Phil Ammann
Daniel Webster is making significant headway in the effort to repay debts owed to Florida veterans.
In a statement Thursday, the Clermont Republican congressman announced that since January, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded more than $1 million to Florida veterans in compensation, pension or retroactive payments.
Webster represents Florida’s 11th Congressional District, which covers a region northwest of Tampa from Spring Hill to Ocala.
“We owe our military a debt we can never repay,” Webster said. “Yet, sometimes our veterans’ attempts to receive the benefits or compensation they have earned are met with delays. Working with veterans whose claims have gone beyond the expected time frame for processing is taken seriously at my office.”
Webster’s staff, working with liaisons and County Veteran Service offices, helps offer necessary or missing paperwork to the VA for veterans in CD 11.
According to the Department of Defense, programs for enlisted personnel to recover back pay include Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) and Concurrent Retirement Disability Pay (CRDP), which allow eligible military retirees to receive monthly as well as retired pay. CRSC is non-taxable, and retirees must apply to their Branch of Service to receive it. CRDP is a restoration of retired pay for retirees with service-connected disabilities. Taxed like retired pay, it is normally considered taxable income. The purpose of these programs is to recover some (or all) retired pay that some military retirees waive when they opt for VA disability compensation.
Local veterans needing help with a federal agency issue can contact Webster’s district office at (352) 241-9220.
