Disabled veterans Donald Singletary of Richmond Hill, Kraig Gates of Savannah and with Bruce McCartney of Midway led a multi-state delegation to Congress on April 21 to fight for a VA benefit designed for “the most severely disabled veterans” that has become VA’s best kept secret, the Independent Living Program.

The local veterans coordinated the meetings held with Rep. John Barrow (D-Savannah), Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Savannah), Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), and congressmen from Arizona, Texas and South Dakota. Disabled veterans from D.C., Indiana, and Texas joined the local vets in lobbying Congress on behalf of disabled veterans nationwide.

Veterans say they are concerned about the VA’s denying the benefit to eligible veterans, claiming in some cases the VA denies the program exists. Local veterans also presented details of a pilot program they hope will help in fixing what they call a ‘broken system.’