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Veterans service officer reports $12,000/month in benefits approved; county exploring transport options for veterans
Summary
Veterans Service Officer Mikhail Madsen told commissioners he secured roughly $12,000 per month for veterans through VA approvals during his tenure and is pursuing shared coverage with neighboring counties; the county is also pursuing grant funding for a medical transport vehicle to improve access to VA care for remote residents.
San Miguel County’s Veterans Service Officer, Mikhail Madsen, updated commissioners on May 1 about benefits work and transportation initiatives for veterans.
Madsen said the office has helped secure approximately $12,000 per month in VA benefits for county veterans during his tenure and that he recently was authorized to serve neighboring county veterans in a cross‑county agreement. He warned of federal workforce reductions under discussion in Washington that could complicate benefits processing but noted the county’s local services and advocacy remain important.
Transportation and medical access Madsen and county staff discussed a planned grant and program to provide a county‑coordinated medical transport vehicle (an SUV) to give remote West‑End residents lower‑cost rides to VA facilities in Grand Junction or Montrose. Commissioners said the cost of relying on commercial ride‑share or long trips is prohibitive (examples of $6 per mile were cited); the planned program would provide subsidized rides (staff discussed an example fare of about $10 for a trip to Grand Junction) and was described as a county‑led project with grant support and a paid driver.
Other operational notes - Madsen said that his office is finalizing a reconciliation with state VA data systems (VETERANSPEC / GDX) and that more complete monthly figures should be available later this year. - Madsen said cuts being discussed at the federal level were producing constituent concerns; he recommended county outreach and a press release to clarify local services and the county’s role.
No formal county appropriation was requested at the meeting; commissioners encouraged continuation of the transport grant pursuit and local outreach for veterans.
