DELAND -- Volusia County’s Veterans Services Division has been named “Service Office of the Year” by Florida’s Veterans of Foreign Wars office, said Pat Kuehn, a Volusia County spokeswoman.
The division was among 67 county offices considered for the honor.
Kenneth Thie, the state VFW director, presented the award to Volusia County Veterans Services Director Mike White and his staff during Thursday's County Council meeting.
“Your service office is very diligent at ensuring all entitled veterans and their families are provided with the assistance and knowledge needed to develop and process proper forms and evidence for government-entitled benefits,” Thie told the County Council. “They have shown our organization that they are the best of the best."
The division, which has eight counselors and two staff assistants, serves the county’s 70,000 veterans by preparing claims and securing benefits. The staff was instrumental in acquiring nearly $115 million in compensation and pension benefits for Volusia County veterans during the last fiscal year, Thie noted. They also secured more than $7 million in retroactive awards and $1.3 billion in home loan guarantees.
Volusia County has veterans services offices in DeLand, Daytona Beach, Orange City and New Smyrna Beach. For more information, please call (386) 740-5102.