San Diego County Office of Military and Veterans Affairs

The Office of Military and Veterans Affairs, in the Health and Human Services Agency, is San Diego County's county veterans service office under Military and Veterans Code section 970. The county says it was established in 1974. Accredited representatives give free benefits counselling and prepare, submit and follow up claims and appeals for VA compensation and increases, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, the nonservice-connected pension and the death pension for wartime veterans and survivors, VA education, vocational rehabilitation, home loan eligibility, life insurance, burial benefits and medical care. They also help with admission to the California veterans homes, military records and decorations, discharge upgrades and correction of records, and CalVet loans. The office is the approving agency for the CalVet College Fee Waiver for dependents, certifies DD-214s for VA claims, and completes the VSD-001 verification a veteran needs for the DMV's veteran designation or Disabled Veteran plates. It does home outreach for someone who cannot come in because of a disability. Offices. Headquarters at 5055 Ruffin Road, San Diego 92123; Military and Veterans Resource Centers at 401 Mile of Cars Way in National City, 649 W. Mission Avenue in Escondido and 3708 Ocean Ranch Boulevard in Oceanside, all weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and part-time hours at the Ramona Community Resource Center and the El Cajon Branch Library. Call 1-866-726-8831 or email the office for an appointment, and bring the documents on its appointment checklist so the claim can be filed fully developed.