Teh One Who Knocks
02-17-2015, 11:50 AM
Lance Hernandez - 7 News Denver
http://i.imgur.com/2J3oYpu.jpg
BROOMFIELD, Colo. - Jeremy McVay says he couldn't believe it when the VA in Montgomery Alabama sent him an email suggesting he reach out to homeless shelters in Colorado.
The disabled veteran, who was stationed at Langley Air Force Base during 9/11 as a ground equipment technician, moved to Broomfield in late January after his case worker signed off on a vocational education rehabilitation plan.
He started a gunsmith class last Monday at the Colorado School of Trades in Lakewood.
Shortly afterwards, the VA notified him that his plan had been cancelled.
He said they told him that because his educational plan involved guns, the caseworker’s supervisor needed to sign off on it, but no one told him that before he moved to Colorado and started taking his class.
Now, he wonders who’s going to pay for the tuition, supplies and tools that were required for the class. And those aren’t the only bills he’s worried about.
“Once they cancelled my educational plan, I was no longer eligible for a housing allowance,” he said.
The disabled vet says the apartment situation is so tight in Metro Denver that he’s had to fork out money for a hotel.
Now, he’s nearly out of cash.
“My family and friends have sent money so we can stay here a few more nights,” he told 7NEWS.
When he called the VA in Alabama, he received an email in reply with a list of seven homeless shelters.
“I was disgusted really,” he said. “There are so many homeless veterans and it just seemed like they wanted to add one more to the roll.”
When asked if the caseworker’s supervisor will sign off on the plan, McVay replied, “It’s not that easy.”
He says the VA is cancelling the entire plan and is starting from scratch. He said he has no idea if he’ll be allowed to take the gunsmith course, or if they’ll choose something else for him.
When asked what it’s like being in limbo, McVay said, “It’s not fun. It’s time for them to stand up and take care of their obligations to us. It just seems like they want to shovel you around and give you to somebody else. You’re a bother to take care of.”
The VA office in Montgomery Alabama was closed on President’s Day.
When 7NEWS contacted the VA in Denver, a spokeswoman said they can’t talk about a specific veteran’s case unless he gives them written permission.
She did say they’ll try to find out which office is handling McVay’s benefits. She didn’t know if it was an office in Alabama or, because it involved educational benefits, perhaps the office in St. Louis.
“Anything that we can do to help disabled vets,” she said, “that’s our goal.”
McVay told 7NEWS that he’s contacted Sen. Richard Shelby’s office in Washington D.C. to see if they can get some answers.
“The VA has really dropped the ball on a lot of things,” he said.
http://i.imgur.com/2J3oYpu.jpg
BROOMFIELD, Colo. - Jeremy McVay says he couldn't believe it when the VA in Montgomery Alabama sent him an email suggesting he reach out to homeless shelters in Colorado.
The disabled veteran, who was stationed at Langley Air Force Base during 9/11 as a ground equipment technician, moved to Broomfield in late January after his case worker signed off on a vocational education rehabilitation plan.
He started a gunsmith class last Monday at the Colorado School of Trades in Lakewood.
Shortly afterwards, the VA notified him that his plan had been cancelled.
He said they told him that because his educational plan involved guns, the caseworker’s supervisor needed to sign off on it, but no one told him that before he moved to Colorado and started taking his class.
Now, he wonders who’s going to pay for the tuition, supplies and tools that were required for the class. And those aren’t the only bills he’s worried about.
“Once they cancelled my educational plan, I was no longer eligible for a housing allowance,” he said.
The disabled vet says the apartment situation is so tight in Metro Denver that he’s had to fork out money for a hotel.
Now, he’s nearly out of cash.
“My family and friends have sent money so we can stay here a few more nights,” he told 7NEWS.
When he called the VA in Alabama, he received an email in reply with a list of seven homeless shelters.
“I was disgusted really,” he said. “There are so many homeless veterans and it just seemed like they wanted to add one more to the roll.”
When asked if the caseworker’s supervisor will sign off on the plan, McVay replied, “It’s not that easy.”
He says the VA is cancelling the entire plan and is starting from scratch. He said he has no idea if he’ll be allowed to take the gunsmith course, or if they’ll choose something else for him.
When asked what it’s like being in limbo, McVay said, “It’s not fun. It’s time for them to stand up and take care of their obligations to us. It just seems like they want to shovel you around and give you to somebody else. You’re a bother to take care of.”
The VA office in Montgomery Alabama was closed on President’s Day.
When 7NEWS contacted the VA in Denver, a spokeswoman said they can’t talk about a specific veteran’s case unless he gives them written permission.
She did say they’ll try to find out which office is handling McVay’s benefits. She didn’t know if it was an office in Alabama or, because it involved educational benefits, perhaps the office in St. Louis.
“Anything that we can do to help disabled vets,” she said, “that’s our goal.”
McVay told 7NEWS that he’s contacted Sen. Richard Shelby’s office in Washington D.C. to see if they can get some answers.
“The VA has really dropped the ball on a lot of things,” he said.