Butler County Veterans Commission is Here to Help
For veterans, coming home after serving in the military or fighting in a war can be daunting. Re-entering civilian life and catching up on life’s missed events is challenging in itself, but adding an injury or financial hardship to the mix can make the adjustment that much more difficult.
The Butler County Veterans Service Commission is an agency that provides veterans and their dependents with advocacy and assistance in obtaining veterans benefits, temporary financial assistance and transportation to VA appointments. The Commission is located at 315 High Street in Hamilton and serves approximately 4,880 veterans in Butler County.
According to the Commission’s executive director, Caroline Bier, the Commission is defined by three goals: service work, transportation and temporary financial service. Bier retired from the United States Marine Corps in 2013 as Chief Warrant Officer 3, and became executive director of the Commission in 2014.. She says they strive every day to meet the needs of the veteran families residing in Butler County.
“The Butler County Veterans Service Commission works closely with our community partners to best meet the needs of the veteran families that we service, thus helping to improve the lives of veterans and their families,” Bier says.
One veteran who benefited from these services is Chuck Weber, who served six years as Captain in the Army. including a tour in Vietnam. Weber visited the Commission and was assisted with filing for benefits associated with veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange during military service. A few years after Weber’s first visit to the Commission, he was nominated for the position of Commissioner at Large and appointed by a sitting judge in Butler County. He currently serves as Commissioner at Large and encourages other veterans in the area to visit the Commission to see what services may benefit them.
“Call or stop in to make an appointment with a service officer,” Weber says. “We have five service officers who are highly trained and certified to assist veterans.”
Although the Commission serves nearly 5,000 veterans, there are about 26,000 veterans living in Butler County. Both Weber and Bier hope the Commission can help more and more veterans in the future.
“We ask all Butler County residents to get the word out about our agency,” Bier says. “We have found that word-of-mouth is a great method to inform veterans about our agency and the services we provide. A service officer can assist a veteran in applying for VA benefits, which could be a lifetime benefit.”
Weber adds, “Under Caroline’s leadership, the Commission has become increasingly veteran-focused, treating all veterans as clients seeking professional help.”
If you or someone you know may benefit from learning more about the Butler County Veterans Service Commission, visit their website or call 513.887.3600. BCVets.org