New Town Hall Post Will Aid Veterans

Veterans in the Town of Southampton will soon get help navigating the system.

Earlier this week, officials from the town and county announced that they are hiring a veteran's service officer who will be available to assist eligible veterans, their spouses, dependents and survivors.

The new position, officials said, is being created through a joint agreement between the town and the county that was approved on July 30 with two one-year options to renew.

“This joint agreement will help to provide improved services to veterans and save taxpayer dollars,”  County Executive Steve Bellone said. “Those who have served our country deserve our support and this initiative will help to provide services the veteran’s community needs and wants."

Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst said she believes the new position will make access to services more convenient, especially for veteran residents who find it difficult to travel.

"I think it is incumbent on us as the leaders of local government to ensure that our veterans and their families can readily access the services and benefits they deserve," she said.

Services the veteran's service officer will provide include:

• Assistance to determine qualification for any Veterans’ Affairs (“VA”) benefits
• Identification and assistance with the preparation and submission of benefits applications for interested veterans in the community, including Pension, Compensation, Aid and Attendance (A&A) or other benefits
• Assistance to veterans who have questions regarding issues such as benefits, applications, various VA forms, eligibility and payment issues
• Answering questions and/or providing relevant information to residents and families regarding VA related topics