Title

Jacksonville, NC Vet Center

Name of Vet Center
Jacksonville, NC Vet Center
Operating status
Normal services and hours
Top of page information
Page introduction
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, 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.
Locations and contact information
Facility ID
vc_0343V
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Main location address

221 Memorial Drive
Jacksonville, NC 28546
United States

Direct line
910-577-1100
Hours
Mon: 7:30 am-4:30 pm
Tue: 7:30 am-4:30 pm
Wed: 7:30 am-4:30 pm
Thu: 7:30 am-4:30 pm
Fri: 7:30 am-4:30 pm
Sat: Closed
Sun: Closed
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Hours details

We also have non-traditional hours that change periodically given our community’s needs. Please call us to find out more.

Call center information

Our call center is available 24/7. Call us anytime at 877-927-8387.

Facility photo
JVC
Featured content
Highlight up to two Vet Center activities, such as events or programs.
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Find connection, find camaraderie, find community

Learn more about the confidential and comfortable environment you’ll find at your local Vet Center.

Hear what Vet Centers can do for you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMzkZNbKk1I&feature=youtu.be
Featured content

Mindful walking group

We meet every Tuesday at a local park in the Jacksonville area. We welcome any Veteran or service member who would like to join us for a relaxing walk, so if interested please contact us at 910-577-1100 for more information.

Now serving at Cape Fear Community College

We offer group counseling at the Cape Fear Community College every Thursday. Please reach out to us at 910-577-1100 for more information.

Prepare for your visit
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Prepare for your visit accordions
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Appointments
  • Call the office at 910-577-1100 or stop in and a member of the staff will assist you. 
  • We offer some same-day services.
  • No appointments are needed for initial services.
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Directions and parking
  • Our new state-of-the-art facility is located off Western Boulevard on Memorial Drive just past Onslow Memorial Hospital on the left side of the street.
  • We have 28 reserved parking spots. Accessible parking and a drive-through portico for drop-offs are available. 
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Transportation

There is a bus stop directly across the street from our entrance.

Transportation is free of charge with VA medical card and/or military ID.

There are 4 transit routes to us:

  • Route 101 leaving College Street and Anne Street
  • Route 102 leaving recreation loop and recreation complex
  • Route 103 leaving Yopp Road at Walmart
  • Route 104 leaving Western Boulevard at Roses Discount Store

Check the Jacksonville Transit schedules and routes

Call 910-938-7433 for more information.

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What to bring

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 look 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. 

Services
Jacksonville, NC Vet Center - Addiction and substance abuse care
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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.
Jacksonville, NC Vet Center - Couples and family counseling
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We offer couples and family counseling to support you as you work toward meeting your goals.

Our services are available to family members when their participation would support the growth and goals of the Veteran or service member. If you consider them family, so do we. Our counselors can provide education to family members regarding the Veteran or service member's military experience.  

We provide a variety of services including:

  • Couples and family counseling to help assist in the transition from military to civilian life
  • Thriving couples group meets Tuesdays at 4:00 p.m. It assists with communication techniques, and facilitating healthy boundaries and relationships.
  • Bullet journaling group meets the second Wednesday of every month at 12:30 p.m. 
  • Women empowerment group meets Thursdays at 10:00 a.m.

Our counselors implement the following clinical therapeutic modalities: 

  • Functional family therapy
  • Parenting STAIR (Skills Training for Affective and Interpersonal Regulation)
  • Integrative behavioral couples therapy
  • Family systems
  • Strategic family therapy
  • Gottman Method
Jacksonville, NC Vet Center - Community engagement
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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 support local Veterans and service members through partnerships with the state and community agencies such as:

  • Law enforcement and other first responders
  • Coastal Carolina Community College and other schools in the area
  • Local Veteran and service member support organizations
  • National Guard and Reserve units 

Please contact us if you have questions or your organization would like to learn more about Vet Center services, Veteran culture and how we can support our Veteran community together. Your organization doesn’t have to be Veteran-centric to support or learn about the Veteran population.

Jacksonville, NC Vet Center - Grief and bereavement counseling
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We’re here to support you if someone close to you has died or you’re adjusting to a difficult life change.

We offer counseling and other support such as:

  • Bereavement counseling for the family following the death of a service member
  • Community referrals for continued care, if necessary
Jacksonville, NC Vet Center - Mental health care
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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 offer individual and group counseling services to Veterans and service members. We have male and female licensed counselors and some of our team are Veterans themselves.  We provide referral services to appropriate resources in the community and offer the following groups:

  • PTSD group meets Fridays at 3:30 p.m.
  • Coping skills group meets Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. and Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.
  • Group counseling for:
    • Iraq Veterans
    • Afghanistan Veterans
    • Vietnam Veterans
    • Spouses and significant others
Jacksonville, NC Vet Center - Military sexual trauma care
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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.

