RI Veterans: Did you know? 09.11.23 (Veterans Day, resources, special discounts) – John A. Cianci

by John A. Cianci, contributing writer

Happy pre-Veterans Day to all Rhode Island veterans and their families – we honor you!

Please read our event list to see how to celebrate in your community.

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VA Help to Avoid Foreclosure

Sadly, in the last two weeks Veterans struggling financially have reached out seeking guidance on available help from the VA with mortgage issues. Both people who contacted us had fallen behind on their mortgage payments. The mortgage servicer (the company that handles collecting the money for your lender) can take a house to cover the money owed. This process is called foreclosure.

VETTIP: Free assistance to avoid foreclosures is available to all veterans, regardless of where the veteran obtained the mortgage from.

One veteran had just received an eviction  summons from the Secretary of Veterans Affair, an Officer of the United States as the plaintiff.  First thought, this was a scam. However, after researching, I discovered it was not a scam. In fact, the veteran’s house had already been foreclosed in July. Moreover, ownership at town records listed the VA as the owner of the property.

Sadly, the call to VA, 877-827-3702, resulted in limited help since foreclosure had already been completed, UNLESS, the VA did not follow judicial court proceedings.  In this case, the veteran was advised to seek legal assistance from Operation Stand Down Rhode Island, (401) 383-4730.

In the second veteran’s situation, the foreclosure proceeding had just started, and the VA would be assisting the veteran to resolve the outstanding months. 

If you are a veteran struggling to make monthly mortgage payments, you should immediately contact the VA at 877-827-3702 for FREE assistance to help avoid any potential foreclosure.

More information from VA website:

What can the VA do for you?

The VA will assist coordinating with your mortgage holder for a solution. Firsthand I witnessed a veteran 5 month behind and a foreclosure process already in the court system. Within 3-5 days after calling the VA for assistance, foreclosure processing was canceled.

All outstanding months were added to the end of the mortgage. Simply put, the veteran had a lifeline to start paying his mortgage on time, without any back payment , interest, or penalties added.

Can I get VA financial counseling to help avoid foreclosure?

If you’re a Veteran or the surviving spouse of a Veteran, we’ll provide financial counseling—even if your loan isn’t a VA direct or VA-backed loan.

If you have a VA direct or VA-backed loan, you can contact us anytime to request that we assign a VA loan technician to your loan. Our technicians can offer you financial counseling and help you deal with your servicer (or work with you directly in the case of a VA direct loan).

If you have a VA direct or VA-backed loan and it’s 61 days past due, we’ll automatically assign a VA loan technician to your loan.

What should I do if I’m having trouble paying my mortgage?

If you’re having difficulty making your mortgage payment, contact your loan servicer right away. This is your chance to find a solution that might work for your scenario. If you’re nervous about contacting your servicer, or if you’d like our help and advice, please contact a VA loan technician at 877-827-3702. You can also send us a message online through our home loan guaranty support portal.

There are 6 general ways you can try to avoid a foreclosure. Our VA loan technicians can help you figure out which option is best for you. Contact a VA loan technician at 877-827-3702.

These are your options for trying to avoid foreclosure:

1.         Repayment plan: If you’ve missed a few mortgage payments, this plan lets you go back to making your regular payments, with an added amount each month to cover the ones you’ve missed.

2.         Special forbearance: This plan gives you some extra time to repay the missed mortgage payments.

3.         Loan modification: Sometimes you need a fresh start. This plan lets you add the missed mortgage payments and any related legal costs to your total loan balance. You and your servicer then come up with a new mortgage payment schedule.

4.         Extra time to arrange a private sale: If you need to sell your home, this plan lets you delay a foreclosure so you have time to sell.

5.         Short sale: If you owe more money than your house is worth, your servicer might agree to a short sale. This means the servicer will accept the total proceeds from the home sale (even if it’s less than the full amount you owe on the mortgage) as full payment of the debt you owe. Note: This option could result in a loss or reduction in your future home loan benefit. Contact a VA loan technician at 877-827-3702 for more details.

