Help me get my rifle back!

[TheMan419]

If a vet signed up for VA health benefits before a certain date, about fifteen years ago, the vet qualified regardless of income.

Now there is a "means test". Unless the vet has about zero assets, no VA health benefits, despite service.

If your assets are about zero, and honorably discharged, the VA will take you in.

I dont know about that. My father was discharged in 71. He never took any kind of VA benefit. He has WAY more than zero assets. Recently some medication he needs to take regularly was VERY expensive. Dr. told him to go to VA and get it. He gets is for like $4/mo.

 

[JRobyn]

^^^This. Time to move on.

My Father loaned his Marlin 55 shotgun to a family member back in the late '70s, under the promise it would be returned if I wanted it when I was older. I started trying to get that gun back in 1984. I still don't have it. After about a decade, I simply gave up. It was clear he was never going to give it up, and it being an old gun with no serial number and no documentation to fall back on, I had no recourse. Two years ago, I wandered into my LGS and found an identical one for $150. I took it home with me. No, it's not my Father's shotgun, but it still serves as the same reminder.

It's a shame you lost your rifle, and I understand your attachment to it. However, after 50 years ... it may be time to let go.

Good advice. My dad brought back a German SS dress dagger. I always assumed it would be willed to me. At some point, not realizing its value, he sold it for like $50. After he died, I found a very similar one. Way NOT anything like $50!! No, not his, but it mostly satisfies.

 

[zmountaineer]

If a vet signed up for VA health benefits before a certain date, about fifteen years ago, the vet qualified regardless of income.

Now there is a "means test". Unless the vet has about zero assets, no VA health benefits, despite service.

If your assets are about zero, and honorably discharged, the VA will take you in.

I'm not going to say I work for VHA bc in doing so would mean that I speak for VHA and VHA has strict rules in using positions and speaking in public forums. So, I know someone who works there and every honorably discharged veteran has benefits through VHA. Must present a dd214. The "means test" is for determining co-pay amount. If you have a service connected condition it reduces it. The VA is just like health insurance only you can only go to a VA facility to receive care (and that really is not a hard line, emergency care can be delivered anywhere and it gets billed as if you went to the VA if it is a true emergency) Anyone would be surprised as to what qualifies as a service connected condition. Have him get a C&P exam at his local VA and they will enroll him and determine service connection.