Warren County Veterans Service Commission: Emergency Financial Relief

The Warren County Veterans Service Commission is the county's commission under Revised Code chapter 5901; see the Ohio entry on county veterans service commissions. Its office is at 320 East Silver Street, Lebanon 45036 (513-695-2717), weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and its board meets at 8 a.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. What it pays. Groceries and fuel by voucher; electricity, water and heating; rent or mortgage; and temporary housing support. The application ("Soldier Relief Application") asks about assets, income from every source, expenses, employment and whether the applicant is looking for work through the state's job services. What to bring. The DD-214; for a reservist or Guard member, federal orders under Title 10; the last two pay stubs and any VA or Social Security award letters; a photo ID; proof of 90 days' residence in the county; recent transactions for every bank account, including savings; copies of essential bills, paid and unpaid; and birth certificates, Social Security cards and a marriage licence for dependents. Where the sheet narrows the statute. It asks for "90 days active duty, outside of training" under honorable conditions. Section 5901.01(B) asks for active duty for a purpose other than training, with no minimum length, or a service-connected disability from training duty. A veteran with a shorter period of active duty, such as one discharged early for a medical reason, is eligible under the statute and should cite it. The Title 10 orders requirement for reservists is a fair way to show federal active duty other than training. The commission states no income limit; the statute sets none. No rating is needed. Burial. Section 5901.25 has every commission bury or cremate a veteran, or a veteran's parent, spouse or surviving spouse, who died without means, with up to $1,000 from the county (see the Ohio entry). The commission's site does not describe its practice; call before signing a funeral contract.