Grants fund help for veterans

Money available for variety of needs

Steve Otero Special to the Times

Taking care of people is a unique challenge we may all face in various roles within our lifetimes. My job as a county veterans’ service officer (CVSO) is to educate, advocate for and serve Colorado military veterans. CVSOs perform much of the Veterans Administration legwork for filing benefits claims in their counties with a modest number of approximately 1,700 accredited representatives throughout 36 states and two Native American Tribes. These service providers are responsible for successfully processing more than $22 billion in claims annually for direct compensation and pension benefits for veterans. If health care and ancillary benefits are included, that number rises to more than $52 billion.

Taking care of veterans feels like a privilege to me, as I am a fellow veteran who faced numerous and unique challenges navigating the federal and state benefits system to gain access to my earned benefits. In the early 2000s, I spent years in both Iraq and Afghanistan, fighting the growth and development of terrorist networks as a forensic investigator and combat cameraman. Whenever U.S. military forces and our allies engage in combat, the result is treated as a crime scene. I was prepared to formally document and investigate these scenes, gathering actionable intelligence for immediate use in the fight against terrorism.

In my day-to-day role now, I can focus on the health and welfare of multiple generations of military veterans living, working and playing in this beautiful valley we all call home. I aid in navigating federal, state and local benefits systems, as well as advocating for enhancements to these systems at all governmental levels. I routinely travel to Washington D.C. to liaise with federal legislators and their staff, to translate the rural veteran experience for leaders with the power to assist veterans or families with benefits challenges.

One of the ways I work to assist local veterans is by applying for grant funding opportunities. These grant funds are intended to offset or eliminate health and wellness costs which, in a more defined urban area, would more often be covered by VA health care system teams. In rural areas, all of us who live here make sacrifices, however many veterans may not realize that some of their health and wellness choices would otherwise be provided for through an established network of VA care providers, if they lived closer to VA facilities or providers. A veteran might be able to offset a large hospital bill, get those glasses they needed or that dental exam they have been waiting for with access to these funds. A spouse, or other family member may also qualify for these funds, on a case-by-case basis, determined by financial need.

Currently, our local veteran network of care providers and supporters is working together to renovate the bathroom facilities at the only location in the community dedicated to veterans, the American Legion Post 54. This 95-year-old facility was constructed by hand in 1928 by World War 1 veterans who wanted to designate a communal space for all veterans and their families.

Many a bingo game, dance and dinner has taken place in this designated historic place, and in order to more effectively serve the current and future veteran population, an accessible restroom is paramount. A growing number of veterans locally are utilizing mobility equipment, and the restroom facility within the American Legion must be renovated to Americans with Disabilities Act standards to accommodate these needs.

A Go Fund Me has been established for any interested financial sponsors or donors and may be accessed by scanning the QR code below or by calling the American Legion directly: John Nelson, commander, 970.596.2841 or Mark High, adjutant, 970.901.8400.

Gunnison County military veterans can contact Steve Otero at sotero@gunnisoncounty.org or 970.641.7919.

Columbian Independence Day, in style

Colombians living around the Gunnison Valley gathered on July 20 to bring a small piece of their country to Gunnison by celebrating Colombian Independence Day at Legion Park. Friends and family gathered under the pavilion for homemade food, face-painting and music. Mayte Burton, a health navigator with Gunnison County Health and Human Services, helped organize the event.