VetFest Event Gives Green Country Veterans Access To VA Services

Local organizations such as Eagle OPS Foundation came together to give Green Country veterans access to critical services for free provided by Veterans Affairs. These organizations put on VETFEST which allowed veterans to get plugged into the VA, enroll in healthcare, learn about benefits, and get toxic screening.

VETFEST organizers were hoping to reach several hundred veterans, and a lot of veterans came out to learn more.

"It’s something every veteran should do. It was my own fault that I had never done it before, but yeah, every vet should do it because every vet deserves it. Every vet deserves the benefits of serving," Keith Vinson, an Army veteran said.

Vinson said trying to navigate healthcare and benefits in the VA by yourself can be difficult, Vinson put off enrolling in the VA's benefits, but VETFEST made everything simple.

"If you think about it, it can be a difficult process if you don’t know what you’re doing. I really didn’t know what I was doing so I never did it. This made it really easy," Vinson said.

VETFEST helps people solve problems quickly. Some veterans got in and out with questions answered in just a few minutes. Air Force veteran, John Runfola, had questions about a previous claim appeal with the VA, and the representatives at VETFEST broke down next steps for him.

"These folks, these good folks from the VA, they put me on the right track. I’ve got a good mental picture of what needs to be accomplished going forward," Runfola said.

With more VETFEST events likely coming up in the future, Runfola said if you're a veteran who hasn't plugged into the VA yet, VETFESTs are a good and easy way to get started.

"I can’t recommend this enough for a veteran of any age. If they haven’t enrolled for their healthcare, they need to do it. Every veteran who served honorably is eligible for just even basic services with the primary provider. It’s worth it," Runfola said.

The Eagle OPS Foundation hopes to put on more VETFESTs in northeastern Oklahoma with plans to hold them several times a year.