By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Variety News Staff

THE number of Guam veterans who received benefits from the Honolulu Regional Veterans Affairs Office increased from 1,366 in 2005 to 1,445 in 2006, resulting in a $2.5 million increase in federal dollars poured into the island, Sen. Antonio R. Unpingco, R-Santa Rita, disclosed.
The total amount of benefits received by Guam veterans has increased from $20.9 million in fiscal year 2005 to $23.5 million, Unpingco said. On top of that amount, 28 veterans’ dependents and 81 veterans attended the University of Guam at the expense of the Veterans Office in 2006.
“These numbers reflect a boost to Guam’s economy, and more important, to the veterans who deserve them,” said Unpingco, chairman of the legislative committee on military and veterans affairs.
Unpingco attributed the increased benefits to the “hard work of the Guam Veterans Affairs Office, the new Veterans Commission, the administrator, and the better training of the staff in the office.”
He also credited local veteran advocates such as Project Guiding Light, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Vietnam Veterans of America, and Disabled Veterans of America.
Although the processing of local veterans’ benefit claims has moved on faster pace, Unpingco said there is a need to further improve the communications between the regional and local veterans’ offices and to streamline the submission process for evidence supporting the veterans’ claims.
“While there have been improvements in the claims process, it remains a very frustrating area for our veterans,” Unpingco said.
Unpingco plans to address a number of problems with the claims’ processing in the VA’s Honolulu regional office with its director, Gregory C. Reed, in Reed’s visit to Guam this week.
“After talking to local veterans’ advocates, I have a number of suggestions for improvement to present to Mr. Reed, and I am confident that we can work together to address the areas of concern and make this process work for our veterans,” Unpingco added.