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Phoenix Veterans Affairs provides services at Annual Drop Zone Event

Denise Willard, Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System Toxic Exposure Screening navigator, assists Veterans with their TES survey.
Denise Willard, Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System Toxic Exposure Screening navigator, assists Veterans with their TES survey during the Drop Zone event at the American Leadership Academy & Applied Technologies, Mesa, Ariz., May 13, 2023. Drop Zone is an annual event hosted by Rep Andy Biggs, 5th district, to provide assistance to rural Veterans in the eastern side of the valley.

Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System provided services to Veterans at the Drop Zone event hosted by Rep. Andy Biggs, 5th district, at the American Leadership Academy & Applied Technologies campus in Mesa, Arizona, May 13.

The Drop Zone event, which is focused mainly for Veterans in the rural areas on the east side of the valley, supplies Veterans a one-stop shop for access to Veteran service providers and other Veteran focused vendors.

The Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System provided services including toxic exposure screenings, alongside representatives from the Veterans Benefits Administration.

“We’re just excited to serve our veterans,” said Cathy Farrar, PVAHCS Toxic Exposure Screening Navigator.

One of the benefits for the PVAHCS is the opportunity for face-to-face communication with Veterans in a relaxed environment.

“We want to make sure they are all covered with a one stop event, where they can get the benefits that they need,” said Lee Huff, Rep. Andy Biggs staffer.

The Veterans were free to wander the campus. Many of the rooms were refitted to accommodate vendors and other services.

“There’s a lot of services around here. Veterans are being supported, and events like this provide a great place for them to see all that’s available to them, because if they don’t know about it, it might as well not exist,” said Chip Wilson, Air Force Veteran 1968 to 1990, now Mayor of Apache Junction. “It gives Veterans an opportunity to see what services they have available to them and get them started and connected to different groups that can help them out.”

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