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Hello {First Name},
Please Note>>
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As this is being written, the sun is shining - for the first time in a couple weeks, and the temperature is a balmy 40 degrees (well, that might be stretching it a bit). Unfortunately, while we have a couple more cloudy moderate days, we expect to fall back into the gray and cold of winter toward the end of the week. Late note - it's not cold blustery and snowing (Feb 27th). I don't make any promises about what the weather will be on February 1st when you receive this.
Remember the Gulf War!
| On a more positive note, the Nation is slowly moving toward remembering the "Second Forgotten War" - what is now referred to as The Gulf War - to liberate Kuwait at the beginning of the 1990's. Desert Shield commenced on August 2, 1990 and Desert Storm ended on February 28, 1991 - 31 years ago this month. As wars go, this was one of our better ones - short and decisive. | | |
The VAC Commissioners meetings for 2023 will be held on the following dates
March 15, 2023
May 17, 2023
September 20, 2023
November 15, 2023
At the Gurnee American Legion Post (749 Milwaukee Ave).
All meetings begin at 10:30 am.
Visitors are welcome to attend.
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Veteran Memorials
Around Lake County -
Behm Park, Grayslake
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Thanks and prayers to all our
Gold Star Families
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With the passage of Public Act 102-0732, the Illinois legislature has reinforced the defined budgeting for the Veterans Assistance Commission. The Lake County Board has also approved a budget for 2023 reflecting that change. This means that the VAC will be able to expand its resources, both staffing and facilities, beginning now.
There are two major improvements you will see quite quickly:
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The VAC has already closed out applications for the new positions - we've received an extraordinary response to our call for candidates. When selected, these new hires will provide us with an additional Veteran Service Officer (VSO) and 2 additional Administrative Assistants.
- Since the VAC is hiring additional staffing, they will need more space fairly quickly. Watch for the latest on where this space will be located. A hint - it will still be in Gurnee!
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It is very possible that you qualify for free tax preparation from IRS certified preparers. There are two ways to get the best value for free services this tax season:
1. Access free services offered by AARP (you don't need to be a member) or another free tax service sanctioned by the IRS:
1. To find a site near you:
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Click here or Go to AARP.org and search for ‘Tax-Aide Locator’
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Click here or Go to IRS.gov and search for ‘Free Tax Return Preparation’
OR
2. File online with help:
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Go to GetYourRefund.org for online tax preparation by IRS-certified preparers
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Go to MyFreeTaxes.com to prepare your own tax return with assistance from IRS-certified preparers
The VAC has a volunteer who is an AARP Taxaide certified tax preparer if you have questions - Call us at 847-377-3344
These IRS-certified options are not only free, but also accurate and convenient.
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What the recently signed
SECURE 2.0 Act Means
Congress has recently expanded the requirements for creating retirement plans, especially for smaller companies, and also for managing your retirement plans. Here are some of the highlights:
- Catch up contributions will be enhanced for older employees.
- RMD Age will go up. RMD (Required Minimum Distribution) applies to original IRAs where you must begin taking distributions at a specific age.
- QCDs (Qualified Charitable Donations) has been expanded to include one-time donations to charitable trusts.
- Roth IRAs have some new enhancements.
- Penalty calculations are changing, some new exceptions and reduction for missed withdrawals.
- Coming in the next couple of years is automatic enrollment in companies.
Click to read a more detailed description of the scope of the Act.
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The University Center of Lake County is comprised of both public and private universities providing a variety of academic programs to help our residents best prepare for their current or future careers. We provide over one hundred majors for students to choose from among bachelor degrees, graduate certificates, including teacher endorsements, and professional development courses. Our programs prepare our students in areas such as Business, Computer Science/Information Systems, Education, Engineering, Health Care & Human Services, Legal Studies, Liberal Arts & Sciences, and Technology.
Students apply to and graduate from an individual college or university who offer fully-accredited degrees where academic standards and quality are rigorously maintained by the faculty of each institution.
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Flexibility is key therefore, classes are scheduled in a variety of delivery formats that appeal to adult learners: evenings or weekends; face-to-face, online, or hybrid; vary in duration by semester (16 weeks), quarter (10 weeks), or quad (6-, 7-, 8-weeks).
The Center is hosting two new events, a FAFSA workshop and an event new to the University Center of Lake County, “Zoom In Express Advising”.
