State Creates New, Streamlined Care for Returning Troops

Gov. Janet Napolitano has announced a new agreement that will make it easier for returning members of the Arizona National Guard to receive the benefits they deserve.

The Arizona Guard has been deployed worldwide since the beginning of the U.S. war on terror in 2001. Upon returning to the country, soldiers & airmen faced a lengthy medical review & evaluation – at a time at which they were anxious to get home & see their families. Quite often, returning members would choose to waive the medical review, thereby complicating delivery of benefits they would later need.

Now, in a new, negotiated agreement between Arizona Guard, state & federal agencies & private healthcare providers, members will be able to process quickly upon their return, capture their benefits, & still see their families with minimal delay.

The agreement is a Memorandum of Understanding signed Sunday by representatives of the Arizona National Guard, Arizona Dept. of Veterans’ Services, U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration, Veterans Health Administration, Arizona Dept. of Economic Security, Arizona Veterans’ Services Advisory Commission, TriWest Healthcare Alliance Corporation, Unified Arizona Veterans & the U.S. Dept. of Labor.

"When Governor Napolitano was made aware of the problem, her reaction was quick and clear – she wanted to improve the process for our service men & women,” said Patrick Chorpenning, Director of the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services. “We began complicated talks that involved a lot of time and a lot of agencies, but we got it done.”

Gov. Napolitano added, “When our troops return from overseas, sometimes from deployments that have gone on for months, they deserve to be able to get home, & not be hung up in bureaucracy. I’m glad we’ve been able to streamline the process for them & for their families.”

The MOU details specific responsibilities for each of the signatory agencies before, during & after a Guard deployment. The agreement also calls for support for families.