Veteran’s Affairs

Patrick E. Flaherty, Chair, US Army (Montana)

BROTHERS, thank you for visiting the Veterans Affairs page on the national website of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in America. To the veteran members of our Order, thank you for your service in the Uniformed Services of the United States and your ongoing contribution to our Irish, Catholic, American community. To all Brothers, please take this opportunity to review the Hibernian 101 article (link below) on serving as Veterans Affairs Chairman in your Division, County, or State. Also, please review the links below with information about key veteran services and support available throughout the country as well as a periodic article highlighting key veteran benefits and Hibernian activities around the country. Please do not hesitate to contact our Veterans Affairs Chairman and/or Deputy Chairman if you have questions regarding these services, the National Board Veterans Affairs Committee, the AOH Veterans Pin, or the AOH Member Card Veteran Identifier.

MONTHLY NATIONAL VA COMMITTEE MEETINGS are typically scheduled for third Tuesdays of the month at 7pm Eastern Time. All Hibernians are welcome to join. VA Chairmen and veteran members are highly encouraged to participate. Please contact Chairman Flaherty at the email above if you would like to receive the Zoom link for the meetings. Notices and Zoom details are typically sent out one to two weeks prior the scheduled meeting.

Enumerated Role of the Veterans Affairs Committee Per the AOH National Constitution:

VETERANS AFFAIRS CHAIRMAN: Section 22. Shall: Serve to provide information and advice for members of the Order who currently serve, or who have served, in the United States military. The chairman shall focus primarily in areas pertaining to Veteran’s benefits, advocacy, and the development and maintenance of a historical record of Hibernians that have served. The individual appointed to this position shall be an honorably discharged veteran of the United States Armed Forces or an active duty member of the United States Armed Forces

Hibernian 101 – Veterans Affairs Chairman

Veteran Affairs Article:

August-September, 2022 – VA Mission Act and the Asset & Infrastructure Review Commission

Links to Key Veteran Services, Supports, and Community Organizations Nationwide:

United States Department of Veterans Affairs – Key Benefits and Services Links:

VA Facilities: https://www.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp
VA Pension for Wartime Veterans: https://www.benefits.va.gov/pension/
VA Disability Compensation: https://www.benefits.va.gov/compensation/
VA Education Benefits: https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/
VA Burial Benefits: https://www.cem.va.gov/cem/burial_benefits/index.asp
VA Suicide Prevention: https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/suicide_prevention/
VA Health Care Enrollment: https://www.va.gov/health-care/
VA E-Benefits: https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/

Veteran Records:

National Archives (Records/Lost Medals): https://www.archives.gov/veterans
Defense Personnel Record Information System (DPRIS): https://milconnect.dmdc.osd.mil/milconnect/public/faq/Documentation-DPRIS

State Veteran Assistance:

National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDVA) Links: http://www.nasdva.us/Links.aspx (Link to every State veteran agency)

County & Local Veteran Assistance:

National Association of County Veterans Services Officers (NACVSO): https://www.nacvso.org/

Other National Resource Sites:

Federal Veteran Small Business Programs: https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/grow-your-business/veteran-owned-businesses
US Department of Labor Veteran Employment Assistance: https://www.dol.gov/vets/
National Resource Directory (Comprehensive National Resource Information): https://nrd.gov/
Military One Source (Support for Active Duty/Reserve Component Personnel & Families): https://www.militaryonesource.mil/
Veterans & Mesothelioma Cancer Guide: https://www.mesotheliomalawyercenter.org/veterans/
The Role of Therapeutic Hobbies in Veteran Recovery: https://12stepreflections.org/articles/the-role-of-therapeutic-hobbies-in-veteran-recovery

Major National Veterans Organizations:

Catholic War Veterans of the United States: http://cwv.org/
American Legion: https://www.legion.org/
American Veterans (AMVETS): http://amvets.org/
Disabled American Veterans (DAV): https://www.dav.org/
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW): https://www.vfw.org/
Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA): https://vva.org/
Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH): https://www.purpleheart.org/

Service-Oriented National Veteran Non-Profit Organizations:

Bunker Labs (Veteran Owned Business Incubator): https://bunkerlabs.org/
The Mission Continues (Veteran Community Service): https://missioncontinues.org/
Team Rubicon (Veteran Civil Emergency Support): https://teamrubiconusa.org/
Team RWB (Veteran Community Service & Physical Activity): https://www.teamrwb.org/
Travis Manion Foundation (Veteran Community Service): https://www.travismanion.org/
Honor Flight (WWII, Korea, & Vietnam Veterans): https://www.honorflight.org/
National Flag Foundation (American Flag Commemoration): https://nationalflagfoundation.org/