What Are Vet Centers
VA vet centers provide free and confidential readjustment counseling for war-zone veterans and their families, from World War II to the current Global War on Terror.
Vet centers are small, non-medical, counseling centers conveniently located in our region. Theyre staffed by highly trained counselors and team members dedicated to seeing you through the challenges that come with managing life during and after the military.
Our region is served by the York Vet Center, which is one of 12 vet centers in Pennsylvania and more than 300 across the country. Whether you come in for one-on-one counseling or to participate in a group session, at vet centers you can form social connections, try new things and build a support system with people who understand you and want to help you succeed.
Contacting Your Local Vet Center
Even if you are unsure if you meet the criteria to receive services from a vet center, please contact a center.
Center services are also available to family members when their participation would support the growth and goals of the veteran or active-duty service member. If you consider them family, so does your local center. Bereavement services are also available to family members of veterans who were receiving vet center services at the time of the veterans death, and to the families of service members who died while serving on active duty.
The York County Vet Center, located at York County Veterans Affairs Office, 2401 Pleasant Valley Road, Suite 101, York, PA 17402, can be contacted at 717-782-3954.
The other vet center locations in Pennsylvania are:
For more information, please visit www.vetcenter.va.gov.
DISTRICT OFFICE
About The York County Honor Guard
This site is dedicated to the York County Honor Guard, dedicated to honoring fallen veterans of York County, Pennsylvania and the surrounding area.
YORK COUNTY VETERANS HONOR GUARD
HISTORY
In 1984 local veteran organizations began receiving requests from families of deceased York County veterans for military funerals. The veterans organizations were unable to honor the requests due to lack of members available to properly perform a full military funeral.
Upon being informed of the situation, the York County Joint Veterans Council, with the support of the York County Department of Veteran Affairs, took action. With the guidance of a few dedicated veterans a burial detail was formed to provide a deceased veterans family with a flag folding and taps ceremony only.
In 1985 William Buchbinder, a 43 year Navy veteran moved to the York area and became involved. Seeing a need to improve the burial detail Buchbinder visited local veterans posts to recruit members. Membership increased enabling the group to provide full military honors for the honorably discharged veteran.
On August 29, 1988, the group separated from the York County Joint Veterans Council and became the York County Veterans Honor Guard, a self-governing group to be held accountable to the York County Dept. of Veterans Affairs and the York County Board of Commissioners. William Buchbinder was elected Commander by the eighteen members of the Honor Guard.
May 2011 most funerals in one month
Don’t Miss: How Long Does It Take To Get A Disability Check
Mission Daybreak Finalists For $20 Million Veteran Suicide Grant Challenge Announced
In June, the VA gave an open invitation to innovators across the country to participate in Mission Daybreak, a $20 million challenge designed to help the VA develop new suicide prevention strategies for veterans.
Last month, 30 finalists, each of which will receive $250,000 and advance to the Phase 2 virtual accelerator program, were announced. Another 10 applicants, in recognition of their solutions, will each receive a Promise Award of $100,000.
The Phase 2 accelerator is designed to help the 30 finalists develop ambitious but achievable roadmaps for prototyping, iteration, testing and evaluation. Technology partners supporting the accelerator include Amazon and Microsoft.
In November, finalists will present their solutions to key stakeholders, investors and partners at Demo Day, a live pitch event. Phase 2 will award $11.5 million in prizes: two first-place winners will each receive $3 million, three second-place winners will each receive $1 million and five third-place winners will each receive $500,000.
Bartz Brigade Raises Awareness For Suicide Prevention
It was an honor to join the Bartz Brigade for their Ruck 22 to end suicide. Thank you to the 22 athletes who each carried a 22-pound ruck for 22 miles and did 22 pushups each mile to support suicide prevention, education, and awareness in York County.
To learn more about the Bartz Brigade and the Trent Bartz Foundation, please click here.
