Sawyer County Veterans Service Office reports steady workload, says no local cuts to benefits observed

The Sawyer County Veterans Service Office reported continued high demand and a recent uptick in outreach during May, including hundreds of calls and office visits and retroactive payments to veterans after claim decisions.

Gary (last name not specified), the county Veterans Service Officer, told the Administration Committee that in May his office handled 498 phone calls, roughly 772 letters/emails/faxes and 242 office visits. He said the office processed 72 disability compensation claims that resulted in more than $187,505.99 in retroactive initial payments for veterans whose claims were decided in their favor.

Gary compared May’s activity with figures he cited for 2024 and said the office’s performance was similar despite missed workdays for training. When members at the meeting asked about reports of federal cuts to veterans’ benefits, Gary said he had not seen veterans in Sawyer County lose benefits or experience delays attributable to recent federal-level changes. He told the committee, "I've not seen 1 veteran suffer in Sawyer County for a delay or, or denial of benefits because of... how they process and do their programs." The committee heard that staff attend trainings and coordinate with state and federal offices to manage claims and outreach.

Committee members thanked the Veterans Service Office for advocacy and asked that the county be notified if there are cases where intergovernmental coordination could use board support. Gary said he will bring issues to the committee when warranted but prefers to resolve routine matters through established administrative channels.

The committee did not take formal action on the report; members discussed ways to better communicate the office’s non-public work and suggested staff and administrators consider a format for sharing sensitive examples without violating privacy.