VA and Osage Nation Host Presumptive Conditions Event (Day 1)

Tribal Veteran Service Officers and other knowledgeable advocates will be present to assist with filling out VA claim paperwork. Staff from the Muskogee VA Regional Office will review the claims on-the-spot with the hope of same-day approval. 

The Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Care System and the Oklahoma City VA Health Care System will be on-hand to enroll any Veterans not currently enrolled in VA healthcare. 

Veteran benefit information and assistance will be available from local Vet Centers, the State Department of Veterans Affairs, IRS Taxpayer Advocate Services, and Tribal HUD-VASH for homeless Veterans. 

The event is free and lunch will be provided. 

Veterans are asked to bring the following documents, if available. This will help expedite and process your claim quicker and more efficiently.

• Medical records/medical evidence (e.g., doctor or hospital reports)
• Any documents that provide historical or military information needed for the disability you are claiming
• Discharge or separation papers (DD 214 or equivalent)
• Dependent records (e.g., marriage certificate, death certificate, children birth certificates),

BACKGROUND: 

On May 10 and 11, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Osage Nation of Oklahoma will host a Presumptive Conditions Campaign event focused on identifying and assisting Veterans across Osage Nation and Oklahoma who may have presumptive disabilities and might be eligible for a VA pension claim. 

Since the pandemic began, this is only the second, in-person event of this type held by VA nationwide. 

A presumptive disability is a condition that VA presumes are related to military service, although the condition may first appear after discharge from the military. These conditions may qualify for VA compensation payments.

Collaborating with 24 tribal communities, VA is rolling out disability enrollment claim events for Indian Country Veterans. This campaign, titled “Your Service. Our Mission: Bringing VA Benefits Home,” kicked off last year in Lawton, Oklahoma. That event was co-hosted by the Lawton Indian Health Service and the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma. Tribal communities in several states have already confirmed their future participation.

VA realizes this initiative can have a direct, tangible impact on the lives of thousands of previously unreached Veterans and their spouses.

“With the focus on Veterans with presumptive disabilities and those who are pension eligible, VA is hopeful we can help Indian Country Veterans access the full range of benefits they have courageously earned through their service,” said Stephanie Birdwell, director, VA’s Office of Tribal Government Relations.

In addition, spouses and widows/widowers may be eligible for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) when a Veteran dies as a result of these presumptive disabilities.