Veteran Service Officer

Advocate, advise and directly assist county residents by filing for applications for local, state and federal Veterans' benefits on their behalf. Service Officers service the Veteran Community which is defined as veterans, veteran spouses, and children of veterans. VSO's will be required to assist severely disabled claimants in their homes, satellite facilities, and other locations to gather paperwork, check identification, and capture ink and electronic signatures.

• Directly serve the Veteran Community in obtaining eligible services, in accordance with all applicable federal, state and county laws, policies and regulations to improve their quality of life.
• Serve as an advocate for the interests of the Veteran Community and, in a trauma informed manner, coordinate actions on their behalf across department and office lines through inclusion and collaboration to expedite the development of various claims and to assist veterans and their families to receive all services and benefits available to them from these other agencies.
• Perform case management for all clientele by initializing cases and conducting follow up maintenance, which can often span several years.
• Perform crisis planning, prevention, and response (with first responders and other providers) regarding mentally ill, at risk of suicide, and advanced age in crisis members of the veteran community.
• Maximize claimant benefits through concurrent receipt from multiple sources and seeking to ethically increase their compensation rating through the use of secondary conditions, special monthly compensation, and unemployability.
• Work closely with other Veteran Service Organizations to secure benefits for veteran community members by soliciting and receiving quality referrals for members of the veteran community in need. This entailing maintaining approximately 100 points of contact.
• Prepare, develop, submit, the highest available quality federal VA claims such as disability compensation, improved pensions, survivor benefits, health care, and burial benefits, and survivor benefits, to name a few.
• Prepare, develop, and submit the highest available quality state VA claims for Real Estate Tax Exemption, Emergency Assistance, Individual Grant Applications, Educational Gratuity, etc.
• Monitor federal and state claims from submission to final decision. Where appropriate, challenge decisions using all available avenues for review and appeal.
• Prepare complete legal briefs, fight points, and matter of aggravation for presentation to an Administrative Law Judge with the Board of Veteran Appeals using requisite VA forms and legal research to fully develop each case.
• Prepare, develop, and submit decedent affairs claims for veteran community members such as grave markers, headstones, medallions, flag holders and federal and state burial allowances.
• Answer questions via phone, email, and in person regarding VA benefits, perform standardized intake, and enter all necessary claims in D365.
• Perform public contact work and outreach in gathering information, resolving complaints, engendering support and providing information, especially for VA benefits and VA HealthCare.
• Assist community partners and nonprofit organizations with veteran initiatives to increase visibility of veteran pride and veteran community issues.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with other county departments, public officials, and veteran service organization providers through networking, cross-accreditation, think groups, etc.
• Maintain accreditation as a Veteran Service Officer by meeting state and federal requirements for Veteran Service Officers and VA business affiliates. This entails approximately 60 hours of requisite in person and remote training requirements and passing the necessary background checks.
• Maintain possession and validity of the VA issued PIV ID card.
• Maintain accounts on several case management databases and tools such as Recorder of Deeds PAS, VBMS, Vetraspec, DPRIS, Dynamics 365, Quick Submit, Service Benefits Portal, MyHealthyVet, and others as necessary.
• Maintain security and confidentiality of veteran and claimant records in accordance with state and federal regulations, county guidelines, and Director instructions.
• Serve as a Team Member for the Office's Multi-Disciplinary Team to work in tandem with other providers to ensure wraparound care for members of the veteran community most in need.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must have high school diploma.
• Must be honorably discharged from Active Duty service with one of the Armed Forces of the United States, this does not include Active Duty for Training.
• Must be certified/registered as a Veteran Service Officer by a veterans' organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veteran Affairs in the preparation and prosecution of claims under laws administered by that department or successfully complete the requirements for such certification/registration within one year of hiring.
• A base knowledge of veteran benefits will be required for all interviewees, prior experience as an accredited Veteran Service Officer or Post Veteran Service Officer is highly desired.
• Must have working knowledge of and / or ability to read/comprehend federal and state laws/regulations governing the administration of veteran's benefits and other services (Title 38 U.S. Code; Title 38 Code of Federal Regulations, Purdon's Pennsylvania Statutes relating to veteran/military matters, and National Veteran Legal Services Program documents).
• Must have ability and proven experience to establish and maintain effective relationships with the general public, other employees and governmental agencies as well as self-manage and expedite large quantities of casework documentation.
• Must have working knowledge of Microsoft Office, Dynamics 365, Vetraspec, VBMS, DPRIS, or similar case management programs.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; and talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands or arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and depth perception.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential function.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Stress levels and the risk of vicarious trauma are present.