BATON ROUGE — Sam Gallo, a 97-year-old disabled veteran, relies on voice-to-text technology to communicate due to severe hearing loss from his service in the U.S. Air Force.

"We didn’t have any kind of ear protection, nobody knew about any kind of ear protection," said Gallo.

Despite his independence and need for this technology, Sam faces ongoing frustration with Veterans Affairs. The VA quickly provides him with equipment like scooters that he doesn't need yet, but makes it difficult for him to get a phone with the voice-to-text feature he depends on.

Gallo pays for a costly voice-to-text service out-of-pocket, but the time is limited and expensive. For the past three months, he's requested help from the VA to get a phone with the built in technology, but he's still waiting. The VA requires him to attend speech therapy before considering his request, even though he already has a permanent and total disability status.

Gallo says he faces a challenge in getting the specific support he needs, despite the system's willingness to provide other, less essential equipment. 

The wait continues, as Gallo hopes the VA will finally approve the technology that allows him to communicate and maintain his independence.