By Stephen Smoot
“I was in the military for eight years in the Army,” said Dan Clarke, who then added, “I didn’t know, like a majority of Americans, what the VA was, or what VA benefits were.” He also shared that “my neighbor is 82 years old . . . he didn’t know that VA benefits were a thing.”
As veterans learn in their training and experience to do when confronted with a problem, Clarke chose to rise and lead efforts to find solutions.
For over half of the past 60 years the United States has, despite the lack of a Constitutional declaration, been at war with foreign adversaries. American soldiers in all services rose to the challenge to sacrifice for the freedom of the United States and tens of millions of others across the globe.
Long periods of military necessity brought countless American men and women in uniform into combat. Those who returned often bore physical, mental, and emotional scars from their proud service. Healing those wounds and tending to those scars required the Veterans Administration to continually establish and maintain programs and other resources for veterans.
Like many, probably most, Americans, some veterans struggle to cope when confronted with the Byzantine bureaucracy typical of the United States government. They go without vital support and services because government complexity forms a barrier to entry.
Barriers create consequences. In 2023, the rate of veteran homelessness rose a staggering 7.4 percent over the previous year. The National Association of American Veterans reported that in 2023 that nearly 12 million veterans contended with a disability. Mental health problems plague just over two million.
Clarke explained that in his experience, “a lot of people don’t know the first thing about getting benefits.” Others, facing issues from their disabilities, may find the barriers to entry insurmountable, one of a bewildering list of problems they may face.
In his day job, Clarke serves as a lawyer with Tucker Disability Law. According to his biographical page with the firm, Clarke followed “a desire to help his fellow veterans” to “return to school to pursue a career in veterans’ disability law.”
A number of veteran non-profits advocate for veterans and do vital work, but as Clarke explains “not all advocates get the training they need,” but “are doing the best they can.” Many are understaffed and rely on volunteers as well. Also, while United States Senate and United States House of Representatives offices in state have dedicated, experienced, and qualified staff to help, they also have massive caseloads that they only have so much time with which to work.
With veterans needing accurate information, unfortunately too many have stepped in to charge “thousands of dollars for things they can do themselves for free.” Clarke warns that it is “illegal to charge (veterans) to file a claim.”
To attack the problem, Clarke and Shinnston American Legion Post 31 have teamed up to provide the same information for no charge. “Tom Willis was kind enough to offer us that space,” Clarke said.
On Saturday, Sept 28, Clarke will teach a class that lasts from noon to 2 PM to teach veterans their rights to benefits and how to apply. Those attending are requested to come at 11:45. A question and answer period will follow.
He urges that veterans come with their questions already written down and to bring any paperwork that they wish to discuss. If the problems require legal representation, he would be able to work on their case for the firm.
Again, the class is “totally free of charge to pass on the knowledge,” says Clarke.
“My main goal is to get knowledge to the veterans,” he shared. He also intends to reach out to entities such as West Virginia Legal Aid, and the West Virginia University Legal Clinic, and others to help.
Many veterans, he says, simply need to be armed with the right information when attacking the issue of getting the support that can help them thrive. Not only veterans may come to learn, but also anyone else who works or volunteers to help veterans.
Clarke is not affiliated with the Veterans’ Administration.