After serving fifteen years as a medic in the United States Air Force, Richard Jacobson now helps Upper Peninsula veterans as a Veteran Services Officer (VSO) through the Michigan American Legion. As a VSO, Jacobson provides assistance to veterans by helping them with compensation, pensions and disability assistance due to injuries or exposures during their service years. If veterans need resources such as hearing aids, food assistance or transportation, Jacobson is there to help them access resources.
As a former medic, Jacobson transferred his passion for helping others and applied it to his current role. “I have that military drive,” he said. “It’s all about helping a veteran who doesn’t know what to do. That feeling of being able to have a vet come in after I helped them get awarded a certain amount is very rewarding. It gets me back in that military mindset.”
For numerous reasons, some veterans may not take advantage of the benefits available to them from the Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA), but Jacobson emphasizes that if former military service members do not take advantage of the funding available, those resources may be cut.
A common misconception among veterans is that if they file a claim, another veteran will not be able to get those benefits. The reality is that if enough benefits go unclaimed, the pool of funds gets smaller. Veteran Affairs has a quota and if that is not met by the end of the year, the assumption is that there are not enough individuals utilizing benefits. Because of this, funding may be cut. If the budget is reached or exceeded, the organization will get additional funds for services and resources.
“When I got out of the military, I didn’t want to claim anything to get benefits because I was too prideful. Then I realized if I didn’t, I was essentially taking benefits away from other veterans if the funds get taken away,” Jacobson said. “Ending this stigma will help veterans and community members to know that there are services and programs available to all types of veterans in the community and surrounding area. We offer plenty of services through the American Legion, and if we don’t offer what they need, I will find someone who does.”
One of the barriers that U.P. veterans face the lack of information available to the public. Many veterans may not know about services available through not only the American Legion but the DVA, which has a location in Ishpeming. The DVA provides transportation assistance, which is one of the biggest issues former military service members face here in the U.P. This service will pick up a veteran from their home and take them to any appointment. Food insecurity is another barrier. Many veterans live off of their monthly disability check, which is not enough to pay for housing, food, transportation and other necessities. Jacobson partners with the DVA and Feeding America to offer both food distribution and grocery gift cards.
In addition to working at the American Legion in Marquette, Jacobson has appointment times at the American Legion Posts in L'anse and Rapid River as well as the Gwinn Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). He also volunteers his time with the Northern Michigan University Army ROTC students, offering critiques from his personal experience to help them prepare for trauma.
Collaborating with organizations such as Northern Michigan University helps increase awareness for the public and for the student veterans on campus. “The majority of the population here is veteran-backing, which is a great thing, but spreading the word about our services is even better,” Jacobson said. “We are exploring all ways to let people know we are out here, and trying to break down the barrier or stigma of ‘if i ask for help, im wrong.’”
If a veteran needs assistance with the process of getting benefits they deserve, they can contact Jacobson at rjacobson@michiganlegion.org or by phone at (906) 286-3776. If you or someone you know would like to help area veterans, contact your local American Legion post or the D.J. Jacobetti Home for Veterans.
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The Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health seeks to improve the health and well-being of Upper Peninsula residents and communities by developing collaborative partnerships that enhance the access and availability of affordable, quality healthcare services. For questions or comments related to this story, contact ruralhealth@nmu.edu.