For Your Benefit
For and about Hawaii's military
See also: In The Military
Web site displays
information on
VA burial locationsQuestion: Is it possible to locate the grave of a friend who I believe is buried in a VA cemetery?
Answer: More than 3 million records showing where veterans and their dependents have been buried in 120 VA national cemeteries are available on line. The site also has records of some burials in state veterans' cemeteries and in Arlington National Cemetery from 1999 to present. The Web site - www.cem.va.gov -- will be updated nightly with information on burials the previous day. The site displays the same information that visitors to national cemeteries find on kiosks or in written ledgers to locate gravesites: name, dates of birth and death, period of military service, branch of service and rank if known, the cemetery's location and phone number, plus the grave's precise location in the cemetery. Some information, such as identification of the next of kin, will not be shown to the public for privacy reasons. For more information on the VA cemetery system, or the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) call 532-3720.
Q: I am looking for ways to help veterans. Does the VA utilize volunteers?
A: Volunteers at the VA Medical Center are utilized in a variety of ways. If you are interested or want more information, contact the VA at 433-0109, or stop by the VA Medical Center. The volunteer office is behind the information desk on the first floor.
Additionally, the Disabled American Veterans provides van service for veterans who are unable to get to the VA or Tripler Army Medical Center for their appointments. The DAV needs volunteer drivers to work a few hours each week. Contact 433-7752.
If you have questions about your benefits as a veteran,
call Fred Ballard at the Veterans Affairs at 433-0049
or visit the VA Web site at www.va.gov/hawaii
or the Star-Bulletin at 529-4747.Gregg K. Kakesako, who covers military affairs for the Star-Bulletin,
can be reached by phone at 294-4075
or by e-mail at gkakesako@starbulletin.com.