6.         Deed in lieu of foreclosure: This plan lets you avoid the foreclosure process by signing over the deed to the home to your servicer. The home will then belong to the servicer. Note: This option could result in a loss or reduction in your future home loan benefit. Contact a VA loan technician at 877-827-3702 for more details

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Local FREE and or Discounted Items/Programs in November

MEDICAL

FREE Day of Dentistry, November 11, 2024, Warren Dental, 634 Main Street, Warren RI (401) 245-5825. Must call for appointment. Unless your 100% VA combined rating, and or have a service-connected disability that covers basic and maintenance of your teeth, majority of veterans DO NOT have dental thru the VA. Moreover, many of the veterans who don’t have dental can not afford dental coverage not only for themselves, but their family.

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MEDICAL SERVICE – EEGs

November 6 through November 17, Brainwaves Neuro Restoration Center , 400 Bald Hill Road, Warwick RI is offering complementary EEG to Veterans and Active Duty military personnel.

Why would a veteran want a EEG?

Many veteran are diagnosed with PTSD, TBI ( Traumatic Brain Injury( TBI), anxiety, and major depression. An EEG might assist the veteran in identifying misdiagnosis and provide additional option for treatment using EEG that might currently not be available at the VA.  More information from government studies on EEG:

According to a VA study in 2016, EEG can help tell apart PTSD & Mild Traumatic Brain Injury( TBI). The two disorders often carry similar symptoms, such as irritability, restlessness, hypersensitivity to stimulation, memory loss, fatigue and dizziness. Scientists have tried to distinguish between mTBI and PTSD in hopes of improving treatment options for Veterans, but many symptom-based studies have been inconclusive because the chronic effects of the two conditions are so similar. If someone is rating high on an mTBI scale, for example, that person may also rate high for PTSD symptoms.

The researchers used electroencephalogram, or EEG, a test that measures electrical activity in the brain. The size and direction of the brain waves can signal abnormalities.

Analyzing a large set of EEGs given to military personnel from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the researchers saw patterns of activity at different locations on the scalp for mTBI and PTSD. They saw brain waves moving slowly in opposite directions, likely coming from separate places in the brain.

The researchers emphasize that these effects don’t pinpoint a region in the brain where the disorders differ. Rather, they show a pattern that distinguishes the disorders when the EEG results are averaged among a large group. “When you’re looking at an EEG, you can’t easily tell where in the brain signals associated with TBI and PTSD are coming from,” said Laura Manning Franke, Ph.D., the study’s lead researcher and research psychologist at the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia. “You get kind of a coarse measure – left, right, anterior, posterior. We had a different distribution, which suggests that different parts of the brain are involved. In order to determine what patterns are tracking their TBI and PTSD, you need an average to do that,” Franke added.

The study linked mTBI with increases in low-frequency waves, especially in the prefrontal and right temporal regions of the brain, and PTSD with decreases in low-frequency waves, notably in the right temporoparietal region. The differences in the levels of the waves may explain some of the symptoms of the two disorders, suggesting a decline in responsiveness for someone with mTBI, for example, and more anxiety for someone with PTSD.

Franke also noted that more low-frequency power has also been linked to cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and less low-frequency power to problems such as drug addiction. Additionally, spotting distinct patterns of mTBI and PTSD in separate parts of the brain is key for two reasons: the possibility these conditions can be confused with each other is reduced. That can help improve diagnosis and treatment and the patterns show that electrical activity appears to be affected long after combat-related mTBI, suggesting long-term changes in neural communication, the signaling between cells in the nervous system. “That could help, in part, explain the reason for persistent problems.”

Additionally, a study by NIH, National Library of Medicine, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31697371/  found that veterans with chronic pain, TBI, and PTSD were able to use neurofeedback with mobile devices independently after modest training and support. While a double-blind randomized controlled trial is needed for confirmation, the results show promise of a portable, technology-based neuromodulatory approach for pain management with minimal side effects.

