| FUND: GENERAL |
COMMUNITY SERVICES |
John J. Weibel
Chapter 45 of the Wisconsin State Statutes requires the
presence of a Veterans Service Office in each of the State's 72 counties. The
State contributes an annual grant of $13,000 towards the Service Office budget,
with the balance of required funding coming from the County.
The office assists all eligible ex-servicemen and women and their dependents in
securing any aid or benefits which may be due to them under Federal or State law
because of their service in the armed forces of the United States. Benefits
include health care, home loans, burial, insurance, disability compensation,
pension, personal debt consolidation loans, emergency subsistence aid grants and
food vouchers, along with educational grants and loans. The staff assists in
locating military or medical records and in arranging transportation to the
Milwaukee VA Medical Center.
We maintain a full time office at the Racine County Service Building (Work Force
Development Center). and a twice-monthly office at the Western Racine County
Service Center in Burlington. We also offer home visits to shut-ins.
This office maintains an active presence in local veterans' activities including
parades, holiday ceremonies and educational and fraternal events.
Efforts in 2000 to enroll veterans in the VA's Health Care
Network were successful to the point of over loading the VA's local delivery
system. Recent stats indicate 3,000 of our county's 17,000 vets are now signed
up for VA Health Care, nearly 1,000 more than the previous year.
Another indication of increased service to our vets is the fact that Federal VA
disability in Racine increased to $12.9 million - up $2.4million from 2000; and
Federal VA Home loans increased $7.9 million to reach $21.6 million.
Wisconsin Dept of Veterans Affairs spending stayed fairly steady at $2.1
million, although it has decreased since 2000. The popularity of their loan
programs is largely determined by prevailing interest rates.
