June 2005 

VA Services for Veterans of 

Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom 

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) 

continue their partnership to meet the needs of our newest veterans – the men and women 

who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) – 

by assisting them with a smooth transition from active duty to civilian life. 

VA’s goal is to ensure that every seriously injured or ill serviceman and woman returning 

from combat receives priority consideration and world-class service. Together VA and 

DoD are finding ways to move records more efficiently between the two agencies; share 

critical medical information electronically; protect the health of troops stationed in areas 

where environmental hazards pose a threat; process benefits claims quickly and 

efficiently; and, in every way possible, hold open the doors to an uncomplicated passage 

from soldier to citizen. 

Benefits and Services 

Active-duty personnel, and Reservist or National Guard members who serve in a theater 

of combat operations are eligible for hospital care, medical services, and nursing home 

care for injuries or illnesses they believe are related to combat service for a period up to 

two years beginning on the date of discharge or release from service. This two-year 

eligibility for medical care is available even if there is insufficient medical evidence to 

conclude that the veteran’s illness is the result of combat service. At the end of the twoyear period, these veterans can continue to receive free health care for injuries and 

illnesses officially connected to military service. 

In addition to health care, VA offers a spectrum of programs for veterans, including 

disability compensation, vocational rehabilitation, prosthetic services, life insurance, 

pension, education benefits, specially adapted housing and automobile grants, and 

survivor and burial benefits. Many VA services are provided at a higher priority or on an 

expedited basis for this newest generation of combat-disabled veterans. VA programs for 

veterans with a service-connected injury or illness apply equally to those who served in 

the regular active duty forces and to National Guard members or reservists returning from 

federal activation. 

- More - 
Seamless Transition – 2/2/2/2 

VA Outreach 

In an effort to assist wounded military members and their families, VA placed benefits 

counselors and social workers at key military hospitals where severely wounded service 

members from Iraq and Afghanistan are frequently sent. 

Currently, six staff members are assigned full-time to work with patients at both the 

Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and the Bethesda Naval 

Medical Center in Maryland. Four of the counselors specialize in benefit programs and 

two are social workers who facilitate health care coordination as service members 

transition from military to VA care. 

Similar teams work with patients, discharge planners, and other military staff at six other 

key DoD medical centers caring for seriously injured troops: Eisenhower Army Medical 

Center, Ft. Gordon (Ga.); Brooke Army Medical Center, Ft. Sam Houston (Texas); 

Madigan Army Medical Center at Western Regional Medical Command, Tacoma 

(Wash.), Darnall Army Medical Center at Ft. Hood (Texas); Evans Army Hospital at Ft. 

Carson (Colorado); and Camp Pendleton Naval Medical Center in San Diego, (Calif.). 

Throughout the nation, VA officials identify service members from Iraq or Afghanistan 

for special outreach efforts. Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom coordinators at each 

VA benefits office and medical center coordinate with DoD discharge staff to ensure a 

smooth transition to VA services at locations nearest to the veteran’s residence after 

discharge. Through this coordination, the veterans are known at the local VA facilities 

that process their benefits claims, and continuity of their medical care, including 

medications and therapy, is ensured. 

Military Services Briefings 

Military Services Briefings are designed to ensure that servicemembers are aware of their 

VA benefits and to provide assistance as needed. Briefings include separation and 

retirement seminars, pre- and post-deployment briefings as well as the formal Transition 

Assistance Program. For those leaving active duty due to medical problems, the outreach 

effort is intensified to ensure a full understanding of the VA compensation process and 

vocational rehabilitation and employment programs. 

Generally briefings range from one to three hours; however, the formal TAP workshop is 

a three-day seminar conducted by VA, DoD and the Department of Labor at military 

installations for personnel within 90 days of separation. It provides a number of services 

to assist military personnel in making a smooth transition to civilian life. All military 

services briefings cover the full range of benefits administered by VA including 

compensation, education, vocational rehabilitation and employment, health care, 

insurance and more. 

- More - 
Seamless Transition – 3/3/3/3 

Benefits Delivery at Discharge 

A joint VA-DoD initiative is helping personnel file for and receive service-connected 

disability compensation benefits more quickly than in the past. The goal is to adjudicate 

claims within 30 days of discharge by examining service members as part of the 

discharge process. By comparison, VA's national average processing time is 163 days 

for claims requiring a disability rating. 

In the Benefits Delivery at Discharge program, the medical information needed to begin 

the VA claims process carries over from DoD to VA seamlessly. In addition, if a service 

member is found to be disabled, additional applicable vocational and employment 

services may be quickly initiated. 

Additional Resources 

VA has brochures and other information for veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and 

Operation Enduring Freedom available on the Web: 

Veterans Benefits Information http://www.vba.va.gov/

Information for Iraqi Freedom Veterans http://www.va.gov/gulfwar/

Afghanistan Service Information http://www.va.gov/environagents/

PTSD and Iraq Veterans http://www.ncptsd.org/topics/war.html

VA Health Care Enrollment Information http://www.va.gov/elig/

Brochures and Publications, 

Including: 

* A Summary of VA Benefits for 

National Guard and Reserve Personnel 

* Health Care and Assistance for U.S. 

Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom 

http://www.vethealth.cio.med.va.gov/Pubs/Ind

ex.htm

Online Benefits Applications http://vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp/

Women Veterans Health and Benefits 

Information 

http://www.va.gov/wvhp/

http://www.va.gov/womenvet/

http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Topics/Women/ 

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