Military Connection: VA Combat Call Center: By Debbie Gregory
Veterans are susceptible to stresses that most civilians cannot relate to. When they were in the service, it wasn’t always easy to talk to civilian friends and family back home about their problems, mostly because they couldn’t relate. Instead, service members would lean on their battle buddies or their comrades because they could understand the struggles, and sympathize with the difficulties.
Now that they have transitioned out, Veterans may need support system comprised of those who can relate to what they have been through. The VA Combat Call Center at 1-877-WAR-VETS (927-8387) is there for any Veteran who needs someone to talk to.
The VA Combat Call Center runs 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, staffed by combat Veterans and the spouses of disabled Veterans. This means that any Veteran, family member or friend seeking counseling in relation to military service can call, anytime, and be connected to a sympathetic staff member who has walked in the same shoes.
Along with relating to callers on a personal level, staff members at the VA Combat Call Center are also highly trained counselors, and several are also licensed mental health providers. They are trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of a Veteran in crisis, and take the appropriate measures to get each caller the help they need.
The VA Combat Call Center has a working relationship with the Veterans Crisis Line. When a caller is clearly in crisis, the call center has the capability to keep the person on the line and include a counselor from the Veterans Crisis Line via a warm transfer, ensuring that the Veteran or family member in crisis gets the help they need from the most appropriate source.
Through both training and personal experience, all Veterans and spouses working at the VA Combat Call Center are also experts on services and benefits offered by the VA and local programs. These services and benefits include mental health/readjustment counseling, bereavement assistance, homeless programs, substance abuse and PTSD treatment options, the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, VA home loan guaranty, and even how to obtain copies of their DD-214s.
The VA Combat Call Center is always available to assist Veterans, 24/7 at 1-877-WAR-VETS (927-8387).
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Military Connection: VA Combat Call Center: By Debbie Gregory
