Preserve Your Legacy
with the Veteran Voices Project (VVP)
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Preserve your legacy for future generations!
The Veteran Voices Project (VVP) is an oral history initiative designed to document the stories of NYC's veterans. DVS is looking for veterans across generations and service eras to participate in this project. If you are interested in sharing your story, please fill out an interest form here. A volunteer interviewer will reach out via telephone to record your story. After your recording, your story will be preserved in our oral history archive, the VVP library.
If you are interested in volunteering as an interviewer, please fill out an interest form here.
Learn more at nyc.gov/vetvoices.
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Stories from the VVP Library
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See below to hear the most recent stories from our VVP library:
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Melanie Gonzalez, U.S. Marine Veteran
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Melanie Gonzalez is a United States Marine veteran. In this VVP interview, Gonzalez speaks about the adversities she faced in the military as a woman of color and other challenges she overcame during and after her service. Listen here.
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Osceola "Ozzie" Fletcher, U.S. Army Veteran
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Osceola "Ozzie" Fletcher is a World War II veteran who was wounded in action in 1944. After serving his nation, he returned to NYC to serve his community: Fletcher worked for 30 years as an NYPD Sergeant and public school teacher. He was awarded the Purple Heart 76 years after his military service, at the age of 99, for the injuries he suffered on D-Day. In this VVP interview, Fletcher discusses his lifetime of service. Listen here.
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Adam Scher, U.S. Army Veteran
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Adam Scher commanded troops in Afghanistan and Iraq as an infantry officer, serving in the 101st Airborne Division and the 82nd Airborne Division. He formerly worked as an assistant professor and debate coach at West Point's Department of Social Sciences, where he taught American government classes. In this VVP interview, Scher discusses growing up in Staten Island, and his work helping a generation of men and women to fulfill their potential. Listen here.
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Free Virtual Veterans Legal Clinic
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The Feerick Center for Social Justice Veteran Rights Project will host the 2021 Virtual Veterans Day Clinic. The program will consist of virtual know-your-rights presentations (via Zoom) held on November 15th, 16th, and 17th, followed by one-on-one legal consultations (via phone or video) on November 18th and 19th.
Veterans interested in one of the following topics can schedule a one-on-one consultation with a volunteer attorney:
- Consumer Bankruptcy
- Consumer Debt
- Discharge Upgrades
- Family Law
- Housing
- Micro-enterprise/Small Business
- NYC Veterans Legal Protections
- Tax
- VA Benefits
- Wills/end-of-life planning
Click here to fill out the interest form.
If you have any questions about this program, please email fcvrpcoordinator@fordham.edu or call 646-312-8725.
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Information on Booster Shots
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Booster Shots Eligibility
The following people are now eligible for a booster shot of the Pfizer vaccine if they received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine at least six months ago:
- People 65 or older
- People 18 to 64 who either have an underlying medical condition or a higher risk of COVID-19 exposure due to their job (for example, health care workers) or where they live or frequently visit (for example, a homeless shelter)
- People living in a nursing home or other long-term care facility
Please note: This shot is intended to help many people boost their immunity from the initial vaccination series, which may have decreased over time. You are only able to get a Pfizer booster shot if you received a second Pfizer dose at least six months ago.
How to Get a Booster Shot:
- Booster shots are available at City-run sites. Schedule an appointment here.
- If you are an eligible veteran 65 years or older, you can schedule an appointment for a Pfizer booster at VA NY Harbor by calling 1-877-877-9267.
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Get Your First Dose of the COVID-19 Vaccine
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Please note: The following information applies to those who have yet to receive the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine:
Schedule Online:
You can schedule a vaccine appointment at nyc.gov/vaccinefinder or by calling 877-VAX-4NYC (1-877-829-4692).
Walk-ins Welcome:
All New Yorkers can now get their COVID-19 vaccine by simply walking into any of the CIty's 11 public hospital locations! To find a walk-up vaccination site near you, click here.
Get Vaccinated at Home:
All New Yorkers can request an in-home vaccination with the COVID-19 vaccine. Fill out this form to get started or call 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692).
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DVS Programs and Initiatives
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Get the Benefits You Deserve
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DVS represents NYC veterans in claims for benefits from the VA. During a time of economic crisis and high unemployment, we wanted to ensure that every veteran got the financial benefits they earned. To file a claim, fill out the form at VetConnectNYC.org (select "Benefits Navigation" as your preferred service).
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Volunteering with Mission: VetCheck volunteers make check-in calls to veterans across NYC. Through these calls, volunteers provide veterans with information regarding vital public services, including free meals, information on COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites, and mental health resources. Mission: VetCheck has placed over 33,485 calls to NYC veterans. To volunteer with Mission: VetCheck or request a check-in call, click here.
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Ending Veteran Homelessness
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Over the past five years, our housing team has moved over 1,000 veterans from shelters and into permanent housing. Learn more about DVS's efforts to end veteran homelessness in NYC here.
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Veteran-Owned Business Map
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How DVS Responded to the Pandemic
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Making supportive calls. Distributing face masks. Preparing meal kits. Housing the homeless. Processing VA benefit claims. Watch this video to learn how DVS responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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SITREP NYC: NYC's Official Veteran Podcast
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Listen to SITREP NYC, NYC's official veteran-focused podcast, to hear stories from veterans who are often ignored and underserved. Hear the complete season here or see below for a list of episodes:
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Stories of Transition
The Black Veteran Experience
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LGBT Veteran Stories
The Health of Women Veterans
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DVS updated its website to help EVERY veteran find the services that are right for them. Whether you're a student, transitioning, woman, LGBT, or a senior veteran - nyc.gov/vets has what you need.
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