Main Office: Upland DR, Houston, TX
Main Office: Upland DR, Houston, TX
At Life Change, our mission is to honor and empower Veterans and their families by transforming how they navigate the VA benefits process and transition into civilian life—both in the U.S. and abroad.
With clarity, compassion, and precision, we deliver life-changing results by helping Veterans ask the right questions, find the right answers, and receive the support they deserve—together.
We combine a streamlined, engineered approach—built on Lean, Total Quality, and data-driven systems—with hands-on, human-centered care. Our services include AI-enhanced resume building, interview preparation, and full-spectrum VA claims support. But our mission goes beyond paperwork: in our place of business in the Philippines, we operate a full-service kitchen where food and drink are freely provided to Veterans in need. No Veteran should ever feel forgotten, and we are proud to be that helping hand when they are down and out.
To redefine the standard for Veteran support by seamlessly bridging military service with civilian success—and ensuring no Veteran is left behind.
We envision a world where every Veteran, no matter where they are—from the streets of Manila to the neighborhoods of the U.S.—can confidently navigate the VA system, find meaningful employment, and receive compassionate support in moments of need. Through innovative tools, personal advocacy, and real-world care, Life Change is building a community that honors service with action.
LC Veteran Benefits is a service founded by Disabled American Veterans and spouses of disabled Veterans. We understand the needs and challenges of our fellow veterans and their families. Our goal is to provide our Nation’s Veterans the services to obtain the benefits and rating they have earned as quickly and as efficiently as possible while treating them with the dignity and respect they deserve as a result of their selfless sacrifice in defending our nation.
Tom Barr is a retired U.S. Navy veteran with over 30 years of distinguished service in both enlisted and officer ranks, earning him the honorable title of a Mustang—a term of deep respect within the Navy that signifies rising through the enlisted ranks to become an officer.
His final duty station saw him overseeing personnel readiness for U.S. Navy Aviation, the largest operational component of the Navy, including aircraft carriers and aviation squadrons deployed worldwide. This role demanded not just operational leadership but also strategic insight into managing human capital across complex, global operations.
After retirement from the military and his time as a GS in essentially the same role he retired from, Tom, alongside his wife Catherine Barr, co-founded Life Change (LC)—an organization born from their shared vision to support veterans, particularly those living overseas. While originally focused on the Philippines, demand quickly turned LC into a global platform, serving veterans and their families around the world.
As a disabled veteran himself, Tom brings empathy, understanding, and first-hand knowledge to every aspect of LC’s operations. His mission is to ensure that veterans—and their families—receive not just benefits, but dignity, clarity, and hope throughout the complex VA claims process.
Tom is the architect behind LC’s “Engineered VA Claims Process”, which transforms VA disability claims into a data-driven, structured workflow modeled after engineering principles. The process is:
Evidence-Based: Emphasizing real, diagnosable conditions with scientifically supported documentation.
Systematic: Breaking down claims into modular components, from primary to secondary disabilities.
Outcome-Focused: Built to optimize the veteran’s rating with precision and minimal waste of time or effort.
Tom’s influence also permeates LC’s internal operations through the LC Consultant Basic Training Syllabus, which he authored. This syllabus trains consultants in:
VA Disability IQ
Presumptive conditions and secondary claims
Strategic claim construction and submission
Expectation management and consultant career progression
Tom is also credited with developing LC’s AI-powered Veteran Transition Toolkit, integrating Department of Labor tools with cutting-edge resume and interview preparation technology. This helps veterans bridge the gap between military and civilian employment, tailoring resumes to specific jobs and optimizing them for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)Life Change Leveraging.
Under Tom’s leadership, LC has become more than a claims service—it is a lifeline for veterans and families navigating life after military service, especially those outside the U.S. His vision remains clear:
“We are veterans who are changing the lives of our Veteran Brothers and Sisters—one by one.”
Catherine Barr brings a unique and compassionate perspective to Life Change, drawn from her firsthand experience as a military spouse. As the wife of a U.S. Navy Sailor and Veteran, Catherine has endured the long separations, sacrifices, and challenges that military families face—often acting as both mother and father on the home front. These experiences shaped her deep understanding of the unseen burdens carried by military families and inspired her commitment to ensuring Veterans and their loved ones receive the support they deserve.
Alongside her husband and fellow Co-Founder, Tom Barr, Catherine turned this vision into a mission-driven organization. Life Change is built to serve Veterans and their families from A to Z, with a core focus on navigating the complexities of VA Disability, family support, healthcare, education benefits, and long-term planning. Cathy has been instrumental in shaping LC’s holistic approach—one that not only prioritizes disability benefits but also emphasizes family well-being and sustainable success.
A native of Llorente, Eastern Samar in the Philippines, Catherine was raised speaking Waray, Tagalog, and Cebuano, and is fluent in English and Korean. Despite calling Temecula, California home, her heart remains closely tied to the Philippines, where she witnessed the everyday struggles of U.S. Veterans abroad—many of whom lacked guidance and access to essential services. In response, she founded Life Change in the Philippines, establishing a vital resource hub for Veterans around the world.
Under her leadership, Life Change has earned the trust of a global Veteran community, known for delivering seamless, evidence-based, and personalized assistance. Her multilingual skills and cultural fluency allow her to bridge gaps between U.S. Veterans and the systems meant to serve them—especially in international contexts.
Catherine’s story is a testament to the power of lived experience, compassion, and vision. She continues to advocate for every Veteran and their family with the determination and grace of someone who has walked the path herself.
Welcome to LC Veteran Benefits... where life change begins and the veteran and family’s needs are our mission.