veteran’s corner

Tom Krabbenhoft

 Greetings everyone. I hope daylight saving time did not leave you feeling an hour older like it did to me.

 Good luck to our local troops soon deploying. While these troops are gone, keep their families in your thoughts, especially the kids. Having a parent gone for birthdays and holidays is tough on a young one. Kids only have so many years to grow; having a parent gone always has a impact. Take them under your wing. Take them fishing with your kid. Engage them in conversation. If you can snowblow, clearing the deployed person’s house and any other little task will make life easier for the ones they’ve left behind.

We should be grateful for our all-volunteer professional military force. Otherwise, the inconvenience and worry of deployments and being placed in harm’s way would rest on all our shoulders. Do a little something for these families if you can.

If you’d like to help out a family or get involved, contact Beyond the Yellow Ribbon or ask your local service clubs. If you need a place to start, contact me at 11btwk@gmail.com, and I will steer you in the right direction. 

VA Home Loans

When I was recently speaking with a friend of mine about refinancing my home, I was shocked he had no idea about the VA home loan program. In my opinion, the VA home loan is one of the best benefits we veterans can get. Some of the benefits of a VA loan:

1. No down payment.

2. No mortgage insurance for a VA loan.

3. The VA does not fund the loan directly, so the veteran can shop for the most competitive rate.

4. The closing cost are lower. The VA caps what lenders can charge the veteran. 

5. It’s easier to qualify. Since the loan is guaranteed by the government, lenders loosen requirements a bit.

You can only have one VA loan at a time. The loan must be used for your primary residence. It can be used for many types of homes. If the veteran carries a disability, a few of the fees can also be waived. Many states, too, have benefits to help veterans get into homes. 

If you’re not looking at buying, but are wishing to refinance, they have other programs that may apply. Now is a great time to look at refinancing; the rates are still low. One such program is the IRRL (Interest Rate Reduction Loan), which is designed to lower your monthly payment.

 Check out www.VA.gov for more information. Your home state’s website should have a link to its Veterans Affairs office.

Please do your research and be vigilant on your home loan and refinancing.

Veteran of the Week

Rather than choosing just one individual, our veteran of the week is every one of the National Guard soldiers about to embark on deployment. Godspeed! 

To submit the name for a veteran of the week, email me at 11btwk@gmail.com