Orange County Veteran Services

What it does, in the county's words: "Orange County Veteran Services helps veterans, service members, and their families understand and access benefits, connect to resources, and navigate available support systems. Services are provided at no cost and are available to individuals at any stage of the process." "The Veteran Services Officer can help you understand eligibility, prepare applications, and connect with federal, state, and local programs." Who may come. "Veterans; Dependents and family members; Surviving spouses and children of deceased veterans; Members of the National Guard or Reserves; Active duty service members." "Eligibility depends on service history, discharge status, and the specific benefit being requested." What it helps with. Disability compensation and pension (including aid and attendance), VA health care enrollment, education and training benefits, home loans, life insurance (SGLI, VGLI and Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance), dependent and survivor benefits, burial and memorial benefits (headstones and markers, the Presidential Memorial Certificate, the burial flag, burial expense reimbursement and national cemetery burial), vocational rehabilitation, and the different veteran ID cards. For a lost DD-214 the office's FAQ says to try "the Register of Deeds in the county where you lived when you were discharged" first, then the National Archives. How. "Appointments are available in person, and staff can also provide support remotely when needed." Bring the DD-214, identification, medical records for a disability claim, and financial or dependent information where it applies. 306 Revere Road, Hillsborough; 919-245-2594; [email protected]. Events. The office runs benefits sessions, workshops and outreach through the year; its featured event was the free Veterans & Survivors Benefits Breakfast, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, 9 to 11 a.m., at the Whitted Human Services Center in Hillsborough. Veteran Services sits in the county's Office of Civil Rights and Civic Life, which carried $17,635 of North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs grant money into fiscal year 2026-27 (the Board's September 1, 2026 budget item). Homelessness. The Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness meets monthly with veteran service providers and keeps a veterans-only by-name list to coordinate housing for homeless veterans (the HOME Consortium's 2026-27 action plan before the Board on April 7 and May 19, 2026).