Veterans services could be reduced across Wisconsin
By Correne Martin
County veterans service office assistance for veterans and their dependents could be cut back if recently introduced Wisconsin legislation (AB 821 and SB 668) passes. The legislation would remove some of the locally-offered benefits, such as driver’s license and park pass eligibility determinations, from the county office and offer them through a consortium office shared with a nearby county or at an office in Madison, thus requiring veterans to travel farther to receive those services or utilize email or fax to send documents to the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs.
“They’re not taking into consideration that our local veterans don’t want to or can’t drive to Madison for these services. They might not know how to use email or send faxes,” Crawford County Veterans Service Officer Laura Moore stated. “If they just come into our office, I can look at their ID and verify their information much quicker and make it easier for them.”
“This just creates more problems for the veterans,” she added.
Moore said the bill was introduced and gained sponsorship in late January. By Feb. 4, the Assembly Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs met on several bills.
“This came out two weeks before the end of session and was pushing toward a vote before anybody even knew about it,” she noted. “Due to the negative feedback they received from the veteran community, a decision was made to assemble a task force that can look into the issues.”
Moore continued, “This started with the 2015–2017 Biennium State Budget. The budget that was passed changed the structure of the County Veterans Service Office Grant. The legislation was recommended to help smaller counties to pay for the CVSOs. The budget change takes the CVSO grant monies out of the salary supplement arena in the next two years and places the onus on the counties to come up with monies that they previously had not budgeted.”
The proposed legislation also includes removal of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs Board and provides counties the ability to consider a consortium with neighboring counties for CVSO assistance.
“The benefit process through the Department of Veterans Affairs is not getting easier, but all they see is the bottom dollar. They may be saving money on the front end, but they’re probably spending it on the back end,” Moore said. “The county veterans service office is to assist all veterans and their dependents with benefits they may be eligible to utilize and advocate for them.”
Concerned veterans, dependents and citizens can help by becoming educated on the proposed legislation and talking to legislators.
“Let them know how you feel about this bill,” Moore added.
