VETERANS SERVICE INFORMATION
If you were injured while on active duty, or on orders with one of the Reserve Components (Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Navy Reserve, or the National Guard), or you suffer from PTSD or any illnesses due to exposure to Agent Orange, burning oil or chemicals during the Gulf War, or to burn pits in Iraq or Afghanistan -or any other locations, or other hazardous materials, you should file a claim for benefits with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
To file an initial claim, request an upgrade, or follow up on any benefits claims through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), I would highly recommend that you use the services of one of the many available Service Organizations. You can work directly with the V.A., however, as the Service Organizations have direct access to the VA, and can personally represent you. Additionally, by dealing directly with the VA, you are only able to file your paperwork, without a personal, knowledgeable representative to handle your case.
The following is a list Service Organizations in the Detroit area who work directly with the VA. They are located at 477 Michigan Avenue, Detroit:
• American Legion – (313) 964-6640
• Marine Corps League – (313) 964- 6830
• Purple Heart – (313) 964- 6888
• VFW – (313) 964- 6510
• Vietnam Veterans of America (313) 961- 9568
In addition, the following county Veterans Services Offices are available to assist in filing claims for benefits, as well as providing information on Veterans Services, including financial assistance:
• Livingston County – (517) 552-6902
• Macomb County – (586) 469-5315
• Oakland County Veterans Services –
Pontiac – (248) 858-0785
Troy – (248) 656-1250
• Wayne County – (313) 224-0810
Legal Help For Veterans
www.LegalHelpForVeterans.com
Facebook.com/legalhelpforveterans
Unlike other law firms, Legal Help For Veterans concentrates
only on veterans' disability claims. They specialize in getting the benefits
veterans deserve from the Department of Veteran Affairs. They are also
a new partner of Veterans Radio on WAAM 1600 AM.
Other noteworthy groups include:
Female Peer Support Group for Women with Military Service. Free monthly meetings in Metro Detroit, St. Clair, Grand Rapids, • Traverse City and More. Contact Community Leader Susan McCain, Veteran at (586) 201-6602 or susan@HelloMissilia.com
Vets Returning Home. Contact Sandy Bower (o)
(586) 285-5606, (c) (586)216-8510, or sandy@vetsreturninghome.org
Buddy to Buddy Volunteer Veteran Program. Contact:
1-888-82-Buddy; www.buddytobuddy.org; or www.facebook.com/BuddytoBuddyProgram
There are also numerous agencies located throughout the state of Michigan that provide Veterans Services for financial aid, mental health, job assistance, housing, and other services that are too numerous to list. The majority of these organizations can be found on line through Google and other search windows.
If any further assistance is needed, please feel free to contact Keith Soussa at 1OldSoldier53@gmail.com, or via his cell phone at (313) 580-5408.
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HOME BASE Assists Veterans with Invisible Wounds (From The Screaming Eagle Magazine -
1st QTR 2019, 47-53)
The United States Armed Forces have been hard at it since the terrible days following 9/11. Few could have imagined the conflict’s length would be the nation’s first intergenerational war, lasting nearly 18 years now. Many of us have fought our own battles in far off places and now some of us have children taking up the same spear to continue the struggle. There is a new generation of Veterans struggling to determine its place in society now that they have laid the spear aside.
Unlike previous generations of Veterans from our conscript military past, most civilians have little or no knowledge of the military or anyone in it. It makes for a challenge to reintegrate into society under the best of circumstances.
Its been said that no one comes back from combat the same. I always hated that cliché. The fact is you can’t unsee what has been seen and unlearn what you know. You develop a new “normal” to better cope with the surroundings and get the job done. It’s how you deal with the new “normal” that determines how successful you are at picking up the pieces of a truly normal life and move forward.
What if due to the length of time spent in far away places and training for the next fight like lives depend on it -because you know they do- leaves you struggling to determine “normal”? The advances in body armor and armored vehicles have saved the lives of thousands of soldiers. There is not, however, a successful armor to undo the effects of repeated blasts that cause concussive injuries -now known as TBI, or the effects of the day in day out extreme stress of living an existence where your own death could wait around any turn, or the taking of another human life is not an uncommon occurrence. The very adjustments you made to make the abnormal seem normal often creates barriers to living a full and healthy life when we return, without even realizing they are still there in place.
Sadly, it’s when all is lost or in shambles that the toughest realize they need help. Where do we turn? There are dozens of programs, government and private, that can assist. I do not want to get into the never-ending debate on the effectiveness of one program over another, it’s about giving options.
Home Base is one option available to veterans of any generation struggling with the invisible wounds. It is the result of a partnership between the Boston Red Sox Baseball Team’s charity, the Red Sox Foundation, and one of the world’s best hospitals -Massachusetts General Hospital. Mass General has been particularly revolutionary and successful in dealing with neurosciences and treatment for TBI and Post Traumatic Stress.
The Home Base is a comprehensive program to treat body and mind for the returning warrior and their family. World class care, free of charge, travel for the veteran and family included for their two week long intensive program. If you are struggling, I encourage you to take a look at the link below about what Home Base has to offer and hope you will make a call to learn more and seek care. (www.homebase.org)
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