Help for Airmen in transition

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Joseph Kapinos
  • 319 Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Every day Airmen leave behind their Air Force blues for the multi-colored hues of the civilian world. Most have no idea of what benefits they have earned through their service to the country and they often go unused. That is, until now, with the implementation of a transition service officer program sponsored by the Disable American Veterans that help all veterans get their entitled benefits prior to separation whether they are disabled or just transitioning to a new stage of their life.

Mr. Joseph Litzinger, a Vietnam-era veteran who served in the Navy from 1968 to 1972, including two years with the prestigious Blue Angels, has now arrived at Grand Forks Air Force Base with one mission in mind: help Airmen and their families obtain the benefits and services earned through their military service. It is a mission that Mr. Litzinger takes very seriously.

"When I got out in 1972, I had seen what the Disable American Veterans can do for the veteran, so I joined up and have been trying to assist the veterans as much as I could since then," said Mr. Litzinger.

Mr. Litzinger got into the field of transition officer after serving the University of North Dakota as a police officer for 28 years. He saw the opportunity to make a real impact on the lives of fellow veterans by helping them fill out the necessary forms and get them involved with the Veterans Administration, a government-run agency whose sole purpose is to care for veterans across the country.

"I remembered being a new veteran and having no one on the base to help me out," said Mr. Litzinger.

"I missed out on a lot of benefits that I may have been eligible for. I want to make sure that all of the base's Airmen get what they deserve," he added.

Going through the transition process is simple. It involves going through a Transition Assistance Program Seminar and sitting down with Mr. Litzinger to review your personnel and medical records and then filling out any forms that may be required.

"I know what Airmen today are going through, and it's my job to make their transition easier," said Mr. Litzinger. "When and if they head out the door, I know they are armed with all the knowledge they need. Something that wasn't available 30 years ago."

Mr. Litzinger can be reached at 747-5715 and has an office located in the 319th Air Refueling Wing Medical Group in room 632.