The Disabled American Veterans, or DAV, is a nonprofit charity chartered by the United States Congress for disabled military veterans of the United States Armed Forces that helps them and their families through various means. DAV’s services are offered at no cost to all generations of veterans, their families and survivors. The DAV empowers our nation’s heroes and their families by helping to provide the resources they need and ensuring our nation keeps the promises made to them.
The DAV Chapter’s Certified Chapter Service Officers (CSOs) provide one of the most important links in the organization. They are responsible for providing information about benefits and gathering information to assist in obtaining benefits and services available to veterans, their dependents and survivors.
The DAV Chapter provides free transportation to VA medical facilities for injured and ill veterans. The DAV van maintenance and fuel costs are funded by the Veteran’s Administration.
Volunteers are needed to assist with the Veteran Transportation Network (VTN) van that transports local veterans to and from the Tampa James Haley VA Medical Center.
We also need volunteer dispatchers to organize the rides.
Click the + sign next to each volunteer position for a detailed description.
Driver
The role of VTN Driver is critical to fulfilling our VA Mission. Veterans in the Sun City Center/Ruskin area use our DAV Van for transportation to the James A. Haley VA Medical Center. Veterans meet the van (Monday – Friday) at one of five locations in the Sun City Center/Ruskin area; they are dropped off at the appropriate appointment location and returned to their original pick-up point. The van picks up the last passenger(s) no later 7:05 AM and leave Haley to return to SCC no later than 12:30 PM.
Work location: The van is parked at the Hillsborough County Fire Station 28, Sun City Center on State Route 674, and is driven on a route from pick-up locations to James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital and Clinics, and returned to the Fire Station.
Purpose of the position: To transport veterans and caregivers to/from the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital and Clinics.
Responsibilities and duties:
• Ensure receipt of the Manifest from the Coordinator and/or Dispatcher
• Ensure Manifest information is correct prior to departing from your site area and when departing from James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital and Clinics
• Appropriately use Fleet Card (VA fuel credit card)
• Submit Manifest daily to the Voluntary Service office
• Adhere to designated pick up and drop off areas
• Adhere to established time schedule for departures and arrivals
• Sign into the Voluntary Service kiosk upon arrival to the main hospital
• Complete quarterly van checklist
Qualifications: Because our program operates within the VA Transportation System, our drivers must meet requirements to serve as James Haley VA Volunteers. These requirements include: a clean driving record and current driver’s license; a medical examination conducted at no cost at the Haley VA Medical Center; security screening; and proof of personal auto insurance.
Commitment expected: There is no minimum time commitment with regard to the number of trips driven per month; however, most drivers volunteer to drive 1 or 2 days per month.
Training: You must complete VA training prior to working as a driver. The VA requires annual Recertification.
Annual Orientation and Certification training, including such topics as: VHA Information Security, Privacy Policy and HIPAA, driver training and safety, and use of the Fleet Credit Card, is conducted by and coordinated through VA Voluntary Services at the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital. Training requires 2-4 hours per year and is generally conducted on-line.
Dispatcher
Veterans request rides to the James A. Haley Medical Center from the Sun City Center area by leaving a message on our central telephone line. Dispatchers retrieve ride requests daily and return each call to obtain necessary information, determine the availability of a seat on the van and schedule the ride.
Dispatchers keep the dispatch phone at their homes for 1-2-week periods every 3 months. The schedule is flexible based on each Dispatcher’s preferences and availability. There is no minimum time commitment; dispatchers must be prepared to make 1-4 trips each week from their home to the location where the van is parked. These trips are necessary to place and update current information in the van for use by the drivers. The van is parked at the Hillsborough County Fire Station 28, Sun City Center on State Route 674.
Work location: The dispatcher works from home.
Purpose of the position: Assist with coordinating rides for Veterans.
Responsibilities and duties:
• Receive incoming calls and make outgoing calls
• Notify scheduled Veteran riders of any changes to van service
• Schedule rides for Veterans
• Cancel scheduled rides for Veterans
• Pre-fill the Manifest.
• Assist with monthly coordinator reports
• Drivers Summary Log
• Familiarity with Excel is helpful but not required.
Qualifications: Because our program operates within the VA Transportation System, our dispatchers must meet requirements to become James Haley VA Volunteers. These requirements include: a security clearance with fingerprinting and attendance at a VA training session on confidentiality.
Commitment expected: The Van Coordinator manages the volunteer’s schedule, and the dispatcher role is rotated amongst the available volunteers. We value our volunteer’s dedication and want to keep the role from becoming a burden.
Training: You must attend VA training session on confidentiality prior to working as a dispatcher.
Annual Orientation and Certification training, including such topics as: VHA Information Security, Privacy Policy and HIPAA, driver training and safety, and use of the Fleet Credit Card, is conducted by and coordinated through VA Voluntary Services at the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital. Training requires 2-4 hours per year and is generally conducted on-line.
Chapter Service Officer (CSO)
Work location: The DAV has an office located at 1002 Cherry Hills Blvd., Sun City Center, FL. Additionally, some of the workload can be done from home, if desired.
Purpose of the position: A primary purpose of the DAV is to work for the betterment of and stimulate a feeling of mutual devotion, helpfulness and comradeship among all wounded, gassed, injured and disabled veterans.
A Chapter Service Officer is one of the most important links in the organization, assisting in obtaining crucial and sometimes lifesaving benefits and services available to veterans, their dependents, and survivors.
Responsibilities and duties: The responsibility of the Certified Chapter Service Officer is to advise, instruct and counsel claimants, and to aid in the preparation and forwarding of claims for various benefits to which claimants may be entitled.
Qualifications: Must be a DAV member and successfully complete annual training.
Commitment expected: The CSO serves as necessary and able. Currently, one day per week for four hours is desired in our community office.
Training: Complete a 4-day training session presented by the DAV in Orlando, FL. The cost of lodging and a mileage rate is provided by the DAV for our volunteers.
Next Step: Seniors in Service helps nonprofits throughout Tampa Bay find volunteers like you to help accomplish their mission. Fill out the form below and someone from Seniors in Service will contact you soon to walk you through the next steps to begin volunteering. In question 4, please include the words “Disabled American Veterans.”