U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
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On August 12th, 2 – 3PM ET, VA and community experts will be here to answer your questions on benefits/claims and peer-to-peer support services. Type your questions in now!

You can ask questions to the following people:
» BG Mike Eastman - Advisor, ETS Sponsorship
» Coleton Whitaker - Director of Programs, Elizabeth Dole Foundation
» SGT Lauren Augustine - VP of Government Affairs, Student Veterans of America
» Meghan Williams - Outreach Director, Cohen Veterans Network
» CMSgt Scott Robinson - Director of Military & Veteran Services, Easterseals
» Kacie Kelly - Deputy Director, Military Service Initiative, George W. Bush Presidential Center
» Staci H. - Senior Manager of Volunteers and Partnerships, Blue Star Families
» Melissa Comeau - Director, American Red Cross Military Veteran Caregiver Network
» Maj Bonnie Carroll - President and Founder, TAPS
» PO3 Audri Beugelsdijk - Vice President, Survivor Services, TAPS
» Corey Bowlin - Operations Manager, Veteran's Club Inc.
» Phyllis Abbott - Co-Chair, Veterans Resources United of Central - Southeastern Kentucky
» Anita Vincent - Public Affairs Officer, VA Regional Office Louisville, KY
» SPC Geslia Owens - Public Contact Outreach Specialist, VA Regional Office, Louisville KY
» SN Desley Snyder - Veterans Service Representative, VA Regional Office, Louisville KY
» LCDR Donna Scrivener - Benefits Division Director, Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs
» Jeanette Gilles - Deputy Director of Community Integration, Americas Warrior Partnership
» PO1 Kate Stevens - Operations Associate, Team Rubicon
» LTC Keith L Jackson - Commissioner of Veterans Affairs Kentucky
» Patricia Sweeney - National Director, Peer Support Services, VA Central Office, Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention


ETS Sponsorship:
ETS Sponsorship assists in the successful transition of servicemembers into civilian life, pairing them with trained sponsors from their destination community and utilizing a range of digital tools to provide a unique, personalized plan for each transitioning servicemember tailored to their individual needs. http://www.etssponsorship.com

The Cohen Veterans Network:
The Cohen Veterans Network is a nationwide network of non-profit clinics dedicated to providing accessible, low-cost mental health care to active duty service members, post 9/11 Veterans and their loved ones. We believe this most deserving population has earned the right to compassionate, high-quality care and strive to provide that support regardless of role, branch, or time service and regardless of discharge status or one’s ability to pay. Our local clinic serving Kentucky Veterans and their families is the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Centerstone, and although located in Clarksville, TN, we offer all services including individual, family and couples counseling via telehealth, breaking down the distance barrier to care.

Elizabeth Dole Foundation:
The Elizabeth Dole Foundation is the preeminent organization empowering, supporting, and honoring our nation’s military caregivers; the spouses, parents, family members and friends who care for America’s wounded, ill or injured veterans. Our mission is to strengthen and empower American military caregivers and their families by raising public awareness, driving research, championing policy, and leading collaborations and programs that make a significant impact on their lives. The Foundation envisions an America where military caregivers are empowered, appreciated, and recognized for their service to our nation. https://www.elizabethdolefoundation.org/

Student Veterans of America:
Since 2008, Student Veterans of America has worked to inspire tomorrow’s leaders. With a community network of more than 1,500 on-campus chapters, SVA is committed to transforming the current skills and experience of student veterans. Every day, these dedicated chapter leaders work to ensure that yesterday’s warriors have the resources at hand to succeed in their academic journey and beyond.

Easterseals:
We serve veterans and their families in Southwest Ohio, Eastern Indiana and Northern Kentucky. Our Military & Veteran Services team is 100% staffed by veterans with nearly 70 years of combined active duty experience, including deployments and combat tours. With these common core of experiences we share with the vets we serve, we know first-hand the complex challenges they and their families face. In addition, we understand the journey each person who has served our country takes as they transition from Active or reserve status back into the civilian sector because we have also made that same journey. We are proud to provide our services at no cost to the veteran or their family members, and we live by the same ethos we held on the battlefield – we leave no veteran behind – period. Regardless of discharge status, disability, or personal circumstances, we treat EVERY veteran with honor, dignity, and respect. We work with them to identify their needs and empower them to overcome their barriers, and secure sustainable employment to turn their lives around. https://www.easterseals.com/gc/our-programs/military-veteran-services/

American Red Cross Military and Veteran Caregiver Network:
The Military and Veteran Caregiver Network (MVCN) offers peer-based support and services to connect those providing care to service members and veterans living with wounds, illnesses, injuries and/or aging. The mission of the MVCN is to provide our nation’s military and veteran caregivers of all eras with peer support to reduce isolation and increase connection, engagement, knowledge, skills and hope.

TAPS:
The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) provides compassionate care and survivor support services for the families of America’s fallen military heroes. Since 1994, TAPS has offered support to more than 95,000 survivors of fallen military in the form of peer-based emotional support, grief and trauma resources, grief seminars and retreats for adults, Good Grief Camps for children, casework assistance, connections to community-based care, online and in-person support groups and a 24/7 resource and information helpline for all who have been profoundly affected by a death of a military loved one. For more information go to taps.org or call the TAPS National Military Survivor Helpline at 800.959.TAPS (8277).

Blue Star Families:
Founded in 2009 by military spouses with you in mind, we empower military families to thrive by connecting them with their civilian neighbors – both people and organizations – to create strong communities of support.

Team Rubicon:
Team Rubicon is a disaster response organization that serves communities by mobilizing veterans to continue their service, leveraging their skills and experience to help people prepare, respond, and recover from disasters and humanitarian crises. The organization serves a dual purpose: serve vulnerable communities after disasters but also provide a sense of purpose, mission and community to the veteran volunteers serving those populations.

