Pike County Veterans Service Officer reports rising demand, plans veterans discount card and seeks third staffer

Josiah Schroeder, Pike County’s Veterans Service Officer, told commissioners on Jan. 15 that his office is seeing a substantial rise in veterans seeking benefits and that the county is using donations to expand local veteran services.

Schroeder said the county has solicited donations to a Pike County Veterans Support Fund held at the Greater Pike Community Foundation and named recent gifts: $1,000 from Joseph (last name recorded as Back/Joe) of Blooming Grove Township and $3,000 from the Marsh Kellogg American Legion Post, the latter pledged as a recurring quarterly contribution. Schroeder said the county intends to use fund money to expand services and to purchase equipment to run a veterans discount card program locally.

Under Schroeder’s plan, the Veterans Service Office will purchase a card‑printing machine to issue discount cards directly from his office rather than through the sheriff’s department. Participating local businesses would be identified with a door sticker and asked to provide whatever discount they choose; businesses can sign up via an application on the Veterans Service Office web page. Schroeder said the program is intended to encourage veterans to shop locally and to promote businesses that honor veterans.

Schroeder also told commissioners the office expects to add a third veteran service specialist to handle a growing caseload. He said the office already sees hundreds of veterans; during a recent week the office recorded more than 50 walk‑in visits by veterans inquiring about benefits. Schroeder said the office is “on track to reach over $15,000,000 this year through veterans benefits” and clarified that the VA benefits fiscal year runs July to June.

The meeting included follow‑up questions from commissioners about outreach and suicide‑prevention coordination. Schroeder said Pike County and Wayne County have formed a Veterans Suicide Awareness and Prevention Coalition and that the county follows a “no wrong door” policy so that veterans in crisis can be connected to mental‑health resources through partner agencies.

Ending: Schroeder provided his office phone number ((570) 296‑3563) and said more information is available on the county website under Living Resources → Veterans Affairs. He asked businesses that wish to participate in the discount program to sign up on the office’s site.