“Veterans Benefits for You” by Paul R. Lawrence (Humanix Books, 2023), a former undersecretary for benefits at the Department of Veterans Affairs under the Trump administration, is a fantastic resource for the nation’s 16.5 million veterans, 1.4 million active military service members, and their families.
 

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“The three most important benefits are disability compensation, the GI Bill that provides free college and education for those who have served honorably, and a home loan guarantee,” says Lawrence, whose book is thorough, easy to understand, and includes many additional resources.

“Many people have heard about disability benefits,” Lawrence says. “Some are somewhat familiar with the GI Bill — which has been expanded to be used forever and to include an additional year of education if you concentrate on science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM).

“But most folks don’t know about the home loan guarantee, which makes home ownership a possibility for military members at smaller interest rates and no down payment,” he adds.

VA Benefits Made Easy to Understand. Learn More Here.

In all, the VA offers 10 major benefits for veterans, but these three, the most significant, are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to veterans, says Lawrence, a former executive at IBM and MITRE Corp. and a consulting partner at two Big Four accounting firms.

“All of these benefits are designed to honor and to accelerate veterans, financially, ahead of their civilian counterparts,” he says.

Also of particular note in “Veterans Benefits for You” is a discussion of the nation’s five Veteran Readiness and Employment programs, housing assistance, and pensions — designed to enhance the life of a veteran and their families, as well as to avoid homelessness.

“One thing that can keep these resources from veterans and prevent them from getting help is the process can be complicated,” Lawrence explains. “Each state has American Legions and Wounded Warrior Project resources where a veteran can find compatriots who have done this before and who can help them.”

Are you getting all the military benefits you earned? Find out here . . .

In a recent Newsmax TV appearance on “Carl Higbie FRONTLINE,” Lawrence said one of the reasons an estimated 67,000 of the nation’s 630,000 homeless are veterans is because the VA does a poor outreach job.

“The VA has lots of money for homeless,” Lawrence said. “The problem simply is mismanagement of the program offering pensions, education, and employment. It’s befuddling as to why this is not happening under the current administration.”

Another reason why veterans are not able to readily find out about the many benefits to them, Lawrence says, is because the VA website was written by lawyers.

That, and having held hundreds of town hall videoconferences for veterans during his oversight of the VA during the COVID-19 years, is what inspired Lawrence to write “Veterans Benefits for You.”

Other benefits vital for vets and their families covered in the book:

• Loans and insurance
• Military records
• Survivor benefits
• Student loan debt forgiveness
• Appealing decisions
• Dependency compensation
• On-the-job training
• Flight training

“All of this assistance can be crucial for veterans, their families, and survivors, which is why it is really important that veterans explain to their family what benefits they’re accessing and what their family — spouse, kids, other family members — are entitled to and could earn,” Lawrence says.

“When I did all of the town halls in 2020, I heard all of these questions from veterans asking how to access these benefits,” he explains. “That motivated me to present the information in an accessible format, and part of that motivation was to pay back for what I have been given and complete that part of my journey.”

You Served, Get the Military Benefits You Deserve. More Here.

Lawrence served in the U.S. Army attaining the rank of Captain. He graduated from the Army’s Airborne School and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. He earned a master of arts and Ph.D. in economics from Virginia Tech and a bachelor of arts in economics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Higbie, a U.S. Navy SEAL veteran, endorses the book, saying, “Too many veterans do not know they are entitled to the programs and benefits that can set them up for success. This is a must-read for anyone seeking to leverage the benefits they have earned.”