Changes at Monroe Co. Veterans Service Office means more help
Former services officer takes on new expanded role, while more staff are added at the county level
MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The Veterans Service Office in Monroe County was busy with walk-ins.
And this year, along with newly renovated offices, there are also more staff members to handle veteran’s claims.
“We also have a lot of veterans, especially younger veterans, coming down with cancers, and other illnesses, we never seen before and I think that’s why the Board of Supervisors here, stepped up to the plate, hired full and part time personnel because of all the increase caseload these guys have,” said Jason Sullivan, who worked as a part time veterans service officer for ten years, before his new role with the Mississippi VA.
His office is still in the Monroe County Government Complex, but claims are now handled by two new staffers, both veterans.
Waylon Powell has been on the job since March. There are approximately 2,100 veterans in Monroe County and Powell says he is honored to help fellow veterans start their claims and wade through the system.
“It can be very confusing because you are dealing with bureaucracy, that is not so easy to navigate your way around, so here, Ms Kayla and myself know somewhat the system, how to navigate claims and pensions through bureaucracy and cut through some of the red tape,” Powell said.
Sullivan said he enjoys meeting one-on-one with veterans in his service area.
“This position used to be in Jackson, but our leadership decided about putting these positions in the field, where the rubber meets the road, so we can have a reach into counties in the system, and any way possible to make their jobs easier for the veteran to obtain benefits,” Sullivan said.
The Veterans Service office has a big impact on not only veterans and their families but also the entire county. In 2013, the office helped Monroe County veterans receive around $4 million in pensions and other compensation. That number is now around $16 million and there are more veterans to help.
If you are a veteran, or a family member of a veteran and you have questions about how to file a claim, even if there has been a denial, call the Monroe County Veterans Service Office at (662)305-3207.
