By Kevin Shannahan

The Natchitoches VFW/American Legion Post hosted a Veteran’s Town Hall Meeting Thursday, July 21. A group of about 25 veterans and family members gathered to hear Peter Dancy, Medical Center Director of the Alexandria VA Hospital, introduce himself and his staff and address the concerns brought up by the veterans at the meeting. Dancy is a retired Army officer who was appointed to his post in January of this year after serving as the Associate Director of the VA Hospital in Dallas.

The Natchitoches Community Based Outreach Center (CBOC) is one of five such centers in the 23 parishes served by the Alexandria VA Hospital, an area that stretches from Winnfield to the Gulf Coast, serving the 32,000 veterans living in its area of responsibility. The Natchitoches CBOC serves 760 of those veterans who live in the area, and is always ready to welcome more local veterans to its facility.

The Natchitoches clinic is located at 740 Keyser Ave. For more information call 318-357-3300.

Are you a veteran or the widow of a veteran? Do you have any questions about benefits, pensions or qualifying for medical treatment from the VA? Are you a Northwestern student who needs help with the GI Bill or in filing a claim? If so, give the Natchitoches Parish Veteran’s Affairs Officer a call. Grant Bowden is the VSO for Natchitoches Parish. His job is to help you get the benefits you have earned, some of which you may not even know about. His office is in the Natchitoches Courthouse Annex at 203 St. Denis St. His phone number is 318-357-3106.