U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is also known as the Veteran's Administration or (VA).

Overview of services
Veterans of the United States armed forces are eligible for a broad range of programs and services under the VA, based on discharge from active military service under other than dishonorable conditions. Some benefits require service during wartime.

The VA is the nation’s largest integrated health care system. It operates over 1,400 facilities; including hospitals, clinics, community living centers, domiciliaries and readjustment/counseling centers. The VA administers benefits and services for veterans, their dependents and survivors. Major benefits include Veterans’ compensation, pensions and survivors’ benefits as well as rehabilitation, employment and education assistance, home loans and life insurance. Burial and memorial benefits are available for eligible service members. These include veterans, reservists, National Guard members and eligible family members. Services include interment, headstones, and markers and Presidential memorial certificates. The VA operates 128 national cemeteries in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. The agency also also oversees and manage 33 soldiers' lots, confederate cemeteries and monument sites.

Special programs

 * Special programs, benefits & services.


 * Homeless veterans

Animal testing
The VA does animal testing.

Facility information, progress reports & USDA-APHIS reports
For links to copies of this facility's U.S. Department of Agriculture-Animal Plant Health Inspection (APHIS) reports, other information and links, see also Facility Reports and Information: Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC.

Facility information, progress reports & USDA-APHIS reports
For copies of a facility's USDA-APHIS reports, other information and links, see also Stop Animal Experimentation Now!: Facility Reports and Information. This site contains listings for all 50 states, links to biomedical research facilities in that state and PDF copies of government documents where facilities must report their animal usage. (Search: VA facilities by state.)

USDA AWA reports
As of May 26, 2009, the USDA began posting all inspection reports for animal breeders, dealers, exhibitors, handlers, research facilities and animal carriers by state. See also USDA Animal Welfare Inspection Reports.

Personnel

 * R. James "Jim" Nicholson, Secretary
 * Gordon Mansfield, Deputy Secretary

Contact
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20420

VA Benefits: 1-800-827-1000

Inquiry Routing & Information System (IRIS)

VA facility locator by zip code.

Web address: http://www.va.gov/

SourceWatch articles

 * Animal testing
 * Anthrax vaccine
 * Emergent BioSolutions
 * Medicare
 * National Primate Research Center System
 * Office of Special Counsel
 * Operation Iraqi Freedom/Related SourceWatch Resources
 * Oscar Auerbach
 * Pharmaceutical industry
 * Smoking beagles
 * U.S. Department of Defense
 * U.S. Government's War on Animals
 * U.S. Social Security
 * U.S. Veterans' Data Files Stolen
 * Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
 * Walter Reed Army Medical Center scandal

External resources
resource_id=25541 resource_code=va_med_minn search_term=VA Medical Center