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For and about Hawaii's military
See also: In The Military
Official seal of Veterans
Affairs holds a historyQuestion: What does the official seal of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs represent?
Answer: The eagle in the center represents the United States. There is a very faint circle of five stars above the eagle that stands for the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard. There are two flags in the eagle's talons symbolizing America's history from 13 colonies to the present 50 states. A golden cord symbolic of those Americans who have fallen in service to their country binds the flags. The eagle holds the cord to perpetuate the memory of those veterans who have fallen and sacrificed for the nation. The VA was created on March 15, 1989.
A: I am planning an extensive trip overseas in the coming months. Does the VA take care of any medical problems I may encounter and who do I contact?
Q: The VA's foreign medical program office in Denver has jurisdiction for health-care services provided veterans in foreign countries, excluding Canada and the Philippines. Unfortunately, the VA's foreign medical program is only for veterans with service-connected conditions who are residing or traveling abroad. Services provided in Canada are under the jurisdiction of the VA Center in White River Junction, Vt. 05009-0001, and the Philippines are under the jurisdiction of the USVA Office, Roxas Blvd., Passay City 1300, M.M., or VA Outpatient Clinic, Regional Office, FPO AP 96575.
Under the FMP, VA assumes payment responsibility for certain necessary medical services associated with the treatment of those service-connected conditions. The FMP Office is responsible for all aspects of the program including application processing, verification of eligibility, authorization of benefits, and payment of claims.
Pre-registration with the FMP is not necessary for eligible veterans. However, veterans who are planning to travel or permanently relocate to a foreign country are encouraged to notify the FMP Office. At that time, arrangements will be made for FMP registration and the mailing of detailed program materials, including an FMP Handbook which will provide detailed information on benefit coverage and limitations, how to select health care providers, and claim filing instructions. Beneficiaries currently residing in foreign countries may also contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate for information and claims assistance. In Canada, veterans may also contact the office of Veterans Affairs Canada.
The VA's foreign medical program office may be reached at: VA Health Administration Center, Foreign Medical Program (FMP), PO Box 65021, Denver, CO 80206-9021, U.S.A. Telephone Inquiries: 1-303-331-7590, Facsimile (FAX) service 1-303-331-7803, e-mail: hac.fmp@med.va.gov. Additional information regarding the VA's foreign medical program may be found at their Web Site: www.va.gov/hac/fmp/fmp.html.
If you have questions about your benefits as a veteran,
call Fred Ballard at the Veterans Affairs at 433-0049
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.
