High Desert Veterans Resource Fair on May 28 to highlight information on benefits, job openings as well as personalized claims assistance.
Hosted by 1st District Supervisor Robert A. Lovingood, the resource fair will include guest speaker Congressman Paul Cook, R-Apple Valley. Cook, a retired Marine Corps Colonel, is on the House Veterans Affairs Committee. The resource fair will also include an opportunity to meet with a Veterans Affairs representative to answer questions and provide one-on-one consultations.
Lovingood said Veterans Affairs employees as well as members of his own staff will be on hand to answer questions and help troubleshoot problems.
“I am pleased to sponsor this annual outreach to our local Veterans,” Lovingood said. “We owe them more than we can ever repay.”
During the resource fair, veterans may enroll in the MyHealthEVet program. The program allows veterans to track medical appointments, prescriptions, and email their doctors. Veterans may also enroll in the E-Benefits program to monitor the status of a claim, view and print benefit letters, and explore benefit eligibility.
Along with benefit information, five to seven employers with open positions will be on-site to interview interested veterans.
Veterans Administration officials from the Los Angeles Regional Office will be available to help. Veterans who require assistance with claims should bring a copy of their DD214 and an ID card.
Attendees will also be able to apply for the new county Veterans ID card. The main purpose of the ID card is to make our county’s veterans easily and surely recognizable to any area merchant that offers a benefit to veterans who patronize their business. Some local merchants already offer various benefits to veterans, such as a discount on purchase, a free item, or preferred status. With this card, the veteran will not need to carry a copy of their military discharge papers to prove their Veteran status. Honorably-discharged veterans can also apply for an ID card from the County V.A. office at 15900 Smoke Tree St. in Hesperia.
Information about the availability of financial assistance with closing fees or down payment can be obtained by a presenter from the non-profit housing opportunity program, HomeStrongUSA.
On a related note, Lovingood cited a new state report that shows the San Bernardino County Department of Veterans Affairs has helped more local veterans obtain the federal benefits they earned. San Bernardino County was responsible for generating nearly $85 million in new federal monetary benefits – more than Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties combined, according to CalVet’s annual report to the State Legislature.
The High Desert Resource Fair will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, May 28 at the Courtyard Marriott, 9619 Mariposa Road in Hesperia.
For more information, call Supervisor Lovingood’s office at (760) 995-8100 or email SupervisorLovingood@SBCounty.gov.