# Helping The Brave

> Free help for Veterans and military spouses to rebuild routine, purpose, people, identity, benefits, home and health. Build your free plan in minutes.

## What it is

Helping The Brave is a free, Veteran founded education and community resource. It explains VA benefits in plain English, connects people with local help and events, and shares Veteran stories through the Helping The Brave Podcast. It is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by or accredited through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It does not file claims; free accredited help is available from county Veteran service offices and VSO representatives.

## Who it helps

- Veterans at any point after service
- Military spouses and families
- People and organizations who serve Veterans

## Free tools

All tools are free. They are education only and not affiliated with the VA.

- [Claims and benefits](https://helpingthebrave.com/claims): every free claims tool, benefits guide and free accredited help in one place
- [VA disability calculator](https://helpingthebrave.com/tools/va-disability-calculator)
- [Claims Copilot](https://helpingthebrave.com/tools/claims-copilot)
- [Condition lookup](https://helpingthebrave.com/tools/condition-lookup)
- [Evidence builder](https://helpingthebrave.com/tools/evidence-builder)
- [C&P exam prep](https://helpingthebrave.com/tools/cp-exam-prep)
- [Claim Navigator](https://helpingthebrave.com/navigator): file your VA claim step by step; you always file on VA.gov yourself

## Podcast

- [Helping The Brave Podcast](https://helpingthebrave.com/podcast): recorded conversations with Veterans, family members and the organizations serving them, hosted by Ed Parcaut
- [All episodes](https://helpingthebrave.com/podcast/episodes)
- [Guest directory](https://helpingthebrave.com/podcast/guests)
- [Podcast RSS feed](https://helpingthebrave.libsyn.com/rss)

## Key pages

- [Home](https://helpingthebrave.com/)
- [Start here](https://helpingthebrave.com/start-here)
- [VA benefits guides](https://helpingthebrave.com/claims#benefits)
- [Mental health, PTSD and TBI](https://helpingthebrave.com/mental-health): every treatment option, crisis help first
- [Free job help](https://helpingthebrave.com/jobs): DOL VETS, American Job Centers, apprenticeships
- [Families and caregivers](https://helpingthebrave.com/family-caregivers)
- [VA community care providers](https://helpingthebrave.com/community-care)
- [Veteran events](https://helpingthebrave.com/events)
- [Need help now](https://helpingthebrave.com/need-help-now): Veterans Crisis Line, call 988 then press 1, or text 838255
- [Find VA facilities](https://helpingthebrave.com/va-facilities)
- [County Veteran service offices](https://helpingthebrave.com/vso)
- [CIVOPS](https://helpingthebrave.com/civops)
- [The Brave Brief newsletter](https://helpingthebrave.com/newsletter)
- [About](https://helpingthebrave.com/about)

## Full text and feeds

- [llms-full.txt](https://helpingthebrave.com/llms-full.txt): the benefits guides, mental health hub, jobs, claims and crisis help as plain text
- [Field Notes RSS](https://helpingthebrave.com/blog/rss.xml)
- [Sitemap](https://helpingthebrave.com/sitemap.xml)

## Contact

Helping The Brave is a project of Big Hangry Media LLC, 121 Rue De Yoe, Modesto, CA 95354. Call or text (209) 554-6423, or email info@helpingthebrave.com.

## About Ed Parcaut

Helping The Brave was founded by Ed Parcaut, a U.S. Navy Veteran and former Hospital Corpsman. Ed hosts the Helping The Brave Podcast, where Veterans, family members and the organizations serving them tell their own stories in recorded interviews.