Veterans Benefits

I support caring for veterans and honoring the benefits that veterans are entitled. This includes getting disability and healthcare benefits, military records, awards and Veterans Administration claims. If you are experiencing problems with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), please feel free to contact my office.

VONAPP (Veterans On Line Application)
Certain veteran benefits can be applied for online using the VONAPP, an official U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website that enables service members, veterans and their beneficiaries, and other designated individuals to apply for benefits using the internet. The benefits available through this application are: Education, Compensation, Pension, Vocational Rehabilitation and Burial Benefits.

Department of Veterans Affairs

• Department of Veterans Affairs phone numbers
• Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs
• If you have observed Fraud, Waste and Abuse within the Department of Veterans Affairs, file a complaint with the Inspector General’s office. Utilize their website or hotline 1-800-488-8244.

Health Benefits

• Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA)
  A comprehensive health care program in which the Department of Veterans Affairs shares the cost of covered health care services and supplies with eligible beneficiaries. Veterans who are receive benefits from the Department of Defense Healthcare Programs, TRICARE or CHAMPUS, are not eligible for this program.
•  New Law Change Increases Insurance Coverage for Veterans
• MyHealtheVet program
  Veterans who enroll can refill their prescriptions online, get Wellness Reminders and participate in Secure Messaging with health care providers.
• Readjustment Counseling for Veterans
  Available for all who have served in military conflict as they transition from the military to civilian life.
• Mental health professionals are available to assist veterans experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD], Depression, Substance Abuse and Suicidal Thoughts.

Social Security

• Military service members who become disabled while on active military service after October 1, 2001, can receive expedited processing of disability claims from Social Security. Benefits available through Social Security are different than those from the Department of Veterans Affairs and require a separate application.

Insurance

• Servicemembers’ and Veterans’ Group Life Insurance and Veterans Group Life Insurance
  Insurance programs developed to provide active duty members and veterans with both life and disability insurance through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Traumatic Injury Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance
  Provides all veterans who had Servicemembers’ and Veterans’ Group Life Insurance coverage for severe losses as a result of traumatic injury in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Home Ownership

• Department of Veterans Affairs backed home loans
• Department of Defense Homeowners Assistance Program
  Provides some monetary relief to eligible service members, wounded veterans, surviving spouses (including Coast Guard) and federal employee homeowners who suffer financial loss on the sale of their primary residences when a base closure or realignment announcement causes a decline in the residential real estate market and they are not able to sell their homes under reasonable terms or conditions.
• Florida Home Assistance
  A wide variety of benefits from special licensing to homestead exemptions.
• Veterans History Project
  The Veterans History Project (VHP) collects and preserves the remembrances of American war veterans and civilian workers who supported them. These collections of first-hand accounts are archived in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress for use by researchers and to serve as an inspiration for generations to come. The Project collects remembrances of veterans who served in World War I, World War II, the Cold War, Korean War, Vietnam War, Persian Gulf War (1990-1995), or Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts (2001-present). U.S. citizen civilians who actively supported war efforts (such as war industry workers, USO workers, flight instructors, medical volunteers, defense contractors, etc.) are also invited to share their valuable stories.

Vietnam Veterans

• All eligible Vietnam-era Veterans who were exposed to herbicides and suffer from one of the three diseases most recently presumed associated with Agent Orange (chronic b-cell leukemia, Parkinson’s disease and ischemic heart disease) are encouraged to contact the Department of Veterans Affairs regarding recent changes to their benefits.
• Veterans of Vietnam can leave a tribute, a story or photograph about any of the 58,256 veterans killed or missing in the Vietnam War.
• OIF/OEF Veterans
  Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom who have recently returned from military service are eligible for a variety of earned benefits such as free health care, dental care, family support and other programs.
• Veterans Center for Women Veterans
  Information and benefits specific to the daughters who have served their country in uniform.

Records

• Military records (ie discharge, medical, awards) are stored at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Most veterans and their next-of-kin can obtain free copies of their records by applying online.
• Veterans Legal Rights
  Find out your legal rights regarding several federal laws that protect the civil rights of Servicemembers. This includes the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, Servicemembers Civil Relief Act of 2003, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act of 1986, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.