DAV Never Gave Up Helping Widow of WWII Veteran

Like many veterans of the Battle of the Bulge, Robert Power rarely talks about his service. 

“I had no idea what my husband had been through,” said Janet Power. “He never talked about it. I knew in my spirit that my husband had suffered, even though he said he didn’t. I was married to him 25 years, and 15 years into our marriage he said his best friend died by suicide because he’d been terribly injured and couldn’t stand the pain.”

When Robert passed away, Janet didn’t know what to do or where to turn. Even though she knew her husband had injuries from his service, no one had talked to her about filing a claim for the benefits he had earned.

“When my husband died, I didn’t understand what to do,” said Power. “He died in 2004 and I didn’t file a claim until 2011.”

It was Janet’s brother, a Vietnam veteran, who encouraged her to reach out to DAV for assistance. From then on, a DAV benefits advocate was with her through every step of the process.

“Bless his heart, he never gave up,” said Power. “I know that his hard work did it. I didn’t think I was entitled, and I had just given up.” 

Receiving the benefits that her husband had earned through his service made a world of difference for Power, who had already had to move twice in six months. 

“It gave me a boost to live in a nice place,” she said.

Today, Power encourages other veterans and their families to call on DAV so they, too, can receive reliable assistance.

“Call and make an appointment and talk to someone who understands,” said Power. “I didn’t know what to do. I trusted. I gave it to the Lord and said, ‘You know the circumstances, you know my heart and you knew his heart.’ It was like a miracle.”