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EVENTS

November 9, 2023, 10am to noon – Veterans Day Celebration, Providence VA Medical Center 830 Chalkstone Avenue. Program features colonial militia, and military vehicle collectors. There will be a guest speaker, a 101 year old Iwo Jima WWII Veteran.

November 10  2023 , 12 p.m to 5 p. m. Aura of RI, Veterans Day Cannabis Celebration , 1136 Lonsdale Ave, Central Fall, FREE food for all and FREE Prerolls for Veterans. All proceeds to benefit Italian American War Veterans of US recreational fund. 

November 11, 2023  9 a.m to 5 p.m FREE Haircuts for veterans at Amy’s Barbershop , 1086 Willett Ave Riverside RI

November 10 -13 at Mill’s Tavern & Red Stripe: 

Mill’s Tavern, 101 North Main St., Providence, is offering a 25% discount on all food and non-alcoholic beverages from Friday, Nov. 10, through Monday, Nov. 13. The offer is valid for veterans and active duty military service personnel and their guests.

Red Stripe 465 Angell St., Providence. offering a 25% discount on all food and non-alcoholic beverages from Friday, Nov. 10, through Monday, Nov. 13. The offer is valid for veterans and active duty military service personnel and their guests.

November 10-12 – Boots on the Ground (moved from Newport to Gillette Stadium) – info here:

November 10, 2023, 10-11am – URI to honor veterans: Robert J. Higgins Welcome Center, Hope Room. Free event hosted by the URI Center for Military and Veteran Education in conjunction with the Student Veterans Organization. This year’s annual ceremony will take place in the Hope Room of the visitor’s center, and will feature veterans and active military members who are part of the URI community – more than 300 members of the faculty and staff at URI are affiliated with at least one branch of the military, and nearly 200 children of veterans are URI students. Lieutenant Colonel Cornelius (Tad) O. Granai IV, battalion commander of the URI Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), will deliver the keynote address. The brief speaking program will be followed by refreshments. Parking for members of the surrounding community is available in the lot directly behind the welcome center, 45 Upper College Road, Kingston. The Student Veterans Organization will be collecting non-perishable food items on behalf of Operation Stand Down Rhode Island for anyone wishing to donate.

November 11, 2023 – Cranston Salutes Veterans with its annual Parade. A full contingent from Cranston East, from cheerleaders to the football team – speakers – Mayor Hopkins, Sen. Jack Reed, and others. We will post a separate story on this tomorrow – come back tomorrow for a link! Or contact [email protected].

November 11, 2023 – Free Golf Tournament for Veterans, Glocester Country Club and the Marine Corps League are hosting a Veterans Day Golf Tournament, 121 Wentworth Ave, Chepachet. The event is open to all veterans and active duty military, who will receive a free entry to the tournament, breakfast, dinner, and drinks. To sign up, or for more information, call Vin Lafazia, 401-233-2564.

November 11, 2023 – Veterans Day Breakfast, On Veterans Day, Bishop Hendricken and Iggy’s Boardwalk will once again host their annual Veterans Day Breakfast to honor those who have served. All veterans, retired, and active-duty military and their families will eat for free and may choose between two serving times at Iggy’s Boardwalk in Warwick on Saturday, November 11, 2023: 8:30am or 9:30am. All veterans are invited to attend and should RSVP to Gina Dooley at 401.921.8236 or [email protected] or Daniel Friel at 401.889.5396 / [email protected] by Thursday, November 9, 2023.

November 11, 2023 – Westerly-Pawcatuck Veterans Day Parade. Dan Lapointe is the Westerly Pawcatuck Veterans Board of Control chairman. Contact Dan at either 401-596-0837 or 401-07-9061.

November 11, 2023 – FREE Ferry Service to Martha’s Vineyard/Nantucket from Steamship Authority

November 10-12, FREE admission to all veterans and active-duty military members at Six Flag New England – How To Claim Your Six Flags Military & First Responders Discount

*Discounts are not available at the front gate. All offers must be redeemed online.

Who’s eligible for military discounts?

