O'Halleran Caseworkers Keep Veterans in the Forefront
Statement
In January, Military and Veterans Outreach staff in the Office of Congressman Tom O'Halleran (AZ-01) assisted Mr. Justin Smith, a First District Airforce veteran, in applying for and securing 100% Total and Permanent VA Disability Compensation, which includes cost-free access to vital services like dental and supplemental health insurance for the veteran's family.
Last fall, Mr. Smith's wife, Cari, reached out to O'Halleran's office because Justin became badly ill and lost a third of his bodyweight in only a couple of months, battling a serious illness contracted while deployed to northern Africa around 2010. She was alarmed that the VA wasn't taking his health condition seriously and Military and Veterans Outreach staff in O'Halleran's office were concerned as well. They contacted the VA and the AZ Department of Veterans Services on the Smiths' behalf, connecting them with specialty care, walking them through the individual unemployability process, and following up continuously.
When Justin and Cari received notice of his benefit upgrade, their financial stress was resolved, and for the first time, Justin and Cari could focus on his health and building a new life post-military. With combined compensation and individual and family benefits, this single case represents more than $50,000 in annual value returned to this AZ-01 veteran family.
Justin Smith: "I want to thank Tom O'Halleran and his team for giving me the opportunity to get healthy again so I can take care of the most important thing in my life my family. If it wasn't for my wife and Derek fighting so hard for me, I would just be suffering in silence. I'm still in shock I can actually take a step back and get my mental and physical health taken care of without worrying if my family is gonna be put out. Thank you so much for everything."
Cari Smith: "I just want to start off saying how very thankful I am to have had the pleasure of working alongside Derek Duba from Mr. O'Halleran's team during our very stressful and uncertain time in the fall of 2021. My husband was suffering from a lot of service-related medical issues from his 11 year service in the Air Force and I felt so scared and helpless, so I wrote an email to Tom O'Halleran, basically begging for help. I was shocked to actually have a human being from a state office actually get a hold of me regarding that email Not only did Derek help me navigate a difficult and tedious process through the VA, but he did it from the moment he received my email till the day we got our approval letter on the New Year. My family and I are so very thankful that Tom O'Halleran and his team actually cared about our small family in the middle of nowhere AZ. Not only does my husband finally get the care he deserves and so desperately needs, but he can actually heal with his family in peace. We are so grateful for the help and so grateful for our outcome. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!!!! You literally saved our family, and now I can help my husband heal, and we both get to watch our six year old son grow up and thrive without worrying if we can afford to pay for our mortgage and bills. Thank you all for caring about our family."
"In November, a First District veteran's family felt that they had no choice but to watch him suffer while struggling to find a solution to becoming homeless in the spring when their savings were set to run out. This is completely unacceptable," said O'Halleran. "Thanks to the efforts of caseworkers on my staff, Justin and Cari can now afford to focus on getting him to appointments without tremendous financial stress, keep a roof over their head, and provide for their child. I encourage any First District veteran struggling with the system to reach out to my hardworking and knowledgeable staff."
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