Neighbor News
VFW Service Officer Helps Vietnam Vet Secure Life-Changing VA Benefits
Being recognized in the VFW Still Serving campaign for his continued service.
Ben Fuata, a volunteer Accredited Veterans Service Officer with VFW State of Hawaiʻi Post 3830 on Hawaiʻi Island, is being recognized through the Veterans of Foreign Wars Still Serving initiative (www.todaysvfw.org), which honors veterans who continue serving their communities after military service.
A former VFW Department Commander (2024–2025) and current Post Commander and Adjutant, Fuata balances his volunteer work with full-time service at the Department of Defense, USAG–Hawaiʻi, where he serves as Bradshaw Army Airfield Operations Manager at Pohakuloa Training Area. As a Veterans Service Officer, he assists fellow veterans in navigating the VA benefits process, often during their most difficult moments.
In 2024, Fuata assisted retired U.S. Air Force Col. Jerry Miki, a Vietnam veteran who flew helicopter missions under enemy fire and was repeatedly exposed to Agent Orange. Diagnosed in 2019 with Stage IV prostate cancer that later spread to his pelvis, ribs, and spine, Miki faced an uphill battle for benefits. Fuata located decades-old service and marriage records, coordinated directly with UCSF oncologists and made repeated cross-island trips to support the family. In January, the VA approved Miki’s claim, recognizing his cancer as service-connected due to herbicide exposure.
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“Ben Fuata has been a godsend to me and my wife,” Miki said. “He patiently guided us through a labyrinth of military red tape I thought I had left behind decades ago. This outcome would not have been possible without him.”
If you are a veteran in need of assistance with your VA benefits claim, visit vfw.org/NVS.