Veterans seeking more support for Dubois County Veterans Service Office
Dubois County veterans are asking the Dubois County Commissioners to provide more support through the Veterans Service Office to meet the growing demand on the office and grow it services.
Current Veterans Service Officer (VSO) Susan Bramlett recently announced she is resigning from the position. She has served since 2022 and is the second VSO the county has hired since 2021.
Speaking of her own experience, Bramlett told the commissioners she was very busy helping local veterans as well as those reaching out to her from outside the county. She suggested the commissioners add staff and increase funding for the office to better support the veterans as well as meet the demand on the office.
Bramlett emphasized the time-intensive nature of the job. “I spend a lot of time with these veterans, hearing their stories and the tough stuff. It’s not something you can rush through in 20 minutes,” she explained adding that her devotion to the job has led to many sleepless nights.
The office is only open Tuesdays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Bramlett acts as the sole employed VSO with the help of volunteers.
“I come in very, very early and I leave very, very late. I love this job. I, I love it so much. But I am burnt out,” Bramlett said.
She suggested expanding the office to include a full-time VSO and two part-time positions to better serve veterans’ needs and provide a rotation for the employees to take time off.
Daryl Hensley, who leads Disable American Veterans Chapter 77, shared that Dubois County received over $21 million in total veteran expenditures in 2023. This includes compensation, pension, education, rehabilitation, and medical care for a portion of the 2,035 veterans identified in the county.
He proposed that the increased support to the VSO would likely continue to impact the local community as more veterans sought out services, education and employment in the area. Pointing at Bramlett’s work since taking office, he noted that the identified veteran expenditures had increased from $15 million in 2021 to $18 million in 2022 and those increased continued into 2023.
“A good VSO can bring in millions into a community,” Hensley told the commissioners, adding it would also increase the county tax base and trickle into other local expenditures.
“A veteran service office that is well staffed, well trained and well paid can grow the county’s revenue in an abundance of ways,” he continued. “A veteran service office that is understaffed poorly trained and underpaid can lead to constant turnover and a community of veterans who become dissatisfied with the poor service they get.”
With Memorial Hospital acting as a hub for healthcare needs for the six surrounding counties, the increased support for veterans could also impact the hospital’s growth, he postulated.
David Flynn, a retired Marine Corps officer and president of the Dubois County Veterans Council, emphasized the importance of a well-staffed VSO. “Dubois county is very unique and what I’ve learned since I’ve lived here is, I mean we are a hub of southern Indiana,” Flynn said. He noted that many veterans from surrounding counties use Dubois County’s services due to its central location and employment opportunities.
Flynn highlighted the VSO’s central role in providing information for widows and dependents in addition to veterans on programs regarding burial, home loans, medical claims, survivor benefits and job assistance. “The Veteran Service Office is really the hub for everything we’re trying to do with volunteer organizations and our clubs,” he explained.
The commissioners showed interest in the proposal but didn’t make any firm commitments yet. Commissioner Chad Blessinger suggested the group return in January to continue the discussion, potentially incorporating the expansion into the county’s comprehensive plan.
“I know I fully support this,” he told the group.
He said as they work through a comprehensive plan, this should be included in the discussion. “I [would] like this to be one of the components of what can we do year one, year two of the things you’re talking about. I think it’s important. Even if I didn’t care about veterans issues, which I do, it makes sense economically, in addition to just being the right thing to do.”
Here is the document that Hensley provided commissioners supporting his suggestions.
