Indiana County (Pennsylvania) Department of Veterans Affairs

The county's own page. "The Indiana County Department of Veterans Affairs is a committed team of trusted advisors who provide Veterans and their dependents direct assistance to identify, determine eligibility and assist in the preparation of applications for county, state and federal Veterans benefits and programs." Office: Department of Veterans Affairs, Indiana County Courthouse, 2nd Floor, 825 Philadelphia Street, Indiana, PA 15701; (724) 465-3815, fax (724) 465-3991; Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed noon to 1 p.m. and holidays; appointments preferred. Staff: Jessica Walker, Director and Veteran Service Officer ([email protected]); Amelia Nelson, Secretary ([email protected]). What the office does. Service-connected disability compensation, veterans pension and survivors' pension, non-service-connected disability pension, survivor benefits, federal health care benefits and veterans' emergency assistance; control and distribution of U.S. flags and holders for volunteers to place on veterans' gravesites; medical transportation; assistance with records requests; honor wall brick applications and unveilings; payment of burial allowances (processed through the funeral home); grave marker and headstone requests and placement; tracking veteran interment locations; and assistance with the Veterans Treatment Court as necessary. Medical transportation. "Our office operates three vehicles through the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) organization", volunteer-driven, to the Indiana VA Clinic, the Butler VA Medical Center, the James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center and the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center. The veteran must enter and exit the van unaided; a spouse rider needs a physician's authorization form. Call 724-465-3815 to schedule. State programmes. The office initiates and completes most State benefits: the Amputee and Paralyzed Veterans Pension ($150 a month), the Blind Veterans Pension ($150 a month), the driver's license veteran designation, the Educational Gratuity, MFRAP, the Disabled Veteran's Real Estate Tax Exemption, National Guard records, registration plates, the veterans homes, and Veterans' Temporary Assistance - see the Pennsylvania entries; this office is the county route for each. Programmes of its own. The Veterans Provider Group, a monthly meeting of county, State and federal organizations (the county's list names thirty-seven, from the VA Clinic and IUP Military Veterans Resource Center to Veterans Leadership Program of Western PA); Battle Brew, a first-Friday coffee gathering for veterans, with coffee donated for 2026 by InFirst Bank; a monthly Lunch and Learn on the third Thursday (RSVP 724-465-3815); the free Veteran's Expo; Hometown Heroes banners; and a monthly newsletter with a veteran spotlight (nominations to Amelia Nelson with the veteran's DD-214 and photo). The county's own record. The Board approved the office's $15,000 Veterans Trust Fund Grant Program application for "expanded outreach programs that enhance Veteran Services" on November 19, 2025, and the Department of Human Services' Veteran Outreach Program consultant (Diann Overman, $22.40 an hour, up to 960 hours, calendar 2026) on January 14, 2026. The county also recommends recording a DD-214 with the Recorder of Deeds, first floor of the courthouse: "Doing so will allow the Veteran to obtain free certified copies for the remainder of their life as well as Veteran's next-of-kin upon their death" (see the Pennsylvania entry on recording).