News : Veterans Affairs Director meets with Area Veterans

Benton County Veterans Affairs Director Cara Martin spoke with area veterans on Wednesday

"I am LOVING my job. Really truly. It's been such a pleasure to meet everyone and help them get the services and benefits they need and deserve," said Cara Martin, the new Veteran's Affairs Director. Martin began her new job in Benton County at the end of May. Located in the Benton County Service Center, located at 811 D Ave, Suite 34, Martin has hit the ground running.

On Wednesday evening Martin, who is also a veteran, spoke at the George G. Luckey Post to over 25 veterans and their spouses answering questions and sharing with them some of the available resources. She said that she hopes to bring, "Enthusiasm, good character, honor and integrity as well as money to the veterans," she said as everyone chuckled at the last goal.

Martin encouraged veterans to stop in and talk with her. To make an appointment, you can call her office at 319-472-3150. Her office hours are 8-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday but her hours are limited to 40 hours so Fridays might be shorter because of longer hours earlier in the week. She suggests that you make an appointment to make sure that she's available and not with another client and available to assist with any questions.

She said that sometimes the family of veterans might need help getting benefits so she suggested bringing in your DD214 so that she could make a secure copy to keep on file. The Veteran's Affair office is available to serve ALL Benton County Veterans.

Martin is a 2004 graduate of Vinton-Shellsburg. Enlisting in the National Guard in 2004, she went active duty in 2005 and finished her time in the reserves until 2012 when she was discharged from the Army. Her husband Jon is also an Army veteran with nearly 21 years in the service. He retired this past March. The couple has two teenage daughters as well.

Another of the services that the office helps to arrange are rides to VA appointments at the medical center or one of the community-based outpatient clinics for veterans. If you are in need of a ride, please call at least one week prior to your appointment to allow time for the arrangement of a volunteer driver.

There is a need for more drivers to help assist veterans in the area. If you are interested, there is a short training class that you would need to go through and a physical to qualify. If you're interested in becoming a volunteer driver please call or email Martin to get involved.

Martin spoke about a few of the available programs that are available to veterans. As veterans, medical assistance is available which will help to cover medication and office visits. The guidelines for benefits change each year, so she advises checking in to see the availability.

Benton County Veterans Affairs assists veterans and their dependents with:

• Applying for VA Medical Care - health care and medications

• Compensation - monthly benefit for injury incurred or aggravated by service

• Pension - income-based financial assistance program for veterans

• Applying to the Iowa Veterans Home

• Military Records - obtaining and upgrading

• Burial Benefits and Grave Markers

• Educational Benefits

• Home Loan Benefits

• Emergency Assistance

Please click here for a Summary of VA Benefits for National Guard and Reserve Members and Veterans.

Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-276-8255 (press 1)

Confidential chat also available at VeteransCrisisLine.net or by sending a text to 838255

Walk-ins are welcome, though it is encouraged to make an appointment.