NORFOLK, Va. — Great news for Virginia's more than 720,000 military veterans. The Commonwealth has begun a re-opening -- by appointment-only -- of the Department of Veterans Services offices.
Closed since March because of the COVID-19 outbreak, the department has started to re-open across the state, including the offices in Hampton, Norfolk, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Virginia Beach/Oceana, and Williamsburg. The Virginia Beach/Pembroke office will open on July 13.
"By re-opening our offices we're able to serve that portion of the veteran population that is more comfortable with face-to-face service, so, it's a big part of reaching veterans where they are," said DVS Commissioner John Maxwell.
The department helps vets navigate through the federal Department of Veterans Affairs' red tape, to file the paperwork for pension and disability benefits applications and appeals.
The department responded to more than 215,000 client contacts last year, and filed more than 17,000 compensation and pension claims with the V.A.
Maxwell says it's his staff's honor to assist Virginia's heroes.
"Absolutely, we truly believe we are an advocate for Virginia's veterans," he said. "We want to ensure they have the opportunity to access all benefits that they earned. Our veterans have offered their lives in defense of our country, and we want to make sure that they can have access to everything that's coming to them."
One other piece of good news: the three state veterans cemeteries, including the Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Cemetery in Suffolk, are now open with a 50-person limit. And once again, the cemeteries are able to accommodate military honors for funerals.