270. Question. May the wife of a veteran be buried in a national cemetery?

Answer. Yes; burial in a national cemetery may be arranged for the wife or widow, and, under certain circumstances, for minor children or unmarried adult daughters of an honorably discharged veteran.

271. Question. What form should be used in making claim for a veteran's burial allowance, and is there a time limit for filing such claims?

Answer. The form to be used is Veterans' Administration Form 530. Claims for reimbursement for burial expenses must be filed within 2 years from the date of burial.

272. Question. Are headstones furnished by the Government? Answer. Upon application to the Quartermaster General, United States Army, Washington, D. C., headstones will be furnished for unmarked graves of soldiers, sailors, marines (including honorably discharged members of the Coast Guard), and Army nurses who served in the Army or Navy of the United States including the Revolutionary War and service with the military forces of the Confederate States of America-whether regular or volunteer, and whether they died in the service or after muster-out or honorable discharge. The headstones will be shipped freight prepaid by the Government only to the nearest railroad station or steamboat landing.

PROCEDURE

273. Question. What authorization is required to enable an organization, attorney, or representative to act for or in behalf of a claimant in presenting and prosecuting claims filed with the Veterans' Administration?

Answer. Any organization desiring to represent claimants must be recognized by the Veterans' Administration. To obtain recognition application must be made on Veterans' Administration Form P-21 and there must be submitted a copy of the organization's constitution or charter and bylaws, together with a written statement setting forth the manner in which ex-servicemen and their dependents would benefit by such recognition.

274. Question. Are those who represent claimants in presenting claims before the Veterans' Administration allowed to charge fees? Answer. Organizations recognized by the Veterans' Administration must certify that neither they nor their representatives will charge a claimant a fee or compensation for service rendered. An attorney or agent who has been admitted to practice and represent claimants generally before the Veterans' Administration is paid the appropriate fee by the Veterans' Administration from the amount awarded the claimants in a case in which such attorney or agent

serves.

275. Question. What organizations has the Veterans' Administration been authorized by law to recognize for the presentation of claims? Answer. The Administrator is authorized to recognize representatives of the American Red Cross, the American Legion, the Disabled American Veterans, the Grand Army of the Republic, the United Spanish War Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and such other organizations as he may from time to time approve to present claims.

276. Question. Are the file records of a veteran confidential? Answer. All files, records, reports, and other papers and documents pertaining to any claim, whether pending or adjudicated, shall be deemed confidential and privileged, and no disclosure thereof shall be made except as follows:

(a) To a claimant or his duly authorized agent or representative as to matters concerning himself alone when, in the judgment of the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs, such disclosure would not be injurious to the physical or mental health of the claimant;

(b) When required by process of a United States court to be produced in any suit or proceeding therein pending or when such production is deemed by the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs to be necessary in any suit or proceeding brought under the World War Veterans' Act, 1924, as amended;

(c) When required by any department or other agency of the United States Government;

(d) In all proceedings in the nature of an inquest into the mental competency of a claimant;

(e) In any judicial proceeding when in the judgment of the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs such disclosure is deemed necessary and proper.

An act approved October 17, 1940, provides that the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs may release information, statistics, or reports to individuals or organizations when, in his judgment, such release would serve a useful purpose.

277. Question. May the Government divulge the amount of a veteran's compensation or pension?

Answer. Yes; the amount of compensation or pension being paid may be made known to any person who requests such information. 278. Question. Will the Government release the address of a claimant?

Answer. Generally, no. However, address of claimants may be released under certain circumstances to police or court officials..

279. Question. Can a veteran secure a copy of his service record? Answer. Copies of the reports from the Service Department are confidential matters, and may not be furnished by the Veterans' Administration. If copies are desired, the request should be forwarded to the branch of service in which the veteran served, that is, The Adjutant General's Office, War Department; Bureau of Naval Personnel, Navy Department; and Headquarters, Marine Corps, Navy Department, Washington, D. C.

280. Question. How long a period of continued and unexplained absence of a person is required in order that the person's death be considered sufficiently proved for the purpose of settling claims for benefits under laws administered by the Veterans' Administration?

Answer. Recent legislation provides that the continued and unexplained absence of any individual from home and family for a period of 7 years, if after diligent search no evidence of his existence after date of disappearance has been found or otherwise received, shall be considered sufficient proof of the death of such absentee as of the date of the expiration of such period, for the purpose of laws administered by the Veterans' Administration.

REHABILITATION AND EMPLOYMENT OF VETERANS

281. Question. What is "rehabilitation"?

Answer. Rehabilitation refers to restoring a disabled person to his best possible mental and physical condition, and aiding him in preparing for and getting into employment.

282. Question. What facilities are available for physically rehabilitating disabled veterans?

Answer. The Government maintains, through the Veterans' Administration, facilities to provide hospitalization, domiciliary care, and medical treatment for disabled veterans.

283. Question. What provision has been made by the Government for the vocational rehabilitation of disabled veterans who incur disabilities while serving in World War II?

Answer. An act approved March 24, 1943 (Public, No. 16, 78th Cong.), provides for the vocational rehabilitation of veterans who are in need of vocational training to restore employability lost by reason of vocational handicaps due to disabilities incurred in or aggravated by military or haval service at any time after December 6, 1941, and prior to the termination of the present war.

284. Question. Upon what conditions is such a veteran eligible to apply for vocational rehabilitation under the act of March 24, 1943? Answer. The veteran must have been honorably discharged and must have incurred in line of duty a disability for which pension is payable or would be but for the receipt of retirement pay, under the laws administered by the Veterans' Administration and must be in need of vocational rehabilitation to overcome the handicap caused by such disability.

