Utah reaching out to get benefits to vets

The side door at Salt Lake City's St. Vincent de Paul Center swings open at 11:30 a.m., signaling a free lunch for the poor, homeless or unemployed.

Teriyaki beef is the main course. In a corner of the dining hall, a few visitors stretch their shirts to carry as much fruit as possible.

And in the rear, Fred Hamilton is serving something completely different.

"Are you a veteran?" the retired Army recruiter asks, firmly placing his left hand on an older man's shoulder.

"Sit down," he politely pleads. "Give me five minutes."

There are about 160,000 veterans in Utah. But the state typically is below the national percentage of veterans who get pensions or compensation for service-related injuries, according to federal statistics.

Why? Many are unaware of what's available or believe the aid is akin to welfare, advocates say.

"What I tell them is these are benefits you've earned," said Hamilton of the Utah Department of Workforce Services, who has been pursuing veterans for more than a year.

"We're fixing it now. The word wasn't getting out," he said.

Utah lawmakers agreed to spend $175,000 this year — a $100,000 increase — to reach more veterans who might qualify for federal help.

Utah veterans received $161.1 million in pension or disability payments in the 2004-05 budget year. By comparison, Maine's veterans got $294 million, although there are 13,000 fewer in that state, according to the government.

"Veterans in states with an aggressive outreach program tend to receive more VA compensation," said Terry Schow, director of the Utah Division of Veterans Affairs.

Veterans injured during active duty can be eligible for monthly disability compensation, depending on severity and other factors.

Pensions are in a separate category. Age, disability, income and service in a war zone are among the criteria.

Veterans, of course, could be anywhere. Hamilton, 59, makes weekly visits to the St. Vincent de Paul Center near downtown because he finds new faces there among the transient crowd.

His personal touch seems just as valuable as coming up with the right paperwork. Hamilton looks people in the eye and will dash to his car if he believes someone down on their luck needs extra clothes. Sometimes he just listens.