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Bladen County American Legion Post 404, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 99, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8062, and NC Works held a Veterans and Community Stand Down on Thursday inside Elizabethtown Baptist Church’s Christian Activity Center.

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Photos by United States Veteran and local Photographer, Kenneth Armstrong

The event offered assistance and support services for veterans in a variety of areas, including VA benefits and claims, VA medical, vocational rehab, suicide prevention information, housing information, and legal services. Representatives from Wounded Warrior Project, Smart Recovery, Lone Survivor Foundation, and Military Missions in Action attended.

Many United States Military Veterans entered the church’s doors to glean information from the event.

Robert Johnson, Regional III Manager with the State of North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, was on-site with Bladen County Veterans Affairs Director Larry Hammond, who were all smiles during the event. Johnson handed out his business card and was happy to be at the event organized to help local veterans.

Bladen County Veterans may receive assistance by visiting Mr. Hammond at the Veteran Services office located at 300 Mercer Mill Road in Elizabethtown.

North Carolina Veterans may also receive assistance by reaching out to Mr. Johnson at his office at 225 Green Street, Suite 903 in Fayetteville, NC.

Jalyssa Nava with Veterans Services of the Carolinas explained her company advocates for Veteran Services and assists them with benefits such as clothing, household goods, shelter, education, employment, entrepreneurship, mental and behavioral health, money management, physical health, transportation, and more. She explained Veterans could receive services by calling her company at 1-844-435-1838 or by visiting the company’s website at www.ncserves.org.

Local dignitaries were also present at the event. Some of the dignitaries present at the event to show their support for Veterans were Bladen County Commissioner, Arthur Bullock, Bladen County Sheriff, Jim McVicker, new Town of Elizabethtown Manager, Dane Rideout, Bladen County Republican Party Chair, Wayne Schaffer, and Bladen County NAACP President, Rev. Corey Lyons.

Mr. Schaffer, the political chairperson, and a United States Veteran, explained how pleased he was with the turnout and how the last event held in 2018 was successful. “We will probably do this again,” Mr. Schaffer stated.