You May Like: How To Beat Social Security Disability
Honoring Those Who Served
New York Army National Guard Military Funeral Honors allows a grateful nation to pay final tribute to veterans who, in times of war and peace, stood strong in defense of the United States of America.
Federal law provides that An honor guard detail for the burial of an eligible veteran shall consist of not less than two members of the Armed Forces. One member of the detail shall be a representative of the parent service of the deceased veteran.
Providing honors is more than just a job for our Soldiers. It is an honor for them to pay a final tribute to those Soldiers who served.
This service is provided to veterans with an Honorable Discharge at no cost to their families or the funeral homes. Families should make requests for honors through the funeral director. You may wish to refer your funeral director to the “information” link at the top of this page.
About Military Funeral Honors
New York Army National Guard Military Funeral Honors was established in July 1999. Our teams provide military funeral honors for more than 850 veterans each month.
New York State’s Soldiers are honored to provide these services for our veterans and their families. These teams take great pride in their appearance and the performance of this duty.
Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grants Awarded
Last month, awards were announced for the national 2022 Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grants Program .
The SSG Fox SPGP enables U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs to provide resources toward community-based suicide prevention efforts to meet the needs of veterans and their families through outreach, suicide prevention services and connection to VA and community resources.
In alignment with VAs National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide , this grant program assists in further implementing a public health approach that blends community-based prevention with evidence-based clinical strategies through community efforts.
The grant program is part of the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019, signed into law on Oct. 17, 2020.
The VA has awarded $52.5 million to 80 awardees in 43 states, the District of Columbia and American Samoa for services in fiscal years 2022 and 2023. Three of those awardees are in Pennsylvania: Philadelphias Veterans MultiService Center, Inc. , Carbon Countys Penn Foundation Inc. and Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania, Inc. , which serves all of Pennsylvanias 67 counties.
For more information about the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, contact us at .
Recommended Reading: Ptsd Service Dogs For Veterans
Who Is Eligible To Receive Services At Vet Centers
Vet center services are available to veterans at no cost, regardless of discharge character, and without the need to be enrolled in VA health care or having a service-connected disability. If you are a veteran or service member, including members of the National Guard and Reserve, you can access vet center services if you:
- Served on active military duty in any combat theater or area of hostility.
- Experienced military sexual trauma .
- Provided mortuary services or direct emergent medical care to treat the casualties of war while serving on active military duty.
- Performed as a member of an unmanned aerial vehicle crew that provided direct support to operations in a combat theater or area of hostility.
- Accessed care at a Vet Center prior to Jan. 2, 2013 as a Vietnam-era veteran.
- Served on active military duty in response to a national emergency or major disaster declared by the president, or under orders of the governor or chief executive of a state in response to a disaster or civil disorder in that state.
- Are a current or former member of the Coast Guard who participated in a drug interdiction operation, regardless of the location.
Gerald Bh Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery
History
Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemeteryis New York States sixth national veterans cemetery and the 116th in the National Cemetery Administration.
More than 1.4 million veterans live in New York and more than 225,000 reside in the Albany/Saratoga area. The first phase of construction, encompassing 60 acres of the 351-acre cemetery, included 5,000 gravesites, 2,000 lawn crypts, 1,500 columbaria niches and 700 garden niches for cremated remains. At full capacity, Solomon-Saratoga can provide burial space for 175,500 veterans and eligible dependents.
On Jan. 24, 2002, President George W. Bush signed legislation renaming Saratoga National Cemetery as the Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery. Congressman Solomon was known as the champion of veterans causes. Among his accomplishments, he spearheaded the effort to create the cabinet-level Department of Veterans Affairs and successfully led a drive to establish the national cemetery in which he is now interred.
An American gray granite memorial was erected in 2001 to honor veterans from Saratoga County, N.Y. The monument features two granite slabs inscribed with approximately 980 names of individuals who gave their lives for their country. A granite obelisk is at the forefront of the monument.
