Veterans’
Services
To the
Board of Selectmen:
The
following report is submitted for the year ending December 31, 2008.
Financial
and/or counseling service was extended, as necessary, to veterans or their
dependents residing in
East Longmeadow during 2008. The Massachusetts Department of
Veterans’ Services continues to mail information packets to military
personnel returning from duty in the
Middle East. The packets (also available through the
Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services web site) describe how
returnees go about receiving various services and/or benefits.
We continue
to assist veterans to obtain copies of their discharge paper DD-214 or other
pertinent discharge records if for some reason they are lost. Improvements to this process are now in
effect. Today the process is down
to a day in some cases or two to three weeks in other cases.
I encourage
all veterans to visit the VA Medical Clinic on
Bond Street in
Springfield
or the VA Hospital at Leeds (
Northhampton,
MA),
even if they are in perfect health at this time. They should fill out an application for
the Veterans Universal Access Identification Card, just in case they require
medical assistance or other services in the future. They must have a copy of their discharge
paper, DD 214 or other suitable record of military service to apply. (Even if they are in good health now, they
should apply for the card.)
( http://www.northampton.va.gov/
VA Medical
Clinic, 25
Bond Street,
Springfield,
MA
01104 Phone:
(413) 781-6000
VA
Medical
Center,
421 North Main Street,
Leeds,
MA
01053-9764 Phone: (413) 584-4040
The
Soldiers’ Home, in
Holyoke ( http://www.mass.gov/hly/also
provides many service to veterans in the area. Soldiers' Home
in
Holyoke,
110 Cherry St.,
Holyoke,
MA
01040-7002 Main Phone: (413) 532-9475
Monthly coffee
hours will be scheduled during January through April of 2009. Speakers of interest to veterans will be
scheduled and announced through the
East
Longmeadow
Senior
Centers’ Newsletter
and local news media.
Veterans
and/or their dependents, who are legal residents of
East
Longmeadow, are invited to use this Department’s Services by
telephoning the Selectmen’s office at (413) 525-5400 ext. #1.
Respectfully
submitted,
George W.
Herrick III
Veterans’
Services Officer
