Attention disabled U.S. veterans! Help is available here in Cuenca (and it’s free)

By Chase Squires

There’s a new breakthrough for U.S. military veterans in Cuenca, an office for vets who want help with service-connected disabilities and disability claims. And it’s free.

Volunteer Veterans Service Officer Mark Tomlinson

Volunteer Veterans Service Officer Mark Tomlinson works in a new office in the Zona Rosa neighborhood of Cuenca (the west side of the city, near the Tomebamba river) to help veterans of all six services – Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy, and Space Force – with all that paperwork and filing, including signing up for and managing the foreign medical program, filing for new or increasing service related disability claims, GI Bill benefits, and helping spouses of deceased veterans who suffered from service-related disabilities.

Tomlinson, a retired veteran of the Army and Navy with 30 years in service, knows what it’s like to navigate what can seem like an overwhelming tangle of paperwork and required documents. As a vet who had boots on the ground in the first Gulf War and served around the world, he was searching for a way to give back to fellow vets here in Cuenca. Establishing the office was a long journey with a lot of obstacles to overcome, but this summer it all came together with the help of a local clinic and local veterans.

“I spent a lot of time walking around Cuenca, enjoying living here, I watched all the Netflix I could, and something was missing,” he said. “I wanted to get involved, to help people.”

After extensive training in Texas under the Panama Veterans Commission (PVC) via the Texas Veterans Commission and countless hours of online learning, Tomlinson qualified to help vets and their spouses work through the process to receive the care and support they are entitled to.

“If you’ve done your time and you have a disability or issues, let us help you,” he said. “This isn’t a handout, you’ve earned this. The country you volunteered to serve and protect owes you the best support services available after your honorable service.”

All consultations are confidential and free of charge. Tomlinson’s office space is generously provided by a medical clinic, but veterans entitled to treatment are under no obligation to use the clinic’s services and if qualified for care, that care can be provided by any number of doctors and clinics in Ecuador.

Tomlinson said help starts with the all-important DD214 form and the Service Connected Disability Breakdown Letter, which he can provide correct points of contact for, as well as how to start the clock rolling with an Intent to File notice, which can provide benefits in arrears should the process take longer than a year.

Tomlinson is quick to point out his service is not a Veterans Affairs (VA) clinic, and he can’t do everything, but he aims to provide frank, straightforward, easy-to-understand information. And if he can’t help, he probably can direct a vet where to start. The local office is a service under the PVC which helps veterans in Panama and other parts of Central and South America obtain the care they need.

Tomlinson said he knows the process can be confusing, and not everything is covered, but he can help explain what is covered under service-related disabilities and what help is available to military veterans who suffered a disability serving the United States.

Office hours are by appointment, but Tomlinson said he is on standby and ready to meet with those who want to talk and need assistance. He can be reached by email at vso.ecuador.mark@gmail.com or by WhatsApp at +593 99 215 2108.