A granite and bronze memorial was erected in honor of U.S. submariner veterans on Oct. 19, 2002.
The American Veterans donated a carillon in 1999.
EligibilityCemetery Map
Also Check: What Illness Qualifies For Short Term Disability
The Soldier In White Gloves Knelt Down Under The Funeral Tent A Folded Flag In His Hands As He Prepared To Speak Words Reserved For Family Members Of The Fallen He Looked At The Face In Front Of Him
Tears were streaming down a young sons cheeks.
Its something you never get used to, says Harold Redding, Commander of the York County Veterans Honor Guard. Its moving and very emotionalevery time.
Always a privilege
In the past 30 years, no York County veterans family has been denied a military funeral. Not once.
The honor guard performed its first service on August 29, 1988 by its 30th anniversary this summer, members will have completed more than 8,300. Its membership of about 30 men have performed six services in a day when necessary. Theyve done 51 in a month, when called. Crisp. Consistent. Professional.
Its an honor to be asked by a family. Its always a privilege.
See them in pressed uniforms, their black shoes in the cemetery grass. Hear the crack of a rifle volley, then another, then another. Listen to the sound of taps as it rolls across the fields.
Each ceremony is about dignity, about respect for service.
Its an honor to be asked by a family, Redding says. Its always a privilege.
A grateful nation
Harold Redding retired as a first sergeant after serving in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and later with the National Guard and the Army Reserve. Today, he schedules 300-plus honor guard services a year, crisscrossing York County.
And while hes personally performed more than 600, he still remembers the first: that son of a soldier in tears. Its never gotten easier, he says. Tomorrow will be just as difficult.
But purpose dampens pain.
Th Annual All Vets To Dc Trip
On Nov. 1, the Bailey Family of Companies and local veterans organization are sponsoring the annual All Vets to DC. This complimentary event includes a free continental breakfast at the York County Fairgrounds, then free transportation to and from our nations capital to tour national monuments dedicated to the men and women in our Armed Forces and the various conflicts our country has fought in over the decades.
If you or a veteran you know is interested in attending the event and would like to RSVP or obtain more information, please contact any of the individuals below.
Read Also: What Are The Rules For Short Term Disability
Warrior Expeditions Helping Veterans Transition To Civilian Life
Warrior Expeditions is a veteran nonprofit outdoor therapy program that helps veterans transition from their wartime experiences through long distance outdoor expeditions.
The group was recently mentioned in local Pennsylvania news thanks to one veteran, former Army Sgt. Kevin Wilson, and his personal journey that has him hiking through our commonwealth. Kevin is hiking the 1,300 miles of the September 11th National Memorial Trail, which runs through the 9-11 memorials in Shanksville, New York City and at the Pentagon.
Kevin started his trek at the Pentagon on Wednesday, Aug. 24, with his guide dog, Calvin. Last month, Kevin and Calvin got to Shanksville and the Flight 93 Memorial on Sept. 11 and hes now walking through Pennsylvania on his way to Manhattan. Hes planning to finish the hike around Nov. 15.
Since 2001, more than 3 million veterans have returned home from war but many of them have never transitioned from their experiences. The Department of Veteran Affairs estimates that up to 20% of post-9/11 veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Recognizing the therapeutic value of long distance outdoor expeditions, Warrior Expeditions created the Warrior Hike, Warrior Bike and Warrior Paddle programs to help veterans transition from their wartime experiences.
What We Do
445th Airlift …” alt=”445th AW Honor Guard represents members past, present > 445th Airlift …”> The Monroe County Honor Guard ensures that any honorably discharged veteran receives last honors at their funeral. The Honor guard provides Casket flags and will fold and present this flag to a family member. Honor Salute while casket is delivered to gravesite. 7 rifle salute and expended cartridges from salute presented to funeral party.
Also Check: How Long Does It Take To Get Approved For Disability