Veteran Affairs Voluntary Service (VAVS)

Veteran's Hospitals need recovery baskets, you can help!

The Marine Corps Leagues supports the Veterans Affairs Voluntary Services (VAVS) organization for VA Hospital assistance. If a VA Hospital is within reasonable distance of the Detachment, the National VAVS coordinator can assign members of the Detachment to primary and deputy representation on the VAVS committee of that hospital. The VAVS committee is composed of veterans organizations and others. The primary goal is to spend time at the Hospitals on visitation, planning and coordinating events (i.e., bingo, games, reading), and soliciting donations for funds or items needed by occupants of the Hospital. These items may include books/magazines, and clothing and toiletry items, or other items determined by the hospital staff. A VAVS officer for the detachment should be responsible for the coordinating events with Detachment members, and planning donation activities.

A Detachment may also serve veterans and VA Hospitals if participating in VAVS program is not practical. The Veterans Service Officer (VSO) can take responsibility for soliciting donations of funds and/or items to send to a VA Hospital, or to a veterans establishment in the local area. In addition, a VSO can be available to veterans in providing direction (it is important not to provide advice or counsel) to various veteran assistance programs which include the Veterans Administration, state Veterans Service, County Service Officers, veterans organizations and others.

The volunteer demographics are changing. In the past, most volunteers were retired senior citizens but today most of the new volunteers tend to be younger, with a full-time job, and have young children. To accomodate these new volunteers, VAVS have volunteer positions that are outside of the nine-to-five work schedules. Some volunteer positions can even be performed from home.

Examples of Service

The Veterans Administration, San Diego Medical Center 8, has Marine Corps League volunteers and three VAVS representatives. So far the total hours for this fiscal year is 691. Due to the newness of the area, the League has no Youth Volunteers but is working with the Young Marines at Miramar to accomplish this.

We have in the past two years provided refreshments to the VAVS Committee twice. The Cpl. Wynn Detachment has hosted a barbeque for the Spinal Cord Injury Ward several times. The Military Order of the Devil Dogs, Pound #240 has raised funds for the "Chaplains Bugler Fund" and paid for three quarters of bugler service for the Memorial Services at the Medical Center.

The Ventura County Detachment is active with the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Sepulveda Hospital. They have started clothing drives and the VAVS deputy is now providing website support for the Voluntary Service.

Speak to your detachment VAVS Representative, Commandant, or Dept. VAVS Chairman if you would like give service back to our veterans. Check out the new voluntary services website for the Greater LA Healthcare System .

General Veterans Affairs Information

Glenn Fiery VAVS Dept. Coordinator mcldeptcal@yahoo.com