CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) – Southeast Missouri veterans who had trouble accessing or applying for benefits now have free help thanks to a local assistance program.
Tigers for Troops is a program with the University of Missouri School of Law Veterans Affairs Clinic. It helps bridge the gap for Perryville veterans who are having issues with VA disability claims, discharge upgrades, VA health care, and more.
Martha Bradley Klein-Hesselink is an attorney at the University of Missouri School of Law's Veterans Affairs Clinic. She said rural counties in Missouri don't often get the veterans benefits they need.
“The fact that we're able to go into these rural counties and bridge the gap for veterans is just disseminating information, even if we ourselves don't directly represent veterans, at least It means they can give something. They can be more informed about their options and rights regarding VA disability compensation appeals and discharge upgrades,” said Bradley Klein-Hesselink. said.
Fifteen local veterans received free consultations with an attorney or Veterans Services representative in Perryville. The purpose of this program is to educate veterans as well as inform them about all the resources available to them.
Kleinhesselink said it's important to make programs like this readily available to veterans across the state because navigating the VA can be difficult.
“The VA's error rate when it comes to VA disability claims is extremely high, which is truly sad and unfortunate for our nation's veterans,” said Bradley Klein-Hesselink. “It's a complicated bureaucracy and they don't know how to navigate the system themselves and sometimes they think they've got their case, but then they don't know how to navigate it. I just need a lawyer.'' It's like figuring out their next step. ”
Bradley Klein-Hesselink said he has reached 99 of the state's 114 counties and hopes to reach every rural county in Missouri.
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