Posted: 6/14/05
Local veterans service officer featured in state magazine
Rob Gross talks
about difficulties,
rewards of his job
Editorís note: The following article about Houston County Veteranís Service Officer Rob Gross first appeared in the June Minnesota Legionnaire magazine. It is reprinted with permission.
By Al Zdon
Minnesota Legionnaire
For veterans seeking help in Minnesota, the office of the County Veteran Service Officer is where the rubber meets the road.
In the stateís 87 counties, the CVSO is nearly always the first step for a veteran in need of information, and that has been the case for the past 60 years.
The County Veterans Service Officer system was created during World War II, and the first training for the service officers was in 1945. The Minnesota Legislature declared that each county may have a CVSO and that county would be responsible for providing an office, clerical help and supplies to make it all work.
ìThey are the backbone of service to the veterans,î Minnesota VA Commissioner Clark Dyrud said. ìThere is a myth that veterans know what benefits are out there for them, but thatís not the reality. And thatís why an active CVSO is so important.î
Minnesota Statute 197.60 created the CVSO system in the state, and in 1978 it was updated to say that counties ìshallî have such an office, even though all of them did.
There is no CVSO school, and no CVSO college degree. The 100 or so people working in CVSO offices around the state (some counties have more than one) all came at the job from a different direction.
For Rob Gross, the journey started as an Army medic, serving from 1995 to 1999. After the service he worked in an intensive care unit before applying for the opening for a CVSO in Houston County in October of 1999.
He was surprised when out of 103 candidates, he was chosen as one of three finalists. ìI had two weeks before the final interview and I crammed as much as I could from the websites and from other CVSOs. I had it down pretty good by the time of the interview.î
He was hired and he has now been on the job for about 5-1/2 years.
ìI was fortunate because this was a very strong office to begin with,î Gross said from his office in the Houston County Courthouse in Caledonia.
His skill on the job was enhanced immediately by going through a ìbasic trainingî for CVSOs, finding out how the different government agencies work together to help veterans, and meeting with other CVSOs in a mentor program.
In addition, there is ongoing training for CVSOs including regional sessions in various parts of the state, a spring conference at the Minneapolis VA, and a fall conference put on by the CVSO Association. There is also national training. The officers must put in so much time each year to maintain their certification.
Rewarding, difficult job
Gross, who made a rapid rise through the state association, and is its president this year, said the CVSO job can be rewarding, but can also be disappointing when a veterans claim is rejected.
ìWe may not be able to help everyone. We have to work with the system thatís put in front of us.î
Another hard part of the job is seeing your clients experience difficulty in their lives. ìPeople go through death and divorce, financial hardship. Itís hard to see someone you work closely with have that hard time.î
In Minnesota, some counties have a full-time CVSO, and some of the larger counties will have several service officers working in the office. In the smaller counties it may be half-time job with the CVSO working another county position, such as emergency services director.
ìBut everything will be dropped when that veteran comes through the door, no matter whatís going on. That's the key, and itís absolutely crucial,î Gross said.
The qualifications to be a CVSO are that you have to be a resident of the state, and have 180 days of active duty time in the armed forces.
Gross noted in the interview that five veterans had come in the door that morning, all with different requests. ìWe sit down and talk, and I always try to find out if thereís any other area where they might be eligible for a benefit or a service.î
In 1996, Congress opened the door for all veterans to enroll in the federal veterans health system, but his past year, the door was closed to Priority 8 veterans, those without a service-connected disability and those who also have a higher income.
ìI still encourage all veterans to enroll in health care. The Priority 8s of course donít have access, but unless we try we donít know what someone might be eligible for.î
An example, he said, might be a veteran who worked on a flight line and now has hearing loss or ringing in the ears. Some medical complications, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, may not appear until years later.
ìSomething might come out of that interview. It might spark a memory of their service time. They might recall an injury.î
In the last few years, over 6,000 Minnesotans have been called up to active duty in the National Guard or Reserves. Gross said itís critical for those who are coming home to immediately contact their service officer to learn of their benefits.
ìSome of them are time sensitive. For instance, youíve got 90 days to get your dental work done.î In many cases, he said, the Guard or Reserve will have a CVSO come and talk to a unit after they return to outline their benefits.
Itís important too to get on record whatever problems a newly-returned veteran might be experiencing, whether itís a physical impairment or a problem with mental health. ìItís important not to let problems build over the years, you should get the care you need now.î
Gross said he and other CVSOs will go and talk at Legion and VFW posts to encourage veterans to come into the office.
Medals are important
Another common issue with veterans, especially older veterans, is getting their medals. Many have their DD214 or other separation papers that show they are entitled to medals, but theyíve been lost along the way. Gross said the CVSO can usually get the entitled medals for the veteran free of charge.
Many veterans, especially from the World War II era, had their paperwork destroyed in a fire at National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis some years ago. Gross said that the center can still piece together enough information, in many cases, to support a claim.
Veterans can also use ìbuddy statementsî from at least two other fellow veterans they served with to prove a claim. ìIt may be enough to give the VA reasonable doubt.î
Minnesota has the highest rate of getting claims approved for veterans in the nation, a fact that Gross attributes both to the good work of the CVSOs, but also to the working relationship between the county, state and federal agencies.
ìWeíre all in the business of helping the veteran. There has been a phenomenal working relationship between the state, the claims office and the regional office. Thereís just great collaboration between agencies.î
Dedication is another factor. ìIt sounds corny, but even when youíre out to eat, you can expect someone to come up to you and talk about veterans benefits. At any point in the day, you can expect that call.î
Gross said thereís rarely a day goes by where he doesnít learn something new about veteransí benefits and services. ìWe take a strong foundation, and we build off it. As the veterans change, weíll change with them.î
What should you bring with you if you plan to visit your County Veterans Service Officer? A discharge paper such as a DD214 is a good place to start, Gross said. If you canít find it, the service officer can help you.
ìReally, the only thing you need to bring with you is a willingness to come in and find out what your benefits are.î
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com