THE CNMI Veterans Affairs Office was awarded a $56,900 grant by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs for the Veterans Transportation Assistance Program.
The funding aims to assist veterans from Tinian and Rota with their inter-island travel cost when they have to go to the Veterans Affairs Clinic on Saipan for their VA medical or non-VA medical appointments.
VAO Executive Director Frances L. Sablan said: “Currently, the U.S. VA does not pay for transportation costs for veterans with a below 30% disability rating. We understand the need for our veterans to seek medical and health assistance, and for these reasons, we sought assistance from the Office of Grants Management and the Office of the Governor to support this grant initiative.”
According to the Office of the Governor, the grant may fund 87 trips from Tinian and 87 trips from Rota through prepaid roundtrip airfares. For ground transportation upon arrival on Saipan, veterans can either avail themselves of the roundtrip rides provided by the Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority or make shuttle arrangements with the Tinian or Rota liaison offices.
Fuel allowance will be provided to the respective liaison offices, the Office of the Governor said.
The program will be launched on Feb. 5, 2024 and will run until the funds have been exhausted. Eligible veterans are advised to plan ahead if they intend to use this route for their appointments on Saipan.
For more information, they can contact the local VA representative on Tinian, John D. Attao, at (670) 783-6074, the office of Rota Mayor Aubry Hocog at (670) 532-9451 or the main Saipan VA Office at (670) 664-2651.
“Our VAO personnel will make all the arrangements under this program; however, we would need a copy of your verification of military service, or DD214, and proof of appointment,” Sablan said.
