Veterans are being asked to contact the county’s new Veteran Service Officers (VSO) to see if they qualify for free government benefits.
The Coahoma County Board of Supervisors has hired a new VSO, named his assistant and will provide an office and basic equipment for the position that has been vacant for almost a year.
Supervisors appointed Donnie Savery as the new VSO and named Curtis Glinsey as his assistant.
Veteran Service Officers help honorably discharged veteran write and submit benefit claims to the Veteran’s Administration for processing. Their services are free. The VSO is charged with helping veterans gather the information that supports their claim. Once the claim is filed they will help track the claim through the system.
Claims can range from benefits for medical care and medicine to housing and direct payments in the form of a monthly check.
Qualifications for becoming an accredited representative are passing the VSO exam and a background check. Undergoing the accreditation process earns recognition from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as being capable of handling veteran affairs.
Savery pointed out many of the community’s homeless are veterans and often simply don’t have the knowledge or resources to file claims and then follow through on the application.
The county budgeted $10,000 to the office to pay for supplies, computers, travel and training.
The county has been without a VSO since Jerry Allhands retired about a year ago.
