The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced at a recent VA National Summit on Women’s Veterans’ Issues that it has initiated an aggressive push to ensure women veterans receive the highest quality of care in VA medical facilities.
Citing the demographic shift that brings increasing numbers of women to VA for care and the need for changes, the VA announced formation of a work group to focus on women’s needs in prosthetics and rehabilitation, hiring women’s advocates in VA medical centers, developing quality measurements specifically for women patients, purchasing more state-of-the-art, specialized women’s health care equipment, and expanding medical education in women’s health for VA care providers. More information will be shared as it becomes available.
Job Training Partnership offered
The Job Training Partnership Act provides a program designed to assist service-connected disabled veterans, Vietnam-era and recently separated veterans. The program’s employment and training services offered to participants are designed to overcome identified employment barriers and to facilitate an unsubsidized job placement.
For more information on the act’s programs, contact the local veterans employment representative at the nearest state employment office.
Information available through hotline
The VA has a toll-free telephone number that will provide the latest information on VA education benefits to all callers 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Additionally, veterans and Selective Reserve Component members receiving education benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill may also obtain information on their personal account. During regular business hours veterans may also speak with education case managers. To access this Helpline, please dial 1 (888) GI-BILL1 or 1 (888) 442-4551.
DoD provides survivors’ benefits
The Death Gratuity is a tax free lump-sum payment of $100,000 made by the deceased service member’s service branch to the survivors of service members who died on active duty, active duty for training or inactive duty for training.
A lump sum gratuitous $12,420 payment is made to eligible beneficiaries when a service member’s death occurs within 120 days after retiring, or died within 120 days after release from active duty if the death is due to a service-connected disability.
The purpose of the gratuity is to assist the survivors in meeting immediate expenses. Questions concerning payment of the death gratuity can be addressed to the nearest service branch finance office.
Outward Bound an opportunity to reflect
The Outward Bound program for veterans provides an opportunity for camaraderie and has proven to be a powerful tool in helping veterans readjust after leaving the combat zone. It offers adventure and challenge, solitude, reflection, and renewal in the wilderness. More information is available at http://www.outwardboundwilderness.org/veterans or call Veterans Expeditions at Outward Bound at 1 (866) 669-2362, ext. 8387.
Michael Davis is a service officer at the Limestone County office of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs at 1109 W. Market St. Suite B. For information, call (256) 233-6459.
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