Disabled vets open new service office

After more than 50 years without a service office in Vancouver, the Disabled American Veterans Vancouver Chapter 4 has secured a new location.

The grand-opening ceremony is at 10 a.m. today. The office is at 9707 N.E. 54th St., across the parking area from Orchards Park.

Local dignitaries are scheduled to speak during the grand opening, which will be followed by an open house until 2 p.m. Hot dogs and soft drinks will be served; everyone in the community is invited.

Another open house will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

The new office will give service officers from Chapter 4 a place to meet with veterans from all branches of the military, explore their needs and file disability claims with Veterans Affairs. The phone number is 360-713-6004.

The Disabled American Veterans was formed in 1920 and chartered by Congress in 1932. It is a nonprofit veterans service organization of more than a million veterans, disabled during time of war or armed conflict. It also represents all of America’s 2.1 million disabled veterans, their families and survivors.

DAV has 52 state organizations and almost 2,000 local chapters.