Published: November 29, 2008 09:25 pm         

Services tailored to veterans’ needs

DANVILLE — Each war is unique, producing veterans with special needs and who require certain services.

The Veterans Affairs Illiana Health Care System staff recognizes that men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan are different, in some ways, from those in earlier wars.

“Each combat era has its own unique situations,” said Hilary Edgerly, program manager of the Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom program.

Because of the National Guard and Reserves component, the VA is seeing a greater age range. In past wars, most veterans were 18-25 years old; now, the ages range from 19 to 62, she said.

Many of the younger veterans bring their families, including young children, to the clinic, which explains the need for a play area to entertain the youngsters.

The older veterans enjoy seeing the children, said Heather Ketchem, program support system worker.

“It brings joy to everybody’s faces,” she said.

The staff also treats more complex injuries caused by improvised explosive devices, often triggered by vehicles. The soldiers are surviving the injuries due to better medical services in the field.

“We’re seeing more complex injuries they wouldn’t have survived in Vietnam,” Ketchem said.

A polytrauma team was established last year to help veterans who have two or more traumatic injuries. The majority of those are brain injuries; others include amputations, burns, mental health, spinal cord, and hearing and vision loss.

Veterans are diagnosed and treated in Danville on an outpatient basis; those who need hospitalization are sent to Indianapolis.

A prosthetics lab in Indianapolis offers state-of-the-art items. A laser takes precise measurements of a limb, resulting in more accurate prosthetics.

Another difference from the past is that more women are on the front lines.

“About 15 percent (of the clients) are female — the highest we’ve seen from all wars,” Edgerly said.

The entire team in the clinic has received training in the unique conditions of veterans serving in the OEF/OIF theaters of combat.

Benefits

Returning veterans are eligible for free care for combat-related conditions up to five years (instead of two years).

Also, veterans now have 180 days, instead of 90, to enroll for dental benefits. After the first dental treatment, the veteran will have to meet all other eligibility guidelines.

Veterans are encouraged to sign up for services at the local OEF/OIF office, even if they don’t need them right away.



FYI

For information about local services offered to Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans, call 554-5121. You also may visit the Web site, http://www.oefoif.va.gov/