If a vetÂerÂan wantÂed to go over a disÂaÂbilÂiÂty claim at lunchÂtime on ThursÂday, it would have to wait unÂtil afÂter yoga class.
A fedÂerÂal govÂernÂment shutÂdown has locked out the general pubÂlic at the BishÂop Henry WhipÂple Federal Building at Fort SnelÂling. Because of the shutÂdown, vetÂerÂans orÂganÂiÂzaÂtions such as the DisÂaÂbled AÂmerÂiÂcan Veterans have had to make do with alÂterÂnaÂtive methods to serve their cliÂents.
For Mike Medhaug, who uÂsuÂalÂly hanÂdles claims for the MinÂneÂsoÂta DAV in the fedÂerÂal buildÂing, that now means a makeÂshift desk in the corÂner of an aÂtriÂum at the nearÂby MinÂneÂapÂolis VA Medical Center, which reÂmains open through the shutÂdown.
With nurses in surÂgiÂcal scrubs going over charts nearÂby and the regÂuÂlarÂly schedÂuled ThursÂday yoga class with DorÂis clearÂing out the room beÂtween 11:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., it may not be iÂdeÂal. But Medhaug perÂseÂveres.
Across the counÂtry, as many as 95 percent of VA emÂployÂees are eithÂer fullÂy fundÂed or reÂquired to perÂform other funcÂtions. But as the shutÂdown stretchÂes past its seÂcond week, some of the more visÂiÂble exÂamÂples of its imÂpact could be seen on the state's 369,000 veterans. In MinÂneÂsoÂta, vetÂerÂans reÂceive $863 milÂlion a year in pensions and comÂpenÂsaÂtion, $865 milÂlion a year in medÂiÂcal care and $133 milÂlion a year in edÂuÂcaÂtionÂal benÂefits.
All of it is now threatÂened.
"They are still takÂing new claims, peoÂple still are getÂting health care, but as you would think, it's not opÂerÂatÂing as efÂfiÂcientÂly as it may have when it was fullÂy staffed," said Milt Schoen, Hennepin County's diÂrecÂtor of vetÂerÂans serÂvices. "The big isÂsue is at the first of the month do they have monÂey to pay SoÂcial Security checks, VA checks? We've been tryÂing not to creÂate any more anxÂiÂeÂty amongst people as posÂsiÂble. The anxÂiÂeÂty is there."
U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki warned Congress this week that if the govÂernÂment shutdown conÂtinues into late OcÂtoÂber, compensation payÂments to more than 3.8 milÂlion vetÂerÂans will not be made in NoÂvemÂber. PenÂsion payÂments will also stop for alÂmost 315,000 low-inÂcome vetÂerÂans.
"I will not be able to pay all these beneÂfiÂciarÂies," ShinÂseki told the House Veterans Affairs Committee on WednesÂday. "I will not be sendÂing checks out."
Public access closed
All pubÂlic acÂcess to the VA's 56 reÂgionÂal ofÂfices was susÂpendÂed TuesÂday for lack of funds, the VA said. The visÂiÂtor parkÂing lot at the WhipÂple Federal Building at midmorning ThursÂday had three cars in it. UÂsuÂalÂly it is filled.
Organizations like the DAV are adÂaptÂing. On a typiÂcal day, Medhaug, himÂself a vetÂerÂan with 20 years' acÂtive duty, will see a dozÂen walk-ins. Since the shutÂdown, he said, that has dwinÂdled to a couÂple a day. As the shutÂdown conÂtinues, DAV will use a moÂbile claims ofÂfice and othÂer reÂsources to reach out, even if it means plopÂping the moÂbile ofÂfice in a parkÂing lot of a coÂopÂerÂatÂing shopÂping mall.
"The longÂer it goes on, the more creÂative we'll beÂcome," Medhaug said.
Tuition and rent money
On MinÂneÂsoÂta colÂlege camÂpuses, vetÂerÂans using the GI Bill and othÂer fedÂerÂal edÂuÂcaÂtion benÂefits are inÂcreasÂingÂly worÂried.
"The govÂernÂment shutÂdown is causÂing a lot of anxÂiÂeÂty and unÂcerÂtainÂty for stuÂdent vetÂerÂans," said Bruce Holzschuh, coÂorÂdiÂnaÂtor of vetÂerÂans and milÂiÂtarÂy stuÂdent serÂvices at Metropolitan State University, which has around 1,600 vetÂerÂans, servÂice memÂbers and ÂmilitarÂy famÂiÂly memÂbers adÂmitÂted. AÂbout 450 are reÂceivÂing eithÂer or both of VA and fedÂerÂal tuÂiÂtion asÂsistÂance edÂuÂcaÂtionÂal benÂefits.
As of now, the tuÂiÂtion asÂsistÂance will not be fundÂed, afÂfectÂing stuÂdents for the spring seÂmesÂter who are still serÂving. Holzschuh said he also is startÂing to hear from vetÂerÂans who have yet to reÂceive an OcÂtoÂber housÂing stiÂpend.
"This has a diÂrect and negÂaÂtive imÂpact on the stuÂdent vetÂerÂan's aÂbilÂiÂty to conÂcenÂtrate and sucÂceed acÂaÂdemÂiÂcalÂly," he said.
For memÂbers of the MinÂneÂsoÂta National Guard, it has meant the canÂcelÂlaÂtion of drills for a seÂcond straight weekÂend. With few exceptions, none of its 14,000 memÂbers will drill aÂgain unÂtil the shutÂdown is reÂsolved. While no one is claimÂing the seÂcuriÂty of the state — or the naÂtion — is at stake, on a typiÂcal month, the MinÂneÂsoÂta Guard pays its memÂbers $5.25 milÂlion. That's monÂey that won't be forthÂcomÂing.
The monthÂly stiÂpends ofÂten mean makÂing ends meet.
"Even at just an E-1's [priÂvate's] pay, that's $150 to$200 a month they are missÂing," one Guard memÂber wrote on a Guard TwitÂter feed anÂnounÂcing the latÂest drill canÂcelÂlaÂtion. "NoÂvemÂber's rent for my fiancé and I will be hard to come up with."
Mark BrunsÂwick • 612-673-4434