805 S. Walker St.
Burgaw, NC 28425
Phone: 910-259-1203
Fax: 910-259-5163
Hours: Monday-Friday
8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Appointments are preferred.
Staff:
Roy Horne- Director, Veteran Service Officer
15060 US Hwy 17
Hampstead, NC 28443
Phone: 910-270-5005
Fax: 910-259-5163
Hours: Monday – Friday
8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Appointments are preferred.
Staff:
Sally Lawson -Assistant Veteran Service Officer
Matt Wesley –Assistant Veteran Service Officer
Our office provides a wide range of services to the Veteran and their family members. We serve all veterans, spouses, widows, and children of veterans residing in Pender County with all Veterans Administration matters.
Our office is responsible for securing allowable and applicable benefits for veterans and their dependents. Services include advising local veterans concerning their rights under various federal and state laws, counseling them, and assisting them by filling out the proper forms for forwarding to the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA). Work is guided by state and federal laws and regulations, and is performed independently under the general supervision of the District Service Officer of the NC Division of Veterans Affairs.
If you are interested in applying for VA benefits or need assistance with VA paperwork, please contact our office to schedule an appointment. A Veteran Service Officer (VSO) will meet with you to answer any questions you have about your benefit eligibility. We will then help you submit any paperwork and assist with gathering any necessary documentation and evidence to support your claim.
A VSO serves as a as liaison between the veteran and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Summary of Benefits: • Service- Connected Disability Compensation • Non-Service Connected Disability Pension • Death and Indemnity Compensation • Widow’s Pension Benefits • VA Guaranteed Home Loans • Veterans Health Administration Enrollments • State Veterans Nursing Home Enrollments • Grave Markers • Burial Reimbursements • Appeals
Additional Benefits: • Automobile adaptations and other conveyance equipment • Special Adaptive Housing / Special Housing Adaptation • Annual clothing allowance • Individual Unemployability • Housebound and Aid & Attendance Increases • Addition of Dependent to Benefits • DD-214 and Medal replacement • Assistance with securing transportation to VA medical facilities
NC Division of Veterans Affairs (NCDVA) Benefits: • NCDVA Scholarships • One-time fee hunting/fishing license • Special Veterans license plates • Property Tax Reductions
IT IS STRONGLY ADVISED THAT YOU SEEK THE ASSISTANCE OF A VETERANS SERVICE OFFICER BEFORE SUBMITTING ANY APPLICATIONS OR FORMS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. PLEASE BRING ANY FORMS BY OUR OFFICE FOR REVIEW BEFORE MAILING!
FAQs
VSO’s have three ways to assist by obtaining a copy of your DD214.
- Register of Deeds– Most cases your DD214 was sent to the County that you lived in when you were discharged from service.
- DPRIS– Defense Personnel Records Informational Retrieval Systems,was developed as a single enterprise gateway, to provide access to vital military personnel information on demand and in near real-time through secure system-to-system interfaces and Web access by employing leading edge technologies, including all aspects of information assurance. Dates are limited as noted below:
The 10-10EZ form can be obtained in our office or at the Wilmington HCC or Jacksonville CBOC or apply online.
To apply, the Form 10-10EZ and copy of your DD214 should be mailed to:
VAMC Fayetteville
Attn: Eligibility
2300 Ramsey Street
Fayetteville, NC 28301
Healthcare claims are usually processed within 30 to 60 days. Any disability claims, including pension and compensation take approximately 8 to 10 months. Nothing can be done to speed up the process.
Permanent and Total veterans are awarded Chapter 35 benefits. You can refer to your last VA award letter or log into Ebenefits and review your summary of benefits. If you have issues obtaining the following info, please contact your VSO for assistance.
You can track the status of your claim by registering for eBenefits at www.ebenefits.va.gov.
Claims Process
There are eight distinct steps that most claims for disability compensation follow. These phases may vary in time depending on the complexity of the claim, the amount of evidence that must be gathered to support the claims, and the type of evidence. You are strongly encouraged to submit as much evidence as possible with your claim to help minimize processing time. The eight steps of claims processing are as follows:
Step 1. Claim Received
Your claim has been received by the VA. If you applied online with VONAPP Direct Connect, you should see receipt in your list of Open Claims within one hour. If you applied through the U.S. mail, please allow mailing time plus one week for us to process and record receipt of your claim.
Step 2. Under Review
Your claim has been assigned to a Veterans Service Representative and is being reviewed to determine if additional evidence is needed. If we do not need any additional information, your claim will move directly to the Preparation for Decision phase.
Step 3. Gathering of Evidence
The Veterans Service Representative will request evidence from the required sources. Requests for evidence may be made of you, a medical professional, a government agency, or another authority. It is common for claims to return to this phase, should additional evidence be required.
Step 4. Review of Evidence
We have received all needed evidence. If, upon review, it is determined that more evidence is required, the claim will be sent back to the Gathering of Evidence phase.
Step 5. Preparation for Decision
The Veterans Service Representative has recommended a decision, and is preparing required documents detailing that decision. If more evidence is required, the claim will be sent back in the process for more information or evidence.
Step 6. Pending Decision Approval
The recommended decision is reviewed, and a final award approval is made. If it is determined that more evidence or information is required, the claim will be sent back in the process for more information or evidence.
Step7. Preparation for Notification
Your entire claim decision packet is prepared for mailing.
Step 8. Complete
The VA has sent a decision packet to you by U.S. mail. The packet includes details of the decision or award. Please allow standard mailing time for your packet to arrive before contacting a VA call center.
How Long Will This Process Take?
The length of time it takes to complete a claim depends on several factors, such as the type of claim filed, complexity of your disability(ies), the number of disabilities you claim, and the availability of evidence needed to decide your claim.