VETERANS BENEFITS

Listed below are web-sites that provide information on veterans’ benefits and how to file or ask for them. There are also many sites listed that explain how to obtain books, military or medical records, other information and how to appeal a denied claim with the VA.

Nearly all of this information is free and available for all veterans. The challenge is you need to ask for it. Review as many of the sites as possible. All veterans need to know what questions to ask so the right doors open for them. Veterans should also have advocates who are willing to work with and for them, stay in the process and press for rights and benefits.

The Army doesn’t endorse these websites, they are simply provided as a reference for veterans wanting to increase their knowledge and understanding of services available.

Texas Veterans Commission
www.tvc.state.tx.us/

Veterans Crisis Line
www.VeteransCrisisLine.net
The Veterans Cris is Line is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to all Veterans and their families, even those who are not enrolled in the VA health care system. A staff of specially trained, qualified, and caring VA counselors - many of them Veterans themselves - are standing by to provide you and your family free, confidential support.
Just call: 1-800-273-TALK (8255), and press 1.

Board of Veteran's Appeals…
www.bva.va.gov/
The Board of Veterans' Appeals (also known as "BVA" or "the Board") is a part of the VA, located in Washington, D.C. Members of the Board review benefit claims determinations made by local VA offices and issue decision on appeals.

Center for Minority Veterans…
www.va.gov/centerforminorityveterans/
The Center for Minority Veterans is part of the Office of the Secretary. The Center assists eligible veterans in their efforts to receive benefits and services from VA.

Center for Veterans Enterprise…
www.vetbiz.gov/
VetBiz is a Veteran Resource Information web site designed to assist veteran entrepreneurs who want to start and expand their businesses in the Federal and private marketplace.

Center for Women Veterans…
www.va.gov/womenvet/
The Director, Center for Women Veterans, acts as the primary advisor to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on all matters related to policies, legislation, programs, issues, and initiatives affecting women veterans.

American Gulf War Veterans Assn…
www.gulfwarvets.com
The American Gulf War Veterans Association (AGWVA) was established with one goal in mind: To obtain treatment for those service members and their families who experience symptoms collectively known as the "Gulf War Illness".

Department of Veterans Affairs…
www.va.gov/
The VA’s goal is to provide excellence in patient care, veterans' benefits and customer satisfaction. It has reformed its department internally and is striving for high quality, prompt and seamless service to veterans.

Disability Examination Worksheets…
www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Benefits/exams/index.htm
The 57 disability examination worksheets listed are in use both by the doctors of the Veterans Health Administration who do the disability examinations and by the rating specialists, hearing officers, and decision review officers of the Veterans Benefits Administration who do the disability evaluations.

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations…
www.gpoaccess.gov/ecfr/
The Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR) is a prototype of a currently updated version of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The e-CFR prototype is a demonstration project. It is not an official legal edition of the CFR.

Forms and Records Request…
www.va.gov/vaforms/
Forms on this site are available in several formats. Fillable pdf can be filled on-line, printed, saved and edited. XFT forms can be filled on-line, printed, and saved to your pc but cannot be edited later (TURN OFF YOUR POP-UP BLOCKER TO USE XFT). Some PDF are printable blank forms.

Geriatrics & Extended Care…
www.va.gov/geriatricsshg/
Geriatrics and Extended Care advances quality care for aging and chronically ill veterans by providing policy direction for the development, coordination, and integration of geriatrics and long-term care clinical programs.

GI Bill Web Site…
www.gibill.va.gov/
The VA has redesigned the GI Bill website to make it easier to use. You may find some links relocated. The WAVE link has been located under "Information for Benefit Recipients" and there is new education benefits information available in Spanish.

Homeless Veterans…
www.va.gov/homeless/
The VA offers a wide array of special programs and initiatives specifically designed to help homeless veterans live as self-sufficiently and independently as possible.

HSR&D Home…
www.hsrd.research.va.gov/
This website serves as a resource for VA-funded researchers and research staff to learn of new funding opportunities, updated guidance and deadlines, and other topics of interest.

