Benefits & claims navigation
Finding the appropriate official or accredited path for benefits questions, claim assistance, appeals resources, and status problems.
Need immediate help?If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For the Veterans Crisis Line, call 988 and press 1 or text 838255.
AFDES Program · Veteran Support & Navigation
Veterans Assistance Case
A practical case-navigation program designed to help veterans, service members, families, caregivers, and survivors identify the right official, accredited, or community resource—and stay connected through the next step.
AFDES is independent and is not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. We do not replace emergency services, medical care, legal representation, or VA-accredited representation.
Serving the military community
Every service branch. One point of entry.
ARMY
NAVY
USMC
USAF
USSF
USCGWhat can become a case?
Start with the problem—not the bureaucracy.
You do not need to know which agency, office, form, or organization is responsible before contacting AFDES.
Health care access
Routing access, enrollment, scheduling, care-navigation, and service concerns to appropriate VA or community resources.
Housing & homelessness
Connecting veterans facing housing instability or homelessness with specialized official services and local support.
Employment & education
Identifying programs and resources related to employment, transition, education, training, and benefits navigation.
Records & discharge issues
Helping identify the correct process or qualified assistance for military records, discharge documents, and corrections.
Family & caregiver support
Connecting spouses, caregivers, survivors, and families with appropriate support systems and official resources.
Help you can use right now
Official veteran resources
You do not need an AFDES case to use these services.
Veterans Crisis Line
Confidential crisis support for veterans and people concerned about a veteran.
Homeless Veterans Call Center
VA support for veterans who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness.
877-424-3838Vet Center Call Center
Confidential support for eligible veterans, service members, and families, including connection to local Vet Centers.
877-927-83871-800-MyVA411
VA's main information line for benefits and services.
800-698-2411
Open a case
Tell AFDES what you need help navigating.
Your submission is screened for automated abuse and requires email verification before it becomes an operational Veterans Assistance Case.
Protect your information.
Do not enter a Social Security number, VA claim number, account password, bank information, or detailed medical records in this form. AFDES does not need them to open your case.
AFDES role
Navigation, referral, and follow-through.
AFDES helps identify pathways, document referrals, and follow assistance cases. When a matter requires a VA-accredited representative, attorney, clinician, emergency responder, government agency, or specialized provider, AFDES directs the case toward an appropriate qualified resource rather than pretending to perform that role itself.