VA Cover Letter sample

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Medical Center
508 Fulton Street
Durham NC 27705

In Reply Refer To: V6 MIRECC

Dear Name:
We are writing to ask your help in a study of the health care needs of returning veterans. This study is a part of an
effort to learn more about the health care issues, concerns, and preferences of veterans who served in Operation
Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) by investigators at the Durham VA Medical Center.
It is our understanding that you served during OIF/OEF. We are contacting a random sample of OIF/OEF veterans
in North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia to ask them to complete a short questionnaire. Please take a few
minutes to complete this form and return it through the mail in the enclosed envelope.
It is our hope that results of the survey will guide development of programs that will better meet the needs of our
Nation's returning veterans like you. By understanding the issues and concerns that face veterans and their
families, the VA will be able to do a better job providing services and information.
Participation in this research is voluntary and completely up to you. Whether you choose to participate or not, your
eligibility for medical care and benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will not be affected. There are
no direct benefits to you for participating in this survey, but we are hopeful that your responses will help us better
meet the needs of OIF/OEF veterans. Although there are no known risks for completing this anonymous survey,
some may find answering questions about themselves and their military experience uncomfortable. If you choose
to participate, your answers will be completely confidential. There will be no way to link your answers to you. We
have contracted with a national survey research company, SRBI, to collect this information to ensure confidentiality
of your information and identity. No names or personal identifiers (like a name or address) will be included with the
survey information or with any reports produced from the survey. If you would like to verify that this is an approved
research study, you may contact the administrative officer of the VA Research Service at (919) 286-0411 ext 7632.
If you have questions or need more information about VA and benefits, we have included the following phone
numbers and websites where you can get information:
The Department of Veterans Affairs: www.seamlessstransition.va.gov
VA General Benefits Questions: 1-800-827-1000
VA Health Care Benefits Questions: 1-877-222-8387
If you have any questions or concerns about this study, we would be happy to talk with you. Our toll free number is
1-888-878-6890 ext 6154, or you can write to us at the address on the letterhead. We want to take this opportunity
to thank you again for your service to the Nation.
Thank you very much for helping us with this important study.
Sincerely,

Kristy Straits-Troster, PhD, ABPP
Principal Investigator
Assistant Co-Director, Clinical Core
VA Mid-Atlantic MIRECC

Patrick Calhoun, PhD
Co-Principal Investigator
Director, Health Services Core
VA Mid-Atlantic MIRECC