285. Question. Where should application be made?

Answer. To the Veterans' Administration office nearest the veterans' home.

286. Question, For what period of time will a course in vocational rehabilitation be provided?

Answer. For such time not in excess of 4 years as is necessary to restore employability. The law provides further that no course may extend beyond the expiration of 6 years after the termination of the present war.

287. Question. Just what service does the Veterans' Administration provide for the disabled veteran in connection with his vocational rehabilitation?

Answer. In the various offices of the Veterans' Administration there are vocational advisers who will aid and guide each applicant. who is entitled and found to be in need of vocational training to select the employment objective and the course or courses of training which are most suitable to overcome his vocational handicap and to restore employability. There are also training officers who prepare the training program in each case, make all necessary arrangements with the appropriate educational institution or other establishment to train the veteran into employment and to obtain appropriate employment opportunities, all expenses for tuition, and necessary books, supplies and equipment being paid by the Government.

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288. Question. Will a person's pension payments be increased while pursuing a course in vocational rehabilitation?

Answer. Yes, if the pension payable for the disability when the person is not in training is less than $80 per month it will be increased to that amount for an unmarried person. If married or having dependents additional amounts are allowed for wife, husband, child, or children and dependent parents.

289. Question. Can this pension be apportioned in the event the veteran and wife or husband or dependents are living separate and apart?

Answer. Yes. Such pension is subject to the apportionment regulations providing for the apportionment of compensation or pension.

290. Question. If a person is in training on the job and the employer. pays him for any part of his service, will the trainee still receive the increased rate of pension referred to above?

Answer. The Administrator is authorized to reduce the pension of such person to an amount considered equitable and just but not below the amount of pension or retirement pay to which he would be entitled for service-connected disability if not following a course of vocational

rehabilitation.

291. Question. Is there any other reason for reducing the increased pension allowed while pursuing a course in vocational rehabilitation? Answer. Yes. The Administrator of Veterans' Affairs is authorized to make such rules and regulations as he deems necessary in order to promote good conduct and cooperation on the part of persons who are following courses of vocational rehabilitation, and penalties for the breach of such rules and regulations may extend to a forfeiture by the offender for a period of 3 months of such portion of the pension as will leave him not less than the amount of pension or retirement pay to which such person would be entitled for service-connected disability when not receiving training.

292. Question. Is a person following a course of vocational rehabilitation entitled to a vacation during the period?

Answer. Yes. A leave of absence may be granted but not in excess of 30 days in any consecutive 12 months.

293. Question. Will the increased pension be reduced during the leave of absence referred to in the preceding question?

Answer. No. The person will be considered as pursuing his course of vocational rehabilitation while on authorized leave of absence, and will be paid accordingly.

294. Question. Are members of the Women's Army Corps eligible to a course in vocational rehabilitation?

Answer. Yes, inasmuch as Public Law 110, Seventy-eighth Congress, made them a part of the Army of the United States.

295. Question. Is the vocational rehabilitation provided by the act of March 24, 1943, available to veterans of other wars?

Answer. No. The act making special provisions for the vocational training of World War I veterans has expired but the Government, through the United States Office of Education, in cooperation with the States, operates a vocational rehabilitation service, which is available

to disabled veterans, to aid them in preparing for and getting into employment. Application for such vocational rehabilitation should be made to the State Board of Vocational Education of the State in which the veteran resides.

296. Question. Are veterans given any preference for Federal civilservice employment?

Answer. Yes; honorably discharged veterans who served in the armed forces either in time of war or peace have preference as follows:

(1) In rating examinations for civil-service positions, veterans are given 5 points in addition to their earned ratings and therefore need make only 65 earned points to attain the minimum rating of 70, which is required for placement upon the eligible list. If the veteran, however, at the time of filing application for examination submits evidence to prove a service-connected disability existing at that time, 10 points will be added to his earned ratings.

(2) Veterans, whether disabled or not, are certified from such lists for appointment to positions in the departmental service in the District of Columbia without regard to their place of residence and the requirements that such appointments be apportioned among the residents of the States.

(3) Veterans are released from all age limitations except those established by law respecting the retirement of Federal employees and those applicable to the positions of firemen and policemen in the District of Columbia, and may be released from many of the physical requirements for positions.

(4) Widows of veterans are entitled to preference, and the wives of veterans are also entitled in cases where it is shown that the veterans are entitled to disability preference because of service-connected disability and are physically disqualified for examinations in line with the occupations by which they had been accustomed to earn a livelihood.

(5) Any employee who has preference in appointment also has further preference when it is necessary to effect reductions in force in the respect that he shall not be discharged or dropped or reduced in rank or salary, if his record is good or if his efficiency rating is equal to that of any employee in competition with him who is retained in the service.

297. Question. If a veteran having a service-connected disability and a veteran having a non-service-connected disability receive the same rating on a civil-service examination, after the preference points are added to the earned rating, which would have preference in appointment to a position?

Answer. The veteran with the service-connected disability would have preference by reason of the fact that such veterans are placed at the top of the eligible list.

298. Question. Is a civil service Federal employee reinstated in his job after his service in the armed forces is terminated?

Answer. Yes. If a serviceman is an employee of the Government under a civil-service status, he must be restored to a position of like seniority, status, and pay, provided he is physically able to work and makes application within 40 days after being relieved from training or service.