Veterans Assistance

1. Veterans Assistance The Department Service Officer Perspective

2. Veterans Assistance • Assisting veterans, their dependents and survivors with obtaining • their entitled benefits, • and the help they need.

3. Understanding Veterans Services • Veterans Services: • Veterans Claims: • Inform, file, represent • Other Veterans Services: • Direct Financial Assistance, • Involvement in, • Veterans health care (VAVS), employment, family services for activated service members, community services for returning veterans, outreach and training, burial honors, veterans legislative issues, etc.

4. Structured Service Officer Program Helps Provide Veterans Assistance • Post – Distribute benefits information • District – Organize Local Services • Department – Claims Representation • National – Representation at BVA • County – Benefits Information, Claims Filing • State – Government Veterans Services

5. Specific Department Service Officer Duties • Let clients know what is need to win claims and how to obtain that evidence • Assist with filing claims • Track claims through the system and provide status updates • Review all VA claims processing actions for correctness

6. Specific Department Service Officer Duties • Explain the appeals process when necessary • Assist with filing timely appeals • Assist clients at VA appeal hearings • Write formal appeal statement

7. Suggested DSO Qualifications • Veteran and Legion member of good character • Must be accredited • Proven ability to perform complicated work • Willingness to undergo additional job specific training: • Formal classes: medical terminology, physiology, anatomy, legal research and writing, legal ethics, oral communalizations, and correspondence writing • Structured OJT training: Study law and regulations pertaining to VA benefits and the appeals process

8. Other DSO Duties • Distribute Veterans Benefits Information • Seminars and news letters • Training Post Service Officers • Training seminars and training programs • Help Train County Veterans Service Officers • Conducting Veterans Benefits Seminars

9. Other DSO Duties • Help manage department VAVS programs • Help coordinate special programs, such as: • Heroes to Hometowns • Veterans employment fairs • Direct financial assistance programs • State veterans benefit fairs and veterans transitional assistance workshops

10. Other DSO Duties • Monitor veterans services at VA medical centers • Assist with developing and writing veterans benefits resolutions • Contact elected officials concerning Legion supported issues when necessary • Offering testimony before congressional sub-committees and State legislative bodies concerning veterans issues • Assist with all other department VA&R programs, • Perform necessary management and reporting activities consistent with job responsibilities

11. Other DSO Duties • Keep the national organization informed about important veterans service issues developing at the local level • Assist with national veterans committees and service issues, such as: • The NADSO, • Homeless veterans issues, • The System Worth Saving Task Force, • Heroes to Hometowns Program, • Etc.

12. Departments and DSO Services • Departments manage DSO programs: • Size and resources, • Structure, • Department employees or state government employees, • Accreditation appointments • Actual duty assignments

13. Veterans Services Builds Membership. Membership Builds Veterans Services.