RICHMOND, Va. –
Air Force veteran Stan Craig knows firsthand the challenges of navigating the claims process at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, which is why he is working to help the 12,000-plus veterans working at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, by hosting quarterly workshops that help veterans understand their benefits and how to receive them.
“The purpose of these events is to help veterans access various types of assistance resources in an in-person format,” Craig said.
“The Department of Veteran’s Affairs benefits and medical functions provide a cadre of experienced subject matter experts from the Salt Lake City Regional Office, and I invite veteran service organizations such as the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Utah Department of Veteran and Military Affairs, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.”
Craig, who works as DLA Aviation at Ogden’s Awards and Workforce Development training coordinator, said the collective group can assist with most issues veterans face, including education benefits, enrolling in VA medical care, records requests, service-connected disability claims assistance, and suicide prevention.
“When I began working at Hill, I had veterans approach me asking for help with their service-connected disability claims,” Craig said. “It’s extraordinarily compelling when a stranger, but a fellow veteran, opens up regarding their issues and trusts you enough to ask for help.”
The workshops have been held since 2019, with the most recent event held last month. Though a variety of locations have been used to host the workshops, the preferred location is the Military and Family Readiness Center in building 150.
“We have collaborated on about one dozen events total,” Craig said. “In my opinion, the outreach event model that we have developed here could, and should, be established at other locations.”
Craig said events like these are an opportunity for veterans to optimize the benefits they have. “It is a critically important endeavor that our country has historically struggled with. Outreach events like this are designed to provide expert guidance and ultimately facilitate successful outcomes for veterans,” he said.
Chris Herrera, an Army veteran and material expediter with DLA Aviation at Ogden, agrees.
“These events are important because they help veterans gain knowledge about the resources at their disposal and how to best use the resources to better their lives, careers and overall health,” Herrera said. “Many of us never used our benefits due to a lack of understanding. These men and women help you navigate any hurdle.”