These events are exciting and informative for the students who are considering returning to college.
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Headline and part of this article are taken from Daily Herald, 1/23/2023. Click here to read the original article.
This article highlights the importance of getting to a safe place for crisis care at the nearest hospital facility and it implies that the treatment will be free for veterans. The initial, emergency care treatment will, in fact, be free – as it is for everyone (Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act (EMTALA ) passed 1986). The implication of the article is that the whole hospital stay will be free – if the veteran meets the veteran qualifications. However, there is a bit of a glitch in this implication. Not only must a veteran meet the service qualifications, but they must also be registered with the Veterans Administration. If they are not registered, it is likely that the bill for service beyond emergency care will be paid out of their own pocket.
Following the Daily Herald article, the VA had a more clarifying article:
VA Announces Free Emergency Health Care for Veterans in Suicidal Crisis - Discuss on RallyPoint Now
VA recently announced that Veterans in acute suicidal crisis can go to any VA or non-VA health care facility for emergency health care at no cost – including inpatient or crisis residential care for up to 30 days and outpatient care for up to 90 days. Veterans do not need to be enrolled in the VA system to use this benefit.
For Lake County, the primary veteran facility is the James A. Lovell Federal Health Center in North Chicago. For emergency crisis care call 988. For non-emergency mental health care, contact the Mental Health Clinic at 224-610-3744.
The BIG implication of this, to avoid any last minute issues with who might be paying the bill, is that every veteran should become registered with the most convenient VA facility whether they want to use the services right away or not. In this way, when there becomes an emergency that does require VA support, they will be visible and “pre-qualified” in the VA system.
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Another Banner Year for the VAC!
- $191,375,379 – Total VA Compensation and pension payments won for Lake County Veterans
- $12,539,932 – New VA Benefits won for Lake County Veterans
- $243,936 – Total Financial Assistance provided to needy and indigent Lake County Veterans
- 2300 – Nights of emergency housing provided
- 80% - Claim approval rate
- 6,513 – Total VA Forms filled out
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United Relief Foundation highlighted Women Veterans in their "Women Are Veterans Too" awareness campaign by providing living essentials to the National Women Veterans United. NWVU provides a wide range of resources and services to women veterans and their families. Click to read the Daily Herald article about them.
Women are the fastest growing group in the veteran population. They are also the fastest growing group in the homeless population and four times more likely to become homeless than their male peers.
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Team RWB is forging America’s leading health and wellness community for veterans and 2022 made a big impact.
Together in 2022, Eagle Nation:
- Hosted 22,000+ opportunities for veterans to build a healthier lifestyle where they live and work
- Engaged veterans in Team RWB events 146,000 times
- Grew by 22,300 veterans and supporters
There's still time to make an impact in 2022 with a year-end gift:
- Gear up with Realtree when you donate HERE.
- When you donate stock, there’s no capital gains tax to pay. Donors over 70.5 can even make contributions directly from your IRA.
- Find other ways to donate here.
Start 2023 off right join us for Marching Orders and Take Flight through the Team RWB App.
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Northern Illinois Food Bank provides food through a network of 900 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, youth and senior centers, and has a number of other direct distribution programs to assist hungry neighbors. The Food Bank acquires donated food directly from manufacturers, as well as retail stores through our Food Recovery and Direct Connect programs.
You might have noticed the schedule of mobile food pantries further down in this newsletter. In the newsletter, these only cover Lake and McHenry Counties. However, there are also mobile pantries in 9 additional Counties. In addition there are "Pantry Express" sites where you can order food to be picked up at one of the Pantry Express locations, or, if you meet to mileage requirement, have the food delivered to your home.
If you are interested in supporting Northern Illinois Food Bank by volunteering (as I do), Click here to see the types of volunteer opportunities you can sign up for and where they are.
If you have any questions, contact Allan Ayers at 847-377-3344
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Apparently a company scammed military exchange customers and several State Attorney’s General filed a lawsuit which resulted in a settlement. Current and former Servicemembers need to file a claim if they were impacted in order to receive compensation or relief – it is not automatic.
Here’s the flyer for the Harris Jewelers settlement info. If you need the actual signed Court Order, which outlines everything from the settlement, contact the VAC office at 847-377-3344.
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In all the situations below, you can always contact the VAC (847-377-3344) directly for further assistance. If you are struggling with rent or mortgage payments with the elimination of pandemic forbearance programs, Call the VAC immediately!
