Veterans in The Villages

[Cipris58]

Who do I contact approximately how many veterans reside in the villages?

[asianthree]

Who do I contact approximately how many veterans reside in the villages?

VA clinics only have numbers of who is enrolled in that clinic. Those who reside in TV may use Clinics outside of TV, and there are also Veterans that use Mulberry Clinic that don’t reside in TV.

Then you have some Veterans who choose not to publicly announce they are a veteran. Some VN vets come to mind. Veterans clubs have their numbers, but some may belong to multiple clubs.

That said when on base it has been mentioned multiple times “The Villages” is second largest count of Veterans.

First is active Military Bases.

So guesstimate of Veterans sure, exact No

[Kenswing]

Roughly 20,000.

[Taltarzac725]

Who do I contact approximately how many veterans reside in the villages?

Veterans Memorial Post 347 (https://www.florida-legion.org/). You could try the Florida Legion Post in Lady Lake .

[BillyGrown]

Some would rather just not say. Did the time at Vinh Long and got out.

[Topspinmo]

VA and VFW not good gauge, most retired military After 70’s don’t qualify to go there. Their difference between veteran and retired military due to majority after WW2 and Vietnam wars don’t get injured in battle. Just cause you served in military don’t give you automatic VA “ health benefits”. VFW only accepts campaign ribbons from foreign in country wars. Which mean even though you participated but was NOT in country you don’t qualify. To qualify for VA benefits you have to have documentation of your injury while in military that’s on going problem.

[ROCKETMAN]

I’ve heard the number 19,000 veterans, around one in eights residents are vets.

[asianthree]

The cap at Mulberry was 20,000. Given they have closed certain departments it could be less, to accommodate DR to patient ratio. Although Dr is used loosely, because NP or PA far out number Physicians.
In 2016 wait to become on property patient was rounded to 3-4 years. Give or take the rate of change of address, or death.

However not all veterans use VA facilities, even if they qualify. At 10% a veteran has some privileges at any VA healthcare facility. All Veterans have benefits for not only education, but mortgage and more.

As far as wars that Veterans have higher earlier death rate after returning is Nam Vets. More veterans have died after discharge than KIA, due to AO. Many VN boots in veterans may be the first to never live past mid 80s and beyond.

[Topgun 1776]

Please....DO NOT call the VA clinic!!!! They dont know and dont care to tell you...even if they did know.

Why do you need to know this kind of info?

[Nevinator]

Just cause you served in military don’t give you automatic VA services or benefits. To qualify for VA benefits you have to have documentation of your injury while in military that’s on going problem.

WTH??? I believe you’re confusing VA healthcare benefits with VA benefits in general.

To be eligible for VA benefits, a veteran must have served on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training, with a discharge other than dishonorable. Certain benefits are also available to family members of service members. The VA has a multitude of benefits available for veterans ranging from educational opportunities, to VA backed home loans to various types of healthcare, to burial benefits in a National Cemetery. You do not need to be service disabled in order to take advantage of what the VA has to offer. This is a little payback for a young man or woman who at some point in their lives wrote a check payable to the U.S. Government for an amount: “Up to and including my life.”

VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs (http://Www.va.gov)

[ColtsFan]

In today's (March 26) Daily Sun Newspaper, it says that 1 in 10 people that live in The Villages have served in the military. Thank you for your service.

[Sparky99]

I'm a veteran, count me.....

[ROCKETMAN]

Even on census forms I don’t remember if it asked if you or your spouse were a veteran so any other way of counting vets would be a estimate.

[dougawhite]

The American Legion Post 347 on Rolling Acres, the largest Post in the world, has about 6,500 Veteran members. The vast majority are Villagers. So an estimate of 15,000-20,000 Villager Veterans makes sense, assuming 1/2 to 1/3 have joined that Post.

[Topspinmo]

[QUOTE=Nevinator;2434109]WTH??? I believe you’re confusing VA healthcare benefits with VA benefits in general.

To be eligible for VA benefits, a veteran must have served on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training, with a discharge other than dishonorable. Certain benefits are also available to family members of service members. The VA has a multitude of benefits available for veterans ranging from educational opportunities, to VA backed home loans to various types of healthcare, to burial benefits in a National Cemetery. You do not need to be service disabled in order to take advantage of what the VA has to offer. This is a little payback for a young man or woman who at some point in their lives wrote a check payable to the U.S. Government for an amount: “Up to and including my life.”

I need to correct my post to VA Health benefits.

Retired military don’t qualify for VA health care cause they have tricare for life, UNLESS they have documented injury related active duty jobs which documented in their military records and has to be approved by VA for VA health care, separate from other common VA benifits. IF it wasn’t documented while on active duty you have to try to get VA to approve it. Good luck, unless you have inside sponsor.

[Topspinmo]

I'm a veteran, count me.....

I’m retired military, I don’t count. :oops:

[ROCKETMAN]

Article on front page writes 16,000 vets which is 11 per cent of the population. Just estimates I’m sure.

