Stearns County veterans office reports millions secured in retroactive benefits, urges outreach to western communities

Corey Vasquez, director of Stearns County Veteran Services, told the county board Wednesday that his office logged more than 11,000 recorded interactions in 2024 and has helped secure millions of dollars in benefits and grants for county veterans and their families.

Vasquez said the office, which serves a veteran population the office estimated at 9,261 residents in 2024, recorded 11,134 substantive interactions in 2024 and handled about 2,200 claim submittals on behalf of veterans — including VA compensation, pension, burial and survivor claims and records requests. He said those efforts resulted in more than $2.4 million in retroactive awards from the Veterans Benefits Administration and that his office led the state in state Soldiers Assistance Program awards, securing more than $290,000 for veterans in need.

Vasquez said that through part of 2025 the office had already captured about $1.7 million in retroactive payments. He noted that the retroactive-payment figures are manually collected from outcomes and likely undercount the office’s full impact.

Vasquez warned the board about a growing issue: “predatory unaccredited claims assistance,” businesses that operate outside VA accreditation rules and charge veterans significant sums for help preparing claims. He described cases in which veterans were charged thousands of dollars — mentioning one client charged approximately $19,000 by a private firm — and said those practices are difficult for the VA to detect and enforce against.

Vasquez also discussed operational pressures and changes in the veteran population. He said the county office operates as a “high-volume, lean” program that offers same-day and remote appointments but cannot provide comprehensive case management for every client. He highlighted two operational issues: a digital-first shift in VA systems that makes it harder for elderly veterans and VSOs to file claims, and increased claim complexity following federal enactments such as the PACT Act.

The director urged the board to support a Western Stearns County office, noting a 7.4% drop in interactions from Western Stearns ZIP codes between 2019 (the last year the office had a full-time Sauk Center location) and 2024 and a greater-than-50% drop in contacts from Sauk Center specifically. He said staffing and training are constraints: the office has five staff and is recruiting for a half-time Veterans Service Officer; he estimated it takes about six months to train a VSO to full competence.

Board members praised the office’s results and supported continued outreach and remote options. The presentation was received as an informational annual report; there was no board action required.