State’s vets missing out on benefits

On average, Nevada veterans wait 42 days before meeting with a service officer, compared with one day in Florida and West Virginia and seven days in Georgia and North Carolina, the report by the Division of Internal Audits found.

“Due to the lack of available officers and frustration with the long wait times, … Nevada veterans are not pursuing benefits to which they are entitled,” the audit said. “We estimate 2,700 veterans go unserved in Nevada.”

Nevada’s ratio of veterans to each service officer is 33,335, compared with 10,256 in Georgia and 5,292 in West Virginia, the audit said.

The audit recommended that four additional service officer positions be created at a cost of about $317,000 annually, including salaries and benefits.

The office currently has seven service officers.

Service officers assist veterans and their families in preparing and submitting their claims to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

“With the additional staff, we estimate up to an additional $14.9 million in benefits would be paid to Nevada veterans annually,” the audit said.

Nevada taxpayers also would benefit because veterans might not need to seek social services provided by the state if they receive federal benefits, the audit said.

Tim Tetz, executive director of the Office of Veterans Affairs, said in a response to the audit that there is a clear need for more service officers in Nevada. Unfortunately, a request for four additional service officers and three administrative assistants did not make it into the 2007-2009 budget, he said.

Despite the failure to get additional staff into the budget, Tetz said, the Legislature has shown an interest in funding two additional service officers for northeastern Nevada.

Benefits that veterans are entitled to include disability compensation, pension, hospitalization and vocational training.

Disability compensation is money paid to veterans who are disabled by an injury or disease during military service.