The Villager Newspaper Online Your Community News – Cleveland's Westshore
On June 28th from 12-4 pm, the North Olmsted VFW Post 7647 will be collaborating with Congressman Gonzalez on a Veterans’ Resource Tour event at Saint Clarence Parish, 30106 Lorain Road, North Olmsted 44070. The focus of the event will be Veterans’ healthcare and the MISSION Act.
At this event, veterans can learn about the MISSION Act and new urgent care benefits that are now available to veterans enrolled in VA healthcare. The MISSION Act strengthens VA’s ability to deliver care at VA facilities, virtually through telehealth and in the community. VA health care includes new urgent care access through a network of walk-in retail health clinics and urgent care facilities. Information sessions will be held at 12 and 2 p.m. Additional information on the MISSION Act can be found at https://missionact.va.gov/.
Veterans can also learn about and sign up for local, state and federal benefits. If a veteran needs their DD-214, service medals, service treatment records, personnel file, or a copy of their VBA file, Representative Gonzalez and staff will be on hand to assist in filing these requests. They will also be registering veterans to have their stories preserved through the Library of Congress’ Veterans’ History Project.
The Cleveland Veterans Affairs Regional Office (VARO) will be able to pull up the status of a claim, complete an intent to file and talk with veterans about their claim. They will also be able to assist in filing a compensation or pension claim. This provides an opportunity for veterans to speak directly with the Department of Veterans Affairs regarding service compensation.
The National Cemetery Administration will be on hand to assist with preneed eligibility and national cemetery questions. In 2016, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs began issuing pre-need determination letters to assist veterans with their preneed arrangements. The Northeast Ohio VA Medical Center will be on hand to answer medical eligibility questions and begin the process of enrollment.
The Cuyahoga County Veterans’ Service Commission will be on hand to assist veterans with county and state benefits. If a veteran has a question concerning any earned benefit, one of the subject matter experts will be present to assist them.
A veteran may obtain a Veterans Document Identification Card through the Cuyahoga County Veterans’ Service Commission. If a veteran would like to receive a card, they need to bring a copy of their DD214, and present one form of identification from among the following: a valid driver’s license, certified birth certificate, Social Security card, a valid United States passport, a valid conceal & carry permit, or an identification card from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. One of the forms of identification must be a photo ID. The cost of the document identification card is just one dollar.
Questions regarding veteran benefits and the North Olmsted Veterans’ Resource Tour can be directed to Bryan Bowman, bryan.bowman@mail.house.gov, at Congressman Anthony Gonzalez’s Canton office, 330-941-5001.
