Otsego County Veterans’ Service Agency (Phil Couse, Director)

The agency. "The purpose of the Otsego County Department of Veterans Affairs is to provide services for all veterans and veteran family members in Otsego County, NY." Director Phil Couse; Veteran Services Officer Jamie Carkees ([email protected], 607-547-4245); Meadows Office Complex, 140 County Highway 33W, Cooperstown, NY 13326; mailing 197 Main Street, Cooperstown; fax 607-547-7519; Monday-Friday 8:30-4:30 (July and August 9:00-4:00), appointment requested. The Director of Veteran Services Agency is paid $71,733 in the 2026 salary schedule (the local law in the December 15, 2025 minutes, effective January 1, 2026). The federal list. The agency's Federal VA Benefits page posts the VA's Federal Benefits handbook and links: request military records (DD-214, replace medals), the Albany VA Medical Center, the Albany and Binghamton Vet Centers, the Vet Center Call Center 1-877-WAR-VETS, the Veterans Crisis Line (dial 988, press 1), Military OneSource, the Southern Tier Veteran Support Group, My Health eVet and eBenefits. The accredited representatives. The VA's accreditation list for the county: Jamie Carkees and Phillip Couse, both Cooperstown, and Michael Angellotti of the New York State Division of Veterans' Services' Oneonta office, 242 Main Street (607-432-4190) - the nearest State field office. Transportation. The agency's Transportation Information page: the county van to the Albany Stratton VA Medical Center, Tuesday through Friday, pick-up points Cherry Valley, Cooperstown, Laurens, Maryland, Milford, Oneonta, Richfield Springs, Schenevus and Worcester; riders call the driver (607-267-8571 or 315-264-3995) at least two days ahead. The August 11, 2026 IGACOM report records the service reduced from four days to two, with ridership "steadily decreasing since 2024" (VA mileage reimbursement, younger veterans driving) and vehicle lease, fuel, toll and personal-services expenses averaging $32,000-$35,000 a year. The Dwyer programme. Otsego County Veteran Services is on the NYS Dwyer Coalition's county page (josephpdwyerpeerproject.org/otsego-county), phone (607) 547-4224, mailing 197 Main Street, Cooperstown; the programme is "100% confidential and FREE ... non-clinical support and advocacy." The 2026 grant is $108,000 and "started in June and has been a success" per the August 2026 IGACOM report - June-July coffee hours, rented canoes and kayaks, dinners and sponsored teams for the SPCA golf tournament; see the State entry on the Dwyer programme and the board entry for the appropriations. Tax exemptions. The VSA's Property & School Tax Exemptions page: "The County of Otsego under the approval of the New York State Department of Taxation & Finance authorizes Veterans Exemptions from Real Property Taxation. All Veterans ... should contact the Tax Assessor for their Township"; "ALL VETERANS' TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR PROPERTY TAX ARE PROCESSED BY THE TAX ASSESSOR FOR THE RESPECTIVE TOWNSHIP." Real Property Tax Services' exemptions page links the State's veterans-exemption page beside agriculture, senior citizen and STAR. The county's own 458-a adoption status is not published; see the State entry and the board entry (the 100% P&T deliberation).