Local veteran's widow credits Richland County CVSO Karen Knott for benefits win

At the committee’s public-input period, Marie Raico, a veteran’s widow and former city council member, described how Richland County Veterans Service Officer Karen Knott and office assistant Peter Kern helped secure benefits she said had been denied for years.

Raico recounted that her husband served four years in the U.S. Navy during World War II, endured injuries and radiation exposure during atomic testing, and later died of cancer. She said the county office’s work led to a successful claim: “After 10 months of her hard work, I got an amazing settlement, free health insurance, a check for around $15,000 dating back to when Karen first started working on my claim, and $1,357 a month for the rest of my life,” Raico said.

Committee members responded with thanks and praise. The chair thanked Raico for speaking and for her husband’s service; Commissioner Don Seeb thanked Raico and said the office’s work honored veterans. Raico also urged appreciation for Knott’s work and criticized prior treatment she said she received from other offices.

Karen Knott did not dispute the figures during the public comment but was identified in the meeting as the veterans service officer who worked on Raico’s claim. The committee briefly discussed the broader duty to assist veterans and the need for continued outreach to ensure veterans receive benefits and services.

Raico’s testimonial was presented during the public-input portion of the committee agenda and was the only extended public comment recorded in the transcript.