Resources for Veterans and Their Families


Guest article submitted by: Michael Fisher, Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service (10RCS)

As Memorial Day approaches, I am reminded of the friends that I lost during my time in Iraq and my own transition and medical separation from the Army. Those days were not easy, though I am here today because a Vet Center Counselor would not let me shut my barracks room door on him until I spoke with him. In my time when all I wanted to do was say no, he helped me say yes. He pushed me to identify new goals and a positive path forward. I would like to take some time and tell you all about this amazing resource and the staff I have the honor of working with.

Vet Centers are community-based centers, within the Veterans Health Administration’s Readjustment Counseling Service, which was founded in 1979 as a safe place for Vietnam Veterans to process life after service in combat. These locations were staffed by fellow combat Veterans and was the beginning of the peer to peer model in VA.

Today, the 300 Vet Centers provide a wide range of social and psychological services referred to as readjustment counseling for Veterans and Active duty Service-members, to include members of the National Guard and Reserve components, who: served on active military duty in any combat theater or area of hostility; experienced a military sexual trauma; provided direct emergent medical care or mortuary services to the casualties of war or; served as a member of an unmanned aerial vehicle crew during combat operations.

Vet Center services are also provided to family members of any eligible Veteran and Service member for military related issues when it is found to aid in their readjustment. This includes bereavement counseling for families who experience an active duty death or to help families of deployed Service members cope with the deployment.

All Vet Centers strive to decrease barriers associated with receiving care. For example, all locations maintain non-traditional hours, to include evenings and weekends. In addition, we are able to create Veteran to Veteran connections as over 72% of the staff are Veterans themselves, the majority having served in combat zones.

These services are available without time limitation and at no cost. Veterans can access Vet Center services regardless of their discharge character to include those with dishonorable discharges. No information will be released to any person or agency without the written consent from the Veteran or Service member, except in circumstances to avert a crisis.

Please check out www.vetcenter.va.gov to find your closest Vet Center or send us an email at vetcenteroutreach@va.gov and we can get you connected. This also includes if you would like to have Vet Center staff come out to any event you are planning.

As Chief Officer of Readjustment Counseling Service overseeing all 300 Vet Centers, I consider myself extremely fortunate to be able to work with over 2200 amazing employees, whose everyday mission is to serve those who served. Thank you for your time and your commitment to veterans, service members, and their families.