Veterans Outreach
Letter from Commissioner Baker
More than 445,000 Veterans call Tennessee home. However, only 220,000 of these Veterans are enrolled in the Veterans
Affairs (VA) Healthcare System and only 150,000 receive any type of benefit earned through their military service. There is
ongoing confusion about who the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services is and what we can do for Veterans and their
family members.
Connecting with younger Veterans can be a challenge - this demographic is busy working, going to school and raising
families, all while managing the transition from military to civilian life. Due to their busy schedules, these Veterans don't
often attend Veteran outreach events or Veterans Service Organization meetings.
The Tennessee Department of Veterans Services wants to connect with you. We want to share with you who we are, what
we do and where we are located.
Our department maintains 13 Veterans Services Offices located across the state. At these "field offices," Veterans Resource
Coordinators assist Veterans with claiming their earned benefits. These benefits include, but are not limited to, VA disability
compensation, the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill®, VA home loans, Veteran and Survivor pensions and burial benefits. Our offices also help Veterans locate military records needed to provide verification for VA claims. Offices can provide referrals to multiple state, local and nonprofit agencies to assist Veterans in finding other services.
In addition to these field offices, the department also manages and maintains five Tennessee State Veterans Cemeteries. Cemetery plots and columbarium space are free of charge to Veterans and eligible dependents. Veterans can pre-register for burial at one of our pristine cemeteries by visiting a field office or our website. The department's Appeals Division also helps Veterans as they appeal benefits claims to the VA Board of Appeals, with a 87% success rate.
Please join us in spreading the word about our services for Tennessee Veterans and family members. Feel free to download and share the flyer below and sign up for our mailing list. I am grateful for this opportunity to serve the state's Veteran population and look forward to any opportunity to connect. Our team is happy to answer any questions about our services and can be reached at tn.veterans@tn.gov or at (615) 741-2345.
