need not be a member of the Legion. If you do not apply, you may not know if you qualify. You, a family member or a friend may not be receiving all the entitled benefits.
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The Legion is here to assist you by completing claims through any agency of Veterans Affairs Canada. Please speak to one of our Service Officers.
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You may qualify for:
1) Disability Pension
Disabilities incurred during Active Force Service (wartime), during duty in a Special Duty Area (UN), or directly related to peacetime service may be pensionable through Veterans Affairs Canada. Legion Service officers can help you complete pension applications. They can also assist you with appeals to obtain entitlement to a pension or pension increases. Widows of former members may also apply.
2) War Veterans Allowance (WVA)
Qualifications -age 60 male; 55 female;
service in a theatre of war, or in receipt of a wartime disability pension; income from all sources with certain exemptions must be at or below the permissible level, with residency in Canada prior to enlistment. Widows may also apply.
3) Veterans Independence Program (VIP)
Qualified persons may receive services from Veterans Affairs Canada to enable them to continue to reside in their own homes or apartments by assisting with cost of housekeeping and grounds keeping. The program may also help with costs of long term care or adult daycare charges.
Qualifications
Veterans 65 years of age or older, with particular health needs, who would receive WVA except for the receipt of OAS income, veterans 65 years of age or older with one year of wartime service in Canada who qualify because of their income, pensioners with needs related directly to their pensioned disabilities and 'frail' pensioners who require assistance for non-pensioned condition(s).
4) Treatment Programs
Veterans in receipt of WVA and VIP are generally eligible to receive treatment benefits such as medical, dental, prescription drugs, eyeglasses, hearing aids, prosthetic devices, etc. Disability pensioners may receive treatment for their specific pensioned condition(s). Disability pensioners (with the exception of Regular Force Pensioners who are receiving VIP for a non-SDA disability) in receipt of the VIP program receive full treatment benefits. Provincial Service Officers can also help you to review your entitlement to Attendance Allowance and other special benefits and to obtain required treatment needs or aids.
5) Take Notice
You may have previously applied without success. Your pensioned condition may have worsened over the years. The Legion can assist you with appeals or pension assessment increases. Widows and widowers may also apply and can now apply for an increase to any rate of pension (below the maximum) in pay at the time of their spouse's death.
6) Financial Assistance
Benevolent Funds are available to assist qualified veterans, ex -servicemen and their spouses and dependents with emergency financial needs that are related to the costs associated with food, shelter, and medical care, such as hearing aides, eyeglasses and dental care. Application can also be made on behalf of Imperial Veterans/ Ex-servicemen from sources in U.K., The Soldier's Aid Commission (Ontario), Legion Poppy Funds (Provincial and Branch). Educational assistance may also be offered through Legion bursary programs.
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Veteran's Services include but are not limited to the following:
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Disability Pensions (Widows included)
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Treatment Regulations
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Benevolent Funds
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Legion Poppy Funds
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War Veterans Allowance
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Social Assistance
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Burials, including CPC, DVA and Last Post Fund
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Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement
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Canada Pension Plan or Quebec Pension Plan
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Housing
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Veterans Independence Program
The Service Officer is assisted by both Provincial and Dominion Command Service Officers in all matters.
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Veteran License Plates
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Who can apply?
Veteran plates are special license plates available to veterans who served
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during wartime,
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in a post-war capacity, or
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during a NATO or UN operation. (This includes members of the RCMP and municipal police.)
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Served in WWII, Korea, Gulf War, Afghanistan or as a member of the Canadian Armed Forces, an Allied Force, Canadian or Allied Merchant Navy or the Ferry Command and was honourably discharged;
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Served in UN or NATO Operations as a member of the Canadian Forces, a UN or NATO Alliance Force serving with a Canadian Force or the RCMP or Municipal Police and was honourably discharged;
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Serving as a member of the Canadian Forces, regular or reserves with a trade qualification.
More information and an application form can be found on ICBC's website under “Veteran's Plates”.