Military discounts are typically offered by businesses and organizations as a way to show appreciation for the service and sacrifice of military members and their families. The eligibility criteria for military discounts can vary depending on the business or organization offering the discount, but here are some general guidelines:

·       Active-duty military personnel: This typically includes members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard who are currently serving on active duty.

·       Reserve and National Guard members: Military members who serve in the Reserve or National Guard may also be eligible for military discounts.

·       Veterans: Veterans are individuals who have previously served in the military and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.

·       Retirees: Military retirees are individuals who served in the military for a certain number of years and are now receiving retirement benefits.

·       Military spouses and dependents: Many businesses and organizations extend military discounts to the spouses and dependents of military members as well.

ld assist the veteran with his or her claim with the VA for disability compensation. 

More Events in November

November 18, 2023 – Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame dinner for 2023 honorees who will be recognized. Open to the public. Venue is the Scottish Rite Center on Broad Street in Cranston (at the entrance to Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet.) Reception begins at 5:30PM, followed by dinner and the awards starting at 6:30. Tickets cost $65 each and can be purchased at http://www.riahof.org

November 20, Monday – VFW Post, 134 Shove Street, Tiverton, RI -FREE luncheon for Veterans from 11:30 to 1:00 p.m. Sponsored by the Italian American War veterans of the US and Building Bridges

November 23, 2023 (Thanksgiving) – Free Thanksgiving Dinner for veterans and guest, or veteran. Spouse, and dependents, Perella’s Ristorante, 311 Metacom Ave, Warren RI. FREE Thanksgiving Dinner for Veterans at Perella’s Ristorante sponsored by Italian American War Veterans of the US /Department of Rhode Island. can start making reservations by email [email protected] or phone (401) 677-9838 ( DO NOT CALL PERELLA’s). Space availability will allow nonveterans to make reservations. Raffles, donations, and silenet auction will benefit ITAM Recreational and Transportation Fund. MORE INFO TO FOLLOW. Transportation for Veterans from Veterans Home is AVAILABLE by ITAM. Donations are welcomed, make check made out to ITAM ( note Thanksgiving in the remarks): mail to ITAM , 18 Winchester Ave, North Smithfield RI 02896.Volunteers are welcomes, contact ITAM , (401) 677-9838.

December 2, 2023 (Saturday) – Comedy Show and Italian Buffet Dinner ( Veal/Chicken Parmigiana /pasta/salad, dessert. Dinner fundraiser for ITAM Rhode Island Veterans Relief and Recreational Fund, VFW, Shove Street, Tiverton RI. Tickets $40, doors open at 6 p.m. Tables of 8 available for $200 to groups. For tickets contact the Italian American War Veterans of US,  (401) 677-9838.

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Waterfire honored Veterans this past Saturday – our story is here:

Veterans Honored at Waterfire’s Salute to Veterans – Ann Clanton

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HUNTING & FISHING

Free Rhode Island Hunting and Fishing Licenses for 100% Disabled Veterans: A Veteran who has a 100% disability rating from the VA is eligible for free Rhode Island hunting and fishing licenses.

No cost licenses are available if you are:  over 65 AND a Rhode Island resident – a veteran with 100% disability status from the Department of Veterans Affairs – a person with 100% total disability status from the Social Security Administration

To apply in person at DEM, please bring a photo ID and an ORIGINAL DOCUMENT OF THE FINAL DECISION(S). Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. (directions)

To apply by mail, please complete an application and mail the application and a copy of your photo ID and the ORIGINAL DOCUMENT OF THE FINAL DECISION(S). Please allow two weeks for processing.

The address to obtain your license in person or by mail is:
DEM Licensing Office – 235 Promenade Street, Room 360 – Providence, RI 02908 – (401) 222-3576

To purchase online, you will be required to certify that you have an ORIGINAL DOCUMENT OF THE FINAL DECISION(S). You will also be required to enter the date the decision expires. The Department will audit compliance with the certification and may, at any time, request a copy of the current DOCUMENT OF THE FINAL DECISION(S). Failure to submit the documentation by the date requested may result in the suspension of your fishing and hunting license. Also, Rhode Island General Law 11-18-1 prohibits giving false documents to an agent, employee, or public official. The penalty is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 or imprisonment up to one year.

