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VFW Post 1963 in Sea Isle City.

VFW Post 1963’s Auxiliary hosts a monthly Veteran Community Outreach Program that allows vets to speak in person with a government representative from the Veterans Administration.

The program takes place year-round on the third Tuesday of every month, from 2 to 4:30 p.m., inside Post 1963’s meeting room at 401 JFK Boulevard in Sea Isle City. No appointment is needed.

During this free program, veterans and family members of veterans can ask questions regarding eligibility requirements, enrollment, healthcare services, claims – or any other questions related to the VA.

“This program is a joint effort between federal, state and county services,” said Veteran Community Outreach Specialist Jacqueline Hinker, of the VA Office in Rio Grande. “It can be very hard for veterans to navigate through the VA on their own, because there are many facets to our organization – and that can be very frustrating. We are here to educate veterans and their families about the services that are offered through the VA.”

According to VFW Post 1963 Commander Mark Lloyd, Sea Isle’s VFW is the only Post in southern New Jersey to offer this type of outreach service on a monthly basis.

“We are very fortunate that our Post can host this monthly program, because there are so many veterans who don’t know how to receive their VA benefits, so we bring the VA to them in a casual and private environment,” Lloyd said.

“As a disabled veteran myself, I was not comfortable going to the VA because I didn’t understand how it worked – but I knew I had issues that needed to be addressed. Then, I learned about this outreach program at Post 1963 and it changed my view of the Veterans Administration,” he added.

Lloyd noted that the VA has made many advances in recent years and “it is very important that our veterans and their families have the assistance they need.”

For more information about the Veterans Community Outreach at VFW Post 1963, contact Jacqueline Hinker at 302-304-5509 or jacqueline.hinker@VA.GOV

To learn more about VFW Post 1963 and its Auxiliary, go to www.vfwpost1963.com.