Mental Disorders, Schedule of Ratings…
www.warms.vba.va.gov/regs/38CFR/BOOKC/PART4/S4_130.DOC
VA’s schedule of ratings for mental health disorders.

Mental Health Program Guidelines…
www1.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=1094
Guidelines as set forth in this document are published to improve the care for a large and often complex group of veteran patients.

My Healthe Vet…
hwww.myhealth.va.gov/
My HealtheVet (MHV) is the gateway to veteran health benefits and services.

National Assn. of State VA Directors …
www.nasdva.com/
Each year state governments spend more than $3.5 billion to support our nation's veterans and their families. Collectively, they are second only to the federal Dept. of Veterans Affairs in providing benefits and services to the men and women who defended our nation.

National Center for Health Promotion & Disease Prevention…
www.prevention.va.gov/
The VA National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (NCP) is a field-based program office of the VHA Office of Patient Care Services.

Online VA Form 10-10EZ…
www.1010ez.med.va.gov/sec/vha/1010ez/
The primary purpose of this form is to request enrollment in the VA Health Care System (Apply for Medical Benefits).

Prosthetics Eligibility…
helpdesk.vetsfirst.org/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=1245
This Veterans Health Administration handbook updates the previous policy and procedures for determination of eligibility of veteran beneficiaries for prosthetic services provided by the VA.

Publications Manuals…
www1.va.gov/vhapublications/publications.cfm?Pub=4
A comprehensive list of downloadable manuals and VA publications.

Records Center & Vault HomepageA…
www.rcv.va.gov/
The VA Records Center and Vault (RC&V) provides short- and long-term storage of records and files for VA and other government agency customers.

Title 38 Index (Parts 0-17)…
ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/
Index for Title 38 of the U.S. Code that explains pensions, bonuses, and veterans' relief.

U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims…
http://www.uscourts.cavc.gov
The Court of Appeals’ homepage on the web.

VA Best Manual for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)…
www.avapl.org/pub/PTSD%20Manual%20final%206.pdf
This document provides information on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and current recommendations regarding what is known about “best practice” procedures for assessing PTSD among veteran populations.

VA Loan Lending Limits & Jumbo Loans …
valoans.com/va_facts_limits.cfm
VALoans.com is a private company specializing in VA financing and is not a government agency.

VA National Hepatitis C Program…
www.hepatitis.va.gov/
The VA is the nation’s largest provider of Hepatitis-C care.

VA Trainee Pocket Card on Gulf War…
www.va.gov/OAA/pocketcard/gulfwar.asp
A comprehensive list of Gulf War health issues readings provided by the VA.

VAOIG Hotline…
www.va.gov/oig/
Homepage on the web for the VA’s Office of the Inspector General.

Veterans Benefits Administration Main Web Page…
www.vba.va.gov/VBA/
Federal benefits for veterans and their family members.

VHA Public Health Strategic Health Care Group Home Page…
www.publichealth.va.gov/
The PHSHG includes the AIDS Information Center, Public Health Research & Consultation Service, Center for Quality Management in Public Health, Hepatitis C Resource Centers, HIV/Hepatitis C Clinical Program Office, and the HIV/Hepatitis C Prevention, HIV/Hepatitis C Training/Education and Smoke Free Programs.

Vocational Rehabilitation…
www.vba.va.gov/bln/vre/
This website is dedicated to providing information about veteran benefits administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Service to veterans, employers, and the general public.

WARMS…
www.benefits.va.gov/WARMS/Site_Map.asp
This is the VA’s web-automated reference materials system.

War-Related Illness & Injury Study Centers…
www.warrelatedillness.va.gov/nj/
Based on scientific & clinical excellence, the U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs established two War-Related Illness and Injury Study Centers (WRIISCs) nationwide in May 2001; one is located at the VA New Jersey Health Care System in East Orange, NJ and the other at the VA Medical Center in Washington, DC.