County Veteran Service Office gains new Veteran Service Officer.

Hood River County Veterans and their families have a great resource for obtaining benefits — the Veteran Service Office (VSO). Stan Getz, the County’s new Veteran Service Officer, and Wanda Schreier, Office Manager, staff the office.

County Veteran Service Officer
Stanley Getz

The State of Oregon and Hood River County fund the VSO. New Veteran Service Officer Stan Getz is a Veteran himself, having served 22 years in the U.S. Army and Oregon Army National Guard. He also spent five years as a Veteran Service Officer for Umatilla and Wallowa counties. Growing up in The Dalles, he was pleased when the Hood River County VSO position opened.

A wide variety of state and federal benefits is available to Veterans and their families, including widows and dependents. The VSO helps Veterans and family members navigate the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Oregon Department of Veteran Affairs (ODVA), and other Veterans resources. The office can help Veterans gather information, file claims, and track claim progress through the VA system. If necessary, the office will also help with filing appeals for denied claims.

Some of the duties of a Veteran Service Officer include enrolling Veterans and their families in healthcare, education, and housing loan programs. In addition, filing for disability benefits, aid & attendance, pension, and a host of other benefit programs is another duty of the Veteran Service Officer. Information regarding State specific Veteran benefits such as free fishing and hunting licenses, recreational park passes, disabled license plates, emergency funds, or home loan assistance is available. Other tasks include outreach, attending Veterans’ events, providing presentations to local Veteran’s groups and care providers, etc.

“Wanda and I encourage Veterans and survivors to give us a call so we can discuss what benefits they may be entitled to, and we can go from there,” Getz says. “What a Veteran’s needs are dictates which direction we go. Many adult children of Veterans visit us when their aging mother or father needs assistance, for instance.”

To inquire about Veterans’ services, please contact the Hood River County VSO by phone or email to setup an appointment during business hours.

VETERANS’ SERVICES OFFICE CONTACT INFORMATION:

Phone: 541-386-1080 • Email: vsomanager@hoodrivercounty.gov
Webpage: hoodrivercounty.gov/veterans

The VSO is located at:

1790 May Street, Suite A, Hood River
Hours are Monday – Thursday, 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The office is located at the back (north side) of the building where you’ll find parking including parking for the disabled.

The Hood River County VSO has assisted hundreds of Veterans in the County with the goal of helping every Veteran access benefits. Documentation is required for most Veteran service claims and should be brought to your appointment. A partial list of documents is found below. During your appointment, the Veteran Service Officer will let you know if any other documentation is needed. Common documents that may be required to file a claim or claims, depending on specific situations or needs are:

• DD-214, Discharge Papers & Separation Documents
• Marriage Certificate
• Spouse and/or Dependent Birth Certificate
• Death Certificate
• Medicare/Medicaid Information
• Income Verification
• Medical Records
• Veteran's Administration correspondence or letters