One might not think of a county department moving only a few blocks from its previous location as being particularly noteworthy. Staff inside the Weld County Veterans Service Office would disagree, however, as they’re seeing many positives after just a few months.

Of course, the location alone isn’t the only reason.

The positives are measured by both increased demand and the possibility of providing veterans closer access to many different services. Since relocating to 315 N. 11^th Ave. in Greeley in November 2023, the office has seen a significant uptick in visits and inquiries. 

“In the short time we’ve been here, we’re averaging serving 1,500 to 1,800 veterans per month, and that’s encompassing scheduled appointments, walk-ins, and emails. We were maybe seeing a tenth of that volume previously,” said Jeff Smith, Weld County’s Employment and Training Operator. “We also have a much easier handoff with employment services now, so as a community in general we’re being more responsive to our vets, and they deserve that.”

There’s no one single element driving the increased traffic since the office reopened. One could look at the experience of Smith and his team of Veterans Service Officers (VSOs) and navigators as a reason. Smith, whose father served in the Marines, ran a variety of veterans programs when he worked in higher education and carries a passion for helping veterans find resources.

The position, which is relatively new for Smith, builds on his passion as he oversees an office that serves as a bridge between a veteran and the federally run Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Local VSOs and navigators can provide assistance in applying for a variety of benefits relating to service and non-service-connected disabilities, education or enrollment into the VA health care system and more. Smith’s passion is shared by VSOs Tom Gonzales and Tim Marquart, both veterans of the Air Force and Marines, respectively. Veterans Service Navigator, Gwen Jenkins, also has deep ties to the military as a spouse of a veteran.

“Vets can feel open with us,” Marquart said, explaining how the comradery of military service often breaks down the barrier people feel when seeking help with benefits. “They understand we’re not going to ask the same sort of triggering questions that they might get if they share a story with someone who doesn’t have any service background at all.”

A closeness to military service also helps VSOs better understand the challenges someone may be facing.

“Our past service and past deployment definitely help us relate with subjects surrounding Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. I think vets are more likely to talk about things they’ve experienced with people who have gone through some of the same things,” Gonzales said.

A familiarity with services offered by the Weld County Department of Human Services (DHS), which now houses the office, is also a benefit to veterans and their families. Gonzales and Marquart each have extensive experience with DHS, which they can use to advocate for other services, such as employment and career planning, that can aid veterans. Marquart and Gonzales both believe the ability to connect veterans to a multitude of different resources has led to easier, more beneficial experiences.

“Now that we’re under DHS, we’re more in alignment with helping people overall,” said Gonzales, who worked for Weld County’s Area Agency on Aging (AAA) for eight years before becoming a VSO. “If a veteran needs financial assistance or medical assistance and they can’t qualify through the VA, we’re very familiar with the county’s resources and human services programs that might be able to help.”

Marquart, who’s spent five years working directly with Employment Services of Weld County and a total of 12 working with the division as a veterans’ employment representative for the state, agrees.

“Because of our experience, it’s much easier for us to braid those services,” he said. “Being just down the hall now from individuals who specialize in these areas means we can be much more efficient at helping veterans than we could in the past.”

Jenkins has seen the symbiotic relationship between the VSO and other county services early and often.

“Spouses will come in needing nursing services, or kids will come in to file a claim for their parent who was a veteran, and they may be scared or frustrated saying ‘we don’t know where else to turn,’” Jenkins said. “Now I can say, ‘oh wait, I might know of a program over at AAA that can help you.’ It may be something that’s always been there, but we just didn’t have any direct involvement, and now they’re right around the corner.”

Jenkins believes the partnership with employment services has been the most noticeable so far.

“A veteran may be talking to the employment folks and say, ‘I used to be a truck driver, and now I’m looking for something that’s a little more suited for my age,’” Jenkins said. “Being 70 and trying to drive a cow hauler or something along those lines is hard work! While they’re here talking with employment services, they can send us a message and ask if we have time to see this person for a disability claim. It’s a handoff where you’re not waiting on an email, or a phone call, or getting put in some kind of queue; you’re often going to be handed off directly to a human being.

"I think there’s some pride having all this available for our vets in one building. I want them to leave our campus and know that we all cared about them.”

Along with the braiding of services, designated parking spaces have been added to Building B’s lot, so veterans don’t have to walk far to get to the front desk. There’s also a designated office for disabled vets located right inside the building.

“Our Workforce Director [Karina Amaya Ragland] was able to secure us an office on the first floor [of the workforce center] which is basically 15 feet from the door, so (disabled veterans) don’t even have to go upstairs to meet with us. We have a private office downstairs that’s wheelchair accessible,” Smith said.

Those additions further reflect the teamwork approach to serving veterans. In relocating the office, staff from the Weld County Facilities Department were integral in helping with the transition. Facilities oversaw the office prior to the move, and Smith said they were always willing to answer questions and provide documents that made the process smooth and easy.

Among the goals for the office in the future are to decrease wait times, see as many veterans as possible, and to be a beacon in the community that becomes a household name for veterans.     

“We want to get out there in the community,” Marquart said. “We want to tell people, ‘Hey! We’re here for you! Come see us!’ We’re already seeing that payoff in the short term.  In the long term, we want to be nimble and agile. We want to be a powerhouse.”

Smith wants to take that one step further, and regardless of how daunting of a task that may seem, he has all the confidence in the world in this staff.

“We’re doing some really good things, but we’re in a building phase. I want all the veterans in Weld, Larimer, Adams and Boulder counties to know about us. I want to be the hub or focal point for the rest of the state, to go ‘this is what the Weld County Veterans Service Office is doing, and we want to emulate that,” Smith said. “That’s a long time out, but with the personnel we have, I know we can get that done.”

Security is top of mind for the Weld County Clerk and Recorder’s Office as we head into the 2024 election season. In our next issue, learn what this office does to ensure election security.