Rapid City, SD – The South Dakota Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is pressing Congress to enact the Major Richard Star Act, a bill that would let eligible veterans collect full military retirement pay while also receiving Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation.

Why the legislation matters for South Dakota families

Under current law, veterans who retire medically because of combat‑related injuries see a portion of their retirement pay reduced when they begin receiving VA disability benefits. The proposed legislation would remove that offset, allowing veterans to receive both streams of income simultaneously. State VFW commander Rick Vandenhoek said the change could ease everyday financial pressures for veterans and their families.

“Their families are having a tough time supporting, buying a house, having food on the table, and just day‑to‑day things that most people have the opportunity to have,” Vandenhoek told KOTA. He estimates the bill would affect about 59,000 medically retired veterans who served in combat, many of whom live in South Dakota.

Advocacy effort in Washington

Vandenhoek recently traveled to Washington, D.C., with another South Dakota VFW representative to meet with congressional staff. The pair visited twelve Senate and House offices, including those of South Dakota’s own members, to explain the bill’s benefits and answer questions.

The VFW is specifically requesting a standalone version of the Major Richard Star Act. It also opposes the broader Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, which contains a similar retirement‑pay provision but adds language the VFW says would reduce disability compensation for future veterans.

VFW’s broader mission

“Our job is to make sure that all veterans are taken care of, past, present, and future,” Vandenhoek said. He urged veterans and supporters to contact their senators and representatives, and suggested that anyone with benefit questions reach out to a local VFW post, a veterans service officer, or another veterans organization.

Vandenhoek summed up the VFW’s approach for 2026: “My motto this year is one team, one mission. Our team is all veterans organizations working together. Our mission is to make sure that all our vets are taken care of.”

Original reporting: KOTA (Gray) – local — read the source article.