VETERANS

For too long, the needs of our nation’s veterans have been shortchanged and neglected by an administration that prioritizes tax cuts for the very wealthy ahead of the needs of our returning soldiers.  As a member of both the Senate Veterans’ Affairs and Budget Committees, Senator Sanders is working to increase funding for the VA to make sure that the brave men and women who have put their lives on the line to defend our country receive the health care and benefits they deserve.  With a new Congress now in place, with new priorities, Congress provided the VA with $88 billion for VA programs and benefits and is the largest budget increase in the VA’s 77 year history. For the first time, the funding meets the level requested by some of our nation’s largest veterans organization in their annual recommendations known as the “Independent Budget”.

On June 30, 2008, a new G.I. Bill, cosponsored by Senator Bernie Sanders, a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, was signed into law. The new law, effective in the summer of 2009, introduced by Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), will expand education benefits for a new generation of veterans. The new G.I. Bill provides $63 billion over 10 years for increased college aid for military service members and veterans who served after Sept. 11, 2001. The benefit of up to $90,000 - more than twice the current level of assistance - will cover a full four-year college education in most cases. For more information, click here.

In 2007, he secured $3 million to continue a unique program carried out by the Vermont National Guard in coordination with the VA at the White River Junction VA Medical Center.  This program provides proactive outreach and readjustment assistance to returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their families.  Senator Sanders has fought to ensure that veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan who may be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injuries, and other health issues receive the care and support they need upon their return.

Every service member and veteran deserves timely and comprehensive health care and benefits, not bureaucratic red tape and inadequate support services that far too many encounter today.  In addition, while Senator Sanders believes it is crucial to have the best services in the world for our veterans, they are of little use if our veterans do not know about them or cannot access them.  For this reason, Senator Sanders and his staff are committed to making sure that returning service members and Vermont veterans know about and receive the health care, mental health counseling, family assistance, transition assistance, and other benefits they need to make sure they can live a healthy and productive life. Vermont veterans and service members seeking assistance in obtaining their benefits should contact Sanders’ district office here.

White River Junction VA Medical Center
Toll-free:  (866) OUR-VETS or 802-295-9363
http://www.whiteriver.va.gov/  

Veteran Services Directory -
http://www.veterans.vermont.gov/home

VA’s Community Based Outpatient Clinics 
Bennington Outpatient Clinic
(802) 447-6913
http://www.whiteriver.va.gov/visitors/bennington_cboc.asp  

VA Outpatient Clinic at Fort Ethan Allen
(802) 655-1356
http://www.whiteriver.va.gov/visitors/colchester_cboc.asp  

Rutland Community Based Outpatient Clinic
 (802) 773-3386
http://www.whiteriver.va.gov/visitors/rutland_cboc.asp

Vet Centers
South Burlington Vet Center
(802)-862-1806

White River Junction Vet Center
 (802)-295-2908

State of Vermont, Office of Veterans Affairs
(802) 828-3379
http://www.va.state.vt.us/  

VT National Guard Family and Service Member Assistance Program
Toll-Free: 1-888-607-8773 (available 24/7)
http://www.vtguard.com/famread/index.htm

The Military, Family and Community Network
http://www.vtmfcn.org/

Vermont Vet-to-Vet
http://www.vtvettovet.org/
(802) 839-9292 or (802) 485-9246.

Learn more about Senator Sanders’ efforts on behalf of veterans :