Hockley County will host its veterans’ breakfast Nov. 9 at South Plains College, which will be one of two upcoming seasonal events for veterans in the county.
Veterans Services Officer Cara Phelan said the event is done every year, right around Veterans’ Day. “It’s a way that we can give thanks for the service of our veterans,” Phelan said.
The event is free to the public, she said, and will provided breakfast, as well as a program consisting of honor guard, the national anthem and a speaker.
The author speaking at the event features a Hockley County resident and his novel, and Phelan said copies will be gifted to attending veterans.
The event will take place at 8:30 a.m., and the Phelan stated she wants all veterans and their familiar to come out.
“We’re looking forward to seeing everybody,” Phelan said. The breakfast takes place during the period of the other seasonal event for veterans of Hockley County, Operation Green Light.
During Operation Green Light, which will be ongoing from Nov. 4-11, people in the community are requested to change their porch light or somehow light up green, Phelan said. The Hockley County courthouse will also be participating.
“It’s beautiful,” Phelan said. “Cause the maintenance has put green bulbs and some green filters on all the lights around the courthouse, and it really is a pretty sight.”
Phelan said they urge people in the community to light up green to let veterans know they’re not forgotten. “That we still remember,” Phelan said, “and we appreciate their honor, service and sacrifices.”
Within the Hockley County courthouse is the Veterans Service Office, where Phelan has been working as the officer for the past four years.
“As the veterans service officer, veterans come to me and I can help them get their documents that they need in order to file for any kind of benefits,” Phelan said.
All applications start with discharge papers, or DD214 forms, that are given to veterans when they leave the military, she said. In order to apply for anything with the Veterans Administration, veterans must have that document.
“So if they lost it, I can help them get that,” Phelan said. “That’s where we start, by getting their DD214.”
After the starting document is obtained, the officer said they can then start looking at what kind of benefits they’re wanting to apply for, like disability and compensation or health care.
The Veterans Services page on the Hockley County website provides links to information on different benefits and health care available to veterans, as well as record requests and an online portal for Texan veterans.
Phelan said everything she does for veterans is something they can also do online at VA.gov.
“The best thing they can do is to set up their own account,” Phelan said.
Through the website, veterans can get records, view documents and track application statuses, she said. Additionally, if they’re in the medical system, they can set up appointments and order prescriptions.
“It’s a very powerful website once they get an account,” Phelan said.
Phelan said if there’s something she can’t handle, or veterans need other resources besides filing for benefits, there are other resources, mostly in Lubbock, that she can set them up with.
Phelan added that on the last Friday of every month, a VetStar representative will be available to veterans at the office. VetStar, a part of StarCare, can help with other services like rental assistance, utility assistance and counseling.
“They have a lot they can offer other than just helping them with benefits,” Phelan said.
They want the office to be a place that veterans feel comfortable coming to for help, she said, and they’ll reach out to any kind of service they have available to meet their need.
“We have veterans in the community who are homeless, who are really struggling,” Phelan said. “And that’s where VetStar and other resources help to partner with us to help meet the needs of veterans.”