[dougawhite]

I suspect s fairly accurate estimate can be garnered from property tax records since Veterans get a property tax discount. Property tax data is public information.

[Topspinmo]

I suspect s fairly accurate estimate can be garnered from property tax records since Veterans get a property tax discount. Property tax data is public information.


I bet that only disabled vet?

[Sparky99]

I’m retired military, I don’t count. :oops:

I’m retired military too. That makes me a veteran also and I do count!!!

[logdog]

[QUOTE=Nevinator;2434109]WTH??? I believe you’re confusing VA healthcare benefits with VA benefits in general.

To be eligible for VA benefits, a veteran must have served on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training, with a discharge other than dishonorable. Certain benefits are also available to family members of service members. The VA has a multitude of benefits available for veterans ranging from educational opportunities, to VA backed home loans to various types of healthcare, to burial benefits in a National Cemetery. You do not need to be service disabled in order to take advantage of what the VA has to offer. This is a little payback for a young man or woman who at some point in their lives wrote a check payable to the U.S. Government for an amount: “Up to and including my life.”

I need to correct my post to VA Health benefits.

Retired military don’t qualify for VA health care cause they have tricare for life, UNLESS they have documented injury related active duty jobs which documented in their military records and has to be approved by VA for VA health care, separate from other common VA benifits. IF it wasn’t documented while on active duty you have to try to get VA to approve it. Good luck, unless you have inside sponsor.

Retired military are veterans (assuming no dishonorable discharge) and do qualify for VA health care. Other insurance whether Tricare, Medicare or civilian have no bearing on VA eligibility. Having a VA approved disability does move a veteran up the priority ladder for getting care and may result in reduced co-pays.

[nancyre]

VVA Chapter 1036 membership continues to grow. We now have 1034 chapter members. May minutes
Largest American Legion Post
Multiple Clubs Military Veterans - The Villages (https://www.thevillages.com/recreation-clubs/military-veterans/)

[ROCKETMAN]

To qualify for a property tax break you must have a disability compensation but not sure of the minimum per cent. Mine is 60 so I get one third discount of property tax. Contact vets service officer in library if your in Sumter county. He has the paper work.

[New_user]

check out City Fire in Brownwood on Thursday, I was there a few times and there are alot of retired enlisted and officers that meet there on Thursday afternoon.



Who do I contact approximately how many veterans reside in the villages?

[Salty Dog]

I retired with over 30 years active duty with no disability and I have use of VA medical if I want to use it. It's just that Tricare for Life is free with no copay. I've used VA in the past, but the copay and drugs cost more thru the VA.

[Topspinmo]

I retired with over 30 years active duty with no disability and I have use of VA medical if I want to use it. It's just that Tricare for Life is free with no copay. I've used VA in the past, but the copay and drugs cost more thru the VA.

Must of been officer? They have more options do to smaller numbers vs enlisted.

Evidently my 20 years 3 month and 29 day wasn’t enough, not that I’m crazy about VA anyway. I also served 20 years plus as federal worker, but that’s different horse I rode.


Probably Cause you have no documented disability? (Most didn’t go to sick call for every little problem) Tricare not always free, I pay small mount for prescription drugs for my wife and me it ever have take prescription drugs regularly so far. I look for that cost to go up.

I love how people tell me you retired military got it made like they didn’t have that option cause they didn’t like taking orders, how long had work in day, told where to go or move. For enlisted for half of career able to collect government subsidies due to low wage. Yep, we had it made didn’t we. :beer3:

[Salty Dog]

Must of been officer? They have more options do to smaller numbers vs enlisted.

Evidently my 20 years 3 month and 29 day wasn’t enough, not that I’m crazy about VA anyway. I also served 20 years plus as federal worker, but that’s different horse I rode.


Probably Cause you have no documented disability? (Most didn’t go to sick call for every little problem) Tricare not always free, I pay small mount for prescription drugs for my wife and me it ever have take prescription drugs regularly so far. I look for that cost to go up.


I was an enlisted half my career and an officer the other half. The VA does not give a retired officer different care than a retired enlisted. I went to the VA after I retired. They gave me an ID card and scheduled me for labs and a physical. Because I wasn't below a certain income level I had to pay a copay. It wasn't worth the cost, time, and effort to continue to use the VA since I also had Tricare at that time. Now with Medicare and Tricare For Life, I only have to pay for my drugs that are only a max of $13 for 3 months. That is less than what the VA would charge me.

[logdog]

I'm retired enlisted and used the VA almost exclusively before I became eligible for Medicare and Tricare for Life (TFL). I still use the VA for vision and hearing care. I get free eye glasses every couple of years and and recently got free top of the line hearing aids from the VA. The Villages VA Clinic is top notch and it's very convenient to have providers, lab, xray, immunizations, etc; all under one roof. I do get most of my medical care using Medicare and TFL. We get a few expensive drugs from Tricare Express Scripts but most are cheaper at Walgreens.