Rock County veterans service officer outlines benefits, outreach as claims rise

Rock County's Veterans Service Officer told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that demand for veterans benefits has increased sharply since enactment of the PACT Act and the county's new consolidated veterans office is reaching more people.

"I love what I do," Paul Crawford said in a presentation that reviewed services available to veterans, outreach plans and local emergency assistance administered by the county's Veterans Service Commission. Crawford said the county's office helps veterans apply for VA health care, service-connected disability benefits and surviving-spouse benefits, and that many of the benefits are tax-free monthly payments and lifetime medical coverage for service-connected conditions.

Crawford described several federal programs, including presumptive service-connection rules tied to Agent Orange, Camp Lejeune and the PACT Act, and noted that VA compensation rates increase with disability rating. He said the county consolidated staff into a single office at 1747 Center Avenue that also houses the Center for Veterans Issues and a Vet Center counselor. "We wanted a one-stop shop for veterans to be able to come into, to feel comfortable, to feel heard," he said.

Crawford showed county figures from 2021 onward to illustrate rising workloads: new veterans served grew from 97 in early 2021 to more than 500 new veterans in recent years; total disability claims handled by the office increased annually. He also cited VA "GDX" geographic distribution numbers showing VA compensation and pension payments to Rock County veterans rose from roughly $31 million in 2019 to more than $50 million in 2023.

He described locally administered emergency assistance funded through a Veterans Service Commission levy and a donation trust that last year received a $20,000 check tied to community fundraising; Crawford said the donation account held about $40,000 and the office budgeted roughly $20,000 for assistance this year. "Every dime of that money has to go back to the veterans," Crawford said.

Crawford also outlined state-level benefits including the Wisconsin GI Bill and a property tax reimbursement for certain 100% service-connected veterans; he said spouses and dependents may be eligible for educational benefits when a veteran is 30% or more service-connected.

Board members thanked Crawford and asked about outreach; Crawford said the office will appear at a veterans benefit fair on June 11, Pistons & Props at the regional airport in July and the Rock County Fair, among other events. There was no board action tied to the presentation.