01:00 AM EDT on Monday, July 10, 2006

Many questions from readers are sent in regularly to the Veterans' Journal column regarding Rhode Island veterans' benefits. Here is a brief summary of the services available from the Rhode Island Division of Veterans' Affairs, a division of the state Department of Human Services, which serves approximately 100,000 veterans and their dependents, of which an estimated 77,000 have served during wartime.

The division facilitates coordination of all state veterans' programs for veterans of all wars, their dependents, members of the Armed Forces, other state agencies, veteran organizations and other interested parties. It aids veterans with processing applications for compensation and pension benefits.

Daniel Evangelista is the division's acting associate director at 480 Metacom Ave. in Bristol. Call (401) 253-8000, or visit its Web site at www.dhs.state.ri.us/dhs/dvetaff.htm. His e-mail addaress is devangelista@dhs.ri.gov.

Services include:

Information and advice regarding benefits or compensation.

Counseling and referral services for matters involving compensation, pension, hospitalization, insurance, outpatient treatment, loans, education and training.

Application and admission to the Rhode Island Veterans Home.

Applications for the Rhode Island Veterans' Cemetery. Or call the cemetery at (401) 268-3088.

State veterans' benefits include:

Tax exemption. Veterans of wartime service and Gold Star parents are eligible for a $1,000 to $5,000 property tax exemption, depending on the town or city in which they reside. Additional exemptions are available for blind veterans and disabled veterans requiring specially adapted housing.

The home in Bristol, which has 260 beds for longterm convalescence and skilled nursing care for chronically ill veterans, and 79 beds for self-care veterans.

Burial for eligible veterans and their dependents at the Rhode Island Veterans' Cemetery in Exeter. Interments are arranged only after a death occurs. The veteran must have been honorably discharged from the military, entered service while a legal resident of Rhode Island or lived in Rhode Island as a legal resident for two continuous years before the time of death and have served on active duty during a wartime period, had two or more consecutive years of active duty during peacetime or 20 years of National Guard or Reserve time. At the time of death, a funeral director should be contacted and given the DD 214 discharge papers for the deceased, and the director then makes arrangements with cemetery personnel. A family can make arrangements with the cemetery office for cremations only. At least 48 hours notice is required before burial.

Veterans' graves registrations are maintained upon notification noting place of interment. Historical cemeteries and all burial sites throughout the state are located and marked. Applications for federally provided headstones and Rhode Island state war markers are processed by the division.

Civil Service preference of 5 points is given for veterans and 10 points for disabled veterans.

License plates for former prisoners of war and those awarded a Purple Heart are provided by the state for free but have a small transfer fee. Veterans' plates are available for a fee. Call the state Division of Motor Vehicles at (401) 588-3020 for more information on veterans' plates.

Sale of documentary benefits memorial Tim Gray Media Inc., of Providence, recently released its documentary D-Day Plus 62 Years: Rhode Island Veterans Return to Normandy and received positive reviews from the veterans and guests who saw its premiere at the Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket in May.

The documentary is available as a DVD in larger CVS drugstores in Rhode Island for $22.99; $3 of the proceeds will be donated by CVS to assist with the completion of the World War II Memorial under construction in Memorial Park adjoining Washington Plaza at 121 South Main St., Providence, near the Licht Judicial Complex.

Joseph T. Corrente, chairman of the World War II Memorial Commission of Rhode Island, said the memorial will honor the 96,000 veterans of World War II. The names of 2,560 Rhode Islanders who lost their lives in that war will be inscribed on the Honor Roll Memorial Wall at the entrance.

The documentary contains interviews with local D-Day and World War II veterans, some of whom traveled to Normandy and Saint Mere Eglise, France, last March for several days of filming as they shared their personal impressions and past memories of their part in Operation Overlord.

For information, call Tim Gray Media at (401) 862-3422 or the World War II Memorial Commission, 408 Broadway, Providence, at (401) 946-0703. Copes of the documentary are available online at www.timgraymedia.com for $23; $5 of that will donated to the World War II Memorial Commission.

ROTC alums seek nominees for honor The University of Rhode Island ROTC Alumni Association will elect members to its hall of fame, as it does approximately every three to four years, according to alumni spokesman John Breguet, who would like to hear from anyone who has a nominee for consideration.

In 2003, 20 nominations were received and evaluated and 3 were selected. All three served in long and distinguished military careers and are buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

For more details or to nominate someone, call Breguet at (401) 222-5802 or write to him at One Capitol Hill, Providence, RI 02908.

Eighth Air Force Historical Society The Rhode Island chapter meets today at Bickford's restaurant on Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick, at 11 a.m..

Veterans of Foreign Wars and Auxiliary Washington County Post, 155 High St., Wakefield, will meet on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

American Legion Post 18 will meet Tuesday at 7 p.m. at 3064 E. Main Rd., Portsmouth. Post 39 will meet Thursday at 7 p.m. at 1958 Kingstown Rd., Peace Dale.

Korean War Veterans Association West Bay Chapter 2 will meet on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at VFW Post 449, 197 Providence St., West Warwick. Northern R.I. Chapter 3 will meet Wednesday at the Glocester meal site center at 15 Terry Lane, Chepachet, at 7 p.m.

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 78 will meet Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Aspray Boathouse, Pawtuxet Village, Warwick. Volunteers willing to assist the Coast Guard as part of homeland security are welcome. For more information call Tony at (401) 884-5638.

The Reserve Officers Association The Rhode Island Department's executive committee will meet on Thursday at the Harwood Reserve Center, 385 Niagara St., Providence, at 7 p.m. Navy Seabee Veterans Island X-1 Davisville will meet at the Seabee Memorial Park and Museum, 21 Iafrate Way, Davisville, on Saturday. Coffee and doughnuts will be served at 8 a.m. The meeting is at 9 a.m.

George W. Reilly can be reached at VeteransColumn@verizon.net or by writing to The Providence Journal, 75 Fountain St., Providence, RI 02902.