The number of office visits last year to the Montezuma County Department of Veterans Services saw a 91 percent spike when compared with 2013 numbers, a jump officials say is the result of digitizing the claims office.
In 2014, Veterans Services recorded 1,975 office visits compared with the 1,033 visits seen the previous year.
Rick Torres, county veteran service officer, took the reins of the office in May of 2013 and assistant veteran service officer Sarah Kuhn took over her position April of 2014. Since then modernizing the claims process has been a top priority and possibly the link to the increased visits, Torres says.
"A lot (of the increase) has to do with technology," Torres said. "We're now using a software that helps me manage claims in real-time. I can see what the VA is doing through the software."
By using the Veterans Benefit Management System software, the office gained access to the VA's internal computer system. The software has cut the time it takes to file a claim down to roughly 20 minutes compared to the hours it would take when filed without the software, Torres says. Also, the technology allows for a more transparent process for the veteran or family-member filing the claim.
"We're really excited, especially since we're a small town. In a big city that sees so many people, you become a number and in a smaller town, you can have a closer relationship with veterans."
Word of mouth has been crucial to the uptick. Torres says he's filed claims for veterans from as far away as Phoenix, Monticello, and New Mexico.
"We take care of any veteran or survivors and will help anyone, they don't have to be from the county, but we do prioritize locals first," he said.
The local rise in visits parallels a national trend. The U.S. population of living veterans fell by almost 5 million, or 17 percent, from 2000 to 2013, but according to a 2014 Congressional Budget Office report, veterans netting disability benefits climbed by 55 percent over that period.
Additionally, VA disability payments tripled since 2000 to reach $60 billion in 2014.
The CBO explains in the report that the primary reason is not found among younger veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, but due to an expansion of covered ailments for veterans of older war eras. For example, in 2000 only 38,000 veterans from all war eras were receiving disability compensation for diabetes. By 2013, 320,000 veterans from the Vietