VETERAN BENEFITS & ASSISTANCE


VETERAN BENEFITS & ASSISTANCE 
Free Disability Claim Assistance
 
The VFW, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans and Vietnam Veterans of America combined their efforts to for the Michigan Veterans Coalition. The MVC are a team of VA accredited and certified service officers are located throughout Michigan to assist veterans with their disability claims and receive their earned benefits. This free service allows our service officers to walk a veteran through the entire claims process from start to finish, to include any additional appeals the veteran wishes to make.
 
 
What We Do:
  • A service officer will review your information and recommend which claim to make based on your record.
  • Service officers will submit a claim you worked on together to the VA.
  • Once you are screened by the VA for your claims, the service officer will conduct a thorough review of your decision before VA sends it to you. Appeals to VA decisions are also handled by the service officer.
 
Talk to a service officer in the coalition by visiting miveteranbenefits.org, or call the VFW Service Office Headquarters at 313-964-6510 to find a service officer near you.
 
Our office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
 
Before going to see a service officer or claims consultant, please call the VFW Service Office Headquarters to ensure that your representative is available.

Amanda Klein, Claims Consultant
Lapeer County Veterans Affairs Office
Appointment required at this location. To schedule, please call 810/667-0256
Mon -Thursday 7:30 a.m. - 4: 00 p.m.
Friday: telework from home 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
CELL: 313/529-0041 
email:  amanda.klein@va.gov 

Eddie Dunn, Jr., Assistant State Service Officer
VAMC-Saginaw 
Monday-Thursday 7::00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
CELL: 313/858-1961
email:   eddie.dunn@va.gov  
 
Bonnie (Williams) Gibbs, Assistant State Service Officer
Monday: Monroe VFW POST 1138,  8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 
Tuesday & Wednesday: Canton CBOC, 5900 N. Lotz Road:  8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Thursday & Friday: Detroit VA Hospital, 4646 John R: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
CELL:  313/977-1802
email:   bonnie.gibbs@va.gov
 
John Howe, Assistant State Service Officer
Howell CBOB
Mon 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Lansing CBOC 
Tues - Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Clinton County Courthouse
Wednesday 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 
PH: 517/567-3925
CELL: 313/645-0106
email:  john.howe4@va.gov 
 
Brian Hutcheon, Assistant State Service Officer
VAMC-Ann Arbor
Tues - Thursday 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. 
CELL:  313/858-0706
email:  brian.hutcheon@va.gov 

Tammy Bhatti, Claims Consultant
Detroit VAMC
Tuesday - Wednesday 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Cell: 313-964-6510
email: tammy.bhatti@va.gov

Timothy Lewis, Assistant State Service Officer
SHIAWASSEE COUNTY: Monday - Thursday 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 
VAMC-Saginaw: Every Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
CELL: 313/645-0198
email:   timothy.lewis329@va.gov

David Moler, Assistant State Service Officer
Muskegon County Veterans Services
Monday - Thursday 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Ph: 231/724-7143
CELL: 313/529-2746
email: david.moler@va.gov 
 
Mike Wierckz, Assistant State Service Officer
Wyoming CBOC
Mon,Wed, Fri 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Ottawa County
Tues, Th 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Cell: 313-632-1539
E-mail: vfwmrmike@gmail.com

 
Gary Putinsky, Assistant State Service Officer
Genesee County 
Mon, Tues, Th, Fri 7:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m.
PH: 810/257-3068
CELL:  810/241-5991
email:  gputinsky@co.genesee.mi.us
 
Glenn D. Whitt, II, Assistant State Service Officer
Temporary Schedule change effective 2/27/2023:
Due to renovation of the patient advocate/service officer hall in Bldg. 2, below is Glenn's new schedule for serving veterans until renovation is complete:
Michigan Works Southwest
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Calhoun County Servicer Center
200 West Van Buren St.
Battle Creek MI 49017
Please call or send a text in advance if you want to visit Glenn at Michigan Works Office

VAMC-Battle Creek
Battle Creek VAMC,
Wednesdays 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
PH: 269/966-5600 X33889
CELL: 313/712-0406
Email: glenn.whitt@va.gov 
 

Locate your local VA Healthcare Facility in Michigan

 
 
BENEFITS & SERVICES
  Federal Benefits for Veterans & Dependents
       A to Z Benefits Information
       VA Benefits Fact Sheets
        Apply for VA Benefits
    Google Resources for Veterans & Families
        Survivor & Dependent Benefits
              VA Benefits and Services
        Check the status of your VA claim online
        Veteran Benefits Calculator - The American Legion
        Benefits - Military.com
        Education Benefits
        Federal Benefits for Dependents and Survivors
        National Resource Directory, Benefits & Compensation
        Life Insurance Benefits
     
   Burial Benefits
      National Cemetery Military Burial Benefits
      Types of Headstones & Markers Available
     
   Home Loans
   
      Interest Rate Reduction Refinancing Loan
     
  Health Care
       Health Care Benefits - VA 
       Disability Benefits for Wounded Warriors (SSI)
 
   Community-Based VA Vet Centers
       Grand Valley State University Wounded Warrior Traumatic Brain Injury Project
       PTSD / Stress Management
       Physical Disability Board of Review (PDBR)
       TRICARE Benefit Info
       VA Health Benefits
          Laws Protecting Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities
        Transition and Care Management for OEF / OIF Service Members
       
  Long-Term Care
    Aid & Attendance Benefit
    Armed Forces Retirement Home, Eligibility
    Family Caregiver Program for Post-9/11 Veterans


Medical Foster Care Program, Geriatrics & Extended Care
       
  Prior Service-Connected Medical Conditions
        Diseases Associated with Agent Orange Exposure
     
  Agent Orange Health Care Registry Exam for Veterans
   

Agent Orange, Military Benefits, Military.COM
      Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses
        Illnesses Related to Gulf War Service
        Gulf War Health Care Registry Exam for Veterans
        VA Recognizes 'Presumptive' Illnesses in Iraq & Afghanistan
       
  VA Compensation & Pension Benefits
  VA eBenefits
  VA Life Insurance
  VA OEF (Operation Enduring Freedom) / OIF (Operation Iraqi Freedom)
  VA Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment
  VA Web Automated Reference Material System (WARMS)
  VFW Veterans Benefits
       
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
  Aid & Charity Associations
  Air Force Aid Society
  American Red Cross
  Army Emergency Relief
  Cell Phone, Government Supported
  Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund
  Coast Guard Mutual Assistance
  Financial Assistance for Mortgage or Rent Payments
  Help for Homeless Veterans
  Homeless Vet 24 Hour Hotline 1-877-4AID VET
  Homeless Veterans, VA
       
  Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society
  Service Members Civil Relief Act - Miliatry.com
  Social Security Administration online
  Social Security Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool (BEST)
  United Way, Nationwide 2-1-1 Phone Numbers
  VFW Troop Support
  Volunteers of America
  Warrior Care, DoD & VA Resources Site
       

VETERAN INFORMATION
  Historical Documents of Interest to Veterans
  Locating Veterans & Service Members
  Replacement Military Records
  Replacement Medical Records
  Replacement Military Awards & Decorations (National Archives)
  Social Security Credit for Military Service (1957 - 2001)
  U.S. Dept of Justice - Rights of Servicemembers and Veterans
  VA Board of Veterans' Appeals
  Women Veterans