The Hines VA hospital outreach team is returning to Morris and Channahon in December

The Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital Outreach Team along with the Grundy County Veterans Assistance Commission will be enrolling veterans and answering questions about VA health care and other veterans’ benefits on Monday, Dec. 6, in Morris and on Wednesday, Dec. 8, in Channahon. The team will be available from 10 a.m until 2 p.m. each day.

The outreach team consists of the coordinator, a nurse and a member of the eligibility staff. The Grundy County VAC will also have a veteran service officer in attendance.

Seasonal flu shots are available for eligible veterans. Information regarding other vaccinations will be available from the nurse.

The team will visit Morris at American Legion Post 294, 212 W. Washington St. In Channahon, the team will be at Village Hall, 24555 S. Navajo Drive.

You may be eligible for VA health care benefits if you served in the active military, naval or air service and didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge. If you enlisted after Sept. 7, 1980, or entered active duty after Oct. 16, 1981, you must have served 24 continuous months or the full period for which you were called to active duty. Bring a copy of your DD214 and a photo ID. There are other criteria that may make you eligible for VA health care. If you do not have a copy of your DD214, the Grundy County VAC can assist you with getting one.

“Were you aware that VA health care is not a health insurance but they are actually a health care provider? With VA health care, you can do regular checkups with your VA primary care provider or seek out specialty care from specialists (such as cardiologists, gynecologists, and mental health care providers). You can access veterans health care services like home health and geriatric (elder) care, and you can get medical equipment, prosthetics, and prescriptions,” said Ken Buck, superintendent of the Grundy County VAC.

“The Grundy County VAC strives each day to assist veterans with a variety of benefits that are available to them from federal, state and local sources. We are not the experts on all of the VA health care programs available at Hines VA Hospital and at the community-based clinics. By having the Hines Outreach Team in Grundy County on a regular basis, we are able to provide the experts that can better guide our veterans to the health care services they need.” Buck said.

For more information about the Hines VA outreach program, call Patrick Grimes at 708-904-2293.

For questions regarding other veterans benefits, contact the Grundy VAC atvac@grundyco.org or 815-941-3152.