June 2017

Did you know the VA has offices in Korea and Germany?

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has offices at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany and US Army Garrison Yongsan in Seoul, South Korea.  These offices are staffed with career VA employees and while the offices are targeted at providing service to separating service-members, they are more than happy to provide service to any Veteran, Dependent, Surviving Spouse, or Service-Member with VA-related questions, comments, or concerns.    Please note that you must have base access in order to access these offices, but they can also be reached by email or telephone (see below).  VA staff is also available at Osan Air Base on the 3rd Thursday of each month. 

The Landstuhl, Germany office is located in building 3724 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and can be reached by e-mail at GermanyBDD.vbapit@va.gov or by telephone at 06371-9464-8200.

The Seoul, South Korea office is located in building 4037 on USAG Yongsan and can be reached by email at KoreaBDD.vbapit@va.gov or by telephone at 02-7918-5121. 

Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E)

The Pittsburgh Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Division offers Educational and Vocational Counseling (Chapter 36) to eligible Veterans and Service members. Chapter 36 counseling provides guidance to eligible applicants concerning VA benefits including education benefits, vocational and career assessments, employment and labor market information. Chapter 36 counseling also identifies Veterans who meet eligibility for VR&E services and provides application to them.

 To meet the eligibility requirements for Chapter 36 counseling, a Veteran or Service member must meet one of the following:

•  Six months prior to release from active duty

•  One year following the release from active duty
•  Be eligible for any VA education benefit

 Eligible applicants may submit VA form 28-8832 to the Pittsburgh Regional Office via email to the VRE corporate mailbox.  The email address is: VRE.VBAPIT@va.gov.  The application may also be submitted via eBenefits at www.ebenefits.va.gov.

Tips to Expedite Processing of Your Dependency Claim

If you reside outside of the United States, VA requires that you submit evidence to support your claim to add a spouse or child as a dependent.  You are required to submit a completed VA Form 21-686C Declaration of Status of Dependents.(Link to form)    This can be submitted through your eBenefits account or by mail.  In addition to this completed form, please submit copies of documentation that support all:

• marriage
• dissolution of a marriage
• birth of a child
• introduction of a stepchild into a Veteran’s family

If your spouse or child is not a US citizen and has no Social Security number, please state that on the VA Form 21-686c.

By submitting these documents, it will help expedite the processing of your claim. 

How to Contact VA

Since most Veterans residing in foreign countries cannot utilize the 1-800-827-1000 number to contact VA, a separate phone line was established for inquiries from Foreign Veterans.  Like the 1-800 number, this phone line is staffed by the National Call Center.  How to Contact VA from Outside the United States: 412-395-6272.  

What is eBenefits?

 eBenefits provides electronic self-service resources to Servicemembers, Veterans, and their families.  Use of these resources often helps us serve you faster!  Through the eBenefits website, you can:

• Submit claims for benefits and/or upload documents directly to VA
• Request to add or change your dependents
• Update your contact and direct deposit information and view payment history
• Request a Veterans Service Officer to represent you
• Track the status of your claim or appeal
• Obtain verification of military service, civil service preference, or VA benefits
• And much more!

Enrolling in eBenefits is easy.  Just visit www.eBenefits.va.gov for more information.  If you submit a claim in the future, consider filing through eBenefits.  Filing electronically, especially if you participate in our fully developed claim program, may result in a faster decision than if you submit your claim through the mail.

Send electronic inquiries through the Internet at https://iris.va.gov

Foreign Medical Program (FMP)

The Foreign Medical Program (FMP) is a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care benefits program for U.S. Veterans who are residing or traveling abroad and have VA-rated, service-connected disabilities. Under FMP, VA assumes payment responsibility for certain necessary health care services received in foreign countries and associated with the treatment of service-connected disabilities, or any disability associated with and held to be aggravating a service-connected condition.  Additionally, VA may authorize necessary foreign medical services for any condition for a Veteran participating in the VA Vocational Rehabilitation Program (38 U.S.C. 31).  For more information, please visit here.

Help Us Spread the Word!

Please encourage Veterans residing abroad with whom you come in contact to subscribe to “Veterans Abroad” to receive bulletins and information specific to Veterans residing abroad.  Veterans may subscribe to the email service by clicking here . 

We’d love to hear your feedback regarding the VA OCONUS Connection!  Please take a few minutes to provide your feedback!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VAOCONUSConnection

Welcome!

