Hayes County Veterans Service Office

The office now. On September 8, 2026 the Board of Commissioners accepted the resignation of Garald Unger as Hayes County's Veterans Service Officer, effective immediately, and its minutes through October 22, 2026 name no successor. The county's Veterans Services page and the State's directory (updated October 26, 2026) still list Mr. Unger, at (308) 286-3366 or his cell phone, the page with Wednesday morning hours (9:00 to 11:00 a.m.) or by appointment and the directory by appointment only. Until a new officer is appointed, call the County Clerk at the courthouse, 505 Troth Street, Hayes Center, 308-286-3413 (mail PO Box 370, Hayes Center, NE 69032), or any county veterans service officer for VA and State claims. What the office does. The page says the office "is open by appointment" and that the officer helps "eligible Veterans file forms for Healthcare, Claims Development and other Entitlements". Its County Benefits page lists county veterans aid (see that entry), a bronze grave flag holder (inventoried each year and replaced when damaged), registration of DD-214s, the VA's yearly letter of eligible veterans and widows for the Assessor's homestead exemption, grave registration with a Presidential Memorial Certificate for the family of every deceased county veteran, and benefits counselling. Homestead certification. The Assessor's homestead FAQ, under "How do I qualify as a Disabled Veteran or their Widow?", lists the exemptions for a veteran totally disabled by a non-service-connected illness or accident, each "(annual certification required)", and sends the veteran to the Veterans Service Office first for a physician's form and the office's certification. The application under section 77-3508 is annual, but 77-3508(1)(c) says the medical certification need not be repeated when the condition has not changed, though the assessor may ask for it again (see the Nebraska entries). The money. The officer is paid $2,100.00 a year (the Board's published salary list of August 11, 2026 names the post "Veterans Service Admin"), and the filed 2025-2026 budget gives the office (0100-803) $3,150.00, with $300.00 for grave markers and flags, against $2,100.00 spent in 2024-2025.