The Yates County Veterans office is asking Yates County Veterans who have not already done so to file their DD 214’s (discharge papers) with the office.
Veterans Services Director Doug Gibbs said they are also asking Veterans who have filed their DD 214’s with the county previously to contact his office and make sure your mailing address and phone number are correct.
According to the last census, Yates County has a Veteran population of 1,440. Gibbs said the Veterans Services office only have contact with 571 Veterans, which leaves 869 Veterans in the county they have no contact with.
He added that his office gets no information from the Department of Defense. The only way the County knows about a Veteran is if they come into the office at the Yates County Office Building.
“Every Veteran should come in and file their DD 214 (discharge paper) with us,” said Gibbs. “These 869 Veterans are missing out on benefits they deserve. There are Federal, State and local benefits they could be eligible for. There are benefits available for both the Veteran and their family members.”
In 2023, the Yates County Veterans Services office brought $10.5 million federal dollars back to Veterans in Yates in disability and compensation payments. In addition, Yates County Veterans received medical care valued at $10 million dollars in 2023 at no cost to the Veteran. That is a total $20.5 million Federal dollars in benefits. Gibbs said those numbers are only for the 571 Veterans that they know about.
“The 869 Veterans we don’t have contact with could cause those benefit numbers to more than double. These federal dollars coming back to Veterans in Yates County help the Veterans and their families have a better way of life. It also puts money into the local economy and adds to the sales tax revenue. Connecting with the 869 Veterans will make a huge impact on them. For some it would be life changing.”
For more information, reach out to Gibbs at 315-536-5196
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