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Photo by PLI.
US military veterans are eligible for a variety of medical, housing, and financial benefits, but the system is complicated and difficult to navigate. Of the nation’s more than 18 million veterans, many are unaware of all the benefits they receive from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) — and often, those who really need help are not getting help.
This Veterans Day, learn how volunteering can be an effective and efficient way to serve veterans.
“I am motivated to work pro bono with veterans because the opportunity to give back to those who have sacrificed and served our country is very rewarding,” says Deepa Arora, Director Pro Bono and Staff Attorney with Swords to Plowshares, serving thousands of homeless people. , low-income, and veterans in the Bay Area.
He added: “Navigating the legal and administrative processes involved in representing veterans is a very intellectually challenging, fun, and rewarding experience. Most importantly, pro bono attorneys have the opportunity to see how their efforts affect the health and well-being of older consumers.
Learn How To Help
Ready to get started? Check out the Practicing Law Institute’s Advocating for Veterans: The Basics on VA Benefits, Discharge Upgrades and Veteran Cultural Competency 2022. In this full-day program, available to stream on demand, attendees will learn help expedite the VA claims process and be an effective advocate for veterans in need.
Experts from Swords to Plowshares, Harvard Law School’s Veterans Legal Clinic, the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center, and the California Office of Access and Inclusion outline the benefits for disabled animals; dive into the three areas of VA Service-Link and discuss signature victims of recent conflicts, PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury; and covers non-service-connected VA pensions and claims.
Viewers will also learn how they can help veterans with a less-than-honorable discharge (for reasons that are unfair or unfair), and listen to stories about military culture, the challenges faced by soldiers in the transition from combat. back into their communities, how can problem-based and client-centered approaches work with this population.
Lawyers interested in advocating for veterans should also quickly refer to the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. This law, signed by President Biden in August 2022, will greatly enhance Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits and services to those who experience poisoning while serving in the military. soldiers The PACT Act has implications for the Gulf War, Afghanistan, and other post-9/11 militaries as well as those exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam and other toxic disasters.
Demand for these benefits is high: About 113,000 new disability claims have been filed with the Department of Veterans Affairs since the passage of the PACT Act, according to the Military Times.
In the PLI One-Hour Briefing The PACT Act: New Benefits for Post-9/11, Gulf War, and Vietnam War Veterans and their Families, available on-demand, faculty from Swords to Plowshares discuss the law, reviewing the new presumptive conditions and relevant criteria, and provide an overview of benefits for physicians and their survivors. They also provide helpful advice and procedural information on applying for VA benefits under the new law, reviewing a case study of a pro bono client whose work in Afghanistan qualifies him for these benefits. .
Other useful PLI resources include:
Racism in the Armed Forces: Counseling for Soldiers Experiencing Racial Discrimination and Abuse in the Service.
A Guide to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for Counselors: How to Address PTSD in Veterans and Others Affected by Trauma 2022
“Bad Papers” from Pursuing Justice: The Pro Bono Files Podcast
Other Pro Bono Veterans Programs From PLI
Legal Education is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to keeping lawyers and other professionals at the forefront of knowledge and expertise. PLI is chartered by the Regents of the University of the State of New York and was founded in 1933 by Harold P. Seligson. The organization provides high-quality, accredited, continuing legal and professional education programs in a variety of formats delivered by more than 4,000 volunteer faculty including renowned attorneys. , judges, investment bankers, accountants, corporate consultants, and US and international government. PLI publishes a comprehensive library of Treatises, Textbooks, Answer Books and Textbooks available through PLI PLUS online platform. At the core of PLI’s mission is its commitment to the pro bono community. Check out PLI’s upcoming events here.
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