NOTE: As a matter of policy, because we believe there is a need for face-to-face service at times and especially during the first interview for a claim, we do not list organizations who do not provide veterans claims officers to the Lehigh Valley on this page.
State Veterans Service Officers: Accredited veterans service officers are the key to good service and are supposed to be experts at helping veterans get the benefits they deserve, county, state, or federal. Little known or spoken about is the Office of Veterans Affairs (OVA) from the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provides has a few accredited service officers of its own. In fact, OVA now certifies most county directors of veterans affairs for accreditation by the Department of Veterans Affairs; and of its state service officers actually represent them at the VA Regional Offices to which your claims go.
While they tend to be holed up at the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh VA Regional Offices and Ft. Indiantown Gap (OVA is part of the National Guard establishment there), there is one State Service Officer who comes into the Lehigh Valley:
- Jen Domingues-Heany, tel: 717-861-8911, at the Allentown VA Outpatient Clinic, every second and fourth Monday of the month.
County Veterans Service Officers/County Directors of Veterans Affairs: Most county directors of veterans affairs are now accredited service officers and the state’s county codes require each county to have one county director. Fortunately, in Lehigh and Northampton Counties, these are fulltime positions. Actually, Lehigh County has additional, accredited veterans service officers who are accredited. Do not use service officers unaccredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Always ask. These below are accredited:
- Lehigh County – Thomas Dye, tel: 610-782-3295; his assistants Vi Wagner and Lynn Weimer are also accredited.
- Northampton County – Fred Ramirez (as of 30 January 2012) (not accredited, in training, expected accreditation is May-June 2012), tel: 610-559-3199. Position had been left vacant between 30 July 2011 and 30 January 2012.
- For additional information visit this site: www.milvet.state.pa.us/DMVA/355.htm
Other Accredited Veterans Service Officers (VSO): Veterans Service Organizations play an important role as advocates; and especially when a problem with a government agency exists. Here are itinerant, accredited Veterans Service Officers who come into the Lehigh and Northampton counties (for example, the Allentown or Bangor VA Outpatient Clinics) and serve veterans regardless of whether or not they belong to the service officers’ organizations (There is no requirement by law to join a service organization to receive service officer assistance). It is best to call first rather than show up as a walk-in (dates and times are subject to change):
- Mike Hallas, Disabled American Veterans, tel: 570-821-2520, at the Allentown Outpatient Clinic on first Monday of the month, starting May 2012. (Certified, not accredited, in training, as of 6 March 2012, )
- Jim Winters, AMVETS, tel: 1-800-268-3806 at Allentown Outpatient Clinic on Wednesdays
- William Jones, Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH), tel: 215-381-3064, at the Allentown Outpatient Clinic on first and third Thursdays of the month [now working as an unpaid volunteer.]
- Luis Ybarra (replaced Rick Reiser ca. August 2011), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), tel: 570-821-2506, at Allentown Outpatient Clinic on second and fourth Thursdays of the month and at the Bangor (Northampton) Clinic on second and fourth Wednesdays of the month.
Veterans Benefit Counselor (VBC): The servicing Philadelphia VA Regional Office provides a near-equivalent service to that performed county directors and veterans service officers for benefits counseling and filing of claims at the Allentown Clinic, if you desire to use the VA directly instead of an “advocate organization.” Call first.
- Ralph Carper, Veterans Benefits Administration VBC, tel: 610-776-4315 when at the Allentown Outpatient Clinic every Tuesday.
Self-Help Guides: Nothing replaces a current, competent, accredited veterans service officer for filing a claim. Studies show that one is more likely to succeed and draw higher compensation using one. However, understanding the system better does not hurt. TurboTaps provides a handbook as do some others. See RESOURCES.
Last Updated 10 Masy 2012 (State Service Officer now comes to Lehigh Valley)