- Rent or Mortgage payments or Emergency Housing
- Utility payments
- Food - Northern Illinois Food Bank - See Schedule or
- Midwest Veterans Closet (See the calendar below)Medical Care - Contact VAC when civilian benefits lost - Do not go to VA if not registered with them. Contact the VAC to get you registered.
- Most VA visits are currently by Video Conference
- Family problems - In Lake County, contact 211 for referral to proper resource.
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How to Get a VA Certificate of Eligibility
If you couldn’t get in on the low interest rates of earlier this year, but you want to get a VA loan or a Native American Direct Loan to buy a house, interest rates are still about one percent below commercial rates. The first step is to get your COE. National Guard members and reservists are eligible for a VA home loan if they have completed at least six years of honorable service, are mobilized for active duty service for a period of at least 90 days, or are discharged because of a service-connected disability. See the reservist details here.
In any case, the first step is getting your Certificate of Eligibility (COE). It confirms for your lender that you qualify for the VA or NAD home loan benefit. Learn how to apply for your COE online.
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“Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis among American Veterans with one in five being diagnosed in their lifetime. With almost half a million Veterans currently being treated for prostate cancer within the Veterans Administration (VA). Veterans remain one of the most vulnerable groups.” Ali Manson, ZERO Voice President, Government Relations and Advocacy.
If you are one of the half a million diagnosed veterans, visit the ZERO website for a wealth of information, and a focus on vets.
Also check with the VAC to determine whether you are covered through the PACT Act.
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If you have an illness or injury that you believe was caused—or made worse—by your active-duty service, you can file a claim for disability benefits 180 to 90 days before you leave the military. This may help speed up the claim decision process so you can get your benefits sooner. Find out how to file a claim through the Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) program—and what to do if you have less than 90 days left on active duty.
The VAC also assists in filing BDD Claims.
You can use the BDD program if you meet all of these requirements.
All of these must be true:
- You’re a service member on full-time active duty (including a member of the National Guard, Reserves, or Coast Guard), and
- You have a known separation date, and
- Your separation date is in the next 180 to 90 days, and
- You’re available to go to VA exams for 45 days from the date you submitted your claim, and
- You can provide a copy of your service treatment records for your current period of service when you file your claim.
Learn more here.
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The American Legion Illinois Premier Boys State is a week that shapes a lifetime!
If you haven’t heard about it, click here to learn more about it.
86th Session – June 10th – 16th, 2023 – Hosted at Eastern Illinois University
If you are involved with this program in any way, or have interest in getting involved, please plan on attending this informational event. If you can attend, please RSVP to the 11th District Commander, Virgil Oikian, at 815-302-3015 or kingbear43@yahoo.com. Coffee will be served. Thanks and hope to see you there.
Click here to see the complete flyer concerning this seminar about the Premier Boys State program – coming Saturday February 4, 2023: 1000hrs.
Elgin Post 57
820 N Liberty St,
Elgin, IL 60120
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VA is Here for You During Times of Emotional Distress
Feeling distress is a normal response to negative events, especially events that feel personal. Veterans and those who care about them are encouraged to learn more about available mental health and healing resources.
Call the Veterans Crisis Line 24/7 at 988.
Every VA facility has mental health specialists. Find one near you.
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Call 211 for Social Services
in Lake County
Anyone in Lake County who needs help finding health and human service support can call 211 and get quickly connected to available resources. Lake County 211, provided by United Way of Lake County, is a free, confidential information and referral helpline that will enable Lake County residents to get the help they need 24 hours a day, regardless of the language they speak or where they live.
The 211 network also answers dozens of crisis hotlines, including the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
Know Someone Who Can Use Veteran Benefit Assistance?
If you have a veteran parent or know someone who might be eligible for some kind of benefits for their service, we encourage you to mention the VAC to them. We can assist with many different issues:
- Aid and Attendance Assistance
- Emergency Financial Assistance
- Survivor spousal benefits
- Burial arrangements
- Upgrading disability status
- Job skill preparation
- Referrals for services we cannot support.
If you or another veteran you know needs help, give us a call at 847-377-3344.
