Quick Links
America's Hero's at Work
National Center for PTSD - Guide for Military Personnel Returning from the War Zone
Navy and Mesothelioma
Medical Support for Veterans with Mesothelioma
Military Handbook
National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs
Rebuilding Together's Veterans Housing Initiative
Understanding Veterans Benefits
VA Launches New Website For Iraq, Afghanistan Vets.
In his "Federal Eye" blog for the Washington Post (4/20), Ed O'Keefe said the "Department of Veterans
Affairs launched a new" website Monday "aimed at informing recent veterans of military operations in Afghanistan and
Iraq about the benefits available to them upon their return." The site, which can be found "at oef/oif
(acronyms for Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom)," builds on the VA's "presence on Facebook,
YouTube and Second Life." Perhaps "most critically, the site welcomes veteran feedback and will eventually link to
veterans' personal blogs. 'We are their VA, so we are eager to provide a forum for Veterans to discuss their lives,'
said Dr. Gerald M. Cross," the VA's principal deputy undersecretary for health.
National Resource Directory
- The Directory online partnership of "shared care"
providing information on, and access to, services and resources for wounded, ill and
injured service members and veterans, their families and families of the fallen, and those
who support them from recovery and rehabilitation to community reintegration. It is
maintained by the Departments of Defense, Labor and Veterans Affairs. The information in the
Directory is from federal, state and local governmental agencies; veteran service and benefit
organizations; non-profit community-based and faith-based organizations; academic institutions,
professional associations and philanthropic organizations
nationalresourcedirectory.org
New Directive for Glasses and Hearing Aids
This new directive allows VA to provide glasses and hearing aids to those who are not service
connected for those conditions (Priority Groups 6-8). In the past these were available only to
those service connected for the condition. These services are now considered part of the
preventative care package for all veterans enrolled in the VA who meet certain criteria.
The link shown above outlines the requirements for obtaining eye glasses and hearing aids.
Notes:
1. Veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system are eligible for battery
replacement and repair of hearing aids even though those aids were purchased from a private source.
2. Even though glasses and hearing aids may be provided at no charge, there may be a co-pay
required for those in group 6-8. Audiology is a specialty clinic with a $50 dollar co-pay
for some services. There is no co-pay for the devices or the batteries. There are no charges for
visits for the purpose of adjusting, repairing or modifying hearing aids.
This Update is a service provided
by the National Veterans Service of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. It is intended as a summary of
items of potential interest to and use by Department Service Officers and their staff. Readers are
encouraged to thoroughly review the original documents which are the source of items found in this Update.
