Military

New, full time IDVA Veterans’ Service Office opening at Carbondale VA Clinic on October 30th


SPRINGFIELD –(ENEWSPF)–October 24, 2012. Effective Tuesday, October 30th, the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (IDVA) will open a new, full-time Veterans’ Service Office at the Carbondale VA Clinic. The office will be located at 1130 E Walnut St, Room 108, Carbondale, IL  62901.

The new office will be staffed by Veterans Service Officer (VSO) Harold Power. Office hours will be maintained daily from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except for the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month. On those days, Power will maintain office hours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Chester City Hall, 1330 Swanwick Street, Chester, IL 62233. In Carbondale, he can be reached at (866) 289-3300 or (618) 351-1031 x72204. His fax number is (618) 351-1110. In Chester, he can be reached at (618) 826-2326. You may also email him at [email protected].

Veterans wishing to contact a VSO in between office days may use the “Stand Up and Be Counted” online tool at www.veterans.illinois.gov. Veterans who do will also be assisting their fellow veterans by helping IDVA and the entire veteran advocacy community to gain a better understanding of who and where Illinois’ veterans are. This will help us plan for future services, lobby for further federal VA funding and facilities, and generally serve Illinois’ veterans better.

The Carbondale and Chester Veterans’ Service Offices are part of a statewide network that serves about 800,000 veterans by increasing awareness of available state and federal benefits. Offices are staffed by VSOs who provide accurate, up-to-date information, answer questions, assist with paperwork and filing of claims for federal, state and local benefits completely free of charge.

Assistance provided by VSOs includes:

• Compensation Benefits and Document Assistance – Combat and service-related bonus payments and compensation, DD214 certificates.
• Survivor and Burial Benefits – Graves registration, grave markers.
• Educational Benefits – G.I. Bill, Troops to Teachers, Scholarships.
• Employment Benefits – Employment preference, Jobs for Vets program.
• Real Estate and Permits – Homestead and Disabled Veterans Standard Homestead exemptions, Adapted Housing exemptions, camping and admissions fees, hunting and fishing licenses.
• Referral Assistance – Facilitating access to federal VA health care and counseling services.
• Illinois Veterans Homes – Assist in applying for admission to one of four state-managed homes throughout Illinois.

For more information, please visit www.veterans.illinois.gov or call 1-800-437-9824.

Source: illinois.gov


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