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Your Coin Helps Vets In Need Through the VAC Not For Profit
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Coins are $5.00 and you can pick one up when you come into the office, or you can send a check (make the check out to "Lake County VAC - Not-for-Profit - and mail to the address below) and we'll mail it to you. Mail check to:
Veterans Assistance Commission
501 North Route 21, Suite 106
Gurnee, IL 60031
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If you're wondering what the VAC and other veterans organizations are doing. | | |
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Sunrise Rotary Comedy Event
Make a party out of supporting the Sunrise Rotary fund raising event. This Rotary Club has been very generous with the Allen J Lynch MOH Foundation and other veteran programs, so we ask that you help them raise the funds to continue supporting the veteran community.
Tickets and show details can be found at "https://one.bidpal.net/secondcity"
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From Military Outreach USA
You are invited to participate in an educational ZOOM SBMH Townhall – every 4th Thursday, 7 pm Central. The topic will be “Suicide prevention/
Solutions”. These ZOOM SBMH Townhalls are meant to help those quietly suffering and asking for anyone to “stand-by-me”. Click here for the details about these ZOOM townhalls.
Stand-by-me Heroes (SBMH) is a program of Military Outreach USA MOUSA).
See www.militaryoutreachusa.org and Stand-By-Me Heroes – MILITARY OUTREACH USA
MOUSA CEO Major General (Retired) James H. Mukoyama and Executive Director Chappy Ferrer are dedicated to reducing veteran suicides (22+ per day, possibly 40+) and First Responder suicides. Since 2018, this grass-roots program has effectively impacted our heroes and their families changing mind, body and soul with a simple framework, called Warrior Hope.
MOUSA can be reached at 877-734-4244 • MilitaryOutreachUSA.org
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Midwest Veterans Closet
Food Pantry,Clothing, Shoes/Boots
Housewares, Linens
Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday -
11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Food (Grocery Style selection)
Clothing, Housewares, and
LOTS of Furniture
2323 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, IL
847-354-2108
Mundelein Park District
Healthy Minds Healthy Bodies
1401 N. Midlothian Rd, Mundelein, IL
mundeleinparks.org - 847-566-0650
Click for details
Lake Zurich American Legion Post 964
51 Lions Drive
Lake Zurich, IL 60047
Coffee and Donuts - Every Tuesday, 8:30 - 10:30 AM
Mundelein American Legion Post 867
145 N. Seymour (Behind Taste of Paris, next to Rogan Shoes
Lake Zurich, IL 60047
Coffee and Donuts - Every Wednesday, 8:00 - 10:00 AM
Chicagoland North Chapter, Team RWB
Click for Chapter website
Contact David Christensen
Lots of events scattered around Lake County
Lake County Honor Flight Reunions
Meet 4th Saturday each month (Dec meet 3rd Saturday)
Lunch - Mission BBQ, Gurnee - Feb 18, 11:00
Breakfast Golden Corral, Gurnee - Mar 22, 2022 10:00
Animal Therapy for Veterans
Veterans and their families are invited to
Veterans’ Weekend at the SOUL Harbour Ranch, Barrington, IL
Last Sunday of each month.
TIME: 10:30am to Noon
WHERE: SOUL Harbour Ranch
22093 N. Countryside Lane, Barrington, IL 60010
www.soulharbourranch.com/
RSVP: Jodie @ 855-408-SOUL (7685)
QUESTIONS: Contact veteran liaison
USAF Pilot, Lt. Colonel Gina Stramaglio 316-708-9788
Northern Illinois Food Bank
There are three types of resources within NIFB
-- My Pantry Express
Pre-register at the link and order from list of items - limited locations and times
-- Mobile Food Pantry and CLC Pop-up Pantry
See below for the Lake and McHenry locations and times
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My wife and I were in Florida in late November. Since we had our dog with us, we looked for an outdoor restaurant for dinner. We finally had to go inside because the mosquitoes were so bad. The next day we saw a billboard that said it all!
So I looked on the web and found a website where you can buy anything about mosquitoes. A sample is below, but if you can't resist going to the site, click here.
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I blame my lack of observational skill on my age now, but I just noticed that there are a set of menu tabs on the #VetResources page of the weekly VA News (Vantage Point). These tabs have lots of information and are generally easy to follow. | |
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VA Benefits - January 2023
Do you need to earn certification or licensure for your desired career? You can use part of your GI Bill entitlement to cover the cost, up to $2,000, of certain tests and certifications to become a licensed or certified professional. Learn more about this benefit and find out what’s approved before you take any tests.
