Town hall meeting to aid vets

A Jennings native is organizing a meeting Wednesday to assist veterans who need to file disability claims, appeals or have questions about the Veterans Affairs hospitals or clinics.

Organizer and Jennings native Ginger Reiley, who currently lives in Houma, said she got the idea to hold the town hall meeting after attending a similar event for veterans in Houma with her fatherin-law.

“I went to the meeting with my father-in-law and they helped him successfully get his disability claim,” she said. “I started thinking that we have so many veterans that need help with their claims. I wanted to do a town hall here to help the veterans, not just in Jennings, but also those in the surrounding communities.”

Reiley is also a member of the Jennings Chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America Auxiliary.

“Any veteran is welcome, not just from the Vietnam era,” she said. “All military personnel are invited to attend, even if you just want to come for the fellowship.”

VA claims department and VA hospital staff will be on-site to assist all veterans. Veterans should bring their DD214 and all paper work.

“Even if they don’t have a claim on appeal to file, the VA hospital staff will be on hand to answer any other questions they may have.”

Several senators or their liaisons will also be there to answer questions on changes in the Veterans Affairs.

“We are hoping to have a really good turnout,” Reiley said. “We would love to see as many people as we can.”

The meeting is being held from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, at the Friends Supporting Friends Building, formerly the VFW, located at 1603 U.S. 90.

For more information, contact Ginger Reiley at (985) 637-0158 or email gingmcintosh@yahoo.com.