On Feb. 21, The American Legion will host its first Veterans Benefits Claims Fair at the Washington Hilton Hotel from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., where Legion accredited service officers will provide free assistance in filling out paperwork and answering questions about benefits eligibility. Download the Veterans Benefits Claims Fair flyer here.

Veterans should bring documents to support their claim, including their DD Form 214, dependent information, service and private medical records, and direct-deposit banking information.

"We’re inviting veterans from Washington, D.C., and the surrounding areas, to come in and have an opportunity to work with our department service officers so we can put together fully developed claims and submit them to the VA," said Lori Perkio, assistant director of the Legion’s Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation (VA&R) Division. "If we submit fully developed claims that thoroughly document health conditions, then VA doesn’t have to go out and gather that information, which could cut down on the claims processing time by up to 120 days."

In 2012, VA created an "express lane" for fully developed claims to be fast-tracked for completion.