Serving Those Who Served
Our military personnel voluntarily
act as the protectors of our nations, standing on the front lines while keeping
us safe behind them.
The Knights of Columbus acknowledges
this unselfish act of patriotism by promoting the “Serving Those Who Served”
program. There are 26 million U.S, veterans and hundreds of thousands of men
and women currently serving in the military. Meeting the needs of such a large
population is the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) of the Department of Veterans Affairs,
which operates more than 1,000 facilities throughout the United States, ranging
from full-service hospitals to nursing homes and home-care programs.
The U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service (VAVS) Program is the vehicle that
the Knights of Columbus uses in the Serving Those Who Served program. The Vice
President for Fraternal Services has oversight of the VAVS program. The program
is directed and managed by the Assistant for Military and Veterans Affairs who
also serves as the National VAVS Representative to the VAVS National Advisory
Committee (NAC). The K of C VAVS program is executed through the Fourth Degree
chain of command through the U.S. Vice Supreme Masters and District Masters.
Under the program, a Knight of Columbus is certified as a VAVS representative
or deputy representative at a VA medical center. Our certified representatives
and deputy representatives attend hospital meetings and organize efforts for K
of C volunteers.
The Knights of Columbus currently
has VAVS representatives at almost every VA medical center (VAMC) and many
clinics in the United States. There is one certified representative and, up to,
three deputy representatives from the Knights of Columbus at these VAMCs.
Representatives recruit and manage K of C VAVS volunteers in developing
activities and programs that target the most essential needs of the patients.
In the United States, the VA
hospitals, clinics and facilities need all types of volunteer services – from
program planning to visiting veterans. For more information on this outstanding
program, please contact your Fourth Degree district master, the Voluntary
Service Chief at the nearest VA Medical center.
The philosophy behind “Serving Those
Who Served” is simple: the men and women of the Armed Forces didn’t let the
Nation down on the battlefield, and the Knights of Columbus will not let these
veterans down now.
