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Veteran service officer Bryce to leave county post, commissioners urged to consider full-time replacement
Summary
Ramsey County veteran service officer Bryce told commissioners he accepted a high-school JROTC job and will leave in mid-April; he urged the county to hire a full-time veteran service officer or add part-time support to maintain services for roughly 1,400 veterans across Ramsey, Benson and Nelson counties.
Bryce, Ramsey County’s veteran service officer, told the commission he has accepted a position at a local high school’s JROTC program and plans to start in mid-April, and he asked the board to consider hiring a full-time county veteran service officer or an assistant to cover his current caseload. “I was offered a position over at the high school working for the JOTC… So I’m gonna take it,” Bryce said.
Bryce told the commission his office currently serves about 900 veterans in Ramsey County, roughly 335 in Benson County and about 236 in Nelson County. He described the job as a mix of claims work, benefits management and social-service coordination and said access to VA systems and accreditation are important for continuity. “Everything is getting more and more computer orientated… So having that knowledge is extremely helpful,” he said.
Commissioners pressed Bryce about transition options and whether he could provide consulting or part-time coverage during onboarding for a replacement. Bryce said he would try to assist with ongoing cases so veterans are not left mid-process and suggested that prior military service and computer skills should be priorities in any hire. The chair summarized Bryce’s recommendation as hiring a full-time veteran service officer for Ramsey County.
Why it matters: County veteran service officers help veterans apply for benefits, access health care and pursue compensation claims; commissioners noted increasing workloads and an uptick in demand for services. The board did not take a formal hiring vote at the meeting but agreed the vacancy and workload require follow-up with human resources and a plan for interim coverage. Bryce said he will keep his accreditation so he can help the new officer during the transition.
The commission’s next steps are to discuss funding and job description changes with HR and to return recommendations at a future meeting. The chair thanked Bryce for his service and congratulated him on his new job.
