Skip Navigation
Veterans Service
  • WASHINGTON - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is launching its first official blog, opening a new line of communication between the department and its stakeholders.  The debut marks VA's latest outreach effort aimed at improving the way VA and its clients engage online. 


    "As methods of communication change and evolve, we don't just want to keep up at VA.  We want to lead the way.  This tool will allow us to interact with Veterans, their families, and the public in ways we've never done before," said VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki.  "Instead of waiting for Veterans to find us, we're going to seek them out where they already are-which is, increasingly, online." 

    The blog, called VAntage Point, will be edited by VA's Director of New Media Brandon Friedman. The blog will launch with two primary features: a main column of articles written each day by VA staff and a section comprised of guest pieces submitted by other stakeholders including employees and the public. Readers will be able to comment and participate on all articles. 

    The main column will initially be authored by two VA employees.  VA staff writer Alex Horton, a former infantryman who began his writing career by blogging from Iraq, will address Veterans issues, while Lauren Bailey, special assistant to the chief technology officer, will provide readers with the latest on VA's information technology initiatives meant to modernize the department.  Both writers will interact frequently with readers. 

    VAntage Point's
     guest pieces will function as "letters to the editor."  Whether from a VA physician, a student going to school on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, or a representative from a Veterans Service Organization, all pieces will be considered for publication based on their rationale and reasoned points-not on how closely their views align with those of the department. 

    "Communication between VA, Veterans, and their families is no longer a one way street," said Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs Tammy Duckworth.  "Not only will VAntage Point improve our ability to get the right information to the right Veteran at the right time, but it will allow the department to hear directly from Veterans about their concerns." 

    VAntage Point
     is just the latest expansion of the department's outreach efforts to increase transparency, participation, and collaboration via social media.  Since creating an Office of New Media in late 2009, VA has launched a presence on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and YouTube.  Each major component of VA (health, benefits, and national cemeteries) has its own Facebook page and Twitter feed, while the department has simultaneously begun to roll out these platforms to all 153 VA medical centers.  Currently, 55 medical centers maintain a presence on Facebook and 30 are operating Twitter feeds.  The department currently has the largest Facebook subscriber base among cabinet-level agencies with over 70,000 subscribers.

    To view the blog, please visit http://www.blogs.va.gov.  For more information, visit http://www.va.gov.

Press the enter key or spacebar to expand or collapse the accordion

Supporting our Veterans
picture
Garrett "Gary" Nemec
Waller County Veterans Service Officer

The Waller County Veterans Service Officer is responsible for assisting veterans and/or their dependents and survivors in obtaining entitled benefits from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and the State of Texas. The Veterans Service Officer is dedicated to helping veterans, dependents of veterans, and their survivors deal with the often confusing and overwhelming task of completing the necessary forms and applications required in order to support a claim for benefits.

These federal benefit programs that veterans, dependents of veterans and their survivors may be entitled to include, but are not limited to:

  • Health Care Services
  • Service Connected Disability Compensation
  • Non-Service Connected Pension
  • Dependency Indemnity Compensation
  • Death Pension
  • Burial Benefits
  • Vocational/Rehabilitation Programs
  • V A Guaranteed Home Loans
  • V A Educational Assistance
  • Veterans Life Insurance
  • Board of Veteran Appeals
  • Military Funeral Honors

State benefits that veterans may be entitled to are:

  • Land Programs
  • Housing Assistance
  • Home Improvement
  • State Veterans Homes
  • State Veterans Cemeteries
  • Educational Assistance (Hazelwood Act)
  • Employment and Reemployment Assistance
  • Vocational Employment and Job Training Programs
  • Special License Plates
  • Tax Exempt for Veterans
  • Free Recording of Discharge (DD-219)
  • Garrett "Gary" Nemec
    Veterans Service Office

    Waller County Community Center
    Next to the Prarieview post office

    21274 FM 1098
    Prarieview TX 77446
    Phone: 979/ 826-7733
    Fax: 936-857-9109
    g.nemec@wallercounty.us

    Best to call for an appointment

    Mailing address:
    Veterans Service Office
    836 Austin St,;  STE 203
    Hempstead TX 77445

Press the enter key or spacebar to expand or collapse the accordion

The Veterans Service Officer's work is performed with considerable independent judgment and is evaluated for effective and efficient operation of services provided to the public

The Veteran's Service Officer duties include, but are not limited to:

  1. Advising veterans, veterans' survivors and their dependents of their rights under Military Service Benefits Acts and other relevant legislation.
  2. Interviews veterans and their dependents to obtain a comprehensive case history for determination of eligibility for aid and benefits.
  3. Assist veterans and dependents both in and out of the veterans office setting, as well as in the office of other public agencies in preparation and follow-up of applications for state and federal benefits, including home loans.
  4. Reviews and files claims for veterans benefits.
  5. Speaks at veterans organizations, as requested.
  6. Provides assistance of information and concerns related to veterans to policy-making officials. Recommends and implements policies.

Copyright © Waller County, Texas  2016

powered by ezTaskTitanium TM