Service Officer's Page
Information and Assistance
Post 84 Service Officer


FYI  Veterans Day Freebies – please pass it along
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE!
Restaurant Freebies
    Applebee's Restaurant - Free dinners to veterans throughout Veterans Day November 11th ; selections will be from a new Veterans Day menu.
    Outback Steakhouse - Free Blooming Onion and beverage.
    Golden Corral- Free buffet dinner from 5-9 p.m. on Nov. 16 to anyone who has ever served in the U.S. military Staff.
    In celebration of Veterans Day 11 Nov 2010, Subway is showing its thanks with free six inch subs to all Veterans or Active Duty members.
    On Nov. 7, McCormick & Schmick's restaurants will offer a free entree to military veterans for its 12th annual Veteran's Appreciation Event. Menu picks include such seafood items as parmesan crusted tilapia, roasted cedar plank salmon and almond crusted rainbow trout.  "Our Veterans Appreciation Event has become a tradition that our restaurants look forward to each year," said Bill Freeman, CEO of McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants, in a statement.  For more information: www.mccormickandschmicks.com
    Krispy Kreme - One free doughnut of any variety.
    UNO Chicago Grill- Free entree or individual pizza with an entree or pizza purchase of equal or greater value.
    Coushatta Casino Resort - The Louisiana casino and resort is offering a free seven-clans lunch or dinner buffet to veterans or active military.
    MarketPlace Grill & Express - Veterans and active-duty military receive free entrees.
    Masala Wok - The Northern Virginian restaurant is offering a free entree to veterans.
    Hy-Vee supermarkets - The mid-western supermarket chain is offering a free breakfast to veterans.
    Abuelo's Mexican Food Restaurants - All veterans and active-duty military receive a free entree.
    Carolina Burgers & BBQ - In Matthews, NC is offering a free meal to all service members and veterans.

Retail Freebies
    Brides Across America - Provides free wedding gowns to qualified military brides.
    Lowe's & Home Depot - Extra 10% off to active-duty military members, National Guard and reserve members, retirees, honorably discharged veterans and immediate family members.
    Sam's Club - Over 25,000 Hugo canes will be given away to U.S. veterans in need of mobility assistance. Membership is not required, but supplies are limited, so check with your local store.
    Amazon.com - Free "Veterans Day Honor" MP3 album download. The album includes 12 songs by The Bands and Ensembles of the U.S. Armed Forces.
    Cabela's Outdoor Store - Offers their employee discount to all veterans, active-duty military and reserves, law enforcement, fire and EMS  personnel Nov. 11-12. Discounts vary from 5% to 50%, depending on the item.
    Build-a-Bear Workshop - Members of the armed services including the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Reserve Officer Training Corps, will receive a 20% discount Nov. 11-15 on any one transaction at Build-A-Bear Workshop.
    Dollar General - 10% discount for all veterans, active-duty military, National Guard and reserve and their immediate families.
    Fashion Bug - 20% off all plus-size and misses clothing purchases with a copy of military ID or spouse's military ID.

Entertainment Freebies
    National parks, forests and monuments - Admission is free to everyone on Veterans Day.
    Knott's Berry Farm - Free park admission to U.S. armed forces personnel and a guest during Veteran's Month, November 1-26.
    Colonial Williamsburg - Free admission Nov. 6-11 for active-duty military, guard and reservists, retirees, veterans and their dependents.
    San Jacinto Museum of History - Free visits to the Observation Deck, theatre, and special exhibit for veterans, active duty military personnel, and their families.
    Historic Jamestown - Free admission to veterans, current Armed Forces members and their family members.
    Battleship Cove - Free admission and a special ceremony for veterans, active, duty and reservists.
    Vicksburg National Military Park - Free admission for all.
    Birmingham Museum of Art - Free admission to the ticketed event "Life and Liberty " on Nov. 10-11 for veterans and active military.
    Vulcan Park and Museum- In Birmingham, Alabama is offering discounted admission through November to the park and museum.
    Greenbay (WI) New Zoo - Free admission to veterans and their families.
    Central Florida Zoo - Free admission to the Sanford , Florida zoo with proper ID.
    Strategic Air & Space Museum- Free admission for veterans Nov. 11-14 to the Ashland , Neb. museum.
    National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum - in Oklahoma City offers free admission to veterans and five guests from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Veterans Day.
    Natural Elements Spa & Salon - In Chesapeake , Virginia , will provide free services from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to both active duty and retired military

