SACRAMENTO — As we prepare to honor the men and women who died protecting our freedom this Memorial Day, the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) and the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers (CACVSO) are launching the “If you served, you earned” campaign to help connect the state’s military veterans with the benefits and services they’ve earned.

“After honoring our fallen heroes this Memorial Day, we should not forget those who made it home,” said Peter J. Gravett, Secretary of CalVet. “Our new ‘If you served, you earned’ campaign is our way of saying ‘thank you, we have not forgotten you’ to those men and women that did come home.”

“Not all veterans are in crisis, homeless and in need of emergency help, but every veteran has earned benefits and services that can help them complete school or job training, buy a home, help send their kids to college, find a job, and much more,” said Mike McManus, Second Vice President of the CACVSO.

Both McManus and Gravett noted that there are thousands of veterans living in California that have never even thought that they would qualify for veteran benefits because they didn’t serve overseas or see combat, they may not know that they are entitled to services and programs simply because they served in the U.S. Military. The objective of this informational campaign is to change that understanding and mindset.

“Working with County Veterans Service Officers (CVSOs) around the state, we’ve established a toll-free number (1-844-SERV-VET) veterans can call to be connected to their nearest CVSO, and get information about the benefits and services they may be eligible to receive,” said CalVet Secretary Gravett.

Benefits available to qualifying veterans include disability pensions; education and training; healthcare; home loans; rehabilitation and employment services; and various burial, death benefits and healthcare may be available to dependents and surviving family members of deceased veterans.

“Anyone who served in the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force or Reserves may be eligible for benefits, even if they did not see combat,” said McManus.

In addition to the toll-free number, the campaign features TV, radio and print advertising, brochures, billboards, and other outreach materials aimed at veterans. Most of the materials are available at www.calvet.ca.gov. The CVSOs are also distributing information.

To learn more, veterans and their families should call 1-844-SERV-VET (737-8838). Media interested in partnering with CalVet on TV or radio advertising are asked to call Kelli Reid at 916-447-8186.