Veteran Services: Frequently Asked Questions

The Veteran Services Office serves veterans and their dependents with the filing of complex claims for the various benefits they are eligible to receive. The Service Officer holds numerous accreditations with a service organization and attend mandatory training conferences two times a year to stay abreast of the ever changing laws and regulations concerning veterans. The advocacy doesn't stop after the filing of a claim. We continue to follow the progress of the claims process with the Veteran/Dependent throughout the often lengthy time it takes the VA to reach a decision

If you registered your DD 214/military discharge document with your local county clerk for safekeeping, you can get a certified copy from them free of charge. If not and you have access to a computer and a fax machine, you can order them online here. You should receive the requested copy in two to three weeks. You can also complete a SF Form 180 and mail it to the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, MO requesting a copy be sent to you. The address is listed on the form. The form can be found on and printed from the Internet.

Contact the military installation nearest you. For the Dallas/Fort Worth area, call the Naval Air Station Pass & I.D. section at (817) 782-5244. You may need to acquire a letter of disability from the VA to establish eligibility. You can get this letter by calling the VA Regional Office at (800) 827-1000.

The VA uses Form 21-22 (Appointment of Service Representative) authorizing the claimant to have professional representation in pursuing their claim with the VA.

Visit any VA health care facility. Ensure you take your DD-214/military discharge showing the character of discharge. You should also be prepared to answer questions related to your current income and whether or not you have any other medical insurance. You may also apply online here.

Yes, there are three primary medical facilities and one community-based clinic located in the North Texas area.

The locations are as follows:

Regardless of where you received treatment, you may get a copy of your records at either the VA hospital in Dallas or the clinic in Ft. Worth. The records are electronic, and are therefore accessible from both locations. The first copy is free and you will pay a fee for subsequent copies.

First, complete a VA Form 26-1880, Request for a Certificate of Eligibility for VA Home Loan Benefits and mail it to, VA Loan Eligibility Center, P. O. Box 20729, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27120. They also have provisions for sending the form overnight. They can be reached at (888) 244-6711. You can also get the form from the VA's website or by performing a search on the Internet.

Army: (866) 281-3254

Navy & Marine Corps: (877) 366-2772

Air Force: (800) 616-3775

DFAS: (800) 321-1080

This program is administered through the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS). They can be contacted at (800) 321-1080.

If the member was receiving military retired pay, you should call the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), at 1 (800) 321-1080. If the member was receiving compensation or pension from the VA, you should call the VA at 1 (800) 827-1000. Also, you may want to call one of the following numbers depending upon what military branch the veteran was retired from:

• Air Force: (877) 353-6807;
• Army: (800) 626-3317;
• Navy: (800) 368-3202;
• Marines: (800) 847-1587;
• Coast Guard: (800) 323-7233.

Yes, the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery is located at 2191 Mountain Creek Parkway, Dallas; telephone: (214) 467-3374. No, you can't make a reservation. The VA will provide a gravesite, grave-liner, headstone or marker, Presidential Memorial Certificate, U.S. Flag and perpetual care of the gravesite. Surviving spouses of honorably discharged veterans may also be buried there.

Yes. Send a letter to the VA asking to receive a copy of the veteran's claim file. Be sure to include the veteran's full name, social security number, and a mailing address. You may only receive a copy if you are the veteran or the surviving spouse or dependent of the veteran. If the claim was submitted to the VA Regional Office in Waco, TX, mail the letter to:

Department of Veteran Affairs
Waco Regional Office

NOTE: If you have a pending claim with the VA, wait until the claim has been settled before requesting a copy of the claim file so you won't hold up your claim.

You can check the status of your claim or appeal by:

• Calling the VA toll free number at 1 (800) 827-1000.
• Register for an eBenefits account.

A full continuum of comprehensive medical services including health promotion and disease prevention, primary care, women's gender-specific health care e.g., hormone replacement therapy, breast and gynecological care, maternity and limited infertility (excluding In-vitro fertilization), acute medical/surgical, telephone, emergency and substance abuse treatment, mental health, domiciliary, rehabilitation and long term care. VA researchers at many VA facilities also conduct medical research on women's health.

Veterans can apply for VA health care enrollment by completing VA Form 10-10EZ. The 10-10EZ may be obtained by visiting, calling or writing any VA health care facility or veterans' benefits office. You can also call the VA Health Benefits Call Center toll-free at (877) 222 vets or (877) 222-8387 or access the form for online applications.

