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ALL VETERANS SHOULD GET TO KNOW THEIR LOCAL
SERVICE OFFICER -- This is great advice for all
vets no matter where they live.
Although this article is about Wisconsin,
it offers great advice to all vets no matter where they live.
This applies if the Service Office is run
by the state, county or one of the service organizations.
I stop in to see my local Service
Officers just to chat. It builds a relationship...and I know that
if I ever need their services, they will be there for me.
Get to know your VSO!
Story here...
http://www.ashlandwi.com/dailypress/
index.php?sect_rank=4&story_id=212046
Story below:
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All veterans should get to know their local Veterans Service Office
The Daily Press
By LORI LUNDQUIST
For The Daily Press
County Veterans Service Offices (CVSOs) have been in each of Wisconsin’s
72 counties since World War II! CVSOs are your local resource for
dedicated and professional assistance in obtaining federal and state
veterans benefits. We provide the expertise and advocacy that veterans
need to optimize their access to benefit programs.
CVSOs may interact with a veteran many times through the years. A newly
discharged veteran is given an overview of their benefits and perhaps
assisted in obtaining educational benefits and filing a disability claim
for service-related disabilities. Possibly a few years later that
veteran may be seeking assistance with a veterans’ home loan program or
a personal loan. At another point, the CVSO may be assisting this
veteran file for increased disability benefits because their
service-related disability has worsened or assisting with a
home-improvement loan.
CVSOs handle inquiries and applications regarding health care benefits
for veterans of all ages, but these become of special importance as they
get older. Long-term care benefits can become an issue to veterans later
in life as well. Burial benefit assistance is provided to the survivors
of veterans. The widows of veterans are eligible for many state
benefits, and in limited cases, federal benefits. CVSOs are there to
assist them as well.
Most of the programs veterans utilize are offered through the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs or the Wisconsin Department of Veterans
Affairs. Therefore, CVSOs are generally in contact with these agencies
on a daily basis. CVSOs interact with various other county government
offices, such as Human Services, the Register of Deeds and the Clerk of
Courts. Many federal and state agencies, such as Workforce Development,
the local housing authority and the Social Security Administration, are
also resources of assistance to veterans, and CVSOs are knowledgeable
about their programs as well.
The CVSO staffs are employees of their respective counties. It is
generally the smallest department in county government. However, they
assist veterans obtain benefits that, in the aggregate, total in the
millions of dollars spent in their local communities and have an
economic impact.
If you are a veteran, and if you haven’t already done so, make an
appointment to meet with Lori Lundquist at the Ashland County Veterans
Service Office and learn the most current information regarding your
veterans benefits.
The Ashland County Veterans Service Office is located at 201 West Main
Street, Room 105 (Ashland County Courthouse) and can be reached by phone
at (715) 682-7011 or toll free at 1-877-274-8387. All veterans are
encouraged to at least have their discharge document on file with their
county office so that assistance can be rendered in a timely manner when
needed for themselves or their survivors.
Lori Lundquist works at the Ashland County Veterans Service Office,
Ashland.
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Larry Scott
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