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Rock County veterans officer: office helped secure millions in benefits, expands outreach
Summary
County Veterans Service Officer Paul Crawford told supervisors the office has expanded services, brought local veterans over $50 million in VA compensation in 2023 and maintains a donation fund of about $40,000 to assist vets in crisis.
Paul Crawford, Rock County’s County Veterans Service Officer, told the Rock County Board of Supervisors during a report that his office has increased outreach and helped bring tens of millions of dollars in federal veteran benefits to local veterans and surviving spouses.
Crawford said county veterans and surviving spouses received more than $50 million in VA compensation and pension benefits in 2023, and he described the county office’s work enrolling veterans in VA health care, filing disability claims and helping with emergency assistance. “I love what I do,” Crawford told the board.
The veteran services office moved into a consolidated location at 1747 Center Avenue, Suite 100, Janesville, Crawford said, and now co-locates with the Center for Veterans Issues and a Vet Center counselor. The office also manages a county veterans donation account that Crawford said holds roughly $40,000 and is used to pay for urgent needs such as temporary housing, utilities and transportation for veterans in crisis.
Crawford described the office’s role in helping veterans pursue service‑connected disability ratings and benefits, including presumptive conditions under Agent Orange, Camp Lejeune and the PACT Act, and explained how service‑connected ratings can provide tax‑free monthly payments and medical coverage. He also outlined state benefits such as the Wisconsin GI Bill and a property‑tax reimbursement program for 100% service‑connected veterans.
Supervisors asked questions about presumptive exposure locations and the availability of burial benefits and grave markers. Crawford said the VA burial reimbursement is generally limited (he cited maximum amounts for certain circumstances) and that the VA had recently added burial urn options for veterans who choose cremation. He also listed upcoming outreach events where the veterans office will have a presence: a veterans benefit fair at the Elks Lodge on June 11, the Pistons and Props event at the regional airport in July and the Rock County Fair.
Crawford provided contact information for the office and encouraged veterans or family members to visit for help applying for VA health care, claims and local assistance.
