CAPE MAY – A Veteran¹s Center outstation opened Dec. 4 at Cape May VFW Post
386 here to provide a wide range of services including counseling and
benefits assistance.
The new office will be open Fridays from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. at the post,
419 Congress St.
George Gumpper, team leader at the Ventnor Vet Center, will be available in
Cape May to provide services to eligible veterans. Days and hours of
operation will be expanded as needed.
The Vet Center provides services to veterans of any armed conflict that
served in a combat zone including individual, group, couples and family
counseling for readjustment problems, combat related stress and substance
abuse counseling and referral. The center also provides job and career
counselin and, veteran¹s benefits assistance. A social worker can be assigned
to homeless veterans.
The information disclosed in counseling is held in the strictest confidence,
said Gumpper.
He said he sees veterans from a number of wars but predominately Vietnam
at the Ventnor Vet Center. Among new veterans coming to the center,
Gumpper said he sees an equal amount from Vietnam and the current wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan. He said he has seen a number of veterans receive redeployment
orders while they are still clients of the Vet Center.
Unemployment remains a factor for veterans.
“We’ve seen a number of veterans who have returned and gone back to their
regular employment and subsequently lost it for one reason or another,” said
Gumpper.
He said other veterans have not been in the employment market because
their first work experience was in the military.
³A lot of them return to school, there¹s a fairly decent G.I. Bill,” said
Gumpper.
Those who have been granted disability status from the Veteran¹s
Administration are entitled to vocation rehab services, which will provide
funds for training.
Gummper said the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have placed burdens on the
families of those serving in the military particularly members of guard and
reserve units in this state.
He said post traumatic stress syndrome can cause a person to become isolated
and experiencing difficulty in relationships. There can be problems
adjusting to a school environment where a soldier may do well from an
academic standpoint but experience social problems, said Gumpper.
“One of the difficulties we’ve seen in previous conflicts is folks don’t get
treatment for a number of years after their combat experience and the
problems become more complicated and more chronic in nature,” he said.
Gumpper said the VA is trying to reach out to veterans and serve their needs
early on.
In a ceremony, a ribbon was cut on the new office at the post by District 17
VFW Commander Joseph Orlando, Ginny Tomlin of the Cape May County Veteran¹s
Bureau, Freeholder Gerald M. Thornton and Gumpper.
Orlando thanked the VA for opening the office.
Gumpper said some veterans have found it difficult to travel to Ventnor for
services. He said it was the practice of the Vet’s Center to open out
stations in geographically under served areas. He said he was pleased with
the office the VFW has set up for him.
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