FAQ

What if the Discharge/DD214 is not on record at Erie County or any other county?

Please contact our office to verify whether your Discharge/DD214 is on record.

If your Discharge/DD214 is not on record with our office, you will need to send for a new copy. You can do this by visiting our office at the Erie County Courthouse or by applying online.
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How do I enroll in the VA Medical Center?

You will need to fill out a 10-10EZ application and mail it in with a copy of your Discharge/DD214 to the Erie VA Medical Center.
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What is Aid and Attendance, and what are the qualifications?

The Aid & Attendance program is for veterans or their survivors who are in need of financial assistance and who are in a nursing home or assisted living home or who have a caregiver. The veteran must have active duty for 90 days of service and at least one day of wartime service. Call our office for assistance at 814-451-7675.
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Where can I call to find out about educational benefits and the GI Bill?

Call 1-888-GI-BILL-A, or 1-888-442-4551. Or, you can learn more from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website.
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How can I contact the Erie VA Medical Center?

You can call the Erie VA Medical Center at 814-868-8661 or toll-free 800-274-8387. The Erie VA Medical Center is located at 135 East 38th Street in Erie, Pennsylvania.
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How can I obtain more information about state benefits available?

You can learn more by viewing the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs’ Beneficiaries and Services for Veterans and Their Families.
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How do I apply for Agent Orange compensation?

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs currently offers service-connected compensation for many diseases believed to be associated with Agent Orange exposure. Blue Water Navy Veterans, who served on open sea ships off the shore of Vietnam during the Vietnam War, also might be entitled to Agent Orange benefits. Please visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website for more detailed information. After reviewing the information online, call us for personal appointment.
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What is service-connected compensation, and who is eligible?

Service-connected compensation is a benefit paid to a veteran because of injuries or diseases that happened while on active duty, or that were made worse by active military service. You may be eligible if you have a service-related disability and you were discharged under something other than dishonorable conditions.
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Who is eligible for tax exemption?

Property tax exemption in Pennsylvania is available for veterans who are 100 percent and permanently disabled or classified as individually unemployable as a result of wartime service. Real Estate Tax Exemption Info.
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What types of benefits are available upon the death of a veteran or spouse?

There are possibly county, state, and federal burial benefits available. For more information about what benefits may be available, call our office at 814-451-7675.
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Are there emergency funds or resources available?

Veterans Temporary Assistance (VTA) is available on an emergency as-needed basis for those who qualify. Please contact our office at 814-451-6265 to determine if you are eligible.  Veterans Temporary Assistance Info.
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What benefits or services related to veterans does your office not provide?

The Erie County Department of Veteran Services does not print photo ID cards or schedule medical appointments.
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