Shelby County has 55,000 veterans and 2 service officers. Here's how it will get another

MEMPHIS — Shelby County will be getting a sorely needed part-time veterans service officer, thanks to a creative use of funding by Shelby County Commissioner Amber Mills.

Currently, Shelby County, the largest county in the state, only has two veterans service officers, even though there are more than 55,000 veterans in the county and more than 77,000 in the Mid-South area.

Having another officer “would mean a lot,” said Mike Ellis, one of the county’s two current officers. “We provide services and resources to over 200-600 residents in Shelby county per month. Per month. Helping them file claims for benefits, retrieve service records and other community resources. We’re excited about that number but having another veteran service officer will help us potentially bring those numbers up to even more.”

Ellis and the county’s other current officer help veterans receive a range of services and gather the necessary paperwork to support and file their claims.

In other news:Tenn. Innocence Project 'optimistic' about Mulroy's promise of conviction reviews

For subscribers:Inside look: How Ford's $5.6 billion BlueOval City project has taken shape over past year

Compensation benefits can range from $150 per month to $3,000 plus. Pension benefits are available for eligible veterans and spouses with income under $19,320. Other family members may also be eligible for benefits.

From fiscal year 2021-2022, the office received more than 6,000 phone inquiries and more than 2,500 appointments. It filed more than 700 claims, held five educational seminars and held numerous outreach events.

On Monday, the Shelby County Commission approved the use of $50,000 to fund a new part-time officer. The funding came from Mills’ allocation of the community enhancement grants program, a program that allocates $200,000 to each commissioner to use within their individual districts for nonprofits and for some governmental and quasi-governmental agencies.

Mills has long made advocacy for veterans one of her core platforms as commissioner, championing the Tennessee State Veteran’s Home coming soon in Arlington and advocating for state funding for a veterans service officer, an ask that ultimately failed.

When she was unable to receive funding from the state to pay for an officer, Mills said she decided to use her grant funds.

“We’ve got to help our veterans and there was a bottleneck in getting the federal funds to our veterans,” Mills said. “We have the largest veteran population in the state and our population makes up about half the veterans in west Tennessee. ... This will help them get the dollars they’ve already earned. Instead of a drip of water, we’ve got to open a faucet.”

While he supported Mills’ item Monday, Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. said he wants Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris’ administration to include a veterans service officer in its upcoming budget proposal so she does not have to continue using her grant dollars to fund the position.

Dorcas Young Griffin, director of the Shelby County Division of Community Services, said it would be helpful to have additional support from the state, but that the county would also look into funding an additional veterans service officer.

“I don’t know that our general fund can afford the number of people we truly need to truly make a difference for all of the veterans,” she said.

Ellis, the current veterans service officer, said their office has “so many things going on.” It ranges from helping veterans with compensation and pension to helping with applying for disability or helping families apply for burial benefits. Sometimes they help veterans change their addresses, sometimes add dependents, “on and on.”

“We see this as not just a job for serving our veterans, but we see it as a calling,” Ellis said.

Katherine Burgess covers county government and religion. She can be reached at katherine.burgess@commercialappeal.com or followed on Twitter @kathsburgess.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Shelby County to get third veterans service officer