Veterans: the resources you can use or lose

As a service member and veteran, I know how hard it can be getting back into the work force after deployment. But if you're one of the lucky one's, you are either active duty or decided to keep your job on hold while you were deployed, and therefore, either having full insurance or through your job.

For those of us who thought we could move on to brighter horizons and need some stable health care or other benefits, there is the Veteran's Administration. This is a great service for if you're poor and can't afford regular insurance through a company. They base your co-pay off of what you made in the last year. So, when you sign up, it's best to do it right after deployment because all of your earnings were non-taxable.

The VA offers multiple health services:

• primary care
• mental heath
• women's health
• counseling
• stop smoking programs
• dental
• vision
• and many more

Pretty much anything that you need to have done outside of surgery and child birth, they can help. But say you do need surgery or you're pregnant. What do you do? It's easy peasy. You get an appointment with your primary care doctor, they will fill out a request for a referral through fee-base, and once your appoved (you will be), you're good to go to choose wherever to give birth. For surgeries they give you a doctor's name for you to see.

But how do you get to where you can see a primary care provider at the local VA Hospital? What you do it stop in for a visit to the eligibility office. You fill out some paper work, get your picture taken for you're VA ID card, and set-up your first appointment through the phone directory by calling the main VA number.

When you get through the "hard" part, and you need to get an injury from deployment documented, tell you primary care physician and they can set you up with the right people. Physical therapy can take a while though, so get on quick if you can. If you're still in the service, the VA will document it for you so that when you become retired or just fulfill your contract, you can apply for disability and be sent to a board for consideration.

Education benefits are another hugely unused resource. The VA will pay you over $300 every month to attend school under the Chapter 1606 GI Bill for resever/guard students. Post 9/11 GI Bill will pay your tuition and BAH upto $17,500 per year. Check out my links for more info on what you can get.

Next, you have the Home Loan Guarantee. This is a program that allows you to be backed (not fianced) for upto $400,00 toward a home loan. You will still have to go through a financial institution for the loan but it is much easier. Your APR is, as of right now, going to be 4.3%, no down payment, no "good faith" money, and you can get reimbursed for inspection costs. The only thing you have to worry about is home owner's insurance and closing costs, which can be negotiated with the seller to where they pay everything.

Everyone who is in the Armed Forces is eligible for the Home Loan Guarantee. Just be sure to get you certificate of eligibility mailed to you from a VA center.

Now, for burial. I don't know much about this benefit due to the fact that I don't know anyone who has had to use it. My great-grandfather, a Korean War vet, is still living, and both of my grandfathers (Vietnam vets) are too. What I can tell you about it, is that you still need to have a funeral or cremation service for the casket or urn. The burial benefit only covers helping pay for a plot, the burial, and headstone. Very basic. Unfortunately, unlike the other benefits with the VA, the burial benefits are not transferable to a spouse or family member.

In my opinion, the best benefit through the VA, is the MyHeathyVet website. On here, you can check your appointment times and refill medications all online. You don't have to call and wait on hold for your provider to approve the refill - you just click "order refill" and it will come in the mail.

As for now, that is all the further I have explored into the vast black hole of the VA system. It's not a bad thing, I'm just saying there are tons of way and avenues to get the help you need in your life. Contact your local VA and get set up, Vets!!! Don't let it go to waste! And if the VA isn't exactly local, you can apply for compensation for travel expenses.

Until next time,

Jess Z