Rhode Island Hunting and Fishing Benefits for Service Members and Veterans: Rhode Island offers several hunting and fishing benefits to Service members and Veterans. A short description of each is listed below. Applicants are required to show documentation proving eligibility when they apply:

· Active-Duty Service members – Military ID

· Veterans – DD214

· Disabled Veterans – VA Disability Certification Letter, contact your VA office

Applicants can apply online at Rhode Island Outdoors, in person at the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Office of Boating Registration and Licenses in Providence (Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.), at an Authorized In-Person Sales Agent, or they can mail applications to:

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management – 235 Promenade Street, Room 360 – Providence, RI 02908 – 401-222-3576

Learn more about FREE Rhode Island Hunting , Fishing, State Parks, and Golf  Benefits for Service Members and Veterans

https://dem.ri.gov/about-us/dem-offices/boating-registration-licenses/rhode-island-outdoors#:~:text=If%20you%20qualify%20for%20a,that%20issued%20the%20disability%20decision.

Free Rhode Island State Park Passes for 100% Disabled Veterans: Rhode Island offers the State Park Disability Pass for use at any state-owned recreational facility to disabled Veterans who have a 100% service-connected disability rating from the VA.

The State Park Disability Pass authorizes free admission and parking but does not exempt the following:

· Licensing fees

· Camping fees

· Picnic table fees

· Specialized facility use fees

· Use of equestrian areas

· Performing art centers

· Game fields fees

· Mule shed fees

If the disabled Veteran cannot drive, the vehicle transporting the Veteran will not be charged.

Veterans must apply in person at the Rhode Island State Parks and Recreation Headquarters and are required to show official documentation (dated within the past year) from the VA that states they have a 100% service-connected disability.

Rhode Island State Parks and Recreation Headquarters – 1100 Tower Hill Road – North Kingstown, RI -02852 – 401-667-6200 – Email: [email protected]

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Resources & ongoing groups 

Below are all the groups the Providence Vet Center is currently offering.  As this list changes, I will provide updates. Please send me any questions that you may have, thank you for your time! 

***All Vet Center Groups require that the Veteran be enrolled with the Vet Center prior to attending. To check eligibility or for questions, please contact the Vet Center at (401) 739-0167 or reach out to our Veteran Outreach Program Specialist (VOPS) via email at [email protected]*** 

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Group (PTSD) – 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. (Group is only active September through May) 

Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) and Vietnam Veterans PTSD Group – 2nd and 4th  Wednesday of the month from 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. 

Vietnam Veteran PTSD Group – 1st and 3rd Monday of the month from 10:30 – 12:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. 

Art Expression Group – Every Thursday from 9:00 – 12:00 p.m. 

Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)/Operation New Dawn (OND) Group – Every Wednesday from 11:00 – 12:00 p.m. 

Stress Management – Every Thursday from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. 

Low Impact Walking Group – Every Tuesday from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. 

Guitar 4 Veterans – Every Wednesday from 7:00-8:30 p.m. 

Monday Mindfulness Group – Every Monday from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. 

Yoga Group – Every Friday from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. 

Moral Injury Group – Every Friday from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. 

Modern Warrior Support Group – 1st and 3rd Monday of the month from 2:30 – 4:00 pm. 

Services 

No Problem Plumbing and Heating LLC:  15% military discount, ask for Ron Gaynor, (401) 568-6666. Veterans must provide proof of eligibility with a VA Card, VA ID Card, or RI State license with veteran identification. 

Restaurants 

Applebee’s – Military Discount. With more than 2,000 locations, Applebee’s is a family grill restaurant. Applebee’s gives 10% off for active duty and veteran. Last verified 07/31/2022. 

Denny’s – Hartford Ave, Johnston offers 10% discount for veterans and active duty. Denny’s is a table service diner-style restaurant chain. Last verified 07/31/2022. 

