By Joey Swafford, Public Affairs
August 4, 2025
For U.S. Air Force Veteran Chris Mattingly, navigating VA health care after retirement felt like being dropped into unfamiliar territory.
“Nobody really told me how to sign up for VA health care,” said Mattingly, who served as an avionics aircraft mechanic and recruiter before retiring last year. “TAP’s class explained some things, but once I left, it was like, what do I do now?”
That question brought him to Savannah State University on Friday, where The Warrior Alliance hosted its Veteran Benefits & Resource Expo. The event welcomed over 250 Veterans and their families for a one-stop opportunity to file VA Disability & Compensation claims, connect with VA and community resources, and receive direct assistance from claims agents.
“I came looking for help with health care enrollment,” Mattingly said. “But I walked away with way more than I expected.
For Mattingly, face-to-face help made all the difference.
“I’m fine with Zoom calls, but calling the VA can be frustrating with all the phone menus. Being here, in person, asking questions and getting real answers, this is what we need more of,” he said. “And hey, they’re giving out free Chick-fil-A and donuts, so what’s it hurt to come out and talk to someone?”
The Warrior Alliance, an Atlanta-based nonprofit, organizes three to four of these expos across Georgia each year. Mark Eister, Vice President of Operations, said Savannah was a natural choice given the size and need of its Veteran population.
“Our mission is to help Warriors navigate to success after service, whether they separated five days ago or five decades ago,” Eister said. “When we learned how many Veterans in the Savannah area were underserved, we knew we had to bring the Expo here.”
Eister emphasized that collaboration with VA, the Georgia Department of Veterans Service, and Savannah State University was key to making the event a success.
“It’s imperative that we all work together,” Eister said. “The VA provides the benefits. GDVS helps process claims. Savannah State opened its campus to host this event. This is how we reach Veterans, by meeting them where they are.”
For Leija Mitchell, a Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing social worker from the Ralph H. Johnson VA Health Care System’s Savannah VA Clinic, the event was an opportunity to bridge gaps that too often leave Veterans unaware of available support.
“Events like this let us step outside the four walls and tell Veterans, ‘Hey, we’re here, we have resources, and we’re ready to help you, Mitchell said.’”
Outreach events like these are especially important for housing programs.
“People didn’t know HUD-VASH was here, that we can help with housing resources,” she said. “It’s exciting to connect directly with the community like this.”
The event featured rows of booths offering information on VA health care, claims filing, mental health resources, Veteran Service Organizations and community partners. According to Eister, success isn’t measured in numbers but in impact.
“Our goal is simple: if a Veteran walks out that door today with their claim filed, feeling respected and knowing we’re here to help, that’s success,” Eister said.
Mattingly agreed.
“I’d tell any Veteran who’s hesitant, just come and listen,” he said. “You’ll probably find out you have more options than you realized.”
As for the future, both Eister and Mitchell hope to see the Warrior Alliance Expo become a recurring event in Savannah, bringing resources directly to the Veterans who need them most.
