Oklahoma Department Of Veterans Affairs

Building Partnerships To Prevent Veteran Suicide

We are actively collaborating with leadership from the Oklahoma Governors Challenge, led by the Oklahoma Department of Veteran Affairs, along with Mayors Challenges and other statewide agencies to create action steps and programming to reduce veteran suicide. This work is supported by the Department of Veteran Affairs and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration .

Center For Women Veterans

The Center for Women Veterans was established by Congress in November 1994 by Public Law 103-446.

• Monitor and coordinate VAs administration of health care and benefits services, and programs for women Veterans.
• Serve as an advocate for a cultural transformation in recognizing the service and contributions of women Veterans and women in the military.
• Raise awareness of the responsibility to treat women Veterans with dignity and respect.

Building Healthy Military Communities

Working for Healthy, Ready, and Resilient Military Communities

What is the Building Healthy Military Communities pilot? BHMC is a multi-year pilot program that aims to better understand the unique challenges faced by geographically dispersed Service members and their families that may impact their readiness, resiliency, and well-being.

Building Healthy Military Communities

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Women Veterans Call Center

Do you know your Veteran status? Do you have a Veteran ID card? Should you receive any benefits from VA, like the GI Bill? Do you know what health care benefits you have earned? If you do not know the answer to even one of these questions, the Department of Veterans Affairs has established the Women Veterans Call Center just for you.

The WVCC staff is trained to provide women Veterans, their families, and caregivers about VA services and resources. We are ready to respond to your concerns. The call is free, and you can call as often as you like until you have the answers to your questions. The Call Center is available Monday through Friday 8 AM 10 PM ET, and on Saturdays from 8 AM 6:30 PM ET.

Were introducing a new Chat Function.

Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment

A VA Veteran who is eligible for an evaluation under Chapter 31 must first apply for services and receive an appointment with a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor . The VRC will work with the Veteran to determine if an employment handicap exists as a result of his or her service connected disability. If an employment handicap is established and the Veteran is found entitled to services. The VRC and the Veteran will continue counseling to select a track of services and jointly develop a plan to address the Veterans rehabilitation and employment needs. For additional information, please visit the Federal VA site at Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment.

The rehabilitation plan will specify an employment or independent living goal, identify intermediate goals, and outline services and resources that VA will provide to assist the Veteran to achieve his / her goals. The VRC and the Veteran will work together to implement the plan to assist the Veteran to achieve his or her employment and / or independent living goals.

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Veterans Of Foreign Wars

The VFW traces its roots back to 1899 when veterans of the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection founded local organizations to secure rights and benefits for their service: Many arrived home wounded or sick. There was no medical care or veterans pension for them, and they were left to care for themselves.

In their misery, some of these veterans banded together and formed organizations with what would become known as the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.

Veterans of Foreign Wars

Jack C Montgomery Vamc Muskogee Ok Women Veterans Program

Women Veterans have the option of receiving full comprehensive health care through our Women Veterans Clinics located at the Muskogee hospital, Ernest Childers VA Outpatient Clinic , Vinita VA Outpatient Clinic, Hartshorne VA Outpatient Clinic and McCurtain County Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Idabel, which provide gender specific care by a provider trained and proficient in womens health. To schedule an appointment, please call 1-888-397-8387.

If you have any questions about services for Women Veterans, please contact Susan Hartsell, RN, BSN, Women Veterans Program Manager, at 918-577-4277.

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Oklahoma Veteran Support Team

The Oklahoma Veteran Support Team is a 100% volunteer group. Our goal is to help Oklahoma veterans in need of a hand up.We are honored to work alongside other outstanding veterans groups. Such as the PGR, Oklahoma Dept of Veteran Affairs,Military Order of the Purple Heart, Hold My Hand.

Oklahoma Veteran Support Team Website

The National Guard Association Of Oklahoma

The National Guard Association of Oklahoma is a not for profit Veterans Service Organization based in Oklahoma City. We represent the interests of the 10,000 men and women of the Oklahoma Army and Air National Guard.

We are dedicated to promoting the status, welfare, and professionalism of the officers and enlisted members of the Army and Air National Guard by supporting legislation that provides adequate staffing, pay benefits, entitlements, equipment, and installations for the Oklahoma Army and Air National Guard.

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Strengthening Relationships Between Veterans

OKVA is committed to building stronger communities in support of veterans with Operation Connect. This initiative serves to interface with existing veteran service organizations to provide a positive environment and focus on key areas that can eliminate hurdles to success, such as housing, healthcare, education, employment and legal. This effort is strengthened by our partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Veteran Affairs Governors Challenge to establish local Mayors Challenges in communities across Oklahoma. Additionally, our continued expansion of the Unite Oklahoma platform to provide a 360-degree referral system across Oklahoma will efficiently connect veterans to resources statewide.

Admission To State Parks

All honorably discharged veterans who are currently Oklahoma residents shall be allowed free admission to all state-owned or stateoperated parks and museums. A valid Oklahoma driver license or state photo identification card and military discharge papers or similar evidence of an honorable discharge from the United States Armed Forces shall be required for free admission.

