Description of Services 

• Counsels and assists in preparation of forms, along with securing the necessary supporting evidence

• Also assists with the following benefits

  • Compensation

  • Pension Rights

  • Insurance

  • Education Assistance

  • Vocational Training

  • Dependent's Benefits

  • Hospitalization

  • Burial Benefits

• All services are confidential

VA benefits, except for some insurance programs and certain medical benefits, available to veterans or their dependents require that the period of service upon which entitlement is based be terminated under conditions other than dishonorable.  A veteran must obtain an HONORABLE discharge to receive educational benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill.  Dishonorable and bad conduct discharges issued by general court martial are a bar to VA benefits.

The Law generally denies benefits to people originally enlisting in military service after September 7, 1980, and to all other people entering military service October 16, 1981, who did not complete the shorter of (1), 24 months of continuous active duty or (2) the full period for which the person was called or ordered to active duty. This provision does not apply to veterans who have a compensable service connected disability or who were discharged close to the end of an enlistment term for reasons of hardship or disabilities incurred or aggravated in line of duty, or for the convenience of the government.  It also does not apply to insurance benefits, or the provision of any benefit for or in connection with a service connected disability, condition, or death.

Hours of Service

Appointments should be made on Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon, and 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Contact Phone

Lawrence Spiekerman - (989) 673-8114, Ext. 128

General Information

Eligibility decisions are not made in this office, they are made by the Department of Veteran Affairs in Detroit. 

All laws relating to Veteran benefits administered by the VA is coded and enacted as Title 38, United States Code Veterans Benefits.  Related regulations issued by the Secretary of Veteran Affairs are contained in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 38, Pensions, Bonus' and Veterans' Relief.

Monetary benefits payable to veterans and their dependents may be classified into four general categories:

• Compensation

• Dependency and Indemnity Compensation

• Pension

• Retirement Pay

Other major benefit programs include:  Education assistance to children, wives and widows, Veteran's education assistance, Vocational Rehabilitation, Hospitalization, Home Loans, Insurance Burial Benefits, Tuscola County Soldiers & Sailors Relief Fund, and Michigan Veterans Trust Fund.

Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Transportation Network

Larry Spiekerman, Tuscola County Veteran's Counselor, and Harley Rich, Sr. Volunteer Driver

Because of Congressional budget cuts in 1987, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) stopped reimbursing veterans for the cost of transportation to and from VA facilities.  Realizing that many disabled veterans are on small fixed incomes and live many miles from the nearest VA, the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) organized a nationwide transportation network to provide transportation for veterans seeking a variety of services and benefits to and/or from a VA facility or other approved health care provider.

The DAV Transportation Network is a nationwide volunteer-based transportation program designed to augment the need for supplemental transportation for veteran patients to and from medical appointments.

Any veteran who is in need of transportation to a medical appointment is eligible for this service.  This service is available at any time, so please contact Larry Spiekerman at (517) 673-8114, Ext. 128. 

This van is not to be used as an ambulance, it is not equipped with a wheelchair lift, oxygen, etc

Links to Sites of Interest:

• Department of Veterans Affairs

Page Last Updated:  06/06/2007

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