FLORENCE, AZ (CBS5) -
"I'm not dead yet." That's what a Valley vet is telling the Veterans Administration after his checks stopped coming. All of this happened because the VA told him he was dead.
"I'm dead today, but I've been revived," said Mark Bland, of Florence. "The government may find out about it sooner or later," he said.
He found out he was no longer getting his veteran's retirement check after his debit card was declined.
"I knew I had money in there, so I called my bank, and my bank said my account was on hold because I was deceased," he said.
Bland said someone called the Veteran Administration and told them he was dead. In turn, the Defense Finances and Accounting Service, the organization that cuts his check, stopped paying him. All of this caused a financial mess.
"I have child support that's not being paid. I have alimony that's not being paid," he said.
The Defense Department sent him a letter acknowledging his death as an error. He was told to fill out a certificate of existence to prove he was still alive.
"I'm a little bit mad right now, but you know, I have a right to be," Bland said.
A VA representative couldn't speak to the specifics of Bland's case, but said anyone can call them and say someone receiving benefits has died.
A Social Security number, military ID number, dates of service and date of death are all bits of information that are needed for verification. However, the representative tells CBS 5 a death certificate is not required.
"I believe it's the VA's fault because they didn't, they weren't able to tell me who called," said Bland.
Bland said he's not pointing fingers at anyone who may have made the call, but he has a suspicion who did.
Meanwhile, his benefits have been reinstated. He's waiting for two checks to come.
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Mark Bland
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