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VA Medical Center and Agent Orange / Persian Gulf Registry Procedures
  for VA Registration you need:

1) Copy of DD-214 (Veteran's Military Discharge Form)
2) Photo ID
3) Call for nearest VA Medical Center, Veterans Administration - 1-800-827-1000

For Agent Orange / Persian Gulf Registration you need:

1) To call A/O Registry office in your local VA Medical Center for an application and an appointment with an environmental health physician for an exam and lab tests. If you are sick, please let them know, so that you can be processed as soon as possible.

Veterans Administration	1-800-827-1000
Agent Orange / Persian Gulf Registry	1-800-749-8387
VA Medical Center, Long Beach, CA  Located at:  5901 East 7th St.,                        Long Beach, CA 90822	1-562-826-8000
Agent Orange Registry Office  VA Medical Center - Long Beach, CA  Environmental Health Examiner	1-562-826-8000, ext. 2862
VA Patient Advocate Consumer Affairs - Long Beach, CA - VA Medical Center	1-562-826-5467
MSW - VA Supervisory Social Workers can assist you also
VA Benefits Office, Long Beach, CA	1-562-826-5704 or 1-800-827-1000
L.A. County Veterans Service Office	1-213-744-4827
CA State Dept. of Veteran Affairs For Benefit Information 1227 O Street Room 300 Sacramento, Ca.  95814	1-916-653-2158

2) You need to bring your VA ID card (you need to register with the VA Medical Center), veteran's DD-214 military discharge form, and a copy of any medical diagnosis already determined. If you are married, bring a copy of your marriage certificate. If you are already diagnosed with a service-connected disease, you will be referred to the Disability/Benefits Office at the VA Medical Center. This is where you will need your marriage certificate and medical diagnosis for processing your disability claim.

If you are filling an additional claim at the VA Benefits Office for survivor/dependent benefits, such as DIC, you need to bring the veteran's DD-214 military discharge form, a copy of your marriage certificate, a copy of the veteran's medical diagnosis (must be VA recognized service-connected illness/death), a certified death certificate (for VA approval, it should list cause of death as a VA acknowledged service-connected illness), and the previously determined VA disability claim letter with the case#.  The VA Benefits Officer will assist you with the claim process. 

3) Make sure you pick up Agent Orange and Persian Gulf Review Brochures listing the studies and service-connected conditions and diseases. Get on the mailing list at (202) 273-8580 for future reviews to be mailed to you.

4) You should request a veterans service organization (such as the VVA - Vietnam Veterans of America) or your county or state veteran service office representative to assist and represent you in your disability claim. Some of the service organization representatives have offices in the medical center, generally near the disability office. They will help you fill out representative request forms and submit a representative letter with your VA claim. We at AOWAC can provide additional support in preparing your claim. Contact AOWAC for information at P.O. Box 92131, Long Beach, California 90809-2131 or call 562-421-4640.

5) Make sure to write down your questions and responses to questions when discussing your case with others. Always have someone accompany you to your appointments for support and an additional person to listen, ask questions and take notes. You can also take a tape recorder with you, so that you can reference back to the information shared during your appointments. Just inform the person that you are going to record your sessions for this purpose. It can be a challenging and stressful process, especially if you are not well, and to expect you to remember all the information you are given. Just be respectful, but assertive in the process, so that your well-being and rights are considered and upheld. 

6) Disability/Benefits Office - Located in the VA Medical Centers, you will be assisted with filling out disability claim forms and given the information about other services and benefits you may qualify for, depending on the percent of disability rating your case is given. It will take at least four months to process your claim. You can share your case with your Congressional and Senate Representatives for further assistance, requesting a cover letter of support for your case, for the purpose of a quicker claim response.

Also, there are life insurance policies available to you, if your case is recognized as 100% service-connected illness.  Ask the VA Benefits Officer if you qualify for a $10,000 policy at no charge and an additional, optional $20,000 policy for a minimal monthly fee can be applied for at the same time as your disability claim is being processed. These are special policies for veterans with service-connected conditions and can benefit their survivors.  The VA Medical Center Benefits Office in Long Beach, CA is 562-826-5704 or 1-800-827-1000 for the VA's main information number.

Widows/Widowers/Family Members applying for Death & Survivor Benefits, including DIC: Need to provide copies of veteran's DD-214 Military Discharge Form, medical diagnosis statement & death certificate (best if they reflect military service-connected conditions such as Agent Orange exposure diseases, etc), marriage & birth certificates of spouse & children for benefit claim processing. You can use the services of a VSO, Veteran Service Officer, to assist with your claim.
** Be sure to keep a personal file with copies of all filed documents and record of all correspondence & conversations, include names, dates, contact info and summary of conversations for future reference.

Service and Support Organizations

Agent Orange Registry Office & Hotline - Call 1-800-749-8387 for your nearest registry office - www.va.gov/agentorange

VA Gulf War Veterans Info. Hotline - 1-800-749-8387 / www.va.gov

U.S. Vietnam Veterans with Canadian Citizenship - Call Vermont's VA Medical Center and Regional Offices - 1-866-687-8387 / www.va.state.vt.us

Vietnam Veterans of America, (VVA) - National Office - 800-882-1316  / www.vva.org

Disabled American Veterans - 877-426-2838

Military and Veterans Affairs, County of Los Angeles, CA - 310-761-2221
Ask for a Veterans Counselor, 1816 S. Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90015

Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States - 800-VFW-1899 

The American Legion - 800-433-3318

Paralyzed Veterans of America - 800-424-8200

AOWAC - Agent Orange Widows Awareness Coalition - 562-421-4640
P.O. Box 92131, Long Beach, CA 90809-2131 / www.aowac.org   /   aowac@aowac.org

VWIN - Veterans Widows International Network
www.vetsurvivors.com
Edmee Hills, National Chair - 303-693-4745 / email: vwin95@aol.com
Genevieve Douglass, California Representative - 562-421-4640  / email: aowac@aowac.org

National Veterans Foundation - Formerly known as Vietnam Veterans Aid Foundation
www.nvf.org