Sullivan County Veterans Committee reports aid distributions, burial totals and VA funding concerns

The Sullivan County Veterans Committee reported a series of community aid efforts, service statistics and federal policy concerns during a meeting that reviewed recent veteran assistance, donations and cemetery totals.

Committee members said the county and local veterans organizations distributed meals, emergency financial assistance and scholarships that directly aided residents. The committee also reviewed cemetery burial figures, transportation counts for medical appointments and local outreach statistics, and discussed the federal Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 2025 budget and staffing impacts.

The committee’s commander said local groups and donors funded direct assistance to veterans. He reported that the Monticello Elks Club’s generosity helped provide 78 ham dinners distributed through American Legion, AMVETS and VFW posts, and that the Sullivan County Longbeards donated 45 turkeys to the veterans’ pantry and other county food pantries. He said the committee provided three scholarships of $2,000 each; recipients named during the meeting were Craig Costa of Tri Valley, Julia Duran of Liberty High School and Alexander Dietz of Monticello High School.

The commander detailed individual emergency payments: $1,439 for a rent arrearage for one veteran, $1,900 to help an Army veteran after a ceiling repair, and $2,308 to cover an electric bill for a women veteran. “All the money that we get from the people of Sullivan County, whatever we spend goes to the veterans of Sullivan County or a vendor from Sullivan County,” the commander said.

Randy Pierce, identified by the committee as its funerals representative, read a list of recent funerals to be handled by veterans’ organizations, naming Edward G. Van Putt, Lawrence Whipple, Stephen J. Sudia, William Feliciano, Richard Gregory, Ron Mead, Hosea Armstrong, Robert Buckles and Richard Bartikovich among recent decedents scheduled for services.

Steve, who presented the meeting’s director’s report, described broader VA policy and funding issues discussed with state and national veterans organizations. He reported that “the VA’s 2025 fiscal budget is $369,300,000,000 this year. That is a 9.8% increase over 2024,” and said some of the increase followed legislation that expanded eligibility for benefits, producing a funding shortfall estimated in the meeting remarks at about $16 billion. He also summarized congressional and executive developments mentioned during the report, including the incoming secretary-designate and a recently signed executive order implementing a federal hiring freeze that includes exemptions for certain VA hiring.

Local service statistics presented to the committee showed cemetery and service contacts through Jan. 24: veterans buried alone, 1,172; dependents, 145; veterans and spouses together, 668; total burials in the Sullivan County Veterans Cemetery, 1,985 (an increase of nine since December 2024). Transportation referrals for VA medical appointments were listed by month: in November the office referred trips to Albany (3), to Castlepointe (32) and 25 local trips; in December referrals were 2 to Albany, 20 to Castlepointe and 29 local trips. Reported contacts and phone activity rose from 100 contacts and 488 phone calls in November to 137 contacts and 531 phone calls in December. The committee recorded seven homeless veterans in both November and December.

Joseph Putnam and Zachary Jones were identified as veterans service officers (VSOs) who, along with clerk Sheldon Dillon and other staff, were credited with outreach, appeals training and assistance that connected veterans to benefits and local services. The director said staff attended NACVSO advanced appeals training and other events and that the office has distributed an updated food pantry guide to veterans in need.

Butch Gore Wright, representing the Sullivan County Longbeards, described recent hunting and outreach events that served veterans, youth and first-time hunters and said the organization donates time and food to veterans’ events. The committee also noted a recent Wreaths Across America event and a district-level VFW meeting hosted locally.

The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn; the motion carried.