Palm Desert Veterans Day celebration puts spotlight on helping veterans find resources they’re eligible for

Like many Veterans Day celebrations throughout the Coachella Valley, Palm Desert took the time to honor veterans at its Civic Center Park earlier today.

In addition to the festivities – which included performances by the Heatwave Boys and Girls Club Jazz Band – several booths run by local veterans support groups came together to form a Resource Fair at the event.

College of the Desert Veterans Services, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Palm Desert's Citizens on Patrol, and more offered their services to veterans in attendance.

Palm Desert Mayor Karina Quintanilla says she spoke with those organizations and found many of them want more veterans to reach out.

"One of the conversations that I had with DAV is about how proactive they are and they're trying to find younger veterans to let them know, 'This is what you're entitled to,'" says Quintanilla. "They want to have younger service members reach out so they can establish that record and their spouses being able to receive those benefits as well."

DAV, in particular, offered to help veterans find their service records, including DD 214 forms, which would help determine what benefits they are eligible for.

Mayor Quintanilla also says veterans who inquired before without success should try again, since their eligibility may have changed.

"I mentioned the Navy because now service members from the Navy during Vietnam are entitled to benefits regarding napalm," explains Quintanilla. Initially, these benefits were mostly for Army and Marine Corps soldiers who served on land. But Navy sailors, too, were affected when they washed helicopters that landed on their ships, which washed into the plumbing and affected them, too. This discovery was made only recently.

"If there's any Navy veterans out there, please reach out and see if you're potentially impacted by this, being able to get the support and resources that you're entitled to for your service and your sacrifice," Quintanilla says.

To find a DAV office near you, you can visit their website here. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs also provides more information about your DD 214 form and other military service records.