Outback Steakhouse – 10% Discount to active and veterans. Last verified 07/28/2021 

99 Restaurant & Pub – The 99 Restaurant & Pub offers a 10% military discount to members of Veterans Advantage. Available at select locations only. Bring valid military ID 

Retailers 

Advance Auto Parts – 10% for Active Duty, Veterans, and families. Last verified 07/28/2021 

Bass Pro Shops – Offers a 5% discount to active-duty military, reservists, and National Guard. Sign up and verify your status online or bring your military ID when you shop at your nearest Bass Pro store (source). 

BJs Wholesale – Reduced membership fee. BJ’s offers all military personnel over 25% off their Membership. Last verified 07/28/2021 

Lowes – Enroll in the Lowe’s Military Discount Program to activate your 10% discount – “Our way of saying Thank You” to our active duty, retired and military veterans and their spouses with a 10% discount on eligible items. Verification of your military status is fast and easy through our partner,  ID.me. 

ID.me is our trusted technology partner in helping to keep your personal information safe. 

GameStop – is offering a 10% in-store military discount on all pre-owned products, collectibles, and select new products. Available to current and former military members who bring any valid proof of service or when they verify through ID.me 

Home Depot – Offers a 10% off military discount on regularly priced merchandise for in-store purchases for active duty, retired military, and reservists at participating locations. Customers are required to show a valid government-issued military ID card to redeem this offer. 

Kohls – 15% discount offers for active military, veterans, retirees, and their immediate family members a 15% discount on purchases made on Mondays, in store only. In order to receive the military discount, eligible customers must present proper identification along with any tender type. 

Jiffy Lube – HONORING VETERANS ALL DAY EVERY DAY! – We didn’t want to wait for Veteran’s Day to express our appreciation and gratitude for your service. That’s why every Team Car Care owned and operated Jiffy Lube® service center is offering our BEST discount of 10% OFF as a “Thank You” to the men and women of our Armed Forces for their service to our country. *Disclaimer*- I.D. required. No coupon is required. Excludes batteries and brakes, alignment, and diagnostic services. Available only at 3 select locations: Tioque Ave, Coventry RI – Bald Hill Road, Warwick RI – Park Ave, Cranston RI 

Michaels – offers a 15% off military discount on the entire in-store purchase including sale items for active duty, retired military, guard, reservists, veterans, and family members. How to get – 

1.    Create an Account. Log in or create a Michaels Rewards account. 

2.    Get Verified. Provide your military information to get verified instantly. 

3.    Go Shopping! To use your discount online and in store, just sign into your account or provide your Michaels Rewards phone number at checkout. 

O’Reilly Auto Parts – 10% discount on in store items for Active Duty, Veterans and families. Last verified 3/4/21. 

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If you are a retailer and or a veteran aware of a business not listed above, please forward to: [email protected]:  the business’s name, location, and military and veteran discount offered. 

If you have an event, meeting, other pertinent veteran information, or email questions or help needed, contact the Italian American War Veteran Service Officer, John A Cianci, [email protected], ITAM Office 1-(401)677-9VET(9838) 

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To read all columns in this series go to: https://rinewstoday.com/john-a-cianci/  

John A. Cianci is a Veteran Service Officer. Retired, U.S. Army MSgt., Persian Gulf War and Iraq War combat theater.

Cianci, a combat disabled Veteran, served in Desert Shield/Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. His awards include Bronze Star, Combat Action Badge, Good Conduct, and others.

Cianci belongs to numerous veterans organizations – Italian American War Veterans, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign War, and many more organizations. He is an active volunteer assisting veterans to navigate federal and state benefits they have earned. He is Department of Rhode Island Department Commander Italian American War Veterans and Veteran Service Officer.

He is a graduate of Roger Williams University (BS Finance), UCONN business school* (Entrepreneur Bootcamp for Veterans), Solar Energy International Residential, Commercial and Battery Based Photovoltaic Systems certificate programs, numerous certificates from the Department of Defense renewable energy programs, including graduate of the Solar Ready Vets Program.