Veterans Service Officer

People who serve in the military are often eligible for benefits even after they’ve left the service. Some veterans know about this, but others and their families don’t quite know what’s available to them. That’s where a veterans service officer comes in. You help veterans fill out paperwork and sign up for the benefits they deserve.

As a veterans service officer, you talk with veterans about how long they served and how many times they were put in a combat situation. To put them at ease, you provide coffee, doughnuts, and a supportive ear, and use slang during the discussion. You also help them (or their family) fill out paperwork for school funds, housing loans, or burial cost deferments.

Some veterans may have medical problems as a result of their service. In such cases you help them fill out the paperwork, and you may contact their doctors and ask for medical records to support the claims. If a veteran must be admitted to a veteran’s hospital, then you talk to the hospital and provide all the paperwork. And after he’s discharged, you call the veteran to make sure he’s attending the needed follow-up appointments.

You’re an advocate for your clients, working hard to make sure they get their benefits. You don’t attempt to deny them or discourage them from applying because you feel good about helping veterans of all ages. You’re so passionate about your job that you have to stop yourself from talking to people on the street about their military backgrounds.