Military Counseling: Referral Service and Other Resources

VA WEBSITES AND SERVICES

Department of Defense Electronic Reading Room for the Military Departments Boards for the Corrections of Military/Naval Records(BCMR) and the Discharge Review Boards(DRB)
Contains the decisional documents for each of the Boards from October 1998. Prior decisional documents can be viewed by contacting the Army Review Board Agency at 703-607-3566.

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veteran news, information and services. Toll free number for information regarding VA benefits phone number 800-827-1000.

National Center for PTSD
VA website provides fact sheets and videos to answer questions on trauma, PTSD and related issues. PTSD Information Voice Mail: 802-296-6300. National Center for PTSD does not give direct help. Alternative contact Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255, press 1.

Veterans Crises Line connects Veterans in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring Department of Veterans Affairs responders through a confidential toll-free hotline 800-273-8255 press 1, and online chat. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

BY AND FOR VETERANS AND MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS

Citizen Soldier
publishes articles, statistics and information related to U.S. military operations and works demand transparency in our military operations. 212-679-2250.

Different Drummer Internet Café
Watertown, NY provides active duty and reserve military personnel and families at Ft. Drum a place to socialize, listen to music and enjoy other live entertainment. 315-782-0595.

Give an Hour
Licensed mental health professionals nation wide who have agreed to provide services in their areas of expertise. info@giveanhour.org

GI Rights Hotline
Provides accurate, helpful counseling and information on military discharges, AWOL and UA, and GI Rights. 877-447-4487.

Gulf War Veterans Resource Page
Provides wide range of resources for Gulf War and other veterans.

Iraq Veterans Against the War
Mission is to mobilize the military community to withdraw its support for the wars and occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan. 646.723.0989

Madison Quakers' Projects in Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam
Projects in My Lai and more than 20 other villages in Quang Ngai Province. 608.244.9505.

Military Families Speak Out
Organization of people opposed to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who have relatives or loved ones currently in the military, or who have served in the military since the fall of 2002. 267-324-3042.

Military Law Task Force of the National Lawyers Guild
Assists those working on military law issues as well as military law counselors working directly with GIs. It trains and mentors counselors and beginning military law attorneys in all aspects of military law through training materials and direct communication. It updates changes in military law and policy. 619-463-2369.

National Coalition for Homeless Veterans
Provides guidance and resources for homeless veterans. 202.546.1969.

National Network Opposed to Militarization of Our Youth
Coalition helps veterans find a place to discuss the militarization of society. NNOMY, P.O. Box 3012, South Pasadena, CA 91031.

National Veterans Legal Service Project
Resource to find lawyer and non-lawyer advocates who represent veterans and active duty military personnel for free. Has publications that empower veterans, current service members, their families, and their advocates to obtain the benefits they're entitled to by clearly outlining their rights under the law. 202-265-8305

Soldier's Heart
A book that explores and analyzes the symptoms of PTSD, brings heightened awareness of the disorder, illustrates its destructive impact on American society and provides hope to those who suffer. 518-274-0501.

The Soldiers Project
Licensed mental health professionals who offer free psychological treatment to military service members (active duty, National Guard, Reserves and veterans) who have served or who expect to serve in the conflicts in Iraq or Afghanistan. 877-576-5343. Excellent list of additional resources for Soldiers, Veterans and their Families

VA Loans guide and introduction to VA loans. To contact use email form on website.

VA Watchdog dot org
Follows VA news and lets you know about policy, regulation and benefit changes at the Department of Veterans' Affairs. 888-658-5058

Veterans Viet Nam Restoration Project
Sends teams of veterans, their family members, and others to Viet Nam to make a positive contribution, to reconcile with the Vietnamese and to relieve the distress of wartime experiences. 928-778-0801

Vets With A Mission
Humanitarian programs and projects in Vietnam. Web site is dedicated to Vietnam Era history and education. 803-405-9926

Veterans Helping Veterans Chicago Cable TV shows
See past episodes on the web. Watch current episodes Thursdays 6:30pm Chicago Access Network Television Channel 21.

HEALTH ISSUES

Vietnam Agent Orange Relief and Responsibility Campaign
an initiative of U.S. veterans, Vietnamese Americans and others to insist our government honor its moral and legal responsibility to compensate the Vietnamese victims and all victims, of Agent Orange. Contact at P.O. Box 303, New York, NY 10012

VVA's Guide on Agent Orange
Printable (pdf) guide assists the veteran or survivor, in presenting his/her claim to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, in the best way possible, based on the veteran's exposure to herbicides in Vietnam.

Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center
Information and support for those who may have been directly or indirectly in contact with asbestos fibers, including Navy shipyard workers and those in other military branches. These include machinists’ mates, machinery repair workers and those who worked in boiler rooms. There is a higher rate among those workers on different Navy ships for contracting the deadly disease, due to more frequent asbestos use in shipyards. Since mesothelioma and other lung related diseases are triggered in later stages of life, veterans who were involved in the military between 1940 and 1970 are those that are at an increased risk. 866-981-6660

Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and Women
and other information for service women at Service Women Action Network. 888-729-2089.

National Center for PTSD
VA website provides fact sheets and videos to answer questions on trauma, PTSD and related issues. PTSD Information Voice Mail: 802-296-6300. National Center for PTSD does not give direct help. Alternative contact Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255, press 1.

Pro Bono Resources for Veterans