If you have been through trauma during your military service. If you suffer from

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). If you have been wounded. If you have been in an accident while serving. If you have been mentally or physically abused, or raped. If you have been subjected to Agent Orange or any other chemical agent then it is important to you to find out what you are entitled to in the way of VA Benefits.

Get Proactive! Get Involved!!!!

In most cases neither the VA nor the US Government is going to send you a letter telling you to come in and get the Benefits that are due to you!!! This is not their responsibility. It is yours!

You will need to go to the the VA and open a Benefits Claim. It doesn’t matter whether you believe you are entitled or even if you have been turned down before. Talk to VA Benefits Personnel. Most are very helpful.

You can also start a Claim Online.

This will lock in a date and if you win your claim for Disability Payments you will be back paid

These things are very valuable to you. Do not take a no answer. Stand up for your rights. Get involved with Veterans Groups, The Vets Centers, The VFW or anywhere that Vets are involved.

Vets Helping Vets

Not only is talking to other Vets part of the healing process you will also learn the fastest and best ways to get the help that you need.

Many have  been there and done that and will enjoy helpng you.

Get involved with  therapy group meetings like the PTSD & Substance Abuse Program. Many of the Vets in these types of groups know the ropes and will save you tons of time.

Many Vets don’t know that they can get Travel Pay for their scheduled VA appointments.

You can also get one way Travel Pay for a walk-in appointment. ASK!!!

Do not sit at home and wait for help!

The VA is there for you!!!

The Doctors and the Techs behind the counters work for you.

      If you ask for help and don’t understand the response - ask again.  If you still don’t like what you hear then  ask someone else!!!

     The VA is like any other institution.

Even doctors have bad days!

     The VA has one thing that other hospitals and institutions don’t have. It has lots of Vets!

     Ask A Vet!

     No one understands the VA better than a Vet. Doctors & Techs come and they go but many Vets have learned The Ins & The Outs of the VA by being interactive with it for many years. The VA is a great instatution and you will get quality help once you too know how to ask for the help that you need.

     If you spend some time at the Va you will find that it is easy to open a conversation with other Vets. Remember we all have something in common and that is huge ice breaker.

     Another great place to get the ball rolling is at any of the Vet Centers.

     If you are not in an emergancy situation and you do not feel comfortable at a hospital then the Vet Centers are a great place to learn what is available to you. Most of the Techs there are Vets and you will get a more relaxed type of approach to helping you get into the VA System.

     They also have weekly Group style meetings that you can get involved with and much more.

Travel Pay

Many Vets do not realize that they are elligable for travel pay to attend appoints at the VA. When you go to the VA be sure to ask. You will be asked to fill out a Means Test to determine if you are elligble for travel pay.

Veterans may qualify for travel payments if they fall into one of the following categories:

• · Have a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more
• · Are traveling for treatment of a service-connected condition
• · Receive a VA pension
• · Are traveling for a scheduled compensation or pension examination
• · Does not have income that exceeds the maximum annual VA pension rate
• · Veterans meeting the above conditions may also be provided special mode travel (e.g., wheelchair van, ambulance) based on a clinical determination of need (authorization is not required for emergencies if a delay would endanger their life or health).

General Travel

• · Mileage rates are $0.415 (41.5 cents) per mile (subject to change).
• Scheduled and Unscheduled Appointments/Visits
• · Scheduled appointments qualify for round-trip mileage.
• · Unscheduled visits may be limited to return mileage only.
• Deductibles
• · Deductible is $3.00 one way ($6.00 round trip).
• · Deductible requirement is subject to a monthly cap of $18.00
• · Upon reaching $18.00 in deductibles or 6 one-way (3-round) trips, whichever comes first, travel payments made for the balance of that particular month will be free of deductible charges.l

Inside the VA Super Tips