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Supporting Incarcerated & Justice

We have played a critical role with several partners in developing a statewide strategic process to ensure incarcerated veterans pending release have housing, employment and other vital resources secure. This initiative, Veteran Avoidance Recovery Redeployment Program , will increase the success rate for those being released to reintegrate into their communities and avoid recidivism. We also work with Tulsa County Veterans Treatment Court to help justice-involved veterans avoid prison through a therapeutic alternative to incarceration.

Student Veterans Of America

Todays veterans face numerous obstacles in their path of attaining a college degree. These challenges range from a missing sense of camaraderie to feeling like an outsider amongst 18-year-old traditional students to a lack of understanding by university faculty. When coupled with the visible and invisible wounds of war, a college degree can be an elusive goal for men and women returning from military service. Student Veterans of America make that goal a reality.

SVA is a 501 coalition of student veterans groups on college campuses across the globe. These member chapters are the boots on the ground that help veterans reintegrate into campus life and succeed academically. Each chapter must be an officially recognized student group by their university or college and provide a peer-to-peer network for veterans who are attending the school. Additionally, chapters often coordinate campus activities, provide pre-professional networking, and generally provide a touchstone for student veterans in higher education.

Todays veterans face numerous obstacles in their path of attaining a college degree. These challenges range from a missing sense of camaraderie to feeling like an outsider amongst 18-year-old traditional students to a lack of understanding by university faculty. When coupled with the visible and invisible wounds of war, a college degree can be an elusive goal for men and women returning from military service. Student Veterans of America make that goal a reality.

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Hunting And Fishing Licenses

Free hunting and fishing permit for legal resident veterans having a disability of sixty percent or more exempt from the Wildlife Land Stamp requirements

Legal residents having proper certification from the USDVA or its successor certifying that the person is a disabled veteran may purchase a disability lifetime combination hunting/fishing license. The fees for the license are:

• $200 for veterans having a disability of LESS THAN 60%

and $25.00 for veterans having a disability of 60% OR MORE.

Persons with proper certification from the USDVA or its successor, certifying that the person is a disabled veteran in receipt of compensation at the 100% rate are exempt from the fees for:

• the DEER GUN HUNTING License
• the DEER ARCHERY HUNTING License
• the PRIMITIVE FIREARMS License
• BONUS, SPECIAL, OR SECOND DEER GUN HUNTING License

There shall be no exemptions except for residents sixty-four years of age or older provided such residents have obtained a senior citizens license pursuant to the provisions of Section 4-133 of this title.

Legal resident veterans having a disability of 60% or more are exempt from the Wildlife Land Stamp requirements.

***NOTE: The Hunting and Fishing Application will open in a new window that is currently running very slowly. Our apologies for this inconvenience and thank you for your patience while we rectify this issue.

Oklahoma Cross Of Valor

Any person having the following qualifications is hereby authorized to apply for, receive, and display a certain badge or medal, to be known as The Oklahoma Cross of Valor:

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Connecting Veterans To The Right Providers For Help

Veterans are often unaware of the many services and resources available to them. We act as a bridge to help for veterans. We do this by utilizing Unite Oklahoma,a 360-degree referral system using cutting-edge technology that quickly connects veterans to qualified providers and tracks the progress of the care received to ensure our heroes are getting the help they need.

Plastic And Reconstructive Surgery

Plastic and reconstructive surgery can restore function and appearance after damage from disease, burns, traumatic injuries, congenital and developmental conditions and other causes.

Contact information

Referral required?Yes

Walk-ins accepted?No

Our plastic and reconstructive surgeons perform surgery to improve body function, or correct facial and body abnormalities caused by birth defects, injury, disease, or aging. We also perform cosmetic surgery to create a more normal appearance and improve self-esteem. Our services include:

• Surgical repair of congenital deformities such as cleft lips and palates
• Skin cancer surgery to remove malignant moles, lesions, and tumors from your skin
• Breast reduction and reconstruction surgery
• Skin grafts to treat burns, injuries, or illnesses, which involves removing skin from one part of your body and grafting it to another
• Nasal reconstruction surgery to change the shape of your nose

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Eastern Oklahoma Veteran Administration Healthcare System

• The mission of VA Research is fourfold:

• To improve Veterans health and well-being via basic, translational, clinical, health services, and rehabilitative research.
• To apply scientific knowledge to develop effective individualized care solutions for Veterans
• To attract, train, and retain the highest-caliber investigators, and nurture their development as leaders in their fields and
• To assure a culture of professionalism, collaboration, accountability, and the highest regard for research volunteers safety and privacy.

The research process in the VA starts with a tight focus on the everyday health needs and concerns of Veterans, and with consultation with national and regional VA clinical leaders. Solutions are identified and developed through careful, rigorous research in labs and clinics, and sometimes in the community. These solutions are then applied to patient care, or translated into new or improved programs, as rapidly as possible.

The Joint Programs Management Office is an integrated body within the EOVAHCS and VA Foundation Research Offices to develop and assist Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences and VA research collaborations.

VA Appointment

What is the Difference Between a VA and WOC appointment?

