V.A. reps set up shop in Donovan’s offices
Congressman calls it ‘a step in the right direction’
Military veterans in Southwest Brooklyn in need of government assistance won’t have to go far to get help. As part of a new outreach initiative, U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have worked out an agreement to have caseworkers stationed in the lawmaker’s Brooklyn and Staten Island district offices one day a month.
VA representatives will meet with local veterans at scheduled times to resolve outstanding issues related to VA benefits and services, help file claims, answer questions and provide case and appeals updates.
“This is a step in the right direction for the VA. Complaints about customer service and delays have persisted for years and the men and women who served our country deserve quality, efficient treatment. Hopefully, this new outreach initiative marks a new responsiveness from the VA. I encourage all veterans and their loved ones who need help accessing benefits to reach out to my office,” Donovan (R-C-Southwest Brooklyn-Staten Island) said in a statement.
Sue Malley, regional director of VA’s New York office, described the initiative as “an effort to reach more veterans out in the communities around the greatest city in the world and improve their access to VA benefits.”