El Paso County veteran services says it filed thousands of VA claims and will host free Veterans Expo on June 10

El Paso County officials described the county’s veteran services office as a small, county-run operation that helps veterans file VA claims, handles appeals and will host a free Veterans Expo on June 10, 2026, at the Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Colorado Springs.

County veteran services division manager Charles Graves said the office focuses narrowly on veterans’ claims, explaining that “what makes us unique is that we cater only to veterans” and that Veteran Service Officers (VSOs) sit down with veterans to review medical histories and file benefits claims. Officials said that, based on county figures cited in the podcast, the division filed more than 4,200 claims in 2025 and that those filings produced more than $2.5 million in retroactive benefits that returned to the local economy. "Without those VSOs, many of them would never get the benefits that they deserve," Graves said.

Vernon Stewart, El Paso County’s executive director of community resources, and Graves said the office handled roughly 80,000 client contacts over the year — including walk-ins, calls and emails — despite a small staff. Graves said the office currently has six full‑time VSOs (with a planned seventh hire), two front‑desk support staff, an appeals coordinator and an appeals process that typically results in remands or, less often, grants by the Board of Veteran Appeals. He said the current average wait time for VSO appointments is about five weeks.

Stewart and Graves highlighted a county‑funded appeals coordinator, Jennifer Clark, as a key difference from the prior statewide process. County officials said Clark helps veterans prepare for federal hearings and has improved the local handling of appeals. "She has a 75% success rate with her appeals," one of the guests said on the podcast. County officials framed that figure as part of a broader push to provide more personal, local help rather than rely on a centralized statewide appeals coordinator in Denver.

Officials emphasized that successful claims can yield more than retroactive payments: they can open eligibility for VA health care and other benefits and provide emotional validation for veterans who have long sought recognition of service‑connected conditions. The guests also called attention to surviving spouses — particularly of Vietnam‑era veterans exposed to Agent Orange — and urged family members to ask about potential benefits.

The June 10 Veterans Expo will be free and open to veterans, active‑duty service members, National Guard and Reserve members, spouses, caregivers and family. Presentations and resource tables will cover survivor benefits, caregiver programs, service animals, homeless‑veteran resources and claim basics; county officials said representatives from multiple parts of the Department of Veterans Affairs (including the VHA, VBA and the National Cemeteries Administration) are expected to attend. The event is scheduled 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; the county said it will provide free parking options and a short shuttle to the Pikes Peak Center. Organizers said about 75–80 vendor tables had signed up at the time of the recording, and encouraged attendees to bring DD214s, VA letters and ID.

County officials provided a contact number for Veteran Services (719‑520‑7750) for appointments or questions and urged veterans and family members to use the office’s free services. The podcast closed with organizers expressing hope that the expo will build better local referral networks and be repeated in future years.

The figures and descriptions above reflect the county officials’ statements on the podcast; claims that El Paso County is the only county in Colorado with a dedicated appeals coordinator and the stated success rates are reported by county staff and were not independently verified in the recording.