Veterans' awareness at UMKC

By: Will Harris

Posted: 10/13/08

Veterans gathered on campus Wednesday at an event hosted by the MindBody Connection intended to promote awareness of veteran opportunities.

Topics covered included transitional assistance and educational benefits. Representatives from the Kansas City Veterans Center, the Veteran's Administration (VA) and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), attended the event.

John Brown and Terry Blackwelder, spokespersons for the Kansas City Veterans Center and VA, explained the many services their organizations offer.

Soldiers from World War II through Operation Iraqi Freedom are seen for treatment of conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder. Readjustment counseling is also provided. The services are free and confidential.

The Kansas City VA also focuses on primary care, neurology and treatments for memory loss and tinnitus (constant ringing in the ears). The high quality of VA care was confirmed by some in the crowd.

This was followed by encouragement to become involved in the VA system, which provides benefits to veterans.

Paul Connors, chief financial officer for Missouri's VFW branch, said, "It is important that you get in and get in soon."

Citing his own experience joining 20 years after his retirement, he also said it is never too early or too late to get in the system. He cautioned those in attendance about the disadvantages of waiting because of the possibility of losing benefits.

"You're only taking it [benefits] away from yourself," said Connors.

Discussions on healthcare and benefits were expanded.

Patient advocate and Vietnam nurse Kathy Lee said the VA has great dental, hearing and vision programs. Bill Smith, a veteran working with the MindBody Connection, backed up her claims.

Lee also spoke of many benefits she fights for on a daily basis, including upgrading discharges, pensions and widow's benefits. She also underscored the importance of the new GI Bill, a bill designed to help veterans educate themselves.

Spencer Fenton, a student veteran who served in Iraq, explained the Missouri Returning Heroes Act to the crowd.

Under the terms of this act, Missouri universities cannot charge a veteran more than $50 per credit hour if they joined after Sept. 11 and served in Iraq.

Fenton told the crowd his plans to start a campus veterans' organization. He said he is ready to hit the ground running with his desire to increase awareness of soldiers.

wharris@unews.com