Are you eligible for PACT Act benefits? While VA began to process these claims on Jan. 1, 2023, applicants should apply now to maximize benefit payments. For any PACT Act claims received by Aug. 10, 2023, VBA may issue benefit payments back to Aug. 10, 2022. Learn how to file a disability claim to secure your full benefits!
VA News - 1/4/23 -
VA News - 1/11/23 -
What were the Top 10 resources in VA's weekly #VetResources newsletter in 2022? Leading the list were free lifetime U.S. National Park passes for Veterans and Gold Star families, Veteran discounts on hundreds of services and a record pay increase of 8.7% for Veterans receiving VA compensation benefits.
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MOAA 1/5/23
MOAA 1/12/23
Through its annual golf tournament, the Northeastern Wisconsin Chapter raises and donates funds that support local veterans.
“Being the warrior in the room means that every other person is safer because you are there.”
The average wait for community care topped 30 days in some places, according to a Government Accountability Office report.
MOAA 11/19/23
Have a recent college grad in your life? Here’s how they can get a leg up on the job market.
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Here're some sample articles I found recently:
President Joe Biden signed a batch of veterans-related bills Monday that Congress cleared in the closing days of its session this year.
Networking is an art form, especially over social media like LinkedIn. If you've ever been unsure about how to connect with people and when to make an ask, you aren't alone.
Feb. 1 benefits checks won’t have the so-called “widow's tax” reducing income for the surviving spouses of military retirees who participate in two programs.
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There is far too much in the various issues of Military.Com to write or even extract from them. The trick is to find the pieces that are important to you. Therefore, we have provided a graphic that shows the various dropdown choices. As you will see, there is information on general news – with the choice to see the news for your own branch, service benefits, Job and transition support, military life and family issues. I get several versions, and then I’ll scan for titles that seem to be related to me. For example, I decided to try the the Veteran Jobs tab for Lake County. It provided over 400 postings for Lake County and Northern Cook County. See the dropdowns below. Then you can click on military.com to set up a subscription and select versions that you are interested in.
In addition, there are a wide assortment of resource links (including discounts for vets and families) to find other specific information. You might want to give the magazine a look.
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Below are the available hot links to some of the various VA Resources available. The actual hot links can be accessed at the bottom of the welcome kit . | |
How do you get "Veteran" on your driver's license?
Effective January 1, 2020, it will be easier to get "VETERAN" recorded on your driver's license. To get the “VETERAN” designation, veterans can bring their DD214 or other acceptable discharge document directly to a Secretary of State Driver Services facility.
If veterans choose to add the designation prior to their renewal date, they may obtain an updated driver’s license for $5 and an updated ID card for $10. Veterans over the age of 65 can obtain an updated state ID card at no cost.
A special note - If you are an older Vet and your DD214 was lost in the St. Louis fire in the early 1970's, you can obtain a "certificate" that replaces the DD214. However, for one vet we know, the DMV didn't accept that certificate.
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If you need a complete set of your military records
If you need a set of your military records for any reason, you can obtain them by faxing or mailing a request to the National Personnel Records Center. While they will accept a letter (if you get all the right information into it) it is best to use the standard form SF-180 to request it. You can download that form at Standard Form 180
Mail the completed form to:
National Personnel Records Center
1 Archives Drive
Saint Louis, MO 63138.
OR
Fax the form to 314-801-9195
If you need the records in emergency circumstances, contact our office (847-377-3344) and we can help you expedite the process.
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Deerfield - co-located with the Illinois Student Assistance Commission
Deerfield Facility
1755 Lake Cook Rd, Ste 1409
Deerfield, IL 60015-5209
847-948-6981 and 847-948-6982
Hours Monday - Friday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Palatine - located in the Palatine Township offices at:
721 S. Quentin Rd, Room 102
(847) 485-2772
Hours Monday -Thursday
8:00 am - 4:00 pm
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Factual Accuracy and Disclaimer:
Accuracy is important to us. if you believe an error has been made, please email the Lake County Veterans Assistance Commission at veterans@lakecountyil.gov. Use of social media does not imply endorsement on the part of the VAC. Content on these sites is not edited for accuracy and may not necessarily reflect the views of the VAC.
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Have a good week,
Veterans Assistance Commission, Lake County
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