Vet News: VA Teams with National Guard to Train New State Benefits Advisors

WASHINGTON - - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the National Guard Bureau have teamed up to improve the coordination of Veterans benefits at the state level by training newly created State Benefits Advisors (SBAs) to help ensure a smooth and seamless transition for Guard members returning from active-duty deployments.

The 54 new National Guard SBAs, being hired in each of the states and territories, are recently returned Veterans who will be available to assist their fellow combat Veterans.

“As advocates for Veterans, these new advisors will ease the transition for newly discharged Veterans back to their home communities,” said the Honorable R. James Nicholson, Secretary of Veterans Affairs. “We are proud to have our newest generation of heroes join with VA to help their fellow combat Veterans.”

The new advisors are graduates of a special training program at the Veterans Benefits Academy in Baltimore to increase their knowledge of VA services and benefits.

The training enabled them to assist returning combat Veterans and create coalitions between state Veterans affairs offices, Veterans service organizations, VA and community groups.

In addition to advising their state’s adjutant general and governor, the benefits advisors will serve as the statewide points of contact providing advice to Guard members, their families, the family program office, employer support groups and military personnel.

They will participate in the Reserve and National Guard mobilization and demobilization process and provide materials on VA benefits, compensation, education, vocational rehabilitation, life insurance, home loans, and burial benefits.

SOURCE: VA Press Service