Resource Center
Veterans
As a soldier returning from duty overseas in Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom, you may be eligible for several benefits, such as transition and readjustment services and medical benefits. The link below will bring you to a Department of Veterans Affairs website which details the benefits available to you.
http://www.seamlesstransition.va.gov/
You may also wish to obtain assistance in filing any claims. Below you will find a link to a listing of
http://www.iowava.org/documents/Counties.doc
Many soldiers who have been deployed overseas have been activated National Guard and Reserve soldiers who have left their civilian position in order to serve their country. The Department of Defense (DOD) can assist you to readjusting to your previous position and can work with you and your former employer through the DOD organization Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve.
Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQ)
For information about eligibility, contact the VA national
service
Phone: 1-800-872-1000
Website: www.va.gov
You can contact the Iowa City VA Medical Center
Phone: 319-338-0551
Des Moines VA Medical Center
Phone: 515-699-5999
Regional Office
Phone: 1-800-827-1000
Direct assistance with VA claims is provided by a number of Service Organizations and/or your county's Veteran Service Office. For specific county information contact:
Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs
Phone: 515-242-5331
The following is other contact information:
American Legion
Phone: 1-800-944-2039
Paralyzed Veterans of America
Phone: 515-323-7544
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Phone: 515-323-7546
Vietnam Veterans of America
Phone: 515-323-7549
You can also find a listing of your Veteran Service Office in the government section of your local telephone directory.
Selected Reserve and National Guard members who served on regular active duty are eligible for the same VA benefits as other veterans. The member must meet the same length of service required for any benefit.
Veterans and other claimants for VA benefits have the right to appeal decisions made by a VA regional office or medical center. The Service Organization or County Service Office that assisted you with your claim should be able to help with your personal appeal. Issues that have been appealed in the past include: disability compensation, pension, education benefits, recovery of overpayments, medication co-payment debts and reimbursement for medical services that ere not authorized. You will have one year from the date of the notification of a VA decision to file an appeal.
A copy of your military service records can be obtained by contacting:
National Personnel Records Center
Phone: 314-801-0800 Monday-Friday, 7:30AM to 3:45PM CST
For assistance with expediting your request, you may complete the SF 180 - Request Pertaining to Military Records form and send it to me at:
Senator Tom Harkin
210 Walnut St. Rm. 733
Des Moines, IA 50309
I will forward your request to the NPRC and ask it to provide a copy of your requested records as soon as possible. Your questions may also be sent to:
National Personnel Records Center
Military Personnel Records Center
9700 Page Avenue
ST. Louis, MO 63132-5100
The secretary of a military department, acting through a board for correction of military records, has authority to change any military record when necessary to correct an error or remove an injustice. A veteran, survivor or legal representative generally must file a request for correction within three years of discovery or an error or injustice. To justify any correction, it is necessary to show to the satisfaction of the board that the alleged entry or omission in the records was an error or unjust. Applications for correction should include all available evidence, such as witness statements or a brief of supporting arguments. Application for correction is made with DD Form 149, Application for Correction of Military Record, May 2005.
Each of the services maintains a discharge review board with authority to change, correct or modify discharges or dismissals not issued by a general court martial sentence. The board has no authority to address medical discharges. You may apply for review by writing to your military service department using DD Form 293, Application for the Review of Discharge from the Armed Forces. If discharge was more than 15 years ago, you must petition the services Board of Correction of Military Records using DD Form 149, Application for Correction of Military Record, May 2005.
I would be happy to submit a request on your behalf to the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC). The NPRC will review your request, verify the awards and decorations you are entitled to receive, and forward that information to your branch of service for issuance. I have been a leader in the Senate in calling on the Department of Defense to improve the process for issuing military medals so that veterans receive the medals that they earned for their service. In 1999, I added an amendment to the Defense Authorization bill which directed the Secretary of Defense to eliminate the backlog in decoration requests. Since then, delays in receiving medals have been greatly reduced and hundreds of Iowa veterans have benefited. Please provide a completed SF 180 - Request Pertaining to Military Records form indicating your wish to obtain all authorized awards and decorations and, if possible, a copy of your DD 214. This information will assist the NPRC with verification of the awards and decorations you are entitled to receive. For assistance with expediting your request, please direct your request to:
Senator Tom Harkin
210 Walnut St. Rm. 733
Des Moines, IA 50309/
and/or contact any of my five Iowa offices.
Websites
VA Benefits and Health Care Sites:
Employment Assistance:
Business Assistance:
Other Useful Sites:
Helpful Phone Numbers
Senator Harkin's Des Moines Office 515-284-4574
Senator Harkin's Washington Office 202-224-3254
VA Benefits 1-800-827-1000
Health Benefits 1-877-222-8387
Educational Benefits 1-888-442-4551
Life Insurance 1-800-669-8477
Debt Management 1-800-827-0648
Mammography Hotline 1-888-492-7844
Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD) 1-800-829-4833
CHAMPVA 1-800-733-8387
Headstones and Markers 1-800-697-6974
Gulf War and Agent Orange 1-800-749-8387