COVER STORY
One Source
Western Region By Jan Weeks Additional reporting by Cloie Sandlin
The one-stop shop for Western Colorado vets
B
efore the Western Region One Source (WROS) opened in May 2019, veterans had to go to the VA Medical Center to arrange for health care benefits, then to the Veterans Memorial Cemetery to make funeral arrangements, and then to county veterans services or organizations like Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and Disabled American Veterans (DAV) that assist with benefit applications. Now all of that can be done in-house, according to WROS Property Administrator Heather Benjamin. Located in the former Colorado National Guard armory at 482 28 Road in Grand Junction, the One Source is the triage of resources for active military, veterans, their families and caregivers in western Colorado. Staff connect them with resources to meet needs for housing, health benefits, vocational rehab and employment, long-term support services, transportation, medical equipment and more. “Ninety-nine percent of these resources are offered somewhere, but often people don’t
Veterans Clint, David and Robert at the One Source know how to find them,” said Benjamin. “That’s why we say we’re the one-stop-shop. We can be very helpful in getting to the heart of what they need and connecting them to the very best option in a quick manner.”
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS Veterans stop by WROS for appointments with Brian Oney, the county’s veteran service officer, for help filing benefits claims through the VA. “We are trained to assist with all programs
From left: VA Support Specialist David Muniz, Quentin Peters, Jim Solomon and Bob Maurer.
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WWW.BEACONSENIORNEWS.COM
the VA has to offer and facilitate any communication the veteran needs to make with the VA,” said Oney. Possibly the biggest attraction—and most unique—is the office for Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS), which provides ID cards and benefits for veterans and qualifying dependents. “Most DEERS offices are typically on a military base, so it’s unusual that our office here is not,” said Benjamin. DEERS technician Jessica Olsen visits with people from across Western Colorado daily, since the next nearest offices are in Denver, Salt Lake City or Colorado Springs.
“PEERS CAN GIVE SUPPORT IN MORE EMPOWERING WAYS THAN THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER SERVED, ESPECIALLY IN COMBAT AREAS.”
Veterans Ray Gooch and Rick Crabtree share stories over coffee.
