Lee County, IA – The Lee County Commission on Veterans Affairs is seeing an increase in the number of former soldiers the agency is providing services to.
Director Paul Carroll says his office works with veterans who slip through the cracks and do not receive help in filling out the necessary paperwork for benefits, disability claims, and other services before they retire or leave the military.
He says the number coming into his office, nearly 200 total in the last two years, continues to rise.
Carroll says that is due in part to encouragement from the branches of the U-S military to seek assistance.
He says last year, the claims filed through his office resulted in $40,000, from the federal government, coming back to Lee County for veteran benefits.
Carroll says that number could quadruple when he files the yearly report in January.
You can hear more the Lee County Commission of Veterans Affairs Director Paul Carroll by clicking the audio link above.
Additional Information
* Carroll says his office provides emergency assistance to veterans in need.
* He says the youngest veteran he has worked with lately was 19-years-old.