Whom to call with questions about veterans’ benefits

By Larry Dandridge

Thhe articles in this week and next’s The Island News should answer all your questions on whom veterans and their family members (spouses, children, dependents, caregivers, and survivors) should contact to find out what their veterans’ (federal-VA) benefits and state veterans’ benefits are and who can help with filing and appealing claims.

This week’s article will cover the basics of VA-accredited representation and exactly who the county Veterans Service Officers (VSOs) and some other VSOs are in the footprint of The Island News.

The most frequent question that veterans and their family members ask me is, “Whom should they call with questions about veterans’ benefits?” The short answer I give them is, “They should call a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) accredited representative (normally a Veterans Service Officer) or the VA itself.”

I find the VA to be much less helpful than using a local VSO at answering questions on veterans’ benefits. VSOs are also more timely in responding, but veterans and family members can contact the VA directly in the following ways:

1.  Going online to Ask VA (see https://bit.ly/41hJmys),
2.  Asking the VA’s chatbot at Ask our Chatbot a Question (see https://bit.ly/3NTuzqU),
3.  Contacting Your Local VA Facility (see https://bit.ly/3pgxfnX),
4.  Calling the MyVA411 Main Information Line at 800-698-2411, the VA Benefits Hotline at 800-827-1000, the VA Health Benefits Hotline at 877-222-8387, or the My HealtheVet Help Desk at 877-327-0022.
5.  Contacting your local VA Facility (VA health facility, VBA regional office, cemetery, or other location) at the VA’s Find VA Locations search website found at https://www.va.gov/find-locations.
6.  Finding VA Frequently Asked Questions and other resources at the VA’s Resources and Support webpagesearch tool found at https://www.va.gov/resources/.

Veterans Service Organizations and Veterans Service Officers are called VSOs.

As explained in detail at the VA’s Get Help From An Accredited Representative webpage, found at https://bit.ly/3enmCdG, Veterans Service Officers do not charge for their services; have to pass a background check; are trained by the VA, the state they work in, and a Veterans Service Organization (VFW, American Legion, DAV, PAV, AMVETS, VVA, Red Cross, etc.); must pass a certification exam; take continuing education courses; work for the veteran (not the VA), and be of high moral character.

Because VSOs must meet these stringent requirements, my first choice (and most veterans’ first choice), is to ask a VA-accredited Veterans Service Officer (VSO) for help understanding their veteran’s benefits and applying for their federal (VA) and state veterans’ benefits. Veterans Service Officers work for Veteran Service Organizations (both are called VSOs), as well as for local government offices (like the SC County Veteran’s Service Offices in each county of SC).

VA-accredited Attorneys and Claims Agents

However, in some cases (like during the VA appeals or adjudication processes primarily), a veteran or their family member may elect to use a VA-accredited attorney or claims agent to help them. More on VA-accredited attorneys and claims agents next week.

How to find VSOs at Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Regional Offices

Go online to the VA’s Accredited Representatives VSOs at Regional Offices webpage, https://bit.ly/3TahNn1, and search your state. The following Veterans Service Organizations (and VS Officers) are co-located at the Columbia, S.C. Regional Office, 6437 Garners Ferry Road, Columbia, S.C. 29209, phone 800-827-1000.

1.  American Legion. S.C. Department of Veteran Affairs, phone 803-647-2434.
2.  American Veterans (AMVETS), phone 803-647-2421
3.  Disabled American Veterans (DAV), phone 803-647-2422.
4.  Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), phone 803-647-2432.
5.  Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), phone 803-647-2443.
6.  National Association for Black Veterans, phone 803-647-2444.

The American Legion, AMVETS, Blinded American Veterans, Georgia Department of Veterans Services, and VFW Veterans Service Organizations have offices co-located in the Atlanta, Ga., VBA Regional Office, which is located at 1700 Clairmont Road, Decatur, Ga., 30033:

Although the VSOs in the VBA’s Regional Offices are dedicated and helpful, only those veterans within easy driving distance of their offices find it convenient to work with these VSOs face-to-face.

