Summary of Services
- Assists veterans, families, and surviving spouses in understanding and accessing eligible benefits
- Provides guidance and filing support for educational benefits and vocational training, disability compensation, counseling, medical care, and more
- Assistance with documentation related to presumptive conditions
- Conducts one-on-one appointments with accredited Veterans Service Officers
- Reviews eligibility and helps file claims, often on the same day
Helping Veterans and Families Understand Their Rights
St. Johns County Veterans’ Services is committed to assisting the courageous men and women who have served in the United States military. The department honors their dedication and sacrifice by ensuring that veterans, their families, and surviving spouses understand the benefits and rights available to them.
Veterans’ Services helps individuals navigate federal, state, and local benefit programs, including educational benefits, vocational training, counseling, referrals to partner agencies, pension and disability compensation, medical care enrollment, burial and memorial benefits, requests for military records, and guidance on presumptive conditions.
Eligibility and Documentation for Applicants
To determine what services or benefits a veteran or family member may qualify for, individuals are encouraged to contact the Veterans Service Center directly to schedule a consultation with a Veterans Service Officer (VSO). Each VSO is accredited through the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs and highly trained in benefit programs and claims procedures. Many of the officers are veterans themselves, giving them a personal understanding of the system and the challenges applicants may face.
Applicants are advised to bring key documents to their scheduled interview, as this information helps confirm eligibility and expedites the review and claims process. These documents may include a DD Form 214, medical or death records, a marriage certificate, birth certificates for dependents, and banking information with both account and routing numbers.
Providing these documents at the appointment allows the VSO to evaluate eligibility and, in many cases, file a claim during the same visit. After the interview, the Veterans Service Officer will review all available information and explain which benefits the veteran or applicant may be entitled to receive.
If a claim can be submitted immediately, the officer will complete that process on the same day. If additional documents are needed, the VSO will clearly outline the next steps and assist the applicant in obtaining any missing records.