Credentialing

University Of Central Oklahoma

UCO Veteran Student Support

Ranked #7 in the nation by Military Friendly and #21 by the Best for Vets survey by Military Times, this school is very supportive of Oklahoma military and veteran students. The University of Central Oklahoma provides a full-time Veteran Student Support Office to assist students who are eligible to receive Education Benefits from the Department of Veteran Affairs. All degree plans offered by the University of Central Oklahoma have been approved by the State Accrediting Agency for payment of federal benefits. The UCO Veteran Student Support Office will certify enrollment for payment of VA Education Benefits for all students who meet eligibility criteria as set forth by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Enrollment certification is also done for students eligible for CHAMPVA .

VetHERO Office

VetHERO is a department of Veteran Support Services and is designed to support the veteran student as well as the military dependent on succeeding in post-secondary education by coordinating services to address the academic, financial, physical, and social needs of veterans and veteran dependent students. VetHERO is run entirely by students participating in the VA work-study program. VetHERO Opened April 26, 2012, as a collaborative effort of multiple UCO Departments. Our office hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Addiction And Substance Abuse Care

Contact information

Referral required?Yes

Walk-ins accepted?No

If youre diagnosed with cancer, our team will work with you, your primary care doctor, and other health care providers to develop a specialized treatment plan. We offer personal, compassionate, and expert care, with services like:

• Surgical removal of tumors and other cancerous tissue
• Immunotherapy, which helps your bodys natural defenses destroy cancer cells
• Chemotherapy, which uses powerful drugs to fight cancer
• Radiotherapy, which uses high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors
• Palliative care, to reduce pain and control other symptoms and side effects, like nausea

Oklahoma Department Of Veterans Affairs

The Oklahoma Department of Veteran Affairs is a department of the state of Oklahoma under the supervision of the Oklahoma Secretary of Veterans Affairs charged with providing medical and rehabilitative services for veterans and their families.

The Department is governed by a nine-member Oklahoma Veterans Commission, who members are appointed by the Governor, with the approval the Oklahoma Senate for three-year terms. The Governor appoints members from names submitted by the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Military Order of the Purple Heart, National Guard Association, Paralyzed Veterans of America, as well as three at-large appointees. The Commission in turn appoints the Executive Director of the Department, who serve at the pleasure of the Commission and is responsible for administration of the Department.

The Department was created in 1981 during the term of Governor George Nigh as a successor to the Soldiers Relief Commission.

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Important Notice: Please Read

Pursuant to Senate Bill 415, effective , all new applicants for sales tax exemption based on a veterans 100% service-connected disability status are required to register in the Oklahoma Veterans Registry to verify eligibility. Veterans previously awarded sales tax exempt status prior to November 1, 2021 must register in the Oklahoma Veterans Registry no later than in order to remain eligible for the benefit of sales tax exemption.

If you have not already registered, please do so immediately to avoid a delay or suspense in this important state benefit.

The Oklahoma Veterans Registry can be accessed at the following link:

To Claim Va Educational Benefits Once Enrolled:

The following policies are effective beginning Fall 2020, regardless of any previous standing or arrangement.

• In accordance with 38 USC 3679 , EOSC will not automatically renew enrollment without the beneficiarys approval each term.

• You must submit a written request to Eastern’s Veterans Affairs Office for each semester’s hours to be certified.

• You must include a copy of that semester’s class schedule to be approved.

• You must have approval from your academic advisor and Eastern’s VA Representative each semester.

• If you are claiming benefits and you were on Active Duty, you will need to bring copy 4 of your DD form 214 and your Certificate of Eligibility to the Registrar/Veterans Affairs Office.

• If you are in the National Guard or the Reserves, you will need to bring form 2384 to the Registrar/Veterans Affairs Office. This form is available from your Unit Commander.

• If you are claiming benefits as a dependent, you will need to bring us a Certificate of Eligibility from the Department of Veterans Affairs, or the eligible veteran’s claim number or social security number, and copy of your birth certificate.

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Burial And Memorial Benefits

Eligibility

Veterans discharged from active duty under conditions other than dishonorable and service members who die while on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training, as well as spouses and dependent children of Veterans and active-duty service-members, may be eligible for VA burial and memorial benefits. The Veteran does not have to die before a spouse or dependent child for them to be eligible.

With certain exceptions, active duty service beginning after Sept. 7, 1980, as an enlisted person, and after Oct. 16, 1981, as an officer, must be for a minimum of 24 consecutive months or the full period of active duty . Active duty for training, by itself, while serving in the reserves or National Guard, is not sufficient to confer eligibility. Reservists and National Guard members, as well as their spouses and dependent children, are eligible if they were entitled to retired pay at the time of death, or would have been upon reaching requisite age. See Chapter 8 for more information.

VAs National Cemetery Scheduling Office or local national cemetery directors verify eligibility for burial. A copy of the Veterans discharge document that specifies the period of active duty and character of discharge is usually sufficient to determine eligibility. In some instances, a copy of the deceaseds death certificate and proof of relationship to the Veteran may be required.

Burial in VA National Cemeteries