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The VA's Response To A Veteran In Need

I received a call from the governor's office yesterday, around 1pm, and spoke with a gentleman who is underneath our governor. He basically gave me advice on the best way to search for a job, as well as gave me tons of advice from a man who has been doing it professionally for 25 years. He used to be a vet rep for veterans career centers. Now he works with the governors Operation Grateful Heart program, helping vets and soldiers.

After all my questions and his advice, he told me that he had mentioned my email to a congressman who was a liason between state and federal agencies here in Alabama. Where we went is federal, and the career centers are state, which is where we had PLANNED on going. So anyway. The congressman basically tells him that they have heard a lot of this out of the Birmingham office, and that if I want him to forward my email to the director of the program, the congressman will. So Mr. Hinson, the sweet man who runs OGH, did that. Today, Aaron received a call from the counselor who treated him so badly on Tuesday.

I will simply say praise God, because now Aaron is in school, in the vocational rehabilitation program that he tried to get into on Tuesday. He starts June 2. Consequently, this is pretty interesting, considering on Tuesday, it was impossible, according to this counselor. Mr. X, I'll call him. So Mr. X bounced around today (Oh you bet I went with him) like a kangaroo pulled over by the cops for being in the wrong country. Needless to say, not only will he start school, he won't have to pay the school.

In the GI Bill, which is what I am in, I have to pay the school, and I get paid every month. So SOME of what I get goes to the school. Every semester it does. But not Aaron. They will also pay for school supplies, brand new books, etc. Nothing will come out of his pocket.

And guess what? Amazingly enough, there is a fund available for veterans in crisis, such as us, who are facing their utilities being shut off, and are really looking for work and trying to better themselves. So we will be getting help, as well as both going to school full time.
Mr. X ended his visit by making sure that Aaron knew that if he had so much as a toothache, to call him, because that can interfere with his studying, and our goal is to get Aaron into a steady job, after school.

What a difference emailing your representatives and governor's make. Let this be a lesson to those of you who don't realize it. You DO have a voice, if you want to use it. You just need to be loud enough to be heard.

Praise be to God for providing money, opportunity, as well as peace of mind, just like we prayed.

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