Our counselors use a trauma-informed care approach to provide therapy and supportive services to those who have experienced MST (Military Sexual Trauma). We also offer individual and group counseling services for Veterans and service members. We have male and female licensed Veteran and civilian counselors.

Jacksonville, NC Vet Center - PTSD care
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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.

We offer individual and group counseling services for Veterans and service members. We have both male and female licensed counselors as well as counselors that are Veterans themselves. If you’re interested in one of following groups, please speak with your counselor or give us a call; referrals for groups are required to join.

  • Meditation group meets Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7:00 a.m. You’ll learn grounding skills, centering, and relaxation techniques.
  • Coping skills group meets Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. and Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m. This group gives Veterans and service members an opportunity to work through traumatic experiences, difficulties with interpersonal relationships, and anger management with use of coping techniques.
  • Cooperative reasoning group meets Tuesdays at 2:00 p.m. and Thursdays at 1:00 p.m. You’ll focus on increasing social activities and decreasing isolation.
  • PTSD group meets Fridays at 3:30 p.m. This group works on processing traumatic experiences, difficulties with interpersonal relationships, and anger management.
Jacksonville, NC Vet Center - Returning service member care
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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.

We have knowledge on a variety of federal and state benefits for Veterans, service members, and their families to include guidance regarding VA Compensation and Pension claims, retirement benefits, and survivor benefits. We understand that leaving the military can be overwhelming with many challenges, but we can provide additional information for the following resources:

  • Filing a military-related disability claim
  • Enrollment in the VA health care system for benefits
  • Connection to employment 
  • Connection to education benefits
  • Connection to state benefits and services
Jacksonville, NC Vet Center - Suicide prevention
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Call our Veterans Crisis Line at <a aria-label="9 8 8" href="tel:988">988</a> 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.

Our primary focus is your safety. If you feel hopeless, suicidal, or in need of crisis care, just let your counselor know so you can work together to help you feel safer and more optimistic about your future. Should you need the Veterans Crisis Line, in addition to calling them, you can also reach them via confidential chat at Veterans Crisis Line or text to 838255. Together we work to help you stay safe and improve your world.

Jacksonville, NC Vet Center - Veteran connections
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We can help connect you to VA and community resources that will support you in achieving your goals.

We focus on Veterans, service members, and their family connecting them to VA and community resources which support the transition from military to civilian life. We have a strong network of community resources and a facility designed for therapy and socializing in a safe environment with other Veterans and service members to achieve goals. We can provide referrals and assistance in registering for the following:

  • VA medical benefits and health care
  • Filing a disability claim and the proper forms needed
  • Understanding VA education benefits
  • Connection to the Veterans Benefits Administration and others who can assist with transition from the military 

How we're different than a clinic (FAQs)

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How we’re different than a clinic

Click on a topic for more details.

What are Vet Centers?

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.

Who is eligible to receive services at Vet Centers?

Vet Center services are available to you at no cost, regardless of discharge character, and without you needing to be enrolled in VA health care or having a service-connected disability. If you’re a Veteran or service member, including members of the National Guard and Reserve, you can access our services if you:

  • Served on active military duty in any combat theater or area of hostility
  • Experienced military sexual trauma (regardless of gender or service era) 
  • Provided mortuary services or direct emergent medical care to treat the casualties of war while serving on active military duty
  • Performed as a member of an unmanned aerial vehicle crew that provided direct support to operations in a combat theater or area of hostility
  • Accessed care at a Vet Center prior to January 2, 2013, as a Vietnam-Era Veteran
  • Served on active military 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 in that state.
  • Are a current or former member of the Coast Guard who participated in a drug interdiction operation, regardless of the location.

  • Are a current member of the Reserve Components assigned to a military command in a drilling status, including active Reserves, who has a behavioral health condition or psychological trauma related to military service that adversely effects quality of life or adjustment to civilian life.

We encourage you to contact us, even if you’re unsure if you meet these criteria. If we can’t help you, we’ll find someone who will.

Our services are also available to family members when their participation would support the growth and goals of the Veteran or active-duty service member. If you consider them family, so do we. We also offer bereavement services to family members of Veterans who were receiving Vet Center services at the time of the Veteran’s death, and to the families of service members who died while serving on active duty.

Do I have to be enrolled in VA health care to access Vet Center services?

No. You don’t have to be enrolled in VA health care or have a service-connected disability.

What about my privacy?

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.