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“I never got my benefits. No one would help me.”
I’d heard this statement routinely growing up. A Navy veteran, my dad, Peter “Dave” Geist, has always been proud of his military service, having served in San Diego, Bainbridge, Maryland, Philadelphia, Alaska's Aleutian Islands and Vietnam. But when he uttered those words, I could tell this missing element from his service left him unfulfilled. And even if he wouldn’t admit it outright, it bothered him.
I never knew about the time in 1975 when he was interested in learning about education benefits only to be ignored or years later when he reached back out to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) only to hit another dead end after waiting several months for an appointment to discuss benefit eligibility.
After hearing these stories, his frustration made more sense. But when he reached out to the Weld County Department of Veterans Services a few years ago after finding out his changing health conditions were connected to military service, he found what had eluded him for so many years: assistance with the benefit-application process.
“It was like night and day,” Geist said. “I was surprised how much Veterans Services cared and wanted to help. It was nice to know they wanted to get my issues taken care of. Without Veterans Services, I wouldn’t have had a way to understand if I was eligible for benefits and what I needed to do to receive them. They really came through for me when so many others didn’t, and I’m very appreciative.”
Helping didn’t begin and end with just answering a few questions. It meant helping dad obtain DD-214 papers, helping him apply for benefits, keeping him apprised of any progress or changes in benefit status and a thorough explanation of benefit letters. While this type of assistance may have surprised my dad, it emphasizes the goal of people who work in the Weld County Department of Veterans Services.
“I started as a secretary with the DAV (the Disabled American Veterans organization) and listening and observing how staff were able to help veterans, I was like, ‘this is awesome,’” said Stephanie Davis, Weld County Veterans Service Officer. “I saw many times where their lives were changed, and I knew that’s what I wanted to do.”
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Veterans Service Officers serve as a crucial link between veterans and the VA. They help veterans and their families initially apply for education benefits as well as benefits related to non-connected and service-connected disabilities and enrollment into the VA health care system. They can also help with applications for burial items, like headstones or markers. While Veterans Services can’t guarantee someone benefits — that final determination comes from the VA, which serves as the benefit provider — the time taken to assist a veteran and listen to their needs makes a big impact on veterans, their families and Davis.
“There are frustrations, because you always want to do more,” Davis said, with tears in her eyes, explaining the special connections she’s formed with veterans in seven years as a Veterans Service Officer in Wyoming prior to joining Weld County in March. “But when you get that phone call and someone is crying on the phone thanking you because they were finally approved for benefits, that makes it all worth it.”
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This special connection and ability to help likely comes from an understanding of what a veteran has gone, or is going, through. Everyone working in the Weld County Department of Veterans Services is a veteran themselves. Davis served in the Air Force from 1993 to 1999. James Wicks, who started with Weld County Veterans Services earlier this month, served in the Air Force from 2006 to 2014 and Daniel Quin, who works the front desk as part of a work-study program while earning his degree from the University of Northern Colorado, served in the Army from 2020 to 2022.
“The walls come down when people learn we’re veterans, because we can relate to what they’re going through and how important it is to look into getting someone their benefits,” Davis explained. “They don’t have to be nervous to tell us things. We’ve all been in that same boat when it comes to getting benefits.”
That familiarity creates a welcoming atmosphere for veterans, and it also provides those who work as Veterans Service Officers the chance to continue serving, even after their active duty is over.
“Veterans have their own lingo, language and sense of humor. If you’ve never served, you wouldn’t understand,” Wicks said, explaining what fueled him to want to become a Veterans Service Officer. “I never really found that satisfaction post military, and it starts to take a toll. I really feel like helping veterans is my calling.”
My dad is just one example of many who have received help from Veterans Services. There are undoubtedly many more Weld County veterans who might benefit by reaching out but who may be too nervous or frustrated to do so. Still, the advice is simple.
“Don’t give up,” Davis said. “We’re here to help!”
That help resulted in my dad finally receiving benefits as well as something equally important: closure to military service that ended in 1973.
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By Baker Geist, Weld County Communications Specialist
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Veterans Services can assist veterans and their families with the process of applying for education benefits as well as benefits related to service-connected and non-service-connected disabilities and enrollment into the VA health care system.
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This year, Veterans Services has 6,700 active veterans case files. Correspondence to those includes email, in- office visits, mailing benefit package information, etc. The office has fielded 4,489 phone calls since
Jan 1, 2022. |
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Weld County's 2022 12 Months of Emergency Preparedness Tips
In November’s emergency preparedness tip, we show you a few things to consider that can help lessen the stress you feel following an emergency as well as some steps to take that can help in the process to replace damaged property. Read the tip now at www.weld.gov/go/pio.
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In a world with an ever-growing reliance on technology, the Weld County CSU Extension Office offers a handful of classes that teach useful processes dating back hundreds of years. We'll explore some of these classes, and the unique opportunity they provide residents, in the next issue of County Roots. |
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Welcome to County Roots, the official newsletter of Weld County Government. For those of us who work in county government, we think what we do is pretty interesting. So the goal of this newsletter is to highlight some of the partnerships, technology and efficiencies we are using to make government stronger and more effective for its residents.
Our goal is to establish regular communication with residents, spur interest in county projects, highlight county accomplishments and provide meaningful information to the public. In fact, our goal is to live up to the name “County Roots.” Want to know more about the meaning behind the name? Please visit our webpage, where you can also find previous editions of this newsletter.
If you have a topic idea or general feedback about this new venture, please let us know at jfinch@weldgov.com.
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