Ask a vet about the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and nearly everyone will start talking about healthcare benefits. It is the primary interaction for many veterans, especially older ones, who now deal with aging as well as the injuries, diseases, or other conditions brought about by their service to their country. A trained and certified Service Officer (SO) from a Veteran Service Organization (VSO) can help start a claim, research, and even fill out the paperwork for a veteran client.

If you don’t know where to begin, the VA can help you find a VSO on their website. If you are not as computer savvy as you want to be or know a veteran who still prefers their landline, that’s fine. The VA has a 24/7 number to call: 1-800-698-2411, ext. 0 (TTY: 711).

Once you set yourself up with a SO, they will first ask if you have submitted an Intent to File form. This is a VBA 21-0966, and it is very important. Once submitted, you and your SO have a year to gather all medical information and help you begin scheduling the various doctor appointments, so your condition is now part of your medical history with the VA.

When the two of you determine that you have enough to file a claim, your SO will assist you in completing and filing a VBA 21-526EZ Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits. This is the start of your paperwork, but after receiving approval, your benefits are backdated to the date the VA received your Intent to File form.

As a reminder, your VSO Service Officer is a volunteer and does not charge for their assistance. They should also refuse to accept gifts for it. This even includes a cup of coffee if you meet at a local coffee shop, restaurant, or sidewalk café.

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