Governmental Organizations

The Department of Veterans Affairs
The Department of Veterans Affairs provides the core of benefits and resources for U. S. veterans. Information on all services and benefits can be found via the VA website or by calling (800) 827-1000. Some areas of service are:

• National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder stands as the pre-eminent source for knowledge, research and treatment options of PTSD. Their mission: “To advance the clinical care and social welfare of America's veterans through research, education, and training in the science, diagnosis, and treatment of PTSD and stress-related disorders.” No one knows PTSD like the VA.
• The Portland VA Medical Center, phone: (503) 220-8262
  Other VAMCs can be located at the national Facilities Locator.
• The Veterans Benefits Administration declares as its mission “to provide benefits and services to the veterans and their families in a responsive, timely and compassionate manner in recognition of their service to the Nation.”
• VA Readjustment Counseling Services (The Vet Center)
  Vet Centers are small community organizations managed by the VA and dedicated to providing counseling for combat veterans from combat veterans. The site also links to tele-health services and the National Center for PTSD.
  The Portland Vet Center is located at 8383 NE Sandy Blvd, Suite 110; Phone: 503-273-5370
  National RCS office locator can be found here

Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs
The ODVA provides services to veterans residing in Oregon, and are very familiar with other local and regional services and organizations to assist veterans. Of particular interest may be the Claims and Counseling Section: 700 Summer Street NE, Suite 150, Salem, OR 97301-1289 (800) 692-9666 Toll Free or (503) 373-2085
Other states' DVAs can be found through an online search engine.

Military One Source: Comprehensive Military Assistance
Initially a function of each individual Branch of Service of the Pentagon, the Department of Defense has now gathered all the various resources under one umbrella. Military One Source is available on the Web and by phone (800-342-9647), and the offices for the individual Branches remain open as well.

• Army OneSource 800-464-8107
• Marines OneSource 800-869-0278
• Navy OneSource 800-540-4123
• Air Force OneSource 800-707-5784

Deployment Link
The difficulty of readjusting to home is addressed here on this Web site, with input from all four branches of the services, the Reserves and the VA.

REALifelines
The Recovery and Employment Assistance Lifelines initiative is a joint project of the U.S. Department of Labor, the Bethesda Naval Medical Center and the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. It works to create a seamless, personalized assistance network to ensure that seriously wounded and injured service members who cannot return to active duty are trained for rewarding new careers in the private sector.

Veterans' Service Organizations

VSOs are sanctioned by Congress and the VA to work with veterans and assist them in locating resources available to them and applying for benefits. Some of the major Veterans' Service Organizations are

• Disabled American Veterans
• Veterans of Foreign Wars
• The American Legion
• American Veterans (AMVETS)
• Veterans of the Vietnam War

More Veterans' Service Organizations are listed at the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs website.

Non-Governmental Organizations

PTSD Alliance
The Alliance is a multi-disciplinary group of professional and advocacy organizations that have joined forces to provide educational resources to medical and health care professionals, individuals diagnosed with PTSD and their loved ones, the general public and the media.

National Veterans Foundation
The only nationwide non-governmental national hotline for veterans and their families providing crisis intervention, resource referral, benefits information and emotional support: 800-777-4443.

National Gulf War Resource Center
The NGWRC is a resource for information, support, referrals and how to file claims. Under "Resources" there is a self-help guide on PTSD, and be sure to explore the "PTSD and Readjustment" bulletin board.

Veterans and Families
“Let's get homecoming for veterans right this time,” is this group's motto. A national non-profit community service and support organization, it is founded and directed by veterans, parents, grandparents, family members, employers, mental health professionals, academics and community leaders. It offers an online support group and links to recommended reading.

Patience Press
The wife of a Vietnam veteran created this site as a clearinghouse for PTSD information after her husband lived with the disease, undiagnosed, for fourteen years. Spouses will find a special section written with them in mind.