High leadership turnover at the Veterans Services Office has impacted veterans in a number of ways, the Shasta County grand jury found in a report released this week.
With a lack of consistent leadership in the past two years, veterans' overall trust in the Redding office has waned. With fewer veterans seeking services, the office faces losses in state, which will further erode services for local veterans, according to the report.
Shasta County's veteran population was 16,670 in September 2014 — about 10 percent of the population — according to the grand jury report. The Veterans Service Office helps them file claims for benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, a laborious bureaucratic process that can lead to delays lasting years if forms are not filed correctly or on time.
Veterans Service Officer Tommy Key said he looks forward to discussing the findings of the report at a future Board of Supervisors meeting. He said the report lacked background information about the issues it presented.
"It's better to put everything out there in the open," Key said. "Some of the recommendations mentioned in the report are already being done by our staff."
Hired in February, Key is the third service officer in the past two years with Shasta County.
A turnover crisis of sorts started with the county firing L. Duke Medeiros in 2015 due to allegations of misconduct. His replacement, John McCraw, abruptly quit a few months after taking over the office.
To stem that tide, the report recommends hiring a veteran from the community when it next hires a veterans services officer.
"An individual established in the community is less likely to suddenly uproot and leave the VSO without a leader," according to the report.
Key is a native of North Carolina and lives in Redding. He served in the U.S. Air Force.
The grand jury found that more training is needed for people helping veterans. Only one representative is accredited to file claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs at the Redding office. Key plans to undergo his own accreditation training in July. He said hours of operation at the Redding office will soon expand. Other representatives will also undergo the same accreditation to help with case management.
Key also plans to renew service in Burney. The grand jury pointed out that the east county has not had local help for about six months. Key said someone from his office will meet with veterans every third Friday at the Intermountain Community Center.
Bob Sales, quartermaster with the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall in Burney, said people were disappointed when the representative stopped making the trip. About four to six veterans met with the representative on a regular basis.
"I know a couple of veterans, who instead of going to Redding for their services, they go to the Reno VSO. They like the facilities better," said Sales, who added there are about 100 veterans in the Intermountain area.
Also, slow processing of claims in Shasta County has forced some veterans to find help in nearby Tehama County.
Kelly Osborne, Tehama County Veterans Service Officer, said it's not common for veterans to receive help in a different county.
"When (veterans) receive help in Tehama County, it's an example of veterans come first, meaning we want to help whoever we can," she said. "The Shasta County office is in a transition. When I first started my position I reached out to Shasta County for guidance. I know that a program doesn't grow overnight."
If Shasta County veterans continue to choose to go to other offices, it will impact the Shasta County VSO's funding in the future. The federal government gives money to VSOs based on the number of claims filed. In December, the VSO received $30,000 less than its annual amount due to a drop in claims.
The report projects if this keeps up, it could mean the office will receive only about half of the money it received in previous years.
Key said his staff are willing to accommodate any issues veterans or their family members may have.
"We're in training mode right now. It takes time, that's important to note," he said.
May 31, 2016
Redding Record Searchlight
By Nathan Solis
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