VA teams with Kiowa Tribe for Friday benefits event for veterans

CARNEGIE — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Kiowa Tribe are hosting an event as part of a campaign to bring benefits home.

The PACT Act Presumptive Claims Event event will be from 8 a.m. to noon Friday at the Kiowa Community Center, 100 Kiowa Way in Carnegie. The event is free and lunch will be provided.

The event, called “Your Service. Our Mission: Bringing VA Benefits Home” will provided Tribal Veteran Service Officers and other knowledgeable advocates to assist in completing VA claim paperwork.

Muskogee VA Regional Office staff will review claims on-the-spot with the goal of same day approval. Additionally, spouses and widows/widowers may be eligible for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) when a Veteran dies as a result of these presumptive disabilities.

Oklahoma City VA Health Care System employees will enroll veterans not currently enrolled in VA health care. As part of the PACT Act process, veterans can also complete toxic health screenings by VA clinicians. Assistance will be available from local VA Vet Centers, VA suicide prevention and homeless program staff, as well as the State Department of Veterans Affairs offices.

You’re eligible if you served in the military in any capacity. If you are unsure if you qualify, you are encouraged to come to the event and ask questions and allow VA staff to research for you. Veterans and their spouses/widows/widowers are eligible.

If available, veterans are asked to bring the following documents: medical records/medical evidence (e.g., doctor or hospital reports); any documents that provide historical or military information needed for the disability you are claiming; discharge or separation papers (DD 214 or equivalent); and widows are asked to bring dependent records (e.g., marriage certificate, death certificate, children birth certificates).