Ottawa County Veterans Service Commission (Sara A. Toris, Director), 8444 W State Route 163, Oak Harbor

The office. Veterans Service, 8444 W State Route 163, Suite 102, Oak Harbor, OH 43449; phone 419-898-2089, toll-free 800-610-8872, fax 419-898-3067, [email protected]; Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. "The Veterans Service Office is staffed with State and Nationally Accredited Service Officers that have a compassionate understanding of the problems which veterans and their dependents contend with." The staff directory lists Sara A. Toris, Director; Jenilee K. Biehler, Senior Service Officer; Jeremy Mowel, Service Officer; Tyisha Amos, Service Officer IT; Kimberly White, Administrative Assistant; and Gregory L. Eber, Dane Jessee, Allan R. Kromer and Gerald E. Myers. What it does. Appeals; help finding military documents and awards; burial benefits; dependents and survivor benefits; disability pension; education and training; headstones; healthcare and prescriptions; home loan guaranty; life insurance; military discharge review; Reserve and National Guard benefits; service-connected compensation; widows pension. And: "Provide Flag and Grave Marker to denote county Veteran's graves; Provide Flag Case to the family for the burial flag that was presented in honor of their loved one; Provide various medical and safety products to veterans and their family members at no cost; Schedule Tours/Transportation to the Ohio Veteran's Home." The commission. "The Veterans Service Commission, formerly known as Soldiers and Sailors Relief Commission, was established on May 19, 1886, for the purpose of assisting Honorably Discharged Veterans and their minor children, spouse, and widows, who have met with an unexpected hardship resulting from lack of employment, illness or injury." Its mission includes to "provide temporary financial assistance with mutual respect and dignity" and to "complete applications for the Ohio Veterans Homes". The members: William E. Kieffer, President, member-at-large (Army, Somalia; since July 2024); David L. McDougall, Vice President, member-at-large (Air Force, Vietnam; since January 1998); Ronald E. Distel, Secretary, member-at-large (since January 2009); Thomas L. Cashen III, American Legion (Navy, Persian Gulf; since January 2014); and Michael C. Rohde, VFW (Army, OEF/OIF; since December 2020). The county's honours. The county keeps an Ottawa County Veteran of the Year roll (Roger E. Carpenter 2014, Paul A. Laderach 2013) and lists the county's inductees to the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame. The Commissioners' 2026 record on the office - burial help, a wheelchair accessible van and the building - is in the board record entry.