VA offers grief counseling

Dick Benoit

Thursday, March 10, 2005 | 8:22 a.m.

In an unprecedented expansion of its traditional client base, the Department of Veterans Affairs is offering grief counseling to families of service members who die while on active duty.

VA's readjustment counseling office offers the counseling services at its 206 community-based vet centers throughout the United States.

Greg Harms, program analyst for the counseling program, said 412 military family members -- spouses, children, siblings, parents and grandparents -- have taken advantage of the program as they struggle to cope with the loss of their 276 service members. Most were killed during deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Expanding its services to serve veterans' families represents "quite a leap and a real innovation" for VA, said Charles Flora, associate program director, in a March 3 Air Force Print News Service release. But, he calls the offering of bereavement counseling to family members "a natural extension of what we already do for veterans."

The program also serves families of reservists and guardsmen who die while activated for federal duty and the services offered run the full range, from one or two visits to weekly sessions, depending on the family members' needs.

"They're looking for support, looking for someone they can talk to who will listen and understand," Harms said.

Referrals for grief counseling come through military casualty assistance offices, the VA and veterans service organizations. The largest number of referrals comes from the nonprofit Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, which offers what Mr. Harms calls "incredible peer-to-peer support" but no professional bereavement counseling services.

Families requesting more information or services also can contact readjustment counseling service officials directly at (202) 273-9116 or by e-mail at vet.center@hq.med.va.gov.

Tsunami relief

Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Jason Farkas, son of Shirley and Richard Farkas of Henderson, recently received a Letter of Appreciation from the secretary of the Navy for assisting in tsunami relief efforts during Operation Unified Assistance in Southeast Asia, while assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS Fort McHenry, homeported in Sasebo, Japan.

"Your fellow Americans are proud of you and what you accomplished," said Navy Secretary Gordon R. England. "You showed the world American compassion and mercy. At sea, ashore and in the air, you brought honor to yourselves and to our nation."

According to a Navy Fleet Hometown News Center release, Farkas, along with thousands of other U.S. sailors and Marines, supported more than 6,000 flight hours, helping to deliver more than 20 million pounds of medicine, food and water. The supplies helped save thousands of lives and eased the suffering of thousands more.

USS Fort McHenry's primary mission is to embark, deploy and land elements of a Marine landing force by helicopter, landing craft air cushion or amphibious assault vehicle.

In brief