County Veterans Service Officers provide an unsurpassed personalized service to veterans and their dependents. There is no comparable advocacy service for that special group of New York citizens. All services are provided without charge. Strictly controlled confidentiality is maintained under penalty of law. Service Officers are required to be knowledgeable in federal, state and local laws pertaining to veterans.

Assistance in the following areas is provided to thousands of veterans, military personnel, and their dependents year after year:

• compensation for service-connected disabilities
• pension for non-service-connected disabilities
• compensation to family members for service-connected deaths
• pension to family members for non-service-connected deaths
• burial benefits
• federal grave markers
• insurance
• education and vocational rehabilitation
• home loan guaranties
• employment and reemployment
• real property tax exemption
• hospitalization and outpatient treatment
• domiciliary care
• military records corrections and military medals or awards
• blind annuity applications

Some Veterans Service Agencies provide additional services unique to the needs of their particular areas such as:

• transportation service to VA Medical Centers
• in-home visits to assist the house bound with claims for entitlements
• satellite offices for the convenience of their constituents
• assistance and training for veterans organizations
• information to community service organizations
• local veterans cemetery programs
• notary service
• assistance in obtaining legal documents (marriage, birth, military, etc.)
• cooperative programs with Other agencies (employment, welfare, etc.)
• assistance with community affairs (memorial services, job fairs, etc.)

Within the limits of their resources, County Veterans Service Agencies continue to provide innovative services and programs to meet the new and expanding requirements of an aging veterans' population, and those veterans returning from recent wars with new and sometimes unknown disabilities. We will hold fast to our commitment.