Suffolk County Veterans Resource Fair offers services, advice

Bob Grisnik volunteered to join the Air Force in 1966 to avoid the likelihood of being drafted into the Army, a fate destined to land him in the jungles of Vietnam, he said.

He would go on to fly 213 combat missions in South Vietnam and Cambodia aboard the AC-119G Shadow gunships. Now as commander of the VFW in Southampton, Grisnik, 83, helps support fellow veterans, the impetus behind the Suffolk County Veterans Resource Fair Saturday in Southampton Village.

The fair brought together agencies and nonprofits that assist veterans in myriad ways, from housing and mental health services to legal support.

“There are some things here that I didn’t even know were available,” Grisnik said as he sorted through brochures that he planned to hand out to other veterans.

Legis. Ann Welker (D-Southampton) and the Suffolk County Veterans Services Agency organized the event as a way for veterans on the South Fork to learn about resources available to them.

A common theme was it’s never too late to seek help.

Bill Hughes, commander of VFW Post 5350 in Westhampton Beach, said some veterans are unaware of the services available.

“There are benefits we fought for over the years through legislation,” said Hughes, who is also district commander for Suffolk County, overseeing 27 posts.

'Each veteran is different'

Army veteran Dimitri Honorat’s table featured information on resources offered by United Veterans Beacon House, a Bay Shore nonprofit that assists homeless veterans.

Honorat, a community case manager, said the organization’s services are aimed toward helping veterans “have an independent lifestyle.”

He said most of the people he spoke to Saturday were inquiring about the legal services the nonprofit provides.

“I enjoy helping other veterans out,” he said.

More than 20 organizations attended the fair split between the Southampton Village Veterans Memorial Hall and adjoining Southampton Cultural Center, including Paws of War, East End Veterans Art of Healing and Helmets to Hardhats.

Some of the material available provided information on the PACT Act signed into law in 2022 that expands Department of Veterans Affairs health care and benefits for veterans exposed to hazardous materials during their service.

Tony Bernard, 83, of Water Mill, a Navy veteran who served from 1963-67, said a friend called him the night before the fair so he decided to stop by.

He said he was lucky enough to not need as many services as some other veterans may need but was still interested to see what was available.

James Brennan, deputy director of the county’s Veterans Services Agency, gave an overview of how the agency assists veterans through a “very cumbersome and difficult system” of obtaining benefits during a presentation in the arts center's auditorium.

“Every veteran is different,” he said. “There is no cookie-cutter solution. Everyone had a different experience. … Now as you’re going through the process to claim your benefits, those differences matter.”