CRESTVIEW — Navy veteran Kenneth Greathouse and his young family are tooling around in a brand new minivan thanks to a Crestview auto dealership.
In November 2013, Greathouse applied for a little-known $19,817 Department of Veterans Affairs automobile allowance. His application was approved Sept. 14 and he, his wife, Victoria, and their sons, Matthew, 8, Logan, 4, and Anthony, 2, started van shopping.
Then they discovered it wasn’t easy to use the allowance. The catch is the government doesn’t issue a check until the veteran takes possession of the vehicle.
“We went to different dealerships and they were like, ‘Oh, you have a grant? We’d love to work with you,’ until they read the fine print,” Greathouse said.
Then dealers backpedaled, requiring the family to apply for financing until the government check arrived.
But not when the Greathouses visited Lee Chrysler Dodge Jeep in Crestview.
See photos of Navy veteran Ken Greathouse and his family taking possession of the new van>>
Owner Bob Lee, salesman Robert Fickett and sales manager Jay Frederickson helped the Greathouses choose a shiny black Caravan.
“Usually we have the money in-house before the vehicle leaves,” Lee said.
“A lot of dealers aren’t willing to do that but we’re glad to participate for our veterans,” Lee marketing manager Maureen Bierman said.
The allowance program is limited to veterans or active-duty service members who meet strict service-related disability criteria. Greathouse has permanent vision impairment in both eyes that began while he was serving on the submarine USS “Augusta.”
Few veterans know about the program, Greathouse said, noting “It’s not something that’s well publicized.”
“The program, once you get familiar with it, is really, really great,” Lee said.
As Logan and Anthony explored the Caravan’s spacious interior — and tried out the horn — Ken and Victoria Greathouse expressed their appreciation for the dealership’s willingness to help their family and other veterans take advantage of the program.
“These guys (veterans) have given everything so we’re happy to give a little back,” Bierman said.
Learn more about the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ automobile allowance>>
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Auto dealer helps veteran by van after others turn family away (PHOTOS, VIDEO)