Subscribe
YOKOSUKA, Japan - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a representative assigned to Fleet Activities (FLEACT), Yokosuka to assist service members and veterans living in the area, with a variety of their benefits and programs.
Chantal Garcia has been on board FLEACT, Yokosuka since May, and works out of the Fleet and Family Service Center (FFSC) Work and Family Life office.
According to Garcia, it’s important for those veterans and service members stationed overseas to understand which office handles a specific benefit program.
“For example, the Pittsburgh regional office, they handle the claims for VA disability,” Garcia said. “The Honolulu office, handles vocational rehabilitation and employment services; the Denver office, handles what’s known as the Foreign Medical Program (FMO); the Buffalo regional office, handles (GI Bill) approvals for foreign schools. Finally, Philadelphia, they’re the pension management center, that handles pension claims or different types of claims such as surviving spouses and dependents.”
The FMO is a program where service members and veterans can get medical assessment and treatment locally for service connected medical conditions. They can either work with English speaking off-base medical professionals for diagnosis and treatment or they can be treated at the base hospital.
“Education benefits and disability compensation are the two most important topics for service members and veterans and suggests that a claimant has all of their paperwork in order before prior to leaving active duty,” said Garcia.
“Prior to leaving the military, they should have a DD-214, their personnel records and a copy of their service treatment (medical) records. What might not be a problem now or something urgent to deal with, down the road it may become an issue.”
She also said that the proper military documentation is key to proving your disability, filing the proper claim forms, and to get the benefits the veteran is entitled to.
Garcia also provides services for Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Camp Zama, and Yokota Air Base and her tour here will end Oct 5, when she’ll be replaced by another VA representative.
The VA representative here is available for one-on-one appointments, by phone, via email, and during the transition classes that are taught twice monthly at the FFSC.
The VA is scheduled to open an office inside the James D. Kelly Fleet Recreation Center on board FLEACT, Yokosuka in the fall.
The VA annually publishes the Federal Benefits for Veterans, Dependents, and Survivors, a complete stateside and international listing of medical clinics and centers, veterans’ centers, offices, and national cemeteries.
To schedule an appointment with the local VA representative call 243-9632. For general questions about VA benefits or programs email yokosuka.va.rep@ gmail.com.
| Date Taken: | 07.31.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 08.23.2013 03:44 |
| Story ID: | 112455 |
| Location: | YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 2,261 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, VA services for veterans on board FLEACT Yokosuka, by Paul Long, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
