Orangeburg County's Veterans Affairs Office, 1437 Amelia Street, Orangeburg (803-533-6156), with Veterans Affairs Officer Kenisha Grimes, helps veterans and families with VA claims, survivors' annuities, discharge reviews and home loan certificates, records and keeps DD-214s, and books rides to the Dorn VA Medical Center in Columbia from Orangeburg on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and from Holly Hill on Thursdays.
Also called: county veterans affairs officer, CVAO, veterans service office, claims help, Kenisha Grimes, Angela Guess-Thornton, Anne Brown, Dorn VA, transportation, DD-214, 1437 Amelia Street, 803-533-6156, 25-11-40, PT-401I, Orangeburg, North, Holly Hill, Branchville, Bowman, Elloree, Eutawville, Santee, Springfield, Norway, Neeses, Cordova, Rowesville, Vance, Livingston, Woodford, Cope.
For: Veteran or service member, spouse, child, survivor.
Every South Carolina county has a veterans' affairs officer under section 25-11-40; see the South Carolina entry on county veterans affairs officers. Orangeburg County's office "assists veterans and their dependents in filing applications to determine their basic eligibility and conditions of benefit entitlement as administered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs", from development and preparation of a claim to its presentation and prosecution.
What it does. The page lists: annuity applications for surviving spouses of military members; preparing and filing claims; "Coordinate volunteer drivers to transport veterans to the Dorner VA Medical Centr, Columbia, South Carolina" (the Dorn VA Medical Center); working with other agencies for veterans, dependants and survivors; applications for discharge review or correction of military records; Certificate of Eligibility applications for a VA home loan; and "Record and maintain veterans military discharge (DD Form 214)". The officer also certifies the disabled veteran property tax exemption application, the Department of Revenue's PT-401-I, which the county Auditor posts (see the Orangeburg County Auditor entry).
Rides. "VA Now offers transportation for veterans to Dorn VAMC, Columbia. Call (803) 531-1859 to schedule a ride to Dorn VAMC. Veterans can claim travel with the VA when using this system. Orangeburg transportation only runs on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Passenger pick up is located on Carolina Ave. and opens at 6am. Holly Hill transportation only runs on Thursdays. Passenger Pickup is located on 8423 Old State Rd, Holly Hill, SC." The office's transportation coordinator is Anne Brown (803-531-1302).
Recording discharges. The page cites "South Carolina Code Section 30-2-50" for recording DD-214s; that section bars using public records for commercial solicitation. Recording is free under section 30-15-20, which gives the duty to the clerk of court, and the recorded discharge is confidential (see the South Carolina entry on discharge records). Ask the office how it indexes and protects a recorded DD-214.
Who and where. Veterans Affairs Officer Kenisha Grimes (803-533-6157); Veterans Benefits Counselor Angela Guess-Thornton (803-533-6156); transportation, Anne Brown (803-531-1302). 1437 Amelia Street, Orangeburg, SC 29115 (the county's Administrative Centre); 803-533-6156, fax 803-533-6190. The page posts no hours; call first.
Thresholds
Thresholds for Orangeburg County Veterans Affairs Office
Gate
Rule
Orangeburg County veterans and their families
Anyone can ask the office for help with VA claims and rides. No rating is needed.
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Disclaimer
VetTOC is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense. Information is for reference only and is not an eligibility determination. Verify with VA, the relevant state or territory, or an accredited VSO.