Written for the jurisdictions listed here.
The county's own description: "The Veterans Service Office is a county agency dedicated to helping veterans, and/or dependents of veterans, and active-duty members of the armed forces in obtaining benefits and entitlements from the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA). A veteran's service office is the liaison between the veterans and/or dependent and the DVA."
Services offered, from the office's page: "Counseling with Veterans and/or Dependents to Determine eligibility for benefits from the department of veteran's affairs (DVA), the State of Ohio and from Tuscarawas County. Proof of military service such as a DD-214 or separation from military document (original or certified copy) is required for all potential benefits." The list: application for proof of military service; medals, badges, commendations, decorations, citations and campaign ribbons; emergency financial assistance ("residency within the county for the last three consecutive calendar months is required"); application for Military ID Cards; completion of military and DVA insurance forms; application for DVA compensation for a service-connected disability, payable to veterans, dependents or survivors of veterans who die due to service-connected conditions; DVA pension for wartime veterans and dependents or survivors with total non-service-connected disabilities; DVA education benefits; Ohio education benefits for dependent or surviving children of wartime veterans (including living wartime veterans paid DVA compensation at a 60 percent rate or higher, or a non-service-connected disability pension, who choose an Ohio institution); applications for DVA and/or Tuscarawas County financial assistance with the costs of the death and burial of a veteran, spouse, surviving spouse or parent of a deceased veteran; and transportation to and from a DVA medical center within the State of Ohio.
Who runs it. The Tuscarawas County Veterans Service Commission's members: Patrick L. Walker, President (Vietnam Veterans of America); Jeffrey Schrock, Vice-President/Secretary (American Legion); David Fockler, Member (At Large); Roger A Strawser, Member (AmVets); Terrance J Lemonte II, Member (Veterans of Foreign Wars). The board meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays; the page lists its 2026 dates.
Office personnel. Jason E. Thornton, Director/County Veterans Service Officer; James S. Thornton and David Renner III, County Veterans Service Officers; Bernadette Noel, Financial Assistance Administrator; Phillip Kimbrough, Administrative Assistant. Drivers: Jerry Murphy, Ray Miles, Stephen Wott and Joe Dorto. The commissioners' minutes of October 8, 2025 record Debra Cook's retirement from Veteran Services.
Where and when. 393 16th Street SW, New Philadelphia, OH 44663 - "Please call and do not use GPS for directions"; 330-339-1163;
[email protected]; Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The page's important phone numbers list the DVA New Philadelphia Medical Clinic (330-602-5339), the Canton clinic (330-489-4600), Louis Stokes Wade Park Division (216-791-3800), the Cleveland Regional Office (800-827-1000) and Senior Center Transportation (330-364-6688).
The commissioners' records for the year journalize the office's spending: the Veterans fund's food-voucher payments to the Tuscarawas County Cattle Association ($806.50) and Pork Producers ($1,005.00), Veteran's Day Program payments of $500 each to American Legion Posts 431 and 522 and Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 532, Bridge Associates LLC's $14,929.68 of supplies, and the Senior Center's transportation bills.