Regardless of your view on any particular military conflict, we owe Lane County's 35,000 veterans a debt of gratitude, and respect. The local Veterans Service Office has helped veterans obtain a variety of benefits for over 20 years. The service office is not affiliated with the Federal Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), or with the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs. Instead, it is the local Service Office staff who help veterans apply for their VA benefits.

Veterans have a variety of special needs that developed while serving their country. The federal government now acknowledges the effects of chemical warfare on many veterans. WWI veterans suffered from mustard gas, for those in Vietnam it was Agent Orange, and for Gulf War veterans, the very uniforms designed to protect soldiers from the sun, contained chemicals creating health problems.

Veterans visit the Service Office to sign up for education benefits, vocational rehabilitation, disability, pensions, home loan certificates, to order vital records, or make insurance policy changes. It is where veterans enroll for medical benefits covering eyeglasses, hearing aids, prescriptions, and physician visits. Homebound veterans or those who have severe disabilities may request Aid and Attendance, a benefit that helps pay for in-home care or care in a long-term care facility.

Surviving spouses visit the office to obtain VA burial benefits, a headstone, a memorial flag, to request military medals, or a Presidential Memorial Certificate. Spouses inquire about eligibility for government life insurance, pension, and property tax exemptions.

The office is extremely busy. A staff of three overworked service officers (one is a volunteer) is expected to accomplish all of this work. The workspace is stuffed into three rooms at the north end of the County Annex Building. There is no waiting room. On a busy day one can find a long line of people--from a homeless veteran to a frail elderly widow--standing in a line that stretches down the hallway outside the office. The wait to see a service officer can take hours.

The office is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Staff once had to dismantle a wheelchair and literally carry a veteran into the office. The office has only two interview rooms. Veterans discussing personal financial or medical information are not afforded the dignity of privacy. With as many as 30-35 veterans visiting each day, confidentiality is impossible.

The service office receives $62,000 annually to serve the 35,000 veterans of this county ($50,000 from Lane County's general fund and $12,250 from the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs).

The Service Office has been under-funded for too long. A funding crisis in the 1980's threatened closure of the office. Intervention by the local chapter of The Vietnam Veterans of America ensured that the office would remain open and veterans served--although funding and benefits were reduced. In 1985, the county contribution was again lowered to the current level of $50,000 a year. The Vietnam Veterans of America pays for office supplies, telephone, postage, salaries, annual audits, and bookkeeping services.

While charged with serving the entire county, insufficient funding prevents staff from visiting outlying communities.

Veterans are an important part of Lane County. Many work, pay taxes, and raise families. And those veterans who were injured or became ill bring in approximately $38 million to the county each year in disability benefits. The volume of veterans visiting the office will only continue to increase as aging WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and other veterans seek benefits. Staff note that those seeking Aid and Attendance benefits--a lengthier application process--have increased in recent years from three percent to 35 percent of their caseload. Service officers do not have a computer database system to track the veterans they serve, making coordination with other agencies extremely difficult.

Many of us know someone who has served in the military--a family member, or friend. They may have served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Bosnia, Panama, the Persian Gulf or elsewhere. They may not have fought in war, but they were ready to serve. Those of us back home should offer the service our veterans deserve with dignity and respect.

Lane County must fund this office, as it serves thousands of people who have given much to this country. I will do my part in encouraging my colleagues to support the office. You can do your part by contributing cash, computer equipment, or office space. If you'd like to contribute to this effort, please call the Service Office, 682-4191.

Pete Sorenson, former State Senator, is currently a Lane County Commissioners.

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As a result of this op-ed and strategy meetings with Veteran organizations, Sorenson led a restructuring effort with the Lane County Budget Committee and Lane County Board of Commissioners that increased funding and staffing for the Lane County Veterans Office. Sorenson was given an award by the Veterans for this effort.

Reprinted on this web site with permission.