Pvt Charles J Shutt Detachment VAVS

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
has launched its new "Returning Veterans" Web site -- www.oefoif.va.gov
-- to welcome home Veterans of the Iraq and
Afghanistan conflicts with a social, Veteran-centric Web site focusing
on their needs and questions.

"VA is entering the world of Web 2.0, because that's where this
generation of Veterans is already communicating," said Dr. Gerald M.
Cross, VA's Principal Deputy Undersecretary for Health. "We're opening
our doors to them virtually to let them know what they can expect when
they step through our doors in reality."

The Web site will feature videos, Veteran stories, and a blog where
Veterans are encouraged to post feedback. The site also will
restructure the traditional index-of-benefits format found on other VA
pages into question-based, categorized, and easily navigated links by
topic. This will allow Veterans to find benefits of interest easily and
discover related benefits as they explore.

"We hope our returning Veterans find this site easy and helpful, but
also engaging," Dr. Cross said. "As the site grows, we will be linking
to Veterans' blogs and highlighting more of their own stories from their
own views. We are their VA, so we are eager to provide a forum for
Veterans to discuss their lives."