Freeholder Amy A. Mallet has initiated a plan to bring services already being provided to Monmouth County veterans under one umbrella and train personnel in the Division of Aging, Disabilities and Veterans’ Interment to assist veterans in obtaining their benefits.
As a result, the county has begun gathering details about what services are currently being provided to veterans, such as transportation to hospitals and clinics. Additionally, two people in the Division of Aging, Disabilities and Veterans’ Interment will be trained as veterans’ service officers, according to a press release.
“Monmouth County has the third-highest population of veterans in New Jersey, yet it is ranked fifth in the state of total Veterans’ Administration expenditures,” Mallet said. “This disproportionate allotment of funds is due primarily to the absence of a county veterans’ service officer.”
The employees who will be trained and become certified as county veteran service officers already counsel people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). They would remain in the Division of Aging, Disabilities and Veterans Interment, according to the press release.
The idea stems from a recent seminar on PTSD and TBI held at Monmouth University, West Long Branch. Thomas Pivinski, director of the Division of Aging, Disabilities and Veterans’ Interment, reported favorably on the event and highlighted the keynote address by John Dorrity, director of Ocean County’s Bureau of Veterans Services.
Mallet, Pivinski and staff then attended a forum sponsored by state representatives to address veterans’ issues.
“The veterans and their families spoke out on a variety of matters, but the overarching message was their frustration in dealing with the bureaucracy,” Mallet said. “There is a huge backlog of benefit claims and this, combined with their inability to get to the right person, was the message we heard.
“A Monmouth County veterans services officer would advocate for veterans and their families and aggressively pursue all federal and state benefits and entitlements on their behalf,” Mallet said. “This would maximize state and federal VA program money coming into Monmouth County.”
For example, Somerset County has 13,296 veterans and receives $79.6 million in Veterans Administration benefits. By comparison, Monmouth County has 36,300 veterans and receives $90.3 million. This means Somerset County veterans are getting more than double the benefits as the average Monmouth County veteran. Veterans in Burlington County receive 50 percent more.
Monmouth County veterans will be needing veterans’ services for more extended periods in the coming years, Mallet said. Monmouth County has the third-highest veteran population under 65 and ranks fourth-highest with veterans who are 65 or older.
“I am confident that a trained staff will help give clear direction to our existing resources in a way that will greatly benefit the veterans and their families,” Mallet said.