There are approximately 444 veterans in Cook County according to the FY17 Geographic Distribution of VA Expenditures Report. The Cook County Veterans Services Office is available and wants to positively impact the lives of each one – the men and women who have served our great nation.
Cook County now has a full-time Veterans Services Officer (VSO) to assist veterans and their families in many ways, including: answering questions, advising and educating individuals and groups on what benefits are available from federal, state, county, and local resources.
A VSO helps the veteran, and/or their family members, understand and apply for any Veterans Administration (VA) benefits they may be entitled to including compensation, education, vocational rehabilitation and employment, home loans, life insurance, pension, health care, and burial benefits. The VSO also make connections to resources outside of the VA when they are not eligible for VA benefits.
Availability & Outreach
A major benefit to having a full-time VSO is outreach and availability to our veterans. Many veterans, especially older ones, have a “suck it up and move on attitude.” They were raised with that attitude and have lived their entire lives with it. Some of the veterans that need benefits the most, won’t come in and talk about their military experience or ask for help. That is what the VSO is there for – to help and encourage the veteran to accept the benefits that they are entitled to.
If after 40, 50, 60 years or longer, a veteran finally decides to make the call or stop by the office and there is no one there to answer due to very limited hours, that may very well be the VSO’s only chance to have contact with that veteran which would be a tremendous loss. Losing the chance to help one veteran is one chance too many.
Another major benefit of a full-time VSO is the opportunity to do more outreach to veterans and their families. More time to encourage veterans to inform them of the benefits they may be eligible for is priceless. VA benefits can have major impacts on the lives of the veteran and families.
The VSO has more visibility if attending more local events to educate and connect veterans and their families of the benefits available to them. Training for the VSO is critical and time-consuming. VA claims and regulations are complicated and ever-changing.
A VSO must keep up with the changes and continue to strive for a better understanding of the rules and eligibility factors that govern each program/benefit in order to best support our veterans and their families to ensure they receives the best outcomes for their claims and benefits.
A great deal of time is also spent just listening to the veteran, as most don’t feel comfortable talking about their time in service to anyone other than another veteran. Veterans connect because they experienced many of the same situations such as being far away from family and friends for extended periods of time, different trainings, the close quarters in which you lived, where you were stationed or places you traveled to, and what they may have been exposed to.
It all has meaning, and the experiences never leave the veteran. In listening there are so many events that a VSO can pick out of a conversation to help connect a veteran/family member to benefits that can be life-changing for them.
Common misconceptions
I recently read an article that stated, “Everyone knows about the federal benefits available to veterans.” That just isn’t true. Until becoming the VSO for Cook County, I knew nothing about state or federal benefits for veterans with the exception of education and home loans. I thought any other benefits such as disability or health care, were for combat veterans, retirees or those seriously injured while in service.
Most veterans I have spoken to over the past six years had no idea of the types of benefits available to them. Upon discharge, a vast majority of veterans in my age group and older were more concerned about the quickest way back to their families and home rather than reading paperwork. They weren’t paying attention to the medical records and what was or wasn’t recorded in them.
Today’s military does an amazing job of informing separating veterans about their benefits but separating from the military back to civilian life is a huge change. That person may not be hearing or understanding everything that is being said – the VSO is here to help understand your benefits and help apply for any eligible benefits.
A common misconception among our WWII, Korean and Vietnam veterans is that they will be taking benefits away from another veteran that needs them far more than they do. This is not true. All veterans will receive the benefits they are entitled to. There are no quotas on VA benefits.
As Cook County’s VSO and a veteran myself, I would love to have the chance to sit down and have a conversation with each and every one of our veterans. Each veteran has his or her own story and experiences. I want to help our veterans receive whatever benefits they may be due for their service to our country.
If not for the men and women who served in the military in the past, are serving now and will serve in the future, we would not be living in a free nation.
This Memorial Day and year-round, everyone in the community can show support for veterans by never forgetting the sacrifice and service of our military personnel and their families, standing proud and tall when you hear our national anthem and by learning the history of this country. Take a moment to thank a veteran for their service and sacrifice and remember those who gave their lives for our freedom.
The Veterans Services Officer can be reached at 218-387-3639, by email at Veteran.Services@co.cook.mn.us or stop by the office located on the second floor of the Cook County courthouse.
County Connections is a column on timely topics and service information from your Cook County government. Cook County—Supporting Community Through Quality Public Service.
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