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July 2008

**South Dakota**

**And the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs**

**General Information**

The [Department of Veterans Affairs](http://www.va.gov/) (VA) offers a
wide variety of programs and services for the nation's 23.5 million
veterans. In 2007, about 5.5 million people were treated in [VA health
care](http://www1.va.gov/health/index.asp) facilities, 3.6 million
veterans and survivors received [VA disability compensation or
pensions](http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/index.htm), more than 500,000
used GI Bill [education benefits](http://www.gibill.va.gov/) and more
than 2.2 million owned homes purchased with GI Bill [home loan
benefits](http://www.homeloans.va.gov/). Some 90,000 veterans took
advantage of VA's [vocational
rehabilitation](http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/vre/index.htm) and employment
service in 2007. More than 100,000 veterans and family members were
buried in VA's [national
cemeteries](http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/cems_nmc.asp) and more than
360,000 headstones and markers were provided for veterans' graves
worldwide.

**General Information -- South Dakota**

-   *Number of veterans: 74,000*

-   *VA expenditures in South Dakota: \$390 million*

    -   *Compensation and pensions: \$129 million*

    -   *Readjustment benefits: \$14 million*

    -   *Medical and construction programs: \$237 million*

    -   *Insurance and indemnities: \$5 million*

-   *Number of veterans and survivors receiving disability compensation
    or pension payments in South Dakota: 14,527*

-   *Number of South Dakota veterans using GI Bill education benefits:
    2,110*

-   *Number of veterans owning homes backed by VA loan guarantees:
    6,042*

-   *Value of South Dakota home loans guaranteed by VA: \$199 billion*

-   *Number of VA life insurance policies held by South Dakota
    residents: 4,813*

-   *Value of VA life insurance policies held by South Dakota residents:
    \$55 million*

-   *Number of South Dakota participants in VA vocational
    rehabilitation: 794*

-   *Number of veterans buried in South Dakota's VA national cemeteries:
    689*

-   *Number of headstones and markers provided for graves of South
    Dakota veterans and survivors: 1,981*

    **Health Care**

    One of the most visible of all VA benefits is [health
    care](http://www1.va.gov/health/index.asp). VA has 153 hospitals,
    732 community-based outpatient clinics, 232 Vet Centers, 135 nursing
    homes, 47 residential rehabilitation treatment programs and 121
    comprehensive home care programs. To improve patients' ability to
    access care, VA has changed from a hospital-based system to a
    primarily outpatient-focused system over the past decade. Veterans
    will make more than 60 million outpatient visits to VA health care
    facilities this year.

    ***Health Care - South Dakota***

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-   *Inpatient admissions, statewide, fiscal year 2007: 4,648*

-   *[Black Hills Health Care System](http://www.blackhills.va.gov/)
    (including Ft. Meade and Hot Springs): 2,354*

-   *[Sioux Falls](http://www.siouxfalls.va.gov/): 2,294*

-   *Outpatient visits, statewide, fiscal year 2007: 407,707*

-   *Outpatient clinic locations*

> Aberdeen
>
> Eagle Butte
>
> McLaughlin
>
> Mission
>
> Pierre
>
> Pine Ridge
>
> Rapid City
>
> Winner

**Post-Conflict Care**

VA has launched special efforts to provide a \"seamless transition\" for
those returning from service in [Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi
Freedom (OEF/OIF)](http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/).  Each VA
medical facility and benefits regional office has a point of contact to
coordinate activities locally to help meet the needs of these returning
combat service members and veterans.  In addition, VA increased the
staffing of benefits counselors at key military hospitals where severely
wounded service members from Iraq and Afghanistan are frequently sent. 
Once home, recent Iraq and Afghan veterans have ready access to VA
health care, which is free of charge for five years following separation
for any health problem possibly related to wartime service.  Some
300,000 veterans from the Global War on Terror have sought VA health
care since returning stateside, about one-third of the total number of
men and women leaving military service.

***Post-Conflict Care - South Dakota***

-   *Number of veterans from the Global War on Terror seeking treatment
    in 2007: 2,504*

    -   *Black Hills: 777*

    -   *Sioux Falls: 1,727*

-   *[Veterans Readjustment Counseling
    Centers](http://www.vetcenter.va.gov/) (Vet Centers) Locations:*

    -   *Martin (Pine Ridge)*

    -   *Rapid City*

    -   *Sioux Falls*

        **Disabilities and Pensions**

        Not all military service-related issues end when people are
        discharged from active duty. About 2.7 million veterans receive
        monthly VA disability compensation for medical conditions
        related to their service in uniform. VA pensions go to about
        323,000 wartime veterans with limited means. Family members of
        about 524,000 veterans qualify for monthly VA payments as the
        survivors of disabled veterans or pension recipients.

        ***Disabilities and Pensions - South Dakota***

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-   *Number of veterans receiving monthly disability compensation:
    11,038*

-   *Number of VA pensions to veterans in South Dakota: 1,664*

-   *Number of death compensation or pension payments made to survivors:
    1,825*

-   *Number of disability compensation claims processed: 3,090*

    **Memorial Affairs**

    Most men and women who have been in the military are [eligible for
    burial](http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/bbene/eligible.asp) in a national
    cemetery, as are their dependent children and usually their
    spouses.  VA manages the country's [network of national
    cemeteries](http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/cems_nmc.asp) with more than
    2.9 million
    [gravesites](http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/j2ee/servlet/NGL_v1) at
    125 national cemeteries in 39 states and Puerto Rico, as well as in
    33 soldier's lots and monument sites.  In 2007, more than 100,000
    veterans and dependents were buried in VA\'s national cemeteries. 
    Additionally, VA provided more than 359,000 [headstones and
    markers](http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/hm_hm.asp) and 423,000
    [Presidential Memorial
    Certificates](http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/pmc.asp) to the loved ones
    of deceased veterans.  VA-assisted [state veterans
    cemeteries](http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/scg_grants.asp) provided more
    than 23,000 interments.

    ***Memorial Affairs -- South Dakota***

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-   *National cemetery burials in South Dakota, 2007: 689*

-   *[Black Hills](http://www.cem.va.gov/CEM/cems/nchp/blackhills.asp):
    689*

-   *[Ft. Meade](http://www.cem.va.gov/CEM/cems/nchp/ftmeade.asp): None
    (Closed to new burials)*

-   *[Hot Springs](http://www.cem.va.gov/CEM/cems/nchp/hotsprings.asp):
    None (Closed to new burials)*

-   *Headstones and markers provided in 2007 (statewide): 1,981*

-   *Presidential Memorial Certificates issued in 2007 (statewide):
    1,060*

    \# \# \#

    *For other state summaries see:
    <http://www1.va.gov/opa/fact/statesum/index.asp>.*