The third annual Irish American Veterans Stand-Down in Mineola earlier this month demonstrated gathering momentum in its goal to inform all military veterans about government benefits that are available to them.
John Carroll, a U.S. Air Force veteran and past president of the Irish American Society of Nassau, Suffolk and Queens, said this year’s outreach effort showed the strongest results to date.
He said he couldn’t precisely say how many veteran attended this year’s stand-down at the Irish Society’s Mineola headquarters on Columbus Day, but he was certain it was the largest turnout thus far.
Carroll said he was also encouraged by the number of younger veterans seeking information from Wendy Anderson, community outreach representative for the Veterans Administration Hospital in Northport.
“It all went well this year,” Carroll said, adding that the objective of the event is “to make it a comfortable setting to get done what needs to be done.”
Veterans from all branches of the military and from every era from World War II to Korea, Vietnam and the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan were well represented.
The event includes a luncheon and live musical entertainment provided by a five-piece band playing a mix of traditional Irish and pop music.
Leann Murphy-Baker of the New York Veterans Advocacy Group, who made a presentation to the veterans at the event, said she had recently joined forces with the county veterans services to build bridges of cooperation. And she said she waives her fees for assisting all Nassau County veterans.
“If I can reroute money back into the veterans commission, that’s great,” she said. “For all Nassau County veterans, there is someone who can be there for all their appeals.”
The New York Veterans Advocacy Group assists veterans with a wide range of assistance, including Social Security, mental health and education benefits, funeral arrangements, housing, and child support and custody cases.
Receiving help to navigate the often daunting appeals process makes significant difference for veterans who say persisting through appeals is standard operating procedure.
Many Vietnam-era veterans, who are still seeking medical assistance for what they believe are Agent Orange-related illnesses say they believe the government is simply hoping they’ll die before they can receive appropriate medical treatment.
Murphy-Baker said she offers no guarantee for her services but she promises persistence in all cases in dealing with the relevant government agencies, particularly the Veterans Administration.
“You have to stay on top of them. On a monthly basis, reach out. Tell them what you need,” Murphy-Baker said. “They just don’t have enough help for the vets coming through.”
She said her approach is to file for claims even before all of the requisite paperwork is in place to get the process moving.
While the focus of the annual stand-down is informational, Carroll said the purpose is also “to recognize the veterans and to let them know they’re supported.”