Welcome to the first VA newsletter for Veterans residing abroad.  We want to share information about VA benefits and services, inspiring Veterans and employees, and update you about VA transformation initiatives that are impacting you every day.    There have been several significant changes over the past few years which have allowed us to improve the timeliness of our services for Veterans abroad, this includes increased functionality of ebenefits. 

For those who don’t know, eBenefits is a web portal that provides Service Members, Veterans, their families, and authorized caregivers with a single sign-on, central access point to clinical and benefits information.   You can check the status of your C&P claim and upload supporting documents, review and print documents from your official Military Personnel File, including your DD 214,  and download and modify VA letters, including Civil Service Preferences, Commissary and Exchange Privileges, Service Benefit Verification and Proof of Service Card.   To register for an account go to  https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/homepage

I don‘t want to let the date of March 29, 2017, go past without saying Thank You and Welcome Home to our Vietnam Veterans.  You are a remarkable group of Veterans, who for many years did not receive the welcome home you deserved.  During my 26 years of service with VA, I have worked side by side with many fantastic Vietnam Veterans and assisted many more.  My heartfelt thanks to you for your service and to family members and survivors of these remarkable Veterans! 

Please take some time to read through the information we have to offer.  I look forward to sharing more news with you in the coming months!

Jennifer Vandermolen, Director

Pittsburgh Benefits Office

Get to Know Your  Team:  Scott Shields, Support Services Chief 

Scott Shields currently serves as our Support Services Chief and assists when Veterans have payment issues such as missing checks and difficulties with direct deposit.   Scott is retired from the Army in 2005 where he served several tours in Korea at Camp Hovey, Warrior Base and Yongsan Army Garrison.  After retiring from the Army, Scott remained in Seoul with his family and worked as the Education Center Manager for Camp Hovey from 2005 to 2006.  Scott joined the Pittsburgh VA team in 2006. 

What do you miss about living in Korea?

•  Korea was a great place to live and work.  I miss the Korean people and the food the most!  I also miss the working with the great Soldiers faced with defending Freedom’s Frontier.

What do you want Veterans to know about VA benefits?

•   Don’t be afraid to ask questions and seek assistance.  There are so many resources to utilize so take advantage of them early. 

Why did you join VA? 

•   I wanted to continue to serve my country and Veterans.  The mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs is something that I feel strongly about so I was honored to join the team. 

Network of Support

Crisis feels different for everybody and can be caused by a wide range of situations before, during, or after military service. Whatever’s got you down — chronic pain, anxiety, depression, sleeplessness, anger, or even disturbing memories of your tour of duty — a Crisis Line responder can provide support, day or night.

The Military Crisis Line is staffed by caring, qualified responders from VA — some of whom have served in the military themselves. They understand what Servicemembers and Veterans have been through and the challenges members of the military and their loved ones face.

The Military Crisis Line staff can connect you with services to help get your life back on track.

Confidential support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year through the Military Crisis Line (1-800-273-8255 and Press 1), online chat and text (838255). In Europe call 00800 1273 8255 or DSN 118*. In Korea call 0808 555 118 or DSN 118. You can also access resources and information anytime.

VA Exam Availability Enhancements

In March 2016, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) awarded contracts that were intended to enhance its ability to deliver timely disability benefits claims decisions to the nation’s Veterans.  These contracts were awarded to firms that are responsible for completing VA disability examinations in an accurate and timely manner.  One of the firms, Veterans Evaluation Services (VES), is responsible for completing examinations in the international areas with the highest Veteran populations.  Currently, VES has exam availability in Germany, Japan, Korea, the United Kingdom, Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, Spain, Italy and Australia.  The expanded exam availability has helped Veterans and separating service-members receive outstanding, complete and timely exams.  This has allowed VA to provide claims decisions for overseas Veterans in an expeditious and propitious manner.     

Did You Know...

That VA has established presumptions for the service connection of eight diseases associated with exposure to contaminants in the water supply at Camp Lejeune, N.C. .

The presumption of service connection applies to active duty, Reserve and National Guard members who served at Camp Lejeune for a minimum of 30 days (cumulative) between Aug.1, 1953 and Dec. 31, 1987, and are diagnosed with any of the following conditions:

• adult leukemia
• aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes
• bladder cancer
• kidney cancer
• liver cancer
• multiple myeloma
• non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• Parkinson’s disease

The area included in this presumption is all of Camp Lejeune and MCAS New River, including satellite camps and housing areas.

Additional information on Camp Lejeune disability compensation information or health care reimbursement for family members can be found here.