Okaloosa County Vet Center
We offer confidential help for Veterans, service members, and their families at no cost in a non-medical setting. Our services include counseling for needs such as symptoms consistent with depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the psychological effects of military sexual trauma (MST). We can also connect you with more support in VA and your community.
Our commitment
- We offer a range of services, from talk therapy to recreational activities. Our team will work with you to identify your goals and make a plan to meet them. We'll help you and your family build meaningful connections to improve your quality of life.
- Our counseling is confidential. We won’t share any information about you or the services you receive without your permission—except in a life-threatening situation. Our records can't be accessed by other VA offices, the Defense Department, military units, or community providers.
- We encourage you to contact us, even if you're not sure you're eligible. We'll find a way to connect you with the help you need.
Locations and contact information
Main Location
Direct line
Hours
- Mon. 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Tue. 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Wed. 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Thu. 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Fri. 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Sat. Closed
- Sun. Closed
Other locations
Vet Centers are community based to be more accessible in areas where you live.
We also have non-traditional hours that change periodically given our community’s needs. Please call us to find out more.
Need help after hours?
Our call center is available 24/7. Call us anytime at 877-927-8387.
Prepare for your visit
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Please call
Appointments are available 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Non-traditional appointments are available by request.
We welcome same-day or walk-in visits.
You don’t need to be registered for care at VA, rated for a service-connected disability, or receiving any other form of VA benefits. On your first visit, we’ll check for one or more of the following:
- Discharge documents (such as a DD214)
- Receipt of certain awards
- Deployment orders
- Other documents that show qualifying military service
Request your military service records online
If you don’t have these documents on hand, come in and we can work with you to establish your eligibility and answer any questions you might have.
An EZ Rider bus stop is located at the Okaloosa County Courthouse Annex at 1250 N. Eglin Parkway.
Parking is available in front of and behind the Vet Center building.
You can access additional parking in the surrounding parking lots.
In the spotlight
New Vet Centers and Satellite Locations Announced
To improve access to counseling, we are adding three Vet Centers and six satellite locations across the US and its territories. We will continue to expand our program to meet Veteran demand and provide local support to those who served.
THE GI's of COMEDY - Operation Battle Laugh
Forever Warriors and Barracks Legend Proudly Present
THE GI'S of COMEDY
Where: The Shores of The Island Resort. 4 May 2024.
Counseling services
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We offer couples and family counseling to support you as you work toward meeting your goals.
We meet with couples and families to offer support and counseling for military-related concerns. We work to establish clear lines of communication and emotional expression to facilitate development, growth, and sustainment of a healthy relationship. We also conduct groups to support the spouses of Veterans.
If someone close to you has died or you’re adjusting to a difficult life change, we’re here to support you.
Whether it is the death of a spouse, child, or parent who is a Veteran or service member, we can provide support and assistance. We offer services such as these:
- Bereavement counseling for family members of service members who died while serving on active duty or to family members of Veterans who were receiving services at the time of their death
- Grief counseling
- Contact information to the Veterans Benefits Administration and National Cemetery Administration regarding possible burial
- Referral to a Veterans Service Officer for survival benefits
If you’re struggling with issues like PTSD, depression, grief, anger, or trauma, we offer counseling and other support. We’ll work with you to help you achieve your personal goals.
We provide individual and group-based counseling, focusing on a whole health approach to recovery and growth. We offer services such as these:
- One-to-one counseling, including but not limited to proven methods like Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Group therapy for needs, like anger or stress management, or combat support
- Group therapy for Veterans or service members who served in certain combat zones or who’ve been through similar traumas
- Support for PTSD symptoms
- Movement-based support (yoga or referral to VA Whole Health Program)
- Recreation-based support (creative expressions groups)
If you experienced sexual assault or harassment during military service, we can help you get the counseling you need. Any Veteran or service member, including members of the National Guard and Reserve forces, who experienced military sexual trauma is eligible to receive counseling. This applies to people of all genders from any service era.
We recognize the impact of sexual assault or harassment during military service. We use a trauma-informed care approach to provide therapy and supportive services to those who have experienced military sexual trauma (MST).
If you have symptoms of PTSD after a traumatic event, we can help. We offer assessment and support through private counseling and group therapy. We can also refer you to VA or community counseling for treatment and therapy resources.
Whether you just returned from a deployment or have been home for 40 years, it’s never too late to get help for PTSD. Getting counseling or treatment can help you manage your symptoms and keep them from getting worse.
We provide individual and group-based counseling for PTSD, focusing on a whole health approach to recovery and growth. We offer services such as these:
- One-to-one counseling, including but not limited to proven methods like Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Group therapy for needs, like anger or stress management, or combat support
- Group therapy for Veterans or service members who served in certain combat zones or who’ve been through similar traumas
- Support for PTSD symptoms
- Movement-based support (yoga or referral to VA Whole Health Program)
- Recreation-based support (creative expressions groups)
The National Center for PTSD (NCPTSD) is a resource for information, including PTSD basics, assessment, and treatment information, to include professional research and literature.
