Veteran's Affairs Director in Laurens, South Carolina at Laurens County Government

Job Summary

The Veterans Affairs Director oversees the daily administrative and programmatic operations of the Veterans Affairs department. The Director leads a team dedicated to helping veterans transition into civilian life and ensuring they receive all federal, state, and local benefits to which they are entitled (including healthcare, pensions, education, and housing). This position requires a combination of empathetic customer service, strict regulatory compliance, strategic budget management, and strong advocacy.

Essential Job Functions

• Assists veteran, their dependent parents, wives, children, widows, orphans in determining their basic eligibility and conditions of entitlement for all benefits covering compensation, pension, insurance, hospitalization, outpatient treatment, and other benefits under the various programs followed by research, preparation, development, presentation, and prosecution to final determination all claims sent to the Veterans Affairs Regional Office for adjudication.
• Assists in preparation and submission of cases to the Veterans Affairs Regional Office and the Board of Veterans Appeals. Assists veterans and their beneficiaries in filing applications for review of discharges and in obtaining disability retirement or other benefits from the correction Boards of the Military Departments. Establish appropriate files for the record of the County Veterans Affairs Office on each individual case.
• Answers routine correspondence; conducts telephone interviews and personal interviews relating to veterans benefits and procedures; prepares a variety of applications and forms; prepares difficult correspondence to any agency which requires direct reply by the veteran’s beneficiary.
• Makes visits in very difficult and unusual cases to Social Services Offices, Law Enforcement Agencies, State Institutions, Prison, Hospitals, home and the like for the purpose of rendering advice or assistance to veterans, their dependents and survivors.
• Participates in conferences with Veterans Organizations, Federal and State officials on matters affecting the welfare of veterans. Routinely observes the operation of the Veterans Affairs Regional Office and examines the agency’s interpretation of law as expressed in regulations, bulletins, and precedent decisions.
• Instructions are disseminated through receipt of changes to the existing Federal Laws and VA Regulations; receipt of informational material from Veterans Organizations and the State Office of Veterans Affairs bulletins. Additionally, instructions are received through routine officials of these offices on the interpretation of regulations, bulletins, and precedent decisions
• Works with considerable freedom of action, independent judgement, and initiative. On unusually complex cases, seeks counsel from the State Office of Veterans Affairs. Normally, work is reviewed through Semi-Annual Reports to the Director of the Office of Veterans Affairs. Maintains contacts with the State Office of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Affairs Hospitals, and the VA Regional Office.
• Attends meetings of all County Veterans Affairs Officers when requested to do so by the South Carolina Office of Veterans Affairs on a semi-annual and/or annual basis to receive technical instruction personally from officials of the State Office of Veterans Affairs and the US Department of Veterans Affairs, plus other Federal and State agencies.

Additional Responsibilities:

Performs other duties as assigned

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

· Requires a bachelor's degree.

· Requires seven to ten years of experience.

· Or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

· Preferred qualification for active military or honorably discharged personnel.