Combat-injured Marine pays it forward to fellow veterans

Before he left the military in September 2012, Marine veteran Wade Jensen submitted a claim through Benefits Delivery at Discharge, a program that allows service members to apply for disability compensation 60 to 180 days prior to their separation, retirement or release from active duty.

Wade had served his country for 21 years until the effects of a gunshot wound that he sustained in 2005 in Mosul, Iraq forced him to retire.

In June 2012, the Department of Veterans Affairs awarded Jensen a decision which partially rated his gunshot wound, but did nothing for the residual effects of the injury, which was the very reason for his retirement.

When Wade visited his local chapter and learned about DAV’s free services, things changed for the better. A DAV benefits advocate reviewed Wade’s case and within 120 days of choosing DAV as his representative, he had a favorable decision for benefits that addressed his injuries.

“Simply outstanding!” is what Wade has to say about DAV’s free services.

Today, Wade, now a DAV Life Member and serves his local community as a DAV benefits advocate, paying forward what the organization did for him.

He also volunteers at the Military-Veteran Services Center at the university where he is enrolled—a center that includes claims support from DAV benefits advocates among its variety of services. Like DAV, Wade is committed to making a positive impact on the lives of veterans.