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Veterans urge Van Zandt County to boost service officer staffing amid long waits
Summary
Veterans, service providers and the county VSO asked the Van Zandt County Commissioners Court to expand the veterans service office to full‑time staffing, citing long waits, accreditation advantages and potential increases in VA benefit dollars for local veterans.
Tommy Ford, the county's veterans service officer, asked the commissioners court to make the position full time and to add a second full‑time VSO plus an administrative assistant, saying current part‑time coverage leaves veterans waiting weeks for appointments and limits outreach.
Ford told the court he currently reaches about 5% of the county’s estimated 5,000 veterans and cited a national data source indicating roughly $32 million in VA compensation flows to county residents. "I can look at anybody's record," Ford said, describing training and a federal accreditation process that allows VSOs to pull service and medical records and file more robust claims.
The request would increase personnel costs substantially: Ford proposed a $75,000 salary for the lead VSO and sought funding for additional staff and outreach time. Commissioners pressed for options that would reduce near‑term budget impact; one suggested bringing Ford on full time first and delaying a second hire, a phased approach Ford said he would consider.
Public witnesses backed the expansion. Phil Smith, who identified himself as a Navy Vietnam veteran and former public relations director for the Veterans Memorial, said veterans in Van Zandt County face long waits and distrust the VA but trust the county's VSO. "Tommy Ford is making a huge impact for our veterans in this county," Smith said, urging the court not to "abandon our veterans."
Other veterans and nonprofit providers described gaps in care and mental‑health consequences of delayed VA claims. Dr. Gail Bowen of Abigail International Missions recounted housing, transportation and employment support her nonprofit provides and said local outreach can plug gaps left by the VA.
The court did not vote. Commissioners asked staff to review options, including a phased increase in service hours and a cost‑sharing or gradual hire plan, and to return with specific budget scenarios.
Why it matters: County VSOs help veterans navigate federal benefits and can speed access to compensation, health care and supportive services. Local capacity affects veterans' financial stability, mental health services access and the county’s ability to capture federal benefit dollars that circulate through the local economy.
Next steps: Commissioners said they will review budget alternatives and the fiscal tradeoffs with other departmental requests before deciding in a later budget session.
