[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 161 (Monday, November 2, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2675]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE LAUNCH BY THE LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY OF 
                  ITS ARMED SERVICES ADVOCACY PROJECT

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                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, November 2, 2009

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 
launch by the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County of its Armed 
Services Advocacy Project, ASAP, made possible through a grant from the 
Florida BRAIVE Fund at the Dade Community Foundation. More than 1.7 
million veterans call Florida home, one of the largest such populations 
of any State. Palm Beach County alone is home to 1,200 Iraq and 
Afghanistan veterans. The need for services for these people is 
tremendous.
  This new project's mission is to provide civil legal assistance to 
active duty Armed Forces service members and veterans who are serving 
or have served in Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom 
and/or their families living in Palm Beach County Specifically, the 
Armed Services Advocacy Project will provide legal advice, education, 
counsel, and representation with regard to pre-deployment, deployment 
and post-deployment issues, free of charge.
  Legal services offered to personnel and/or their family members will 
include access to benefits, benefit denials, disability determinations, 
discharge matters, housing and financial issues, access to health care 
and mental health resources, employment rights and much more. 
Individuals may also receive assistance with specialized military 
issues including navigating the physical disability evaluation system, 
appealing involuntary administrative separations, defending 
inappropriate discharge, discharge characterization, or disability 
rating and filing claims for Traumatic Injury Insurance Under the 
Service Members Group Life Insurance, TSGLI.
  The ultimate goal of the Armed Service Advocacy Project is to improve 
the lives of Palm Beach County residents who have served or are serving 
in Iraq or Afghanistan and their families through legal intervention 
aimed at providing safer living conditions, meeting medical needs or 
reducing the time and frustration involved in navigating social 
services and veterans' assistance systems.
  Madam Speaker, I am quite familiar with the problems active duty and 
retired service members have faced with these issues. I am delighted to 
know that the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, an old and very 
trusted agency, has created the Armed Services Advocacy Project, and I 
wish them great success with their efforts on behalf of one of 
America's most beloved and respected populations.

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