Martin County’s current veterans’ population is more than 3,000 strong. The Martin County Veterans Service Officer applies for and is directly responsible for the veterans and their dependents receiving more than 10.4 million dollars in annual revenues. The Martin County Veterans Service Officer assists veterans and their dependents in preparing claims for Service Connected Disability Compensation, Non-Service Connected Pension; Educational Benefits, Health Care Benefits, Vocational Rehabilitation, Burial Benefits, and any other benefit to which the applicant is entitled under federal or state law.

The County Veterans Service Officer also attends the meetings of various groups in the county to explain VA benefits for veterans and their dependents.
The Martin County Veterans Service Officer is certified by the North Carolina Association of County Veterans Service Officers (NCACVSO) and the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers (NACVSO).

Duties of the County Veterans Service Officer include:

• Assist in the completion and filing of claims with the VA Regional Office and the Board of Veterans Appeals.
• Assist spouses in filing for death benefits
• Assist veterans in filing for health care benefits
• Assist veterans and dependents in filing for educational benefits
• Assist eligible spouses in filing for CHAMPVA benefits
• Assist in renewal of medication for veterans at the Durham VA Medical Center
• Make home visits or visits to nursing homes/rest homes when necessary to complete applications for benefits
• Assist surviving spouse/other family members in securing grave markers for veterans
• Assist local funeral homes in securing military information for flags
• Assist veterans in completing form for review of discharge or correcting military records
• Assist veterans in securing a copy of DD-214 from the National Personnel Records Center, St. Louis, MO.
• Work with local agencies to provide assistance to veterans and dependents

Common VA Benefit Terms:

Compensation: Monetary award to the veteran for a service-connected disability, which can be linked to military service, such as an injury, wound, or illness.

Non-Service Connected Pension: Monetary award to the wartime veteran, or surviving spouse, if they meet the financial guidelines set forth by Congress. The pension is based on income and net worth. The veteran must have had at least ONE (1) day of wartime service to be eligible to apply for pension.

Aid and Attendance: Extra funds are awarded if the veteran, or surviving spouse, needs assistance from another person - such as bathing, medication, getting dressed, or performing other daily needs.

Housebound: The applicant is confined to his/her home, but he/she does not need assistance in dressing, bathing, etc. from another person.

Dependent Indemnity Compensation (DIC): Monetary award granted the surviving spouse of a 100% service connected veteran if the death was service-connected. This is not based on income.

DD-214: A military separation document issued to veterans after 1949. Prior to 1949, the form used was DD-AGO 53 – 55. The number is located in the lower left corner of the document. The DD-214 should be recorded at the local Register of Deeds office for safekeeping. Veterans are able to get certified copies of the DD-214s when needed free of charge.

Scholarships for Dependents:

State of North Carolina Scholarships: These scholarships are available through the state and are administered by the NCDVA for the children of certain disabled wartime veterans. Four classes of the scholarships are awarded annually to applicants. Classes I-A, I-B, and IV are automatic awards, with no limitation to the number awarded. Classes II and III are competitive scholarships, with 100 awarded in each class. The application deadline for these scholarships is March 31 annually. Students must attend a college or university in North Carolina. Applications are available through the County Veterans Office.

North Carolina Association of County Veterans Service Officers Memorial Scholarship for Deceased Veteran Service Officers: The one time $500 scholarship, which is awarded annually by the NCACVSO, is open to high school seniors and college students. Applications are accepted from September through December annually. In addition to submitting the academic and financial requirements, the applicant must write a one-page essay, “What a Veteran Means to Me”. The committee meets in April to award the scholarships. Student must attend a college or university in North Carolina. Applications are available through the County Veterans Service Officer who is a member of NCACVSO.

Q: Who qualifies as a veteran?
A: A person who has served in the active military, naval, or air service of the armed forces of the United States and received an honorable discharge.

Q: What benefits am I entitled to receive?
A: The Veterans Service Officer will assist the veterans and their dependents in filing a claim to determine eligibility based on individual circumstances, including time in service, degree of disability, and, in some cases, annual income.

Q: How can I possibility get help with my escalating prescription cost?
A: Veterans frequently may not qualify for an VA monthly check but is eligible for assistance with out- of- pocket prescription cost.

Most Frequently Requested Telephone Numbers:

Winston-Salem Regional Office 1-800-827-1000
Winston-Salem Regional Office – Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD) 1-800-829-4833 Philadelphia Pension Maint. Center 1-877-294-6380
Durham VA Hospital 1-888-878-6890
Greenville Outpatient Clinic 1-252-830-2149
Greenville Vet Center 1-252-355-7920
Educational Benefits 1-888-442-4551
Life Insurance 1-800-669-8477
Debt Management Center 1-800-827-0648
CHAMPVA 1-800-733-8387
Headstones and Markers 1-800-697-6947