MIAMI -- Project Salute, a cross-country effort aimed at helping veterans get the benefits they deserve, is headed to South Florida.

The University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, in cooperation with Local 10's parent company, Post-Newsweek, outfitted a recreational vehicle as a mobile law clinic that's already made stops in Michigan and Texas. In each city, Mercy law students work with local lawyers to provide legal assistance and representation to thousands of low-income veterans.

In Texas, volunteers met Army Pvt. Patrick Feges, who was injured by a mortar explosion in Iraq. Awarded the Purple Heart, Feges returned home only to wait 19 months for assistance from his local Veterans Affairs office.

"I guess I was sort of ticked off, you know?" Feges said. "I lost a lot of faith in the VA system."

Project Salute aims to help vets like Feges. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, there are 1.8 million veterans in Florida, and in 2006, the VA spent $5.3 billion in Florida alone on assistance programs and medical care.

The Project Salute RV will make a three-day stop in South Florida in April. The exact dates, times and location are yet to be determined.

In the coming weeks, Project Salute will reach out to South Florida lawyers willing to volunteer their time assisting veterans while also learning about federal benefits law. Project Salute provides specialized attorney training as a part of the effort.

To learn more about Project Salute, click here.