Island County has been selected to receive $110,00 in grant funding from the state to hire a veteran services officer through June 2023.

Four Washington counties – Island, Walla Walla, Clallam and Stevens – are receiving this rural county veteran service officer pilot grant. In total, there are 21 counties that have veteran service officers. Rural counties are defined as 100,000 people or fewer.

Veteran service officers help veterans and their family members apply for federal VA benefits.

“These are largely disability benefits,” explained Steve Gill, Veteran Services Administrator at the Washington State Department of Veteran Affairs.

According to a press release, Washington state veterans and their families receive over $3.4 billion each year through VA disability compensation, pension or survivors pension. Monthly disability payments help veterans and their families meet basic needs such as housing, food and utilities. It also gives them access to employment and education benefits.

“That also increases their access and eligibility for VA health care benefits which can save them a lot of money on healthcare costs,” Gill said.

The average disability payment is about $1,500 a month, according to Gill.

“Veteran services officers really are focused on helping veterans and their families in local communities access those benefits and to improve the quality of life and to improve their access to health care and their outcomes related to healthcare,” he said.

This grant only provides salary and benefits for the veteran services officer position for 11 months. It remains to be seen if Island County will continue to have a veterans services officer beyond June of next year.

“I can’t say whether or not the county would choose to extend the position beyond that,” Gill said. “That’s kind of up to the county.”

Gill also said there is a possibility the grant funding will be renewed for the next fiscal year.