The Kansas Commission on Veterans' Affairs mission is to provide Kansas veterans, their relatives, and other eligible dependents with information, advice, direction and assistance through the coordination of programs and services. Meadowlark Hills will host Veteran Service Representative, Tatiana Mateo-Gomez based out of Junction City and Manhattan Veterans Centers, at noon, Thursday, Feb. 20, in the KSU Classroom for a short presentation. Following a lunch break, take the opportunity to meet Tatiana for further discussion of services at 1 p.m. in the West Conference Room.

The Veteran Service Representative will discuss Veteran Benefits that include pensions, health benefits and burial benefits. Other useful information to be covered includes how to apply and what documentation is required to apply for VA benefits. If you are interested in applying or taking the information one step further, bring your DD214s to the conference to get help applying. For more information, contact Rita Harsch in the Meadowlark Hills Finance offices or by calling (785) 556-9139.

In other related news, Governor Brownback announced a plan on Jan. 9, that will increase veterans services in Kansas. The plan included the hiring of four Veteran Service Representatives (like the representative that will be visiting Meadowlark Hills), renovations at the Kansas Soldiers’ Home, and adding 40 new beds at Kansas Veterans’ Home by opening Triplett Hall. The four Veteran Service Representatives will be located in the most needed places across Kansas, which the Kansas Commission on Veterans’ Affairs will identify. The 40 new beds at Kansas Veterans’ Home will be extended-care for high-needs veterans. There are around 230,000 veterans in Kansas. Only 12 percent of those are currently receiving benefits of some kind.

This is a great opportunity for Veterans to discover the benefits that await them. If you are interest in hearing what the Veteran Service Representative has to say, sign up in the Blue Book, located at the Hospitality Desk, to register for the presentation in the KSU Classroom.