Anytime Offers:
MILITARY DISCOUNTS UPDATE 02:  All these businesses offer military discounts ; all you have to do is ask:
Restaurants
  Arby's · A&W · Back Yard Burgers · Burger King · Captain D's · Chick-Fil-A · Cotton Patch
· Denny's · Dunkin' Donuts · Farmers Boy · IHOP (20 percent discount with military identification)
  Java Café · KFC · Long John Silver · Pancho's Mexican Buffet · Pizza Hut · Quizno's · Sizzler
· Sonic · Taco Bell  · Whataburger

Services
AT&T ·  California Cryobank · Geico · Jiffy Lube · Meineke · Sears Portrait Studio

Travel and Leisure
· Blockbuster · Movie theaters · Ripley's attractions and museums · Professional Sports teams

Products
· Apple Computers · AutoZone · Barnhill's · Bass Pro Shop ·  Bath and Body Works
· Big 10 Tires · The Buckle · Champs Sports · Copeland's Sports · Dell
· The Discovery Channel Store · Dress Barn · The Finish Line · Foot Action · Footlocker
· Gadzooks · GNC · Goody's · Great Party· Happy Harry's ·Home Depot · Hot Topic
· Jockey · Lerner ·Lowe’s  · Michael's · NAPA Auto Parts · New York & Company · Pac Sun
· Payless Shoes · Play It Again Sports · Pure Beauty · Sally Beauty Supply · Spencer's Gifts
· Suncoast · Timberland Outlets ·  Wilson 's Leather

Cell Phone Service Discount - All Federal employees are able to get a 15% discount on their personal cell phones by calling their carrier and mentioning the "Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 - Discount to Federal Employees Past and Present." You will need to know the military member's supervisor's name, phone number, and full address, so that his/her military status can be verified.  Use the following contact numbers:

•         Cingular - 800-319-6393

•         Sprint - 877-812-1223

•         T-Mobile - 866-646-4688

•         Nextel - 800-639-6111

•         Verizon - 800-865-1825

[Source:  VA Frederick Service Office Maryland VSO msg. 26 Apr 2010 ++]




Legion Offers Veterans Benefits Calculator
The American Legion has launched a new online tool, The American Legion Veterans Benefits Calculator.    More
Top
For more Info
Cajun A. Comeau
Department Service Officer
Veterans Affairs Office
Cajun.comeau@va.gov
(336) 631-5471/5472
 
Veteran's Crisis Line  1-800-273-8255 +1    or Chat @ veteranscrisisline.net
Army Discharge Review Board to Hold Hearings in St. Petersburg, Florida
The Army Discharge Review Board will travel to St. Petersburg, Florida, in early August to conduct panels to hear issues from former soldiers regarding the equity and propriety of the discharges that were issued within the past 15 years.
Anyone who is interested in having his/her case heard should go to the Army Review Boards Agency website:  http://arba.army.pentagon.mil/, fill out the DD Form 293, select Personal Appearance, and indicate Tampa/St. Pete as the location he/she prefers to make the personal appearance. The Army Discharge Review Board also holds hearings in Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Washington, DC.  For more information, please contact Marc McCabe, Veterans Service Officer for VVA Florida State Council, at 727-319-7515.   

Psychological Health, Traumatic Brain Injury Outreach Center Opens

             The Department of Defense today announced the opening of a 24-hour outreach center to provide information and referrals to military service members, veterans, their families and others with questions about psychological health and traumatic brain injury.  The new center, which is operated by the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE), can be contacted around the clock, 365 days a year, by phone at (866) 966-1020andby e-mail at resources@dcoeoutreach.org .


Virginia State
Veteran Benefits .pdf
New forms to help speed up claims processing

North Carolina State
Veteran Benefits .pdf
NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER PORTSMOUTH , VA
MORTUARY AFFAIRS BURIAL AT SEA PROGRAM

Web Resource Guide for Veterans and their Families

Accessing Benefits
(including Education, Training, Housing and Disability)
http://www.vba.va.gov  VA Benefits
http://myarmybenefits.us.army.mil/Home.html

Accessing VA Helthcare
http://www1.va.gov/health/index.asp
http://www.1010ez.med.va.gov
http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/eligibility/PriorityGroupsAll.asp

