LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It’s a never-ending mission for the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs and Army veteran Juan Renaud.
The Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs is searching the commonwealth for veterans who have not signed up for VA benefits.
“We’re trying to reach everywhere,” Retired Army officer Renaud told Spectrum News. Renaud is the Deputy Commissioner of the KDVA. Renaud wants to connect veterans with the resources and support they are entitled to.
“You always want to do better. When you think you’re doing the best, you’re failing,” Renaud added.
The KDVA hosted a conference for military veterans and their families. In Kentucky, there’s an ongoing effort to get veterans signed up for military benefits who haven’t.
“You’ll have some folks who may not want to engage in discussions about their benefits but we’re giving them as many opportunities and as many avenues as we can to do that,” Renaud explained.
The Veteran and Military Family Conference, also allows networking with existing grassroots organizations aiming to serve Kentucky’s nearly 300,000 vets.
Whitney Allen is the KDVA commissioner. She said, “And this is going to be the first of many, I hope, conferences on an annual basis but KDVA does about six to eight major events per year.”
Charles Williams is a representative for the National Association for Black Veterans and AARP.
“If one is having problems getting the benefits that they have earned, that they deserve they need to start asking questions and of course you can always call an 800 number at the State Capitol and say, ‘I’m a veteran, how can I get access to benefits,’” Williams told Spectrum News.
As a veteran himself, Renaud doesn’t want any soldier to go without VA benefits, but there’s even more to what motivates him.
“My grandfather was a World War II veteran, never had veteran benefits, didn’t apply for it,” Renaud said.
Renaud’s grandfather, Tony Frank, passed away in 2000 and his burial flag is displayed in his office, as well as two wooden canes his late grandfather carved while stationed in New Guinea during World War II.
“Every duty station that I served at for 29 years, those canes when with me so it was always a reminder,” Renaud said.
His family’s military keepsakes are a reminder no soldier should be left behind whether in battle or after they return home.
“We even have things where we try to reach out veterans in rural communities.”
If you are or know a veteran who isn’t receiving VA benefits you are encouraged to call the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs at 502-564-9203.
