Letter to the Editor: Submitted by Heather Homewood

To the Editor:

Veterans Day has been known as a celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. It’s a day also known as Armistice Day, marking the end of The Great War. Wouldn’t it be great to say that there was no more war, and that peace prevailed?

The fact that there have been multiple wars and conflicts, and that we still have many active-duty service personnel means that we will continue to have many veterans. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, there are over 18 million veterans in the United States. There are over 200,000 veterans here in Iowa. Veterans are here in every part of our community, as business owners, teachers, firefighters, medical personnel, volunteers and more.

We would like to thank all of those who wore a uniform in the military at any point in time for their service to our country. Thank you for the sacrifices you made and the dedication you had. Thank you to those who are still serving in the Armed Forces. Thank you to those who are still volunteering in your community. Thank you to those who attend and are a part of our veteran organizations, as there is so much that those organizations do, whether it’s youth essays, Boys State, and more. Our veterans organizations are here for support and camaraderie as well.

Also, thank you to all the family, friends, and supporters of our veterans and service personnel. Your support is much needed while serving, as well as on the home front.

Here at Allamakee County Veteran Services we are also here to help inform veterans and their dependents of benefits available. We help individuals apply for the benefits that they need and deserve. There are many things available such as: Disability Compensation, Low-Income Pension, Health Care, Counseling, State Veterans Trust Fund, Education or Home Loan Guarantees, Nursing Home Benefits, or Burial Benefits after a veteran would pass.

There are also dependent benefits such as Low-Income Death Pension, Champ VA insurance, or Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) if a veteran’s death is related to military service. There is a wide variety of things available from Federal, State, or County Veterans Affairs.

We highly encourage individuals to inquire about these and other benefits. If you need a ride for a Veterans Affairs (VA) appointment or VA Contracted appointment, we have a van service that goes to the Iowa City Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) or to La Crosse and Tomah on certain days.

We also would like all to know that if a veteran is in crisis or needs someone to talk to, there is 24/7 service by dialing 988 for the Crisis Line. Anyone can use this number, but there is a specific service for veterans by pushing the number “1” when prompted to do so.

Again, we thank all who have served, and we are here to continue to serve you.

Heather Homewood, Director
Allamakee County
Veteran Services