Jobs, Career, School Counceling and Workforce Integration
www.operationheroforhire.com  Jobs for Military Veterans
www.vetjobs.com/  Vet Jobs
www.vetsuccess.gov/  Vocational Rehabilitation Services
www.careeronestop.org/  Pathway to Career Success
www.ameriforce.net/education/  Military Community Continuing Education
www.taonline.com/generalpages/SiteMap.asp  Transition Assistance Online - Jobs

Financial Counceling
www.insurance.va.gov/sgliSite/BFCS/BFCS.htm  Beneficiary Financial Counceling Service for Veterans and Families
www.transitionassistanceprogram.com/portal/transition/lifestyles/Personal_Finances/  TurboTAP: The Official Transition Assistance Program
www.ameriforce.net/finance/  Help with Financial Planning, Wills and Trusts for Servicemembers
www.dfas.mil/militarypay/debt/frequentlyaskedquestions.html  FAQ's on Out-of-Service Debt

Dealing with Stress or PTSD Issues
www.ncptsd.va.gov  Returning from the War Zone: Guide for Families; Fact Sheet
www.pdhealth.mil/  Links to BattleMind Video for Veterans and Families, Fact Sheets, FAQ's
deploymenthealthlibrary.fhp.osd.mil/  Deployment Health and Family Readiness Library
www.cdc.gov/niosh/stresswk.html  Job Stress

Dealing with Anger and Irritability
www.usuhs.mil/psy/courage.html  Courage to Care Fact Sheets for Reintegration Issues, Helping Children Cope with Deployment, National Guard and Reserve Reentry to the Workplace, etc.
www.ndvh.org  National Domestic Violence Hotline Phone Numbers and Education
www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/ncdocs/fact_shts/fs_anger.html?opm=1&rr=rr84&srt=d&echorr=true  Anger and Trauma Fact Sheet

Marriage, Family and Child Post-Deploymant Issues
www.militaryonesource.com/skins/MOS/home.aspx  Combat Stress Resources for Military Families
www.sesamestreet.com/tlc  Talk Listen Connect Videos:  When Parents are Deployed

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
www.prevention.va.gov/  Health Information for Veterans and the Public, with Links to MyHealthvet, HealthierUS Veterans, and MOVE! -the VA's Weight Management Program
www.myhealthevet.va.gov/  Health Information on Readjustment, Smoking Cessation, Substance Abuse, Depression, etc.
www.publichealth.va.gov/smoking/  Smoking Cessation

Help with Depression, Drinking, Drug Use and Suicide Prevention
www.mentalhealth.va.gov/  Mental Health Info and How to Access Services
www.niaaa.nih.gov/Publications/EducationTrainingMaterials/guide.htm  FAQ's and Handouts about Alcohol for the General Public
www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/index.html  Drug Abuse and Addiction Basic Facts
www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/  VA National Suicaid Prevention Hotline

Deployment_Related Health Information on Exposures and Special Public Health Initiatives
www.vethealth.cio.med.va.gov/default.htm  Women Veterans Health Program; War Related Illness and Injury Study Centers; OIF/OEF Review Newsletters, Depleted Uranium, Ionizing Radiation; Military Sexual Trauma

Misc

http://www.va.gov/opa/SocialMedia.asp       http://blogs.va.gov       http://www.facebook.com/VeteransAffairs
http://twitter.com/DeptVetAffairs         http://www.youtube.com/user/DeptVetAffairs
http://www.flickr.com/photos/VeteransAffairs          http://www.defense.gov/socialmedia/
http://www.facebook.com/WhiteHouse         http://veterans.house.gov/
http://veterans.senate.gov/














Obtaining VA Benefits for PTSD Claims
Toll Free Telephone Numbers

Post-Deployment Help 24 - 7:  1-800-342-9647
Education (GI Bill):  1-888-442-4551
Health Care Benefits:  1-877-222-8387
VA Depleted Uranium Follow-up Program:  1-800-815-7533
National Domestic Violence Hotline:  1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
VA Suicide Prevention Hotline:  1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Alcohol and Drug Treatment Center Referral:  1-0800-821-4357
National Institute of Mental Health Information Center:  1-866-615-6464
Vet Jobs:  1-877-Vet-Jobs (838-5627)

Veterans who served aboard U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships operating on the waters of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, may be eligible to receive Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation for 14 medical conditions associated with presumptive exposure to Agent Orange.
http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange
National Cemetery Burial Eligibility .pdf