Editor’s Note:
The following column was provided to Austin County News Online by Wayne Cox Austin County Veteran Service Officer, a dedicated advocate for our local veterans. Wayne brings valuable updates and insights from the Department of Veterans Affairs, along with moving tributes to those who served and sacrificed. We’re proud to share his words with our readers.
I hope that all veterans in Austin County have had a great start of the year. As was drilled into me during naval boot camp, fair winds and following seas. In this month’s article I will try to keep you up to date on the latest news from the VA.
As part of our commitment to provide world-class care and benefits to those who have served our nation, VA is pleased to present the 2025 VA Federal Benefits Guide for Veterans, Dependents, Survivors, and Caregivers.
Have you applied for VA care, benefits and services? Unsure what else you may be eligible for? Don’t miss out on what you’ve earned—check out this handy reference guide to learn more.
The handbook contains a comprehensive listing of VA programs, including phone numbers and websites for easy reference. The annual Federal Benefits Guide hosts a wealth of information on most VA benefits and services, including:
- Compensation
- Life insurance
- Pension and fiduciary services
- Education benefits
- Economic development and employment
- Home loan guaranty programs and housing assistance
- Mental health resources
The handbook will help Veterans, service members and their families understand the full scope of VA resources available to them to help them make the most of life after service. It provides details on eligibility requirements for each benefit, and because VA serves different generations of Veterans, it also outlines the qualification guidelines for distinct periods of service to clarify eligibility for Veterans with service spanning both peace and wartime periods.
The VA Federal Benefits Guide is available in both print and digital formats. Veterans and family members can access the booklet on VA’s website, providing instant and convenient access to the wealth of information it contains. A limited number of printed copies may be available at your local medical center, Vet Center or regional office. To find the nearest VA facility, go to Find Locations.
The information in this guide is validated by VA as of Oct. 10, 2024. For the most up-to-date information, Veterans and family members should visit www.va.gov, or go to the specific links provided in this publication to access information on the program that they’re interested in, as regulations, payments and eligibility requirements are subject to change. You can also call VA at 800-827-1000 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday to speak with a representative.
When it comes to your health care, you’re in the driver’s seat—choosing where, when and how to connect with VA.
VA has made real progress in cutting appointment wait times and we’re working hard to make it easier to connect you with high-quality care when you need it. This means shorter wait times to get scheduled and more options for scheduling appointments that are most convenient for you.
Putting Veterans in the driver’s seat when making appointments
One way we are making this happen is through new technology that allows VA staff to book community care appointments directly into providers’ schedules—right when you are on the phone with us. No waiting, and no back and forth. Just real-time scheduling that gets you to the doctor faster. Technology is propelling these improvements, but it’s the VA staff behind the scenes that make it happen when the rubber meets the road.
Take Rhonda Bentley, a supervisory program specialist at the Carl T. Hayden VA medical center in Phoenix. She’s a disabled Veteran and patient in Phoenix. She knows firsthand how important it is to get care without unnecessary delay. She is a driving force behind getting Veterans timely care.
“My goal is to make Veteran care better here in Phoenix, whether it’s getting them easier access, finding the correct providers, bringing the providers on that we need, [or] ensuring our staff is doing the correct processes,” she said when asked what fuels her. “But mainly, it’s to make the Phoenix VAMC a better place.”
Veterans are seeing the difference. Phoenix VA’s optometry team shared how the new scheduling platform is making life easier. One Veteran told Bentley, “Hey, I just made one phone call, and everything’s done. Wow! That’s great!”
This technology, called external provider scheduling, is up and running at 30 VA medical centers and is expected to be available nationwide this year.
Looking ahead, VA is working on a process that gives Veterans even more control—essentially giving you the keys to the car! Soon, you’ll be able to schedule your own community care appointments. The pilot program will start at VA medical centers in Marion, IL, and Salisbury, NC, this summer for the kick-off. Running on all cylinders to bring timely care to Veterans
No matter where, when or how you choose to get your care, VA is committed to making sure you can connect with us directly to get timely, high-quality care. When you talk to us about your available in-person and telehealth options, you help steer us in the right direction. After all, you’re the one in the driver’s seat when it comes to your health care. For more information, contact us at Ask VA.
Veteran of the Day Clifford Sims
Clifford Sims was born in Florida on June 18, 1942, and was orphaned at an early age. He enlisted in the Army in 1961 and found the home he had been looking. He served briefly in the 82nd Airborne, but was transferred to the 101st Airborne when the Vietnam conflict escalated. Sims served as a squad leader in Company D, 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry, known as the “Delta Raiders.”
Sims began his Vietnam tour in late 1967, just a few weeks before the Tet Offensive. In February 1968, he and his fellow Raiders found themselves on the outskirts of Hue, which had seen heavy fighting. On February 21st, Sims was leading his squad away from a burning ammunition dump when he heard a booby trap set off. To save his brothers, he screamed for them to get back and jumped onto the explosive, taking the full brunt of the blast. He was killed instantly.
His commanding officer later wrote that, “Sims saved the lives of at least three of his squad and two of the company headquarters by absorbing the shock of the blast himself… SSG Sims made the greatest sacrifice a soldier can make… and no mark of tribute can be too great.” For his sacrifice, Sims was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. He was buried in Barrancas National Cemetery on March 15, 1968, in Section 29, Site 546.
In my future articles I will try to include those who gave it all for our country. Till next month remember we leave no one behind and we always cover each other’s 6.
