Coming Home: A Field Guide (Part 5: Advocacy for VA Healthcare Claims)

As was discussed in the last blog of this series, for many, getting governmental assistance for your VA Healthcare claim for PTSD (or any other injury) can be one bear of a task. The following is a brief overview of some of the different veteran’s groups who will provide advocacy for you and your goal of obtaining the proper medical care.

Not Alone
For more information about our eClinics, online counseling, and in-person treatment (offered in 11 states), visit our Programs page. 

The American Legion

From the website: “The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the nation’s largest veteran’s service organization, committed to mentoring and sponsorship of youth programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting a strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow service members and veterans.”

The American Legion maintains a dedicated staff of Department Service Officers all throughout the U.S. This job within the Legion exists for one reason only: the DSOs advocate for veterans and assist them with their claims and any other help that veterans need in transitioning home. You can find a DSO here.

I have some very good friends who work for the American Legion and I would (and have) personally recommended other veterans to them. They don’t just deal with healthcare; they help veterans find jobs or apply for educational benefits, among other things.

Veterans of Foreign Wars

The Veterans of Foreign Wars (who I briefly discussed in my last blog) despite their dwindling memberships and resources (the majority of their membership are older veterans, many of whom are passing away) still are a major national organization and they also have DSOs who will assist veterans in dealing with the VA’s bureaucracy. You can find access to those services here.

From the website: “The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, with its Auxiliaries, includes 2.2 million members in approximately 8,100 Posts worldwide. Its mission is to "honor the dead by helping the living" through veterans' service, community service, national security and a strong national defense.”

The Wounded Warrior Project

An organization, which, as the name implies, seeks to assist wounded warriors, the Wounded Warrior Project has benefits counselors who are eager and willing to help out any veterans who need their assistance. You can contact them through their site, here. 

Your Elected Representatives

This might sound obvious to most, but military personnel are not trained to use this resource. Service members are ordered to respect whatever their chain of command is and not bypass it, but really, if no one in the VA is helping and no one is giving you the advocacy you need, why not contact your house representative or senator? The Veteran’s Affairs Department ultimately answers to them because congress signs off on their budget. No elected representative can deal with the bad press coming from refusing to help out a veteran during a time of war; and also, it would make them look good to take care of veterans, especially while the battles are still raging. Use this as a last resource, but they most definitely should help you out in starting your march towards earning your benefits.

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