|
The Logan County Chamber of Commerce presented the Business of the Week honor to Logan County Veterans Service and Service Officer John Haynie (second from left) with Logan County Commissioners Mike Brownell, Joe McBride and Jerry Sonnenberg.
....The exact date for the implementation of county Veteran Service Officers is unknown. The current governing statue that establishes county veterans service offices shows that directive as it stood after June of 2002 when the state Division of Veterans Affairs moved departments from Human Services to the Department of the Military.
....The exact date for the creation of county veteran service officers would be found in earlier statues that are in bound copies and are housed by the state librarian. County veterans service offices became increasingly typical over the early to mid-20th century in the wake of the World Wars.
....Particularly after WWII governments began to increasingly recognize a need for state and local entities to help veterans liaise with the Federal VA. The Colorado Division of Veterans Affairs received its Congressional recognition in 1947, so it would be reasonable if Colorado’s first county veterans service offices were also created around that time.
....Each county in Colorado has a veterans’ service office that offers FREE assistance to veterans. The Veterans Service Officer specializes in assisting veterans and their families with claims, applications and appeals to the federal Department of Veterans Affairs. Colorado currently has 87 county veteran service officers serving veterans in 64 counties.
....John Haynie came on board on November 7, 2017, as the veterans service officer for Logan County and worked 19 hours a week. John’s office was a conference room in the Logan County Courthouse at 315 Main St. in Sterling. He continued to work 19 hours a week (sometimes putting in as many as 35 hours per week) during 2018 and was approached by the commissioners to become a full-time veteran’s service officer in late 2018.
....After discussing the increase in hours, it was decided that John would work 30 hours a week and that has been his assignment for the past four and a half years. The conference room was turned into a working office where John could work with veterans from Logan County.
....John’s number of veterans served has constantly increased since 2017 with these statistics for 2022: calls from and to veterans: 1,963 - office visits with veterans 464 - home visits with veterans 106. Perhaps John’s greatest and most fulfilling accomplishment at this point is seeing the increase in Vietnam veterans coming into the office for filing claims and sometimes just to talk.
....It is so satisfying to be stopped by these veterans on the street, in our local stores and when they are in the courthouses just to say hello and check in with John. It has been John’s honor and privilege to work with these fine men and women who served our country and assist them in obtaining the benefits that they deserve from their time serving our country.
....In addition to assisting with filing claims, completing applications and appeals to the Federal Veterans Administration, John also assists veterans by providing information, resources, and assistance with Burial and Memorial Benefits, Community Care issues, Educational Benefits, VA Home Loans, Health Care Eligibility, obtaining Military Records (DD 214, Discharge Certificates, Service Records, etc.) and working with homeless veterans.
....John works with the American Legion Post and the VFW Post here in Sterling in assisting veterans in a multitude of services. One of the enjoyable aspects of working with our veterans is hearing their stories of their service to our country.
....John has learned so much history that wasn’t included in history books from listening to these men and women telling their stories of military service.
....Logan County Veterans Service is located in Historic Downtown Sterling at 315 Main St. John can be reached at 970-526-6901 or email: hayniej@logancountyco.gov. Office hours are Monday 9 a.m.–12 p.m., Tuesday 9 a.m.- 2, p.m., Wednesday 9 a.m.- 2, p.m. Thursday 9 a.m.- 2, p.m. and the office is closed on Fridays. Appointments are preferred. Walk-ins are welcomed.
.Join Us In Congratulating The
Logan County Veterans Service
....Business Of The Week
#tyingthecommunitytogether
| 
