Veterans Affairs transforms veterans’ hesitance to seek benefits into successful outcomes

Video testimony from David Rose, an Army Veteran who served in the Vietnam War, shares his life-saving experience with San Bernardino County Veterans Affairs.

San Bernardino County Veterans Affairs is changing negative perceptions that may keep veterans from accessing their earned benefits.

Some veterans struggle with nightmares, reactive triggers, disabilities, depression and other life-altering conditions, but trusting the government is their biggest struggle of all.

David Rose, an Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War, struggled with persistent nightmares that took over his daily life. After a failed attempt to seek help from the VA, his wife urged him to visit the Veterans Affairs office in Rancho Cucamonga.

The staff at the Rancho Cucamonga VA made Rose feel welcome and took the time to listen to him, establishing a connection to ensure he received the appropriate help he needed.

“If it wasn’t for those people in that office and those psychiatrists, I might not even be alive,” said Rose.

The San Bernardino County VA is dedicated to helping veterans and their families. County Veterans Service Officers (VSO) provide competent, high-quality representation that results in veterans receiving all the benefits they have earned.

“We never want veterans to wait until they’ve reached their lowest point, when coping with life becomes unbearable,” said VA Director Matt Knox. “We want veterans to know they can trust us and that we will be there to help them.”

Rose is now a representative for the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and is giving back to other veterans by sharing his story, often accompanying hesitant veterans to their appointments with San Bernardino County Veterans Affairs.

All services offered at Veterans Affairs are free. Let us help you with:

Benefit/Service	Description
Disability Compensation	Disability Compensation is a monthly tax-free benefit paid to veterans who are at least 10% disabled because of injuries incurred in or aggravated during active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty for training.
Pension	VA helps veterans and their families cope with financial challenges by providing supplemental income through the Veterans Pension and Survivors Pension benefit programs.
VA Healthcare	If you served in active military, naval or air service and were separated under any condition other than dishonorable, you may qualify for VA healthcare. Reservists and National Guard members may also qualify if they were called to active duty (other than for training only) by a federal order and completed the full period for which they were called or ordered to active duty.
Dependency & Indemnity Compensation (DIC)	DIC is payable to certain survivors of service members who died during active service. Veterans who died from service-related disabilities. Certain veterans who were being paid 100% VA disability compensation at the time of death.
College Tuition Fee Waiver	The College Tuition Fee Waiver for Veteran Dependents benefits waive mandatory system-wide tuition and fees at any California Community College, California State University or University of California campus.
VA Burial and Memorial Benefits	VA offers certain benefits and services to honor our nation’s deceased veterans, including help covering burial, funeral and transportation costs.
Education and Vocational Rehabilitation	Post 9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Veterans’ Education Assistance Program (VEAP), and Vocational Rehabilitation.
VA/CalVet Home Loans	VA home loan guaranties are issued to help eligible service members, veterans, reservists, National Guard members, and certain surviving spouses obtain homes, condominiums, manufactured homes, and to refinance loans.
Government Life Insurance	VA life insurance programs for veterans, service members, spouses and dependent children.
Additional Services	Military records requests, disabled veterans entrance pass, California Veterans License Plate, Veteran ID Card program.

We also can assist you with Agent Orange programs, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), California veterans benefits, hospital care, outpatient medical and dental, Small Business Administration programs, and employment and job search resources.

If you are a veteran in crisis or are concerned about one, please call the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and pressing one, or text 838255.

For additional information on benefits and services available to San Bernardino County veterans and their families, call toll-free at 866-472-8387 or visit the San Bernardino County Veterans Affairs website.

Additional County Update News – April 24, 2025