From the Director of the VA St. Louis

From the Director of the VA St. Louis

“I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your support and advocacy for Veterans.”

Your station is having a real impact on helping and improving Veterans’ lives. The communication you provide about the resources and benefits available for Veterans, through on-air interviews and the Vet Time in America show, has become valuable information for the almost 300,000 Veterans in the St. Louis metro area. 

Your radio show has educated, advised, and informed Veterans on the many rights and benefits they have earned because of their military service. I have talked with many of those Veterans who, after hearing your programming and the weekly Vet Time in America radio show, have become aware of the resources available to them. 

Let me tell you about one such impact: 

A Veteran was listening to KTRS and heard about some of the VA benefits he might be entitled to. He previously never thought we would qualify for VA care, as he didn’t retire from the military. After hearing us on your station, he called our eligibility department. Two weeks later he was receiving much-needed health care. It had previously been more than 10 years since he had seen a doctor or received a health exam because he had no insurance and the private costs were out of his reach. Now he is receiving proper diabetes and high blood pressure and high cholesterol care necessary to help him live a long and healthy life. 

Through your partnership, Veterans have learned of needed services, both internal and external to the VA. Your radio programming has served as a means for all branches of the Department of Veterans Affairs to make known the programs available to Veterans and the many types of services we offer

Your passion, dedication, and commitment to Veterans is truly extraordinary. 

Because of your efforts, tens of thousands of Veterans have a mechanism to gain knowledge of their VA benefits, as well as a voice in the leadership of the VA. Some of these Veterans have been in situations that without these services, they would have been in peril due to their health or living situations. 

Again, thank you for your efforts in educating and informing Veterans. 

Sincerely, 

 

Keith Repko 

Director/CEO, VA St. Louis Health Care System