VETERANS OF AMERICA -SERVICE TO A NATION

You are familiar with the Federal level of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (http://www.va.gov), but are you familiar with your state agencies? There are programs,benefits and information available at your state Veteran Affairs websites. Quickest way to find them may be to do a search with "your state-veteran affairs" and see what it brings up. You might also go to your state website and find it in the contents. These pages typically have an "e-newsletter" you will want to sing up to receive. Current information, legislation, and contact numbers and websites are shown for your ready reference. Check out the notes below for the Florida Veterans and see some of the possibilities.

FLORIDA VETERANS

Forida Veterans go to http://www.FloridaVets.org. Look over the website. You can sign up for the newletter on the website box or you can go directly to http://www.FloridaVets.org/news/newletter/asp. It will e-mailed to your inbox each month.

The newsletter this month is showing that the Department of Defense (DOD) is dropping the use of social security numbers on your ID cards and assigning a unique code number to help protect you and your family from identity theft. Go the website and read is the latest info.

FDVA is on "Facebook" and is seeking to connect veterans and their families with unclaimed benefits. Might be worth looking at it to see if you or a buddy who doesn't use computers to know what you might be missing out on.

The reference pages show the locations of the Florida Veterans' Homes, How purchase of special auto tags places the tag surcharge in a trust fund for the operation and maintenance of the Florida Veterans' Homes. Specific References Include: *2011 Florida Veterans Benefit Guide *Benefits for Veterans and Dependents Guide *Florida Veterans Foundation *Florida Veteran Service Organization *Florida Deparment of Military Affairs *U.S. Department of Military Affairs (http://ww.va.gov) *National Resource Directory *National Veterans Homeless Hot-Line - 24 hours a day- 1-877-424-3838 *Veterans Crisis Line - 24 hours a day - 1-800-273-8255 and press 1 *Social Security Administration (http://www.socialsecurity.gov)

Summer is here - did you check to see what benefits are available for you and your family for the state parks? Great places for outdoor experiences.

KEEP AMERICA GREAT AND REMIND THEM OF THE COST OF FREEDOM! Don't let your kids forget that War is Painful but sometimes necessary and always costly. Once again ---THANK YOU for your service to this Nation ...for Preserving My Freedom!