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Veterans Affairs director: Roscommon veterans brought $35 million in benefits to the county in 2025
Summary
Director Heath Nemeth told commissioners the county’s veterans (2,731 by the report) generated an estimated $35 million in total benefits in 2025, with $19 million coming from disability and pension awards the office helps file. He urged more outreach to younger veterans and explained statutory burial assistance.
Heath Nemeth, director of Roscommon County Veterans Affairs, presented the office’s annual report to the board on Feb. 25, saying county veterans received an estimated $35,000,000 in total benefits in 2025 and that his office helped secure roughly $19,000,000 in disability and pension awards.
Nemeth said the office counts 2,731 veterans in the county in the most recent report and that service‑connected veterans number 711. “Straight, hard, cold cash — what we do in the office is file for disability and pension claims. Those are monetary awards. That is $19,000,000,” Nemeth said. He also explained a statutory burial payment of $300 for each qualifying veteran or spouse residing in Roscommon County at the time of death.
Nemeth highlighted growth in benefit dollars since 2015 and credited outreach for increasing claim filings even while the veteran population declines. “We continue to grow,” he said, noting the office’s emphasis on education, ‘listen and learns’ and community programming intended to reduce veteran isolation. Board members asked about data updates and the timing of state veterans’ counts; Nemeth said 2024 figures were expected within weeks.
The report included program details and demographic breakdowns — percentage‑ratings that determine monthly award levels, counts by disability percentage, and age cohorts (e.g., 445 veterans aged 65 and older). Nemeth also described non‑taxpayer-funded family programs (donation‑funded events and recreation) aimed at suicide prevention and community engagement.
The board did not take formal action on the report; commissioners thanked Nemeth for the update and asked staff to circulate any follow‑up numerical clarifications when the state’s 2024 data are published.