If you’re returning from military service, we’ll help you transition to civilian life. We can connect you with educational and career counseling, mental health services, and other programs and benefits that will support your transition.
Our team is knowledgeable on federal and state benefits for Veterans and their families. We can help you navigate and connect with services related to these topics:
- Enrollment in VA health care
- VA compensation and pension claims
- Retirement benefits
- Survivor benefits
We can connect you with community services and resources if you require additional assistance.
Referral services
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We can help you overcome substance use problems, from unhealthy alcohol use to life-threatening addiction. We'll connect you to services for your specific needs.
We offer evidence-based groups and individual treatment.
We can offer assessments and referral for addictions and substance use. We maintain an active relationship with substance abuse counselors at the VA Medical Center, in the community, and local substance use programs.
We also assist the Okaloosa County Vet Court program with referrals in support of Veterans' recovery.
Call our Veterans Crisis Line at 988 and press 1 to get support anytime day or night. This service is private, free, and available 24/7. Our Vet Center can also connect you with ongoing counseling and services.
Your safety comes first and foremost. We are here to support you as you recover, grow, and overcome the challenges you face. Please reach out to us. You are not alone.
The Veterans Crisis Line can be reached by calling their phone number, texting 838255 or using the chat feature on their website.
We can help connect you to VA and community resources that will support you in achieving your goals.
We understand that the transition from military to civilian life can be a challenge.
We offer a variety of ways to assist you in that process:
- How to get VA medical benefits and register for care
- Where to go to file claims and other forms
- Understanding your VA education benefits
- Help with housing and home loans
- Education and referral for VA burial benefits
We can also connect you to Veterans Service Organizations in your community.
Other services
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We provide private organizations and community agencies education on our Veteran community and military culture. Together, we build referral networks to expand support for Veterans, service members, and their families.
We work with various VA, Department of Defense (DoD), and community organizations to support our clients with employment, homelessness resources, medical benefits, and claims.
We conduct outreach and education, including Post-Deployment Health Reassessment (PDHRA) and community events.
We have established relationships with organizations such as these:
How Vet Centers are different than a medical clinic
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Vet Centers are small, non-medical, counseling centers conveniently located in your community. They’re staffed by highly trained counselors and team members dedicated to seeing you through the challenges that come with managing life during and after the military.
Whether you come in for one-on-one counseling or to participate in a group session, at Vet Centers you can form social connections, try new things, and build a support system with people who understand you and want to help you succeed.
You may be eligible for Vet Center services no matter your discharge status or eligibility for VA health care. And we encourage you to contact us, even if you’re not sure if you’re eligible. If we can’t help you, we’ll find someone who can.
If you’re a Veteran or service member (including National Guard and Reserves), you’re eligible if you meet any of these service requirements:
- You served on active duty in any combat theater or area of hostility, or
- You provided mortuary services or direct emergency medical care to treat the casualties of war while on active duty, or
- You were a member of an unmanned aerial vehicle crew that provided direct support to operations in a combat theater or area of hostility, or
- You served on active duty in response to a national emergency or major disaster declared by the president, or under orders of the governor or chief executive of a state in response to a disaster or civil disorder, or
- You’re a current or former member of the Coast Guard who participated in a drug interdiction operation, or
- You’re a current member of the Reserve Component assigned to a military command in a drill status, including active Reserves, and you need to address a behavioral health condition or psychological trauma that is related to your military service
If you’re a Veteran or service member (including National Guard and Reserves), you’re also eligible for Vet Center services if any of these descriptions is true for you:
- You’re a Vietnam Era Veteran who used Vet Center services before January 2, 2013, or
- You experienced military sexual trauma (no matter your gender or service era), or
- You currently use any covered VA educational assistance benefits
What are the covered educational assistance benefits?
- Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty
- Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve
- Post-9/11 GI Bill
- Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)
- Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)
Remember: You don’t need to be enrolled in VA health care to be eligible for Vet Center services. You don’t need to have a service-connected disability. And you can have any character of discharge.
You can use our counseling and other support services when your participation would support the growth and goals of the Veteran or service member in your family. If the Veteran or service member considers you family, so do we.
You can also use our bereavement services if any of these descriptions is true for your family:
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The Veteran or service member died while serving on active duty, or
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The Veteran was using Vet Center services at the time of their death, or
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The Veteran or service member died by suicide
No. You don’t have to be enrolled in VA health care or have a service-connected disability.
Safe and confidential. Our records can’t be accessed by other VA offices, the DoD, military units, or other community networks and providers without your permission or unless required to avert a life-threatening situation. Here, you can be as open as you want—there’s absolutely no judgment.
Call us at
Our confidential call center is staffed by combat Veterans from several eras and family members of Veterans.
You can talk to us about your military experience, issues around transitioning out of military service, or trauma. We’ll help connect you to resources and support at a Vet Center near you.