Veterans, caregivers, survivors invited to info event May 17

Military veterans, their caretakers and survivors are invited to a community information event next week to sign up on site for any services they may need.

The Veterans Upward Bound Program at Central Carolina Technical College and Veterans Affairs Columbia office will host a Veteran Experience Action Center on the main college campus on Friday, May 17, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to a news release from the VA office and CCTC.

Veterans, caretakers and survivors from Clarendon, Sumter and Lee counties and the surrounding area can find information at the event and sign up for services on the same day. They can get help with VA disability compensation and pension claims filing; veteran and widow benefits; veteran readiness and employment benefits; VHA health care benefits and on-site enrollment; VA National Cemetery Administration memorial benefits; mental health counseling resources; and homeless, low-income housing and vocational support services. Visitors can also see the VA Mobile Vet Center, speak with a Columbia VAHCS environmental health coordinator and browse vendors and services from community partners.

The campus is at 506 N. Guignard Drive, Sumter.

Cici Elliott, assistant director of the VUB program at the college, said, "Our program and Central Carolina Technical College is delighted to have the VA's Columbia office have a Veteran Experience Action Center on our main campus."

"We are a pre-college program. We provide academic and career counseling, remedial instruction, tutoring services, financial literacy and planning, career assessments, workshops, educational tours, veteran resource assistance and more. Our program assists veterans with their post-secondary educational goals. We want veterans to succeed, and often times education paves the way," Elliott said about the Veterans Upward Bound Program.

Services through the program are free for veterans who meet eligibility requirements, according to the college's website. Call the college at (803) 774-6702 for more information about the program. Students can find an application to sign up at https://tinyurl.com/yc28bpcz.