How to find a Veterans Service Officer in the Lowcountry of S.C. and Ga.

The good news is South Carolina and Georgia have Veterans Service Offices in almost every county of each state. You can find the address, phone number, office chief’s name, and email address for each S.C. County Veterans Service Office at https://bit.ly/3qbLVSL.

You can find a GEORGIA Veterans Field Service Office near you at https://bit.ly/44KMVA7.

Some S.C. VSOs in the footprint of The Island News.

•  Beaufort County: 100 Clear Water Way, Beaufort, S.C. 29906, 843-255-6880, FAX 843-255-9445, website https://www.beaufortcountysc.gov/veterans-affairs/index.html.
•  Beaufort DAV Chapter VSO Michael Vergantino, 843-301-2543 and mlv1030@gmail.com.
•  Jasper County: Alton Jenkins, 651 Grays Highway, Ridgeland, S.C. 29936843-726-7727, ajenkins@jaspercountysc.gov and jcwebsite@jaspercountysc.gov.
•  Colleton County: 219 S. Lemacks Street, Suite 124, Walterboro, S.C. 29488, Janet Smith, 843-549-1412, cvao@colletoncounty.org.
•  Charleston County: Lonnie Hamilton III Public Service Building, Suite B-154, 4045 Bridge View Drive, N. Charleston, S.C. 29405, David LeBlanc, 843-974-6360, vaoffice@charlestoncounty.org.
•  Hollywood and Edisto Island, S.C., American Legion Post VSO Charlie Tupper, 843-709-7523,Charles.R.Tupper@gmail.com.
•  Hampton County: Sharon Johnson, 201 Jackson Ave. West, Hampton, S.C. 29924, 803-914-2085/2087, sjohnson@hamptoncountysc.org.
•  Dorchester County: Johnny K. Brown, 500 N. Main Street, Summerville, S.C. 843-832-0050, JKBrown@dorchestercountysc.gov (also in St. George at 201 Johnson St., St. George, S.C. (Tuesdays only), 843-563-0116.
•  Berkeley County: Gerald Baxley, 212 Oakley Plantation Drive, Moncks Corner, S.C. 29461, 843-377-8506, gerald.baxley@berkeleycountysc.gov.

Some Georgia VSOs in the footprint of The Island News.

•  Chatham County, Ga.: Office Manager Miguel Rivera (Bi-Lingual), 912-920-0214, Ext. 2412191, FAX: 912-921-2016, Miguel.rivera5@va.gov, 1170 Shawnee Street, Savannah, Ga. 31419. Also, VSO Sheri Shellman, 912-920-0214 Extension 412194 and VSO Robert Jones 912-920-0214 extension 412193. This office is located in the Savannah VA Outpatient Clinic.
•  Liberty County & Hinesville, Ga.: Shannon Daniels, 912-408-2948, shannon.daniels@vs.state.ga.us, and Dennis Boothe, 912-408-2900 ext. 352750, dennis.boothe@vs.state.ga.us, 500 East Oglethorpe Highway, Hinesville, Ga. 31313. Located inside the Hinesville VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic.
•  Brunswick Ga., Veterans Field Service Office (located in the VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic), 93 Benchmark Way, Brunswick, Ga., 31520, Office Chief Stephanie Jordon, Phone: 912-264-7360, Email: stephanie.jordan1@vs.state.ga.us.

Continued next week.

Larry Dandridge is a Vietnam War wounded warrior, disabled veteran, ex-Enlisted Infantryman, ex-Warrant Officer Pilot, and retired Lt. Colonel. He is a past Veterans Service Officer, a Patient Adviser at the RHJ VA Hospital, the Fisher House Charleston Good Will Ambassador, and the VP for Veteran Affairs for the local Army Association Chapter. Larry is the author of the award-winning book Blades of Thunder and a contributing free-lance writer with the Island News. Contact him at LDandridge@earthlink.net or 843-276-7164.