Are you eligible for VA health care benefits? Come to this free event and see

Veterans: do you have questions about veterans assistance health care and other VA benefits?

Then come out to the American Legion in Morris on July 5 or Channahon Village Hall on July 14 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and meet representatives from the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital Outreach Team along with the Grundy County Veterans Assistance Commission.

They will be enrolling veterans for health care as well as answering questions about VA health care and other VA benefits, according to a news release from the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital Outreach Team.

Representatives from the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital Outreach Team include the enrollment coordinator, a nurse and a member of the eligibility staff.

In addition, a veteran service officer from the Grundy County VAC will be available to answer questions about other local, state and federal veteran’s benefits.

The event is free. Registration is not required. But bring a copy of DD Form 214 and a photo ID. The Grundy County VAC can help in getting copy of DD Form 214 if needed, the release said.

Anyone who served in the active military, naval or air service and didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge may be eligible for benefits, the release said.

Anyone who enlisted after Sept. 7, 1980, or entered active duty after Oct. 16, 1981, must have served 24 continuous months or the full period for which he or she were called to active duty, the release said.

Other eligibility criteria may also apply, the release said.

Ken Buck, superintendent of the Grundy County VAC, said in a news release that VA health care is not health insurance but 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 – like cardiologists, gynecologists, and mental health providers,” Buck said in the release. “You can access Veterans health care services like home health and geriatric [elder] care, and you can get medical equipment, prosthetics and prescriptions.”

The American Legion is located at 212 W. Washington St. in Morris and the Channahon Village Hall is located at 24555 S Navajo Drive in Channahon.

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