Elizabeth Miheikin Pesin

As early as a four-year-old I remember going to colorful celebrations in May to honor World War II Veterans in Estonia. My grandparents both served in the Navy during World War II and wore their plethora of decorations to these Victory Day celebrations. Honorary celebrations abruptly stopped in 1991 after Estonia gained its independence from the Soviet Union, and Estonian government labeled World War II Veterans “occupants” in the country, where most had lived for 45 years. Veterans lost respect, and their military pay and benefits. Estonia denied them citizenship on the basis of them being “occupants.” Many died of heart attacks, others moved to other countries and some ended up remaining in Estonia without any rights and begging for food on the streets. My grandfather, a Navy Captain, died of a heart attack in 1993. I could never understand how a government could act so heartlessly toward those who defended the nation against Nazis. Ever since then I strived to help Veterans get the recognition that they deserve and obtain the benefits that they so desperately need. Life took me across the world to the United States. I went to law school striving to help immigrants and Veterans, because I faced the hardship of the immigration process when I moved from Estonia. I wanted to right the two wrongs that came so close to heart. I felt honored to become an attorney at the Board of Veterans’ Appeals right out of law school. I moved to advocate on the Veterans' behalf before the Board as an attorney with Vietnam Veterans of America and then with the Veterans Consortium. I felt honored to help Veterans and saddened that not all were eligible for the benefits they desperately needed. At Bergmann and Moore, LLC, where I am honored to continue to represent Veterans before the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, my experience, knowledge and power has grown infinitely, because I directly represent and litigate on behalf of Veterans throughout the nation.