This example is from my Capstone class for my Bachelor degree.

It shows my ideas as they

developed into something that I would be able to contribute to the community. Since being a
part of the Veterans Administration through my husband, I wanted to do something to help ease
the stress for the veterans. I developed a brochure with certain information that veterans
requested. I designed a survey for veterans and was able to compile that information that they
requested. Through this entire semester-long project, I then came up with the idea of
simplifying the process for medications in a smart-phone app. I feel that I pushed beyond
boundaries in unique ways while uncovering and recognizing new and creative solutions.


Melanie Palacio
Bas 400
Capstone Justification Paper
VA Brochure

The Veterans Administration provides health care and other various benefits for men and
women that were previously enlisted and honorably discharged from one of the military
branches. In order to receive treatment from the VA one must be approved, and in order to be
approved for medical treatment and other benefits, eligibility must be granted. As a first step in
accessing VA services, veterans must know if they have benefits. (Damron, 2004). Eligibility is
granted through submission and approval of military separation documents (DD-214). There are
numerous benefits that are available to veterans, but it is quite confusing to locate the proper
paperwork required to submit with the request. I chose do to do my project on presenting a
brochure with easy to find benefits and the proper numbered forms required that the veteran and
or their family members must submit for approval.
The usefulness of this brochure would be a valuable asset to the veteran and their family
members. Although there is a 180 page federal benefit handbook for veterans that explains
benefits available, this book does not include the needed numbered forms that are required to
accompany the claim for benefits. The VA.gov website consists of 21 pages of forms available.
The brochure will be organized explaining the information included and with headings to easily
locate the benefit.
I feel that the connection that I have to this project is my personal experience with the
VA system. My husband is a disabled veteran rated at 100%. This means that he relies solely on
the VA for his medical treatment. He has been receiving treatment from the VA for over 25
years. During this time he has also filed many claims for benefits that he is eligible for and I have
assisted him with filling them out and submitting them. I have experienced the stress and
confusion with locating the proper numbered forms to submit when filing these claims.
This Capstone project has been one that has been evolving. At first, I thought that
presenting my project to expose the VA approval system of the untimely manner that claims for
benefits take to be approved seemed like an unethical situation to expose. As I reflected on it, I
felt that it was too personal for me to do my project on. I, as a spouse have an appeal that has
been awaiting approval for over 3 years. I then decided to present a brochure that would include
legal services available to veterans such as Tort claims and how to file them in a brochure form.
I did some research on the Tort claim process and found out that there are not many legal
services or firms that represent veterans or that want to legally take on the VA system. There is a
select few law firms that specialize in this that I spoke with and they are inundated with Tort
claims that they are representing veterans on at this time. Finally, I made my decision to present
my Capstone project on the forms that are needed to accompany certain claims for benefits to be
represented in my brochure for the veteran. Since there are a number of benefits available to the
veterans, I made the decision to conduct a survey of veterans and from the feedback received
from the respondents of what they had requested, would be included in the brochure. I felt that
this would be a realistic presentation of what veterans were interested in knowing and not biased
from what I would have chosen to include.
The most reliable and current resource that I primarily accessed was the VA.Gov website
as information for my background material along with the survey I conducted. VA.gov is the
only source for printing out the proper forms needed to accompany benefit claims. I also was
able to use the VA handbook that gives an overview of many benefits available to the veteran. I
then decided to streamline what I and the survey respondents thought were the most critical to
include in the brochure and I will present it in an easy-to-use and understandable way. It was
very stressful and quite confusing as I was compiling the information for my brochure. I was
looking at different sites within the VA site for the proper form needed.
Each week with new questions on the weekly modules that were asked, I really got to
thinking that my brochure would only be one aspect of what I wanted to do to help veterans. I
also had visited the VA since the start of the semester at least 15 times and had observed
different departments and its operations. My project evolved even more, but will be something
that I will touch on in my presentation, but not fully disclose because I will be working on it until
I present it to the VA in the future. The response that I received from my survey from respondent
number 3 stated, Something that would streamline the process. It is still old school to stand in
line and then wait to stand in another line. This is what I had witnessed during my visits; line
after line, waiting and waiting some more. This is when I realized that the best way to streamline
a process would be to construct an application for veterans. The processes that I have witnessed
that would benefit from this streamlining process would definitely be the pharmacy and the
appointment check-in process. I will explain more at the end of my presentation, but I will
continue to build this after this semester. In the end, I want to help these veterans in making
their visits to the VA as smooth as possible. It seems that they have fought for our country and
they come home only to learn that their fight has just begun with the confusing VA system;
whether it is benefits, forms or medical treatment.

Veterans Survey Data received from Survey Monkey
Q1: Do you receive medical treatment from the Veterans Administration?
8 Yes (88.89%), 1 No (11.11%)
Q2: Do you believe that a brochure that contains information regarding certain benefits available to
veterans and the required documents needed would be helpful? Ex: life insurance, home loan, etc.
7 Yes (77.78%), 2 No (22.22%)
Q3: If you agree that a brochure with information would be helpful, are there any specific services
that you as a veteran would like to be included?
1. A fast and easy brochure that could be used to nail down we do I talk to and what do I need to
bring with me to my appointment. Easy breakdown of benefits that I need and my family needs
not hidden in a big booklet. The current booklets are confusing thats why a lot of veterans dont
know where to go and its harder on the beneficiaries to find out any information.
2. This document should be written to be easy to understand by the veteran. It should contain
benefits for medical PTSD, home loans, jobs and interviewing processes. It should contain help
for physically disabled Vets and above all it must be understandable by the veteran.
3. Something that would streamline the process. It is still old school stand in line and then waits to
stand in another line.
4. Those types of products already exist. What is needed is a more streamlined process to apply for
or activate those benefits. Its not the lack of information on benefits is the hassle in obtaining
them that keeps most people from using what they have earned.
5. Rating appeal.
6. I would like more information about Veterans appeal rights if they do not agree with a VA
decision.
7. Local contacts and numbers- Veteran advocacy groups, i.e. DAV, VFW, Am. Legion, etc.- Anything
that is useful for a veteran, tailored to the area where the veteran is located. Education on how
to use e-benefits and online medical records services. However, there is already a small booklet
available from the VA that explains veterans benefits, etc. But this is just general information
on benefits.) Explanation stating that while visiting the local VA Regional Office, the veteran is
required to pass through a metal detector for weapons.
8. Benefits for children of disabled veterans. Benefits for children of Bronze Star recipients.
References
Damron-Rodriguez, J., White-Kazemipour, W., Washington, D., Villa, V. M., & al, e. (2004).
Accessibility and acceptability of the department of veteran affairs health care: Diverse
veterans' perspectives.
http://libproxy.boisestate.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.boisestate.ed
u/docview/217068462?accountid=9649
http://benefits.va.gov/benefits/
http://www.va.gov/opa/publications/factsheets/fs_department_of_veterans_affairs.pdf
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LNN8P5F. (Veteran Online Survey)