It’s a brand new year, so start it out right by paying a visit to your local Veterans Service Office to find out what VA benefits you may qualify for. Below is a brief description of some of the veterans benefits available.
Disability benefits: These are called compensation benefits if you are at least 10 percent disabled because of your military service. You may be eligible for pension benefits if you are a wartime veteran with limited income and you are disabled or age 65 or older.Education benefits include the Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Educational Assistance Program, Post-9/11 GI Bill, Survivors & Dependents Educational Assistance program and Vocational Rehabilitation for Disabled Veterans.Home Loan Guaranty: The VA guarantees loans to eligible service members, veterans, reservists and certain surviving spouses to buy a home, condominium or manufactured home and for refinancing purposes.Dependents’ and survivors’ benefits: Disability and Indemnity Compensation is payable to survivors of service members who died on active duty; veterans who died from service-related disabilities; and certain veterans who were being paid 100 percent disability by the VA.Death Pension is payable to some surviving spouses and children of deceased wartime veterans and is based on financial need.VA Civilian Health and Medical program shares the cost of medical services for eligible dependents and survivors of certain veterans.VA Health Care provides hospital care and outpatient medical, dental, pharmacy and prosthetic services, as well as domiciliary, nursing home and community-based residential care. Other care available includes: mental health counseling, specialized health care for women veterans and sexual trauma counseling. The VA also provides health and rehabilitation programs for homeless veterans.Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance is disability life insurance for service-connected disabled veterans.Veteran Mortgage Life Insurance is for veterans who are severely disabled and receive a Specially-Adapted Housing grant from the VA.Burial Benefits: The VA may furnish a headstone or marker. A Presidential Memorial Certificate and/or a burial flag to honor a veteran’s service to this country may be available. Additional benefits may include reimbursement for burial expenses for service-connected veterans and/or burial in a state or national cemetery, even burial at sea if requested.Each benefit listed above has its own eligibility requirements and time limits and may be available for all eligible veterans. Contact your county Veterans Service Office for additional information.
Richard Schleeter is the veterans service officer for the La Plata County Veterans Service Office. He can be reached at 759-0117 or schleeterrs@co.laplata.co.us.
For more information
The La Plata County Veterans Service Office provides information and assistance to veterans and their families. For more information, visit the county website at www.co.laplata.co.us and type “veterans services” in the search window. The Veterans Service Office and the Durango VA Clinic are located at 1970 East Third Ave. The office phone number is 759-0117. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays except holidays. Appointments are encouraged. To schedule an appointment, call 382-6150. For clinic appointments, call 247-2214.
Help for vets
The Veterans Crisis Line offers free, confidential support to veterans, family and friends. Call (800) 273-8255 and press 1. You also can text professional responders at 838255 or chat online at www.VeteransCrisisLine.net.
Health care van service
Disabled American Veterans is running a VA health care van from Durango to Albuquerque on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and from Farmington to Albuquerque on Mondays and Wednesdays. If you want to use the DAV transportation network, contact DAV coordinators at:
Durango area – 442-0149
Cortez area – (970) 676-1116
Farmington/Aztec – (505) 793-1782
