Season 2 Episode 66: Taking Advantage of Veteran Benefits and Resources with Tyrone Hewitt - Part 2

Lessons Learned for Vets

We are back this week for Part 2 with Tyrone Hewitt. This is where Tyrone’s in-depth knowledge truly shines, in the topic of veteran benefits.

There are thousands of Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) and a diverse array of veteran benefits. Much like a Las Vegas buffet, where you likely won’t eat one of everything, you don’t need to use all the resources that are available to you. Tyrone gives some insight into how to determine which resources are best for you.

- Start with your local transition center to assess what courses are available to you. Speak with your transition rep to assess your needs and determine what resources you can tap into.

- Ensure your resources align with your personal and career goals. Where you are in your career and where you want to go next will determine what resources will be best suited for your goals and career path.

- Don’t overload yourself and cause additional stress by trying to use all the resources, gain all the certifications and education – even if they are not what is best for you.

- Don’t feel like you have to follow the same transition path as others. Don’t fall victim to the “comparison killer.” Own your transition and make it work for your unique situation.

Remember that your resume should be targeted and focused. Too many different certifications and credentials can make you look unfocused. Align your resume content with your career path.

Tyrone goes through some of the commonly overlooked veteran benefits such as disability and education. He talks about the difference between compensated and non-compensated disability benefits. Pursuing the service-connected disability benefits can pay dividends, both through compensation and healthcare benefits down the road.

Remember there are both federal benefits such as the VA as well as state benefits such as tax benefits and saving on other state-related fees. Research the state where you want to live to determine what benefits are offered as part of your decision making process of where you want to live after your military career.

Tyrone goes through some key resources:

SkillBridge programs: You must communicate with the command staff who will have to approve your paperwork early in the process and create a staffing plan to cover your responsibilities while you will be gone to do SkillBridge. Take the initiative to handle this issue and remove this obstacle before it arises.

Employment: Just because you are a senior military leader and/or have a degree, you are not guaranteed a job. You will have to work to find the right place for your skills and your background. Also, just because you have always been in the same career field in the military, you don’t have to stay in that same career field.

VA Disability Claim: You must be prepared and you have to get seen by a doctor for your disability claim. There is a diverse array of disabilities that can be service connected, but you will never know if you don’t see a doctor, get your issues documented and file a disability claim. You don’t have to do your claim alone, there are several VSOs that will help you successfully navigate this process.
You can connect with Tyrone Hewitt on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyrone-hewitt-mhs/

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AAFMA, the American Armed Forces Mutual Aid Association is the longest-standing nonprofit association offering life insurance, wealth management, mortgages, survivor assistance and more.

AAFMA is dedicated to helping servicemembers be ready for life after the military. AAFMAA would like to offer you their free Transition Timeline, a guide to help you create a solid military transition plan. Let AAFMAA help you get ready for your next step by visiting www.aafmaa.com/ll4v.