Contact the local VA homeless coordinator (or point of contact), Social Work Services department, or Women Veterans Program Manager at your local VAMC. There are homeless women veteran and homeless women veterans with children pilot programs located at eleven designated VA facilities as well, and the Women Veterans Program Manager can discuss what options are available in your area.

Yes, there are three primary medical facilities and one community-based clinic located in the North Texas area.

The locations are as follows:

Contact the Women In Military Service for America Memorial (WIMSA) located at the gates of Arlington Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

This office understands the law under which the VA must operate, Title 38 Code of Federal Regulations. We apply the law in the interest of the veteran not the VA.

The provision of health care services to veterans is established by certain eligibility criteria and discharge status requirements. To determine your eligibility for services contact your nearest VA health care facility.

Contact the Women Veterans Program Manager at your local health care facility (white pages under U.S. Government, Department of Veterans Affairs) or the Veteran Health Administration (VHA) Office of Women Veterans Health at (202) 273-8577 or the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Center for Women Veterans at (202) 273-6193.

The Veteran Services Office serves veterans and their dependents with the filing of complex claims for the various benefits they are eligible to receive. The Service Officer holds numerous accreditations with a service organization and attend mandatory training conferences two times a year to stay abreast of the ever changing laws and regulations concerning veterans. The advocacy doesn't stop after the filing of a claim. We continue to follow the progress of the claims process with the Veteran/Dependent throughout the often lengthy time it takes the VA to reach a decision.

Apply for VA health care enrollment by completing VA Form 10-10EZ. The 10-10EZ may be obtained by visiting, calling or writing any VA health care facility or veterans' benefits office. You can also call toll-free (877) 222 VETS or (877) 222-8387 or access the form on the VA healthcare..

The provision of health care to non-veteran children is limited to those instances where specific authority is given to VA by law. Contact your local VA health care facility and ask to speak with the Women Veterans Program Manager (white pages under U.S. Government, Department of Veterans Affairs).

A full continuum of comprehensive medical services including health promotion and disease prevention, primary care, women’s gender-specific health care e.g., hormone replacement therapy, breast and gynecological care, maternity and limited infertility (excluding In-vitro fertilization), acute medical/surgical, telephone, emergency and substance abuse treatment, mental health, domiciliary, rehabilitation and long term care. VA researchers at many VA facilities also conduct medical research on women’s health.

If you have never been seen at a VA health care facility, you must first enroll for benefits. Then you must enroll in a primary care clinic and ask for an evaluation for nursing home care. The evaluation will be done either by the primary care provider or a geriatrics care team.

Organizations selected to represent claimants before the VA must provide a statement that no charges, fees or gratuities will be charged or accepted. Membership in the organization or attendance at meetings is not required, but is permitted.

Visit any VA health care facility. Before you go to the facility ensure you have and bring with you your DD-214 (Military Discharge) showing the character of discharge. You may visit any FDVA office located in the VA Medical Centers or go to the VA "Enrollment Section" of the facility.

You may bring the prescriptions to the VA if you are enrolled and if your Primary Health Care Provider agrees with the medications. He or she may provide you with a VA prescription for the medications. NOTE: The VA physician may or may not agree with the need for these medications.

If you experience an urgent or emergent medical condition you can contact your local VA health care facility telephone care program; visit their walk-in (urgent care) clinic or emergency room. Non-acute problems will be scheduled on a next available appointment basis.

Most VA Medical Centers have inpatient mental health programs. Contact your VA Primary Care Provider or the local Mental Health Program office for assistance. If you already have a therapist and need inpatient care, please discuss your concerns with your therapist. If you have urgent or emergent needs, you can contact your local VA health care facility telephone care program or urgent care clinic.

If a women veteran is enrolled and we know she is pregnant, fee-basis care would have been authorized in advance. In the event of an obstetric emergency, she would go to the hospital and the hospital would be reimbursed for services provided under VA contract. Eligible veterans are encouraged to enroll for VA health care as soon early as possible in the pregnancy to ensure that any maternity care provided by non-VA providers can be reimbursed.

DVA has no authority to provide care to the newborn infant. Local facilities will assist the veteran in accessing community resources. When the pregnant veteran has a total disability, permanent in nature, resulting from a service-connected disability, and the child is not otherwise eligible for medical care under the Civilian Health and Medical program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS), then newborn infant could receive care under Civilian Health and Medical Program of VA (CHAMPVA).