EATON — Preble County Commissioners received an update on the activities of the Veteran Services Office during a Wednesday, Aug. 14, meeting.
Veteran Services Officer Keith Carr also introduced new Peer Support Specialist Josh Berry, who shared his recent experiences, including attending multiple resource events, meeting with other VSO staff and more.
According to Carr, out of 378 claims the office filed for veterans in Preble County last year, there was $1,762,000 awarded in compensation to veterans. “A pretty good year,” Carr said, noting thiere were still 18 open claims from last year.
“As of now, we’ve filed close to 400 claims, probably a little over for this year,” he added, with 275 awards totaling over $500,000 awarded. “So it’s still going, but we have 109 claims still open from this year, so it’s hard to say where that will end up at the end.”
“So far, our office has reached out and interacted with veterans over 2,000 times, or at last count, we’re about 2,100 interactions and assistance in some way, shape or form for veterans or their families,” he reported.
“Some of our current operations, in the last couple months, we had the traveling memorials up in Lewisburg. There was a good showing for that. Well received and everything. We had a resource event here last week (Aug. 9). Last night, (Aug. 13) we had our very first veterans dinner at the senior center. We had about 60 people show up. So, great turnout. We’re expecting those numbers to grow each month. We’ve been working on different guest speakers to come in for those so next month, we’re going to have somebody from one of the VA Department. s come out, and then Josh has been working to get somebody from Social Security Administration to come out and explain how things work with the local partners. Basically, everybody from the resource event has offered to come,” Carr shared.
Carr reported the VSO had to upgrade their server at the office and worked with Opti-Vise to get that accomplished.
“Here recently, I’ve just been really busy, just trying to be a sponge and absorb as much as I can and help,” Berry told commissioners. “I’ve done a lot of courses and certificates, just while going around other work duties.
“I have attended 10-plus resource events, and just trying to really get out there,” Berry continued. “And even if it’s something I might not use, there’s always someone else that you could consider. So that’s been great. I got lucky when I first was hired, it fit perfectly into the schedule. I got to go to the United Front, the case manager initiative that occurred, and that was great, because basically, I got to meet face to face with the people in the office that our veterans are going to be meeting first, instead of working our way down from director to this person. It was nice to put a face to names and get that warm kind of greeting coming in.”
“I’ve been working a lot with a homeless Navy veteran, I think three of the four months that I’ve been here has been hands on, and as of last week, we’ve got him from living in his vehicle to living in an apartment here in Eaton,” Berry shared. “So he’s very happy and got the resources, and that’s been great.”
“It’s permanent,” Berry said of the veteran. “He wanted to stay in Preble County, he was over in Camden. But a big need was to come over here to Eaton so that he could use his Silver Sneakers and stuff with the gyms and the YMCA, and so now he’s just got better access to some of the, you know, everything — shopping, grocery, just quality of life, out of the vehicle.”
“And as stated, before, we just had our resource fair. We had 42 organizations came out, and thankfully, the weather held out, and it was good. It was a great turnout,” Berry added. “We had a steady flow the whole time, good music and food. So we really appreciate everyone coming out and helping with that.”
“At the end of the day, I’m a disabled veteran myself, so I just strive to help our veterans and their families the way I’d want someone to help my own grandparents, or the way I would have liked someone to help me in my time of need,” Berry said. “And then I just wanted to say that Preble County has been truly great to me and my family, and I’m looking forward to helping facilitate as many solutions as possible for those veterans in our county.”
Reach Eddie Mowen Jr. at 937-683-4061 and follow on X @emowenjr.
