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Tough Times Series: Services, Sites Help Veterans Navigate Benefits MazeEven as the nightly news continues to broadcast images of uniformed Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan, families across the U.S. welcome home servicemembers who have completed their tours of duty. Once back home, these new veterans face a fresh challenge: making the switch from soldier to civilian. The process will be different for everyone, but can include clearing such major hurdles as getting treatment for a disability, enrolling in college, finding a job, or buying a home. To make veterans' transitions easier, the federal and state governments offer a long list of benefits that address health, career, financial, and other needs. As valuable as these benefits are, many veterans are missing out on their fair share. The last thing many returning servicemembers want to deal with is the process of understanding and applying for veterans benefits. That's the observation some counselors who work with recently discharged men and women. The issue is not just that entitlements are being left on the table, but that the benefits and services offered to returning servicemembers are the very forms of assistance that would most effectively help them get back on their feet. Awareness of benefits is first stepThe U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA, divides veterans benefits into nine general categories:
Not all veterans qualify for all benefits—eligibility depends on a number of factors, such as type of discharge and number of years since active duty. For example, in some cases, veterans must take advantage of training and education benefits within 10 years of discharge. For more information about VA offerings, download the free 2008 edition of "Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents." Approximately 74.5 million people, or about a quarter of the U.S. population, are potentially eligible for veterans benefits.
Individual states offer additional benefits, ranging from free hunting and fishing licenses to free tuition at state colleges and technical schools. Contact your state's Department of Veterans Affairs to learn about specific benefits. Issues with timing, quantity of military-provided infoBefore servicemembers leave the military, they have the opportunity to attend debriefings that inform them of the VA benefits they may be eligible for. Those familiar with the process say the problem is not that the VA doesn't provide enough information, it's that, often, those who are about to be discharged are distracted by plans for their homecoming and future. Unless there's an immediate need, such as a wounded soldier who must have continuous heath care, many new veterans simply do not make applying for benefits a priority. Shad Meshad is president and founder of the nonprofit National Veterans Foundation (NVF), based in Los Angeles. His organization's "helpline" (888-777-4443) is staffed by fellow veterans who respond to approximately 70 to 80 requests each day for information, guidance, or a referral. "When you exit the military, you're not really listening to too much," says Meshad, a Vietnam veteran. "It's like jumping out of an airplane. You're eager to hit the ground and move on with your life." According to a white paper issued by the NVF in February 2008, only one-third of the 750,000 eligible Iraq and Afghanistan veterans had enrolled in VA health care. You can apply for benefits without leaving home.
Cheryl D. Cook, who supervises the County Veterans Service Office program in San Francisco, sees the same reticence in many of the veterans her agency serves. "This generation (of veterans) is well-informed," says Cook. But, she adds, "Some are just very ready to get out. The last thing they're paying attention to is their health" and other needs that VA benefits could address. Not only is there a lack of urgency on the part of veterans to pursue their entitlements, the amount of information they get as they are being discharged can be overwhelming. "There's so much information to absorb," says Meshad, that "it's like taking a law course in a few days and expecting to pass the bar exam." In his opinion, new veterans "need a month of deprogramming, but that doesn't happen." That's where organizations and agencies like his and Cook's come in. Advocates, agencies help veterans navigate systemVeterans seeking information and assistance can go directly to the VA—in addition to headquarters in Washington, D.C., every state has at least one regional office. The VA's toll-free number (800-827-1000) and Seamless Transition Web site, developed specifically to assist returning servicemembers of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, enable veterans to get information and apply for benefits without leaving home. While the VA information system is extensive, Meshad points out that it's not just a matter of understanding what benefits are available; it's knowing how to get started. Many veterans are missing out on their fair share of federal and state benefits.
"The system is not user-friendly," says Meshad, who uses words like "daunting" and "a maze" to describe it. That's why it's so important for veterans to start the process sooner rather than later, and to get help before they get frustrated. Callers to the NVF hotline and other nonprofit veterans organizations avoid the government bureaucracy, at least for the moment, and are greeted by what Meshad describes as "a friendly voice ... someone who can relate" to what that veteran has been through—not only in the armed services, but as a civilian trying to make his or her way through the VA benefits system. According to Meshad, personalized guidance from savvy "been there, done that" veterans is one of the greatest contributions organizations like his can make to new veterans. County Veterans Service Officers (CVSO) are another source of assistance. Thirty states have CVSOs, which are not funded by the VA but by the counties. Cook, whose counselors handle 1,300 to 1,500 cases in San Francisco every month, encourages veterans in states with CVSOs to take advantage of the free service. "In about 10 seconds, we can determine what benefits a veteran would be eligible for," says Cook. "By the time they leave (the office), they have clarification and understanding of what their entitlements are, from medical to home loans to education." And, Cook points out, CVSO staff members are not just information providers but case managers, too. That's key when you consider some claims take up to a year to settle. Start the benefits application process sooner rather than later, and get help before getting frustrated.
Resources such as the NVF and CVSOs do not only provide information and assistance with VA benefits. They routinely refer veterans to other nonprofit organizations, local government benefits, and community services—anyone who can help ease and support the transition from service to civilian. As Meshad puts it, we "connect the dots for veterans." The VA online Directory of Veterans Service Organizations provides a long list of national, state, and local veterans service organizations. (Be sure to view all three lists—Chartered, Non-Chartered, and State and Local.) According to the VA, approximately 74.5 million people, or about a quarter of the U.S. population, potentially are eligible for VA benefits and services as veterans, family members, or survivors. As of December 2007, the VA planned to spend $41.5 billion on benefits, not including health care or the national cemetery system, for that year. The budget for 2008 is even bigger. Though veterans benefits won't provide a windfall, they can be significant and long lasting—three survivors of Civil War veterans still are collecting benefits—and are worth the time and effort it takes to pursue them. "It's like getting through college," says Meshad. "The process can be tough, but it'll pay off later." 
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