The Department of Veteran’s Service have been around since 1636. Anybody that is associated with the Armed Forces in any capacity have heard about the V.A. Sometimes it’s a good light, most of the time not so much. Yet I have recently discovered that the V.A. do provide a various amount of services and access to benefits for veterans tend to forego by not at least reaching out to the V.A.
The official name of the V.A is The United States Department of Veteran’s Affairs. Their official website is www.va.gov . Everyone is familiar with the knowledge that the V.A offers health care services but they also provide the following services:
– Life Insurance
– Burial and Memorials
– Military forms and documents
– Disability Compensation
– Education Benefits
– Pension Benefits
– Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment
– Military Personnel file
– Home loan
– Local Referral Service
If you want to know about these programs in depth visit either www.va.gov or www.ebenefits.va.gov. You can also call them at 1-800-827-1000. Anything that they don’t provide they most likely have a contract via their most likely have a contact via their many resources that provide assistance to Vets and their family members. I do plan on touching base on these agencies in future post.
To touch on a little history of the longevity of the V.A. As I mentioned before the V.A goes back as far as 1636. The first official medical facility was established in 1811. In 1870, they assisted in the burial of 300,000 fallen soldiers from the Civil war. They were buried among 73 national cemeteries. During WWI a new system was established which included the following benefits:
– Disability
– Compensation
– Insurance
– Vocational rehabilitation for the disabled.
On June 22, 1944, the G.I. Bill was signed and made into a law. Which added to the benefits that the V.A. provides for veterans. Currently there are a total of 135 national cemeteries for the vast member of veterans and their family members that have served. The V.A. is staffed with several staff members, administrators as well as connections to many non-profit organizations. All where you will encounter many veterans. Veterans helping veterans. You can find out more by visiting the sites below.
The Loon
Looking Outside The Bubble 