How Veterans Can Get Benefits They Are Entitled To

Let me be clear: Too many veterans aren’t getting benefits they are entitled to. Why? They simply don’t know about them.

Sadly, it’s the unemployed and homeless veterans who need benefits the most, and they often can’t access them because they are far less likely to have the resources, family and friends to help them obtain the information to apply and qualify for federal and other programs.   

There are many wonderful benefits for veterans that are literally life transforming. They include: disability compensation and pension; vocational rehabilitation and employment; education; life insurance; death benefits; health care and more.

For instance, one lesser-known veteran benefit is the Aid and Attendance and Housebound Improved Pension (A&A) benefit, which covers the cost of caregivers in the home - including sons and daughters who are paid to be caregivers - or can be used for assisted living or a nursing home.

However, according to the New York Times, only a fraction of eligible veterans use this program. The article said: “Of the 1.7 million World War II veterans alive as of 2011, who were in need of caregiving assistance and thus eligible, only 38,076 veterans and 38,685 surviving spouses were granted the A&A benefit that year.”

To get information on benefits, start with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. For health benefits, go to www.va.gov/healthbenefits or call 877-222-VETS (8387) between the hours of 8am-5pm ET Monday-Friday.

Also, veterans can contact their local chapter of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV). DAV National Service Officers (NSOs) can assist veterans in finding and filing claims with the VA at no charge. To find your nearest NSO office, click here.

In addition, veterans and their loved ones can go to Military.com for benefits information. There, they’ll learn about certain benefits veterans may be eligible for based on their military service.

At Veterans Support Organization, we want to see our veterans and their families succeed and get the help they need. I encourage veterans to find out what benefits they qualify for and take advantage of these programs right away. The benefits are there for veterans to have a better life.

So why not use them?

Richard VanHouten is the founder and CEO of Veterans Support Organization.