American Legion Post 194 hosts VA benefits seminar
By: Dave Heinfeldt

American Legion Post 194 hosted a Veterans Affairs (VA) Benefits Seminar on February 23. Veterans and spouses attended the seminar to be informed about the latest VA benefits available to veterans and spouses.

Mr. Kerry Elder, supervisor of VA Health Administration Service, provided the briefing. He addressed capabilities at the Charlie Norwood Medical Center in Augusta. The enrollment priority groups were explained in detail to identify who qualified for each group, income thresholds, disability types and ratings, copayments for services (when applicable), and medical/medicine services. Beneficiary travel benefits, outpatient dental treatment and optical services were reviewed. Important to note is that services, procedures, capabilities and funding are always changing and it is important to the veterans and surviving spouses to be aware of these changes. These seminars provide you with this information.

A question and answer period followed the briefing. Mr. Elder provided helpful answers to the questions about the VA system. In addition, he will provide VA follow up to questions that involved obtaining VA services. A legionnaire that has been through the system attested to the importance of following the procedures for obtaining services and the services available.

Mr. Elder and Andrea Jones, also affiliated with the VA, assisted attending veterans in completing VA enrollment forms. The information on the forms allows entering of the veteran into the VA system and assists in assigning the veteran to an enrollment priority group to determine what VA services are available to that veteran.

American Legion Post 194 thanks the VA for providing these valuable information services to America's veterans.