| Veterans
News Flash 
VA
Begins Next Phase of
Combat Veteran Outreach
Calls to Ill or Injured Veterans Completed
May 30, 2008
WASHINGTON – The
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced
today it has completed making calls to Veterans
potentially identified as being ill or injured
from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation
Iraqi Freedom (OEF-OIF), and will immediately
begin targeting over 500,000 OEF-OIF Veterans
who have been discharged from active duty but
have not contacted VA for health care.
“We promised to reach out to every OEF and
OIF veteran to let them know we are here for them—and
we are making real progress in doing so,” said
Dr. James B. Peake, Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
A contractor-operated “Combat Veteran Call
Center” is making the initial calls on behalf
of VA. All potentially sick or injured Veterans
on VA’s list received an offer to appoint
a care manager to work with them if they do not
have one already. VA care managers ensure Veterans
receive appropriate care and know about their VA
benefits.
In the new phase, beginning today, Veterans who
have not accessed health care from VA will be called
and informed of the benefits and services available
to them. Additionally, military personnel received
information about VA benefits when they left active
duty, and the Department had sent every veteran
a letter with this information after their discharge.
For five years after
their discharge from the military, these combat
Veterans have special access to VA health care,
including screening for signs of post-traumatic
stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. VA
personnel have been deployed to the military’s
major medical centers to assist wounded service
members and their families during the transition
to civilian lives.
“VA is focused on getting these Veterans
the help they need and deserve,” said Secretary
Peake. “I expect these calls to make a real
difference in many Veterans’ lives.”
SOURCE:
US Department of Veterans Affair
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