Photo by Brian Ferry A DAV van, ready to take a veteran to a medical appointment, is parked under shelter at the Warren State Hospital.

WARREN, Pa. — Sometimes, those who served their country need some people to help them out.

The Disabled American Veterans Transportation Office along with the Warren County Volunteer Drivers Association provide transportation for veterans to appointments approved by the Veterans Administration.

There is no cost, but the program has to have drivers in order to get those veterans where they need to go.

“We’re keeping it alive for the vets,” George Nelson said. “We could use more drivers, yes, we could. Our drivers are getting up in age. They’re having operations.”

Volunteers formed the association a little over 10 years ago to fill a need.

Before COVID, the service was providing nearly 1,000 rides a year, traveling about 100,000 miles in total.

The numbers are coming back up, Larry Neal said.

“I’m looking for drivers to help us,” Neal said.

For now, there are enough drivers.

“We’re OK,” he said, “but I’m concerned that people who might be willing and able to drive have forgotten about us.”

A larger pool of drivers would allow Neal some scheduling flexibility. He already tries to avoid scheduling any driver more than once a week.

New drivers could allow some long-time drivers to cut back.

“Right now, we have guys who are having surgery, who had surgery, and guys who are old enough they can take an extended vacation,” Neal said. “I have three drivers who can’t drive because of physical conditions.”

There are also more veterans looking for rides in Warren County.

“What’s happening now is we are getting a lot of people from New York,” he said. “They don’t have DAV transportation in Chautauqua County. They have vans. They don’t have drivers.”

“Next week I have five people from Chautauqua County using our vans,” he said.

That’s not a problem. The DAV program is intended to help veterans.

“We’re not going to refuse people rides,” Neal said. “We don’t have any time constraints. If you call me today and say, ‘I need a ride tomorrow,’ if I have a van and a driver, you’ll have it.”

But, if there is a conflict, the Warren County Volunteer Drivers Association, working with the Warren County DAV Transportation Office could have to cancel a trip for someone from out-of-county in favor of a Warren County veteran.

Some of the veterans have no other way to get to their out-of-town appointments. Some struggle to get to the clinic in North Warren.

“We have some people, they don’t have anybody,” Neal said. “I have people who will drive locally, who would never drive to Erie. They just can’t do it anymore.”

The association is unable to transport veterans who have to use wheelchairs.

Other than that, as long as a veteran has a VA-approved appointment, the DAV can transport them.

“If you start out at the clinic in North Warren and they send you to the hospital, and that doctor sends you to the specialist… as long as there’s that thread going back to the VA,” Neal said.

Many of the volunteer drivers are veterans themselves, but that is not a requirement.

“I think the reason we have so many veterans, the military is built on teamwork… on fellowship,” Neal said. “You’re doing something to help somebody else.”

For those who were not in the military, many were in people-oriented jobs, he said.

“They say, ‘It reminds me of what I used to do,'” Neal said. “There’s more to retirement than sitting at home.”

Those interested in giving back have to have a valid drivers license, pass a physical at the VA, provide an immunization history, obtain clearances similar to those required of people working with children, and file an application. Any costs are covered by the VA.

In order to continue providing a valuable service to veterans in Warren County, the DAV and the Warren County Volunteer Transportation Association need people to know about them.

“We need to get the word out that we’re here and what we do,” Neal said.

Anyone interested in becoming a driver or in more information about the program is encouraged to call (814) 723-3100. The office on the grounds of Warren State Hospital is staffed from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday.