Martin County veteran service officer outlines VA-claim assistance, transport and home visits

Ashley Western, a veteran service officer for Martin County, described county services that help veterans navigate the Department of Veterans Affairs and access benefits. She said the office assists with filing disability, compensation and pension claims, obtains missing medical records, and walks veterans through the VA process.

Western said the office also provides transportation to medical appointments and grocery stores and conducts home visits for veterans who cannot come into the office. "If the veteran isn't able to come into our office, we can go to them and complete tasks just like we would be able to do in office," she said.

The office schedules roughly five or six veterans at a time, Western said, but also accepts walk-ins and reviews each veteran's file and paperwork during intake. She described the work as a team effort: "We have, 2 other veteran service officers in the office, 1 other marine and an air force veteran. And then we also have an army veteran that works with us as well as a veteran service officer, and we really lean on each other."

Western, who said she served four years in the Marine Corps, described being motivated by a veteran service officer who helped her review records near the end of her enlistment. She emphasized that the county’s assistance is free: "we don't charge anything," she said, and encouraged Martin County resident veterans and family members to call the office for help obtaining benefits.

For more information, Western provided the office phone number: (772) 288-5448. The remarks appear in the provided transcript; no formal motions or votes were recorded.