America’s Warrior Partnership:
America’s Warrior Partnership is committed to empowering communities to empower veterans. We fill the gaps that exist between veteran service organizations by helping nonprofits connect with veterans, their families and caregivers. Our programs bolster nonprofit efficacy, improving their results and empowering their initiatives.

Louisville VA Regional Office:
The Louisville VA Regional Office administers a wide array of benefits in the areas of Compensation, Veteran Readiness and Employment, Fiduciary Services, and Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water Special Mission.

Lady Veterans Connect:
Lady Veterans Connect's mission is: "Honoring Lady Veterans by providing Hope - Homes- Healing for women veterans". A primary focus is providing a transitional housing program for homeless women veterans where they can live up to one-year while participating in restoring self-esteem, life skills, financial literacy, job training, resume writing, interviewing skills, nutritional classes, Yoga, art therapy, and restoring relationships with family members. Additionally, we host retreats for all women veterans, lunch and learn events, and our premier event is hosting a women veterans appreciation dinner to honor all women veterans. We opened our first home in 2016 which was a three-bedroom house. We have opened our second home, "Anna's House" in Winchester June 12, 2021 where we can provide transitional housing for 32 women veterans.
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Responses: 35
SSgt Command Security Chief Sncoic
This is an excellent approach to support of nations best! Solid work here!
Meghan Williams
Meghan Williams
>1 y
Happy to be a peart of this effort and to ensure our nation's heroes and their families know they are never alone.
Phyllis Abbott
Phyllis Abbott
>1 y
Lady Veterans Connect and Veterans Resources United of Central/Southeastern Kentucky are hosting retreats, Meet, Greet, Connect events to connect veterans. We are also going to be hosting two outdoor events: October 6 and November 5&6.
Kacie Kelly
Kacie Kelly
>1 y
SSgt (Join to see) - Thank you for your question! Through the Veteran Wellness Alliance, peer organizations like Team Red, White, Blue, The Mission Continues, Travis Manion Foundation, etc., peer organizations are promoting mental wellbeing through service, community and connection. They are also serving as a direct connection to high quality care for mental and brain health connections through an innovative program called Check-In. Navigating the complicated veteran support landscape makes finding quality care hard for veterans and the people who want to help them. And getting them that help can be even harder.
That’s why we, and other veteran serving organizations like us, built Check-In. Powered by the Veteran Wellness Alliance, Check-In is a user-friendly tool designed to connect veterans with high-quality, compassionate care for mental and brain health through a first-of-its-kind network of trusted peer-led organizations and service providers. You can learn more at http://www.BushCenter.org/VWA
Patricia Sweeney
Patricia Sweeney
>1 y
SSgt (Join to see) - Thank you for your service SSgt Nauert. Veterans who use health care services in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)'s facilities can have the opportunity to work with peer specialists who work as part of the interdisciplinary teams that provide health care services for Veterans. The peer specialists are Veterans who self-identify with their own lived experiences of recovery from a mental health condition. The peer specialists have been trained to help other Veterans with similar experiences to identify and achieve recovery and personal wellness goals that are individualized and important to the Veterans. Peer specialists serve as relatable role models of recovery and can inspire hope in the Veterans to see their own potential and believe that they too can find success in managing their personal wellness and attain meaningful roles that they choose for their lives. As part of their work, peer specialists share their personal recovery stories. They assist Veterans with personal goal setting and problem solving. They help Veterans identify their strengths, resources, and skills that support their personal goals. Peer specialists use a host of recovery tools to help Veterans learn new coping strategies to improve their self-management over their mental health conditions. They assist Veterans with navigating the VA healthcare system, teach self-advocacy skills and empower Veterans to reconnect with others and find a sense of belonging and purpose both in VA and in their communities. Veterans may request a referral for peer support services from their VA mental health care provider or other VA provider with whom they are working.
Maj Bonnie Carroll
At TAPS, we provide comfort, care, and resources to all those grieving the death of a military loved one. Since 1994, TAPS has provided comfort and hope 24/7 through a national peer support network and connection to grief resources, all at no cost to surviving families and loved ones. We provide a variety of programs to survivors nation and worldwide, including our National Military Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp in Washington, D.C. over Memorial Day weekend. TAPS also conducts regional survivor seminars for adults and youth programs at locations across the country, as well as retreats and expeditions around the world. Staff can get you connected to counseling in your community and help navigate benefits and resources. Please connect with TAPS any time at 800.959.TAPS (8277) or visit: https://www.taps.org/. Thank you for joining us on RallyPoint, we look forward to answering any questions you may have.
Melissa Comeau
Melissa Comeau
>1 y
Thank you Maj Bonnie Carroll TAPS has been there for so many survivors and your leadership has ensured a meaningful and gentle support is always available.
Cpl Vic Burk
Cpl Vic Burk
>1 y
Maj Bonnie Carroll Thank you for being there for our Veterans during the last days of their lives. I am sure that means a lot to them to have your groups support.
PO1 Kate Stevens
Team Rubicon is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that utilizes the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders to rapidly deploy emergency response teams. Founded in 2010, Team Rubicon has deployed across the United States and around the world to provide immediate relief to those impacted by disasters and humanitarian crises.

SERVICE above self is the driving force behind all of Team Rubicon’s operational activity. Our actions are characterized by the constant pursuit to prevent or alleviate human suffering and restore human dignity – we help people on their worst day.

Want to know more about how to get involved in serving? Ask your questions below, contact me at [login to see] or check out http://www.teamrubiconusa.org

Join nearly 2 million former and current members of the US military, just like you.

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