Freeholders
honor retired
dept. director
JACKSON — E. Larry St. Laurent remembers his very first case as a young service officer with Veterans of Foreign War Post 4703 in Jackson.
The images of the man who lived in a small shed-like structure with three young children stayed with him for a very long time. To this day he remembers the family had used old cardboard boxes for insulation.
"This man was a veteran," St. Laurent said. "He served and now he needed help."
From that day on, St. Laurent has spent a good portion of his adult life helping veterans — from keeping a watchful eye on the construction of the Veterans Administration Clinic in Brick Township to helping lawmakers pen legislation to benefit veterans who were injured from extreme cold during war.
The Ocean County Board of Freeholders recently recognized St. Laurent for his 14 years of service as director of the Ocean County Veterans Service Bureau.
St. Laurent, of Jackson, retired from the bureau in July.
"Larry did an outstanding job in this position," said Freeholder James J. Mancini, who serves as liaison to the Veterans Service Bureau. "He will be missed."
The Board of Freeholders recently named John P. Dorrity, who has worked as the bureau’s assistant director since 1995, Veterans Service Officer in charge of the bureau.
Dorrity, a decorated Vietnam War veteran with a master’s degree in social work from Fordham University, New York, recently was elected first vice president of the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers.
"It’s an honor and a privilege to help provide so many important services to our veterans," Dorrity said. "The county’s programs have helped thousands through this office."
St. Laurent recalled that just within his first year as director the numbers of veterans helped began to increase dramatically.
"Ocean County has the largest veterans service bureau in the state," he said. "We have the highest number of veterans living here."
With more than 60,000 veterans, many of whom served in World War II, now calling Ocean County home, the Veterans Service Bureau provides a broad range of assistance including needs assessments and referrals, according to a press release.
In addition to helping with applications and paperwork for benefits and assistance, St. Laurent often found himself doing research to help locate deceased veterans for family members, or a ship or a gravesite.
"I have a whole file filled with this kind of information," St. Laurent said. "After a while people just knew that to find information they could come to me."
St. Laurent spent four years in the U.S. Army, spending two in Japan and one in Korea. He served as a Squad Leader, Platoon Sergeant Instructor and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant First Class at the age of 20.
St. Laurent is the recipient of numerous military honors, including the Purple Heart and five Campaign Stars.
Since his discharge from the military, St. Laurent remained extremely active in veterans organizations. He has been a member of VFW Post 4703, Jackson, since the mid-1950s, serving in a number of positions.
St. Laurent also served as chairman of the Korean War Memorial Committee, which culminated in the dedication of a Korean War Memorial in Brighton Park in Atlantic City.
St. Laurent noted other highlights of recent years, including his return trip to Korea on the 50th anniversary of the Korean War.
St. Laurent lives in Jackson with his wife, Mary. The couple has one son and three daughters in addition to seven grandchildren.