Oneida County Veterans' Service Agency

County veterans' service agencies are New York's Veterans' Services Law 14; see the New York entry. Oneida County's agency: "The mission of the Oneida County Veterans' Service Agency is to provide entitlement information and advocacy assistance to military personnel, military veterans, and to their dependents in matters relating to veteran's law. Our expert counseling staff prepares, presents and prosecutes claims ranging from monthly compensation and pension income, education benefits, burial benefits, health care, nursing home care, vocational rehabilitation, tax exemption, military discharge review and upgrades, home loan guarantees, blind annuity, and much more. Our office works closely with other agencies within the Federal, State and County." Where and when. Director John A. Jones; Veteran Service Officers Bryan Severs and Brandon Olsen. The main office is the Veteran Affairs Building, 125 Brookley Road, Rome, NY 13440 - Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with walk-in hours Wednesday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and all other hours by appointment; 315-336-4270, fax 315-336-3325, [email protected] (appointments can be made by email). The Utica schedule: Fridays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., by appointment only, 315-336-4270. The page's helpful-numbers table: the VA's toll-free line, 1-800-827-1000; the Donald J. Mitchell VA Outpatient Clinic in Rome, (315) 334-7100; the Syracuse VA Medical Center, 315-425-4400; and CHAMPVA, 1-800-733-8387. The page also carries the county's own flag on the new property tax law: "With the recent passage and signing into law the NYS Budget, all veterans with a 100% permanent and total (P&T) disability rating are eligible for a complete property tax exemption. The law permits municipalities to determine whether or not they will offer the exemption. Veterans with a 100% P&T rating are urged to check with their local assessor's office to see if they offer the total exemption." Money. The county's 2026 adopted budget funds the agency (department 6510, DFCS - Veterans) with a $350,000 federal SSG Fox SPGP grant - the Staff Sergeant Parker Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program - and a $30,000 State aid line (3710-000, "State Aid - Veterans Service Agencies"); the appropriation amendments during the year adjust the agency's telephone, software, salaries and retirement lines.