Some war veterans struggle in their daily civilian lives, particularly if they are disabled due to their service to the country, as they attempt to obtain earned benefits or even get transportation to doctor's appointments.
At that point, veterans step in to help their fellow veterans.
For years, members of James. L. Whitby Chapter 5 DAV in Garland County have given their time and financial resources to help other veterans in need. The chapter, originally chartered in 1924, celebrated its 90th birthday this year. It was rechartered under the same name in 1946 following World War II.
"We are an advocacy group for our fellow veterans. We help them do the paperwork and research necessary to get benefits and provide them with transportation to and from doctor appointments at the VA hospital in Little Rock. We don't charge them a dime," said Benny Arego, the chapter's assistant adjutant in charge of fundraising.
The DAV receives funding from membership dues, which range up to $240 to attain a lifetime membership, along with numerous fundraisers and, in many, instances, the veterans taking money from their own pockets to help a fellow disabled veteran. The organization also receives growing support from businesses and individuals in the community that provide either funds, products or in-kind services.
"All of the funds raised here stay in Garland County. Our bylaws are constructed to prohibit members to get reimbursed. Every dime goes to help veterans and to cover a small amount of overhead," said Steve Smith, chapter treasurer.
"We also have an office now at 401 Mid-America Blvd. ... We can't thank (County) Judge Rick Davis enough for his help in making this happen. We want veterans and their families to know we have a home base we are operating from and aren't just a fly-by-night organization. We are here to help," Arego said.
DAV Chapter 5 also has a specially marked van that is used to transport disabled veterans to Little Rock to their doctor appointments, sometimes making multiple trips in a day. If the van isn't available, Michael Sharp, service officer and adjutant, said that many members step up and transport fellow veterans in their personal vehicles with no reimbursement.
"Our payment is the satisfaction of helping our fellow veterans who served to defend our country and were injured in the line of duty," Sharp said.
Because of the extensive use, a new van is purchased every three years. Chapter 5 recently purchased a $30,000 van, providing half of the money with the other half coming from the Columbia Trust, which was set up in Colorado to assist DAV chapters across the country.
"We were one of the first chapters in Arkansas to purchase a van, and we qualified for assistance since we have to travel more than 50 miles when taking a veteran to the hospital. This is a much-needed service, and we appreciate the support given to us by the community and by the Columbia Trust," Sharp said.
DAV Chapter 5 is made up exclusively of men and women disabled in the nation's defense. The DAV is dedicated to one single purpose -- building better lives for the nation's veterans and their families.
Chapter 5 co-sponsors the Hot Springs Veterans Day parade and works with the VFW to provide Thanksgiving meals for veterans and Christmas presents for children of veterans.
"We also provide two two-year scholarships, and we have started a third one, which will be a four-year scholarship, that will be awarded in fall 2015 to a disabled veteran or a child or grandchild of a disabled veteran," Arego said.
DAV members also assist with a USO show held on the Saturday prior to Veterans Day. On Nov. 7, members will help provide a free spaghetti dinner for veterans, along with musical entertainment, at the Elks Lodge in town.
"We will also have EAST Lab students on hand to present a video honoring our women in military uniform," Smith said.
Arego said they also have a member who serves on the Veterans Memorial Committee. "We work with all the veterans groups to make our presence known and make people aware of how we can help disabled veterans. We stretch our dollars with 94 percent of it going directly to help our disabled veterans and their families," he said.
"As disabled veterans and members of Chapter 5, we've all been helped, and we want to pass it forward. We want the veterans and their families to know we're here and we want to help," Smith said.
Call the DAV Chapter 5 office at 760-4648 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday for more information.
Local on 10/12/2014