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Eric Flowers details veteran-services gains, outreach and a $114,000 retroactive claim win
Summary
Veteran Service Officer Eric Flowers reviewed 2024 operations for Crow Wing County Veterans Services, highlighting 68 outreach events, about $67,000 in SSAP grants to 31 veterans, 1,724 client visits and a retroactive VA award that produced roughly $114,000 in back pay for one veteran.
Eric Flowers, Crow Wing County’s veteran service officer, told the board that the office’s mission is to “set the standard of excellence in serving our veterans” and outlined outreach and claims work in 2024.
“Our mission is to set the standard of excellence in serving our veterans by fostering meaningful relationships, engaging in proactive outreach, providing high quality claims assistance, and delivering comprehensive education of VA benefits to our veterans,” Flowers said. He reported 68 targeted outreaches, approximately 60 total outreaches, 1,724 office visits and 233 new veterans added to the office’s caseload in 2024.
Flowers gave a breakdown of financial assistance and claims work. The office brought in about $67,000 in State Soldier Assistance Program (SSAP) grants for 31 local veterans; roughly 70% of those vouchers were for dental and optical care, 20% for special needs (housing and utilities) and 10% for subsistence needs. He said the office assisted 16 veterans with MACV housing applications that resulted in about $37,154 in direct housing assistance, and that immediate vendor payments (car repairs, utilities, home repairs) totaled around $37,000.
On claim outcomes, Flowers said his team processed about 341 compensation claims in 2024, handled roughly 104 supplemental or response claims, processed 23 DIC (surviving-spouse) claims, and assisted with about 149 VA health-care applications. He described one case in which an ACVSO’s review identified a "clear and unmistakable error" that led to benefits being granted retroactively. Flowers said that review "resulted in about a $114,000 worth of back pay." He credited careful case reviews and staff training for the office’s ability to find and correct such errors.
Flowers also warned the board that claim development and VA processing problems persist. He said staff follow up directly with VA personnel through secure messaging and other channels when development issues are identified and that the office checks each open claim weekly or biweekly to ensure it is progressing.
Commissioners asked about standards and how the office’s approach compares to other counties; Flowers said the twice-to-four-week file review cadence was his office’s internal decision made to ensure quality and timeliness. The presentation closed with Flowers’ request that the board note the office’s role and consider the upcoming 2026 budget in light of outreach and staffing needs.
