SWAMPSCOTT — It’s all about service for Jeffrey Blonder, the Swampscott and Lynn Disabled American Veterans (DAV) commander who was recently reelected to serve for a fourth year.
Five years ago, Blonder began serving as the DAV’s senior vice commander under Brig. Gen. Andrea Gayle-Bennett. Since then, Blonder said the DAV has grown from what was once a “dormant” chapter to a resource for veterans’ services.
In the last year, he said the chapter filed approximately 30 claims for Lynn and Swampscott veterans to receive additional Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) benefits. Many of those veterans, he said, were compensated monetarily.
“The important thing to recognize is that the DAV is a service organization. It’s not a social organization — some veterans’ organizations have more of a social aspect, where we sit around and swap war stories. The mission of DAV is to serve fellow veterans,” Blonder said. “That’s probably one of the greatest things we do. We help veterans receive the benefits they deserve.”
Blonder served in the Navy Intelligence Reserve for 28 years, before he was mobilized to Afghanistan from 2008 to 2009, where he was a combat advisor for the Afghan Army. He said although his friends and family cushioned his transition into civilian life, he knew many of his fellow veterans still struggled. As a result, he began volunteering at a number of veterans’ organizations, such as the Massachusetts Jewish War Veterans.
“I feel like I was lucky, some veterans aren’t as lucky as me. So that’s the reason why I’m giving back so much to veterans,” Blonder said. “When I looked at the DAV, it became clear that it was a service organization. The goal was to serve all veterans, and their mission is to serve veterans, until every veteran is served.”
In addition to expanding disabled veterans’ access to VA benefits and services, the DAV is partnering with the Lynn disabled veterans’ home Habitat PLUS to throw a beach party for veterans at Red Rock Park in July. While entertainment and food might be the main attractions drawing vets in, Blonder said the DAV uses these events to let veterans know about the resources available to them.
This year, DAV National Commander Andrew Marshall recognized the Swampscott and Lynn DAV for outstanding work on three separate occasions.
“Not only are we active on the local level, we’re active at the state level and the national level. Our chapter’s recognized by state and national leaders because we’re providing service to veterans,” Blonder said.
Last week, Gayle-Bennett became the Commonwealth’s first-ever deputy secretary of the Executive Office of Veterans’ Services. She said Blonder’s work as an advocate for veterans in Swampscott and Lynn made him “perfect” for the role.
In his next term, Blonder said he wants to grow the chapter’s outreach for mental-health services and work to partner with various veterans’ organizations in the region to enhance each others’ services.
“Veteran suicide is a big issue. We’d like to make sure we increase the people’s knowledge on suicide prevention, and make sure that local governments know that veterans need assistance,” Blonder said. “We’re a small town, so we should all work together for veterans.”
