CNMI Military and Veterans Affairs Executive Director Ruth Coleman said she will be accompanying Guam-based Veterans Affairs outreach specialist Tina San Agustine on Rota on Aug. 23 to assist veterans and their dependents there.
Coleman said they will be at the Rota mayor’s office from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
They will be at the Tinian Municipal Council office to meet veterans and their families on Aug. 24 to 25.
“San Agustine will be assisting veterans and their dependents at the Veterans Affairs Office on Saipan’s Capital Hill on Aug. 26 and 27. We are urging all the veterans to come and air their concerns,” Coleman said.
The veterans will get assistance on compensation benefits, loan issues, home loans, the Post-9/11 GI Bill which provides education benefits for veterans, and other financial benefits.
Last February, Tina San Agustine spent five days on Saipan, Tinian and Rota and met with veterans.
Coleman said VA representatives usually pay a visit to the islands on a quarterly basis.
“The VA representatives go around the entire Pacific Region each year to cover other places including Yap, Palau, Kosrae, Pohnpei and other Micronesian islands to assist veterans,” Coleman said.
She encourages veterans to come out and meet the VA representative because this is their chance to get direct answers to their questions and get assistance in processing their benefits.
Orientation briefings
Coleman is also inviting veterans to come to the orientation briefing on the second floor of Marina Heights Plaza in Puerto Rico this Friday, Aug. 20.
Coleman said two orientation sessions are scheduled: from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The orientation will be at the future site of the VA clinic which they hope to open this year.
“The veterans will be oriented on the new facilities, how to enroll for the VA health care system, the clinic hours, what they need and what are required of them,” Coleman said.
During the orientation, veterans who have no identification cards can pick up their ID cards or update the records for those who already have.
Coleman is also inviting the veterans to join the town hall meeting at the multi-purpose center in Susupe from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 20.
For more information, call 664-2650, or visit the Office of Military/Veterans Affairs on Capitol Hill, Building 1364.
