By Meg Massey

Orcas Community Resource Center

Veterans can meet benefits experts on Orcas this spring.

The Orcas Community Resource Center team welcomes all veterans in San Juan County to the veteran’s assistance event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, May 19 in the Orcas Island Public School’s cafeteria and library.

Ten highly trained specialists from the Veteran Navigators Program will be on hand, ready to assist veterans apply for benefits which match individual eligibility. Reservations are not necessary; veterans need only sign in when they arrive at the public school‘s cafeteria.

Veterans should bring a copy of their DD-214.

The DD-214 helps the navigators track down benefits which can vary among veterans. For instance, veterans of different age groups are sometimes eligible for different permanent benefits. Understanding the present financial circumstances of each veteran can also help navigators identify applicable assistance.

The volunteer veteran navigators are familiar with a broad range of permanent benefits, pensions and stipends. Navigators have been exceptionally successful at finding additional aid for veterans. Some veterans will learn for the first time about less well-known programs that provide supplemental income.

The navigators will meet with veterans one-on-one in the school library. Applications completed and signed on May 19 will receive the navigators’ attention again, the following week, when they prepare each application for submission. They will also keep tabs on each veteran’s applications, contact veterans if more documentation is needed and follow the progress of each application right through to resolution.

Veterans who miss this local opportunity can seek the assistance of the veteran navigators at their monthly gatherings in Whatcom County. For more information, call 360-376-3184.