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HAMBURG, N.Y. (WIVB) - Dale Dart survived Operation Desert Storm, more than 20 years ago, doing two tours of duty in Iraq and Kuwait, but his military service in the Gulf War left him in a wheelchair with multiple sclerosis.

These days Dale spends most of his time in the basement of his family's home in Hamburg because his bedroom and bathroom down there are wheelchair accessible. There is a chair lift to get Dale up and down the stairs, but he still needs help getting around the house.

Dale's mother Margaret shudders to think what could happen what could happen if he is left home alone. "If there is a fire, God forbid, he would never get out," she said.

"We can't leave him alone. If he falls, he needs help getting up," Dale's father Dave said. Dale's parents have to make sure someone is always with the war veteran. "At our age, it is somewhat difficult, but we manage."

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs agreed to pay for a new addition to the Dart family's home; a fully accessible bedroom and bathroom on the first floor so Dale wouldn't have to use the stairs.

After the VA gave the Darts the go-ahead to hire a contractor nearly two years ago VA officials suddenly changed the rules and said a second contractor would have to be hired.

Pam Dart, Dale's sister-in-law said the VA invoked a contracting regulation they had not brought before the family in the past.

"They have to go out for bids for a project manager, and then they have to go out for bids for a second contractor that has to be a minority or veteran-owned small business," Pam explained.

The Darts hired Kaz Companies of West Seneca to build the addition, and now, nearly two years into the project, and investing thousands of dollars for Dale's new room, Kaz Companies general manager Ray West says, the Darts might have to start all over again.

"We thought we were starting the project next week, and next thing you know I have more paperwork to sign, and half the project is being bid out to somebody else," West said.

West says the one-year building permit expires in two weeks, and some important contracts might also run out of time.

"We've had up to $10,000 worth invested. We have had building permits already filed before, architectural plans drawn up on this, countless amount of times that we have gone back and forth, filling out paperwork for the VA."

Dale vented his frustration, too, "I mean, it's been two years. I'm getting kind of irritated."

The Darts and veterans groups have contacted Clarence Congressman Chris Collins, about the government's sudden change in the requirements and Collins' staff is trying to get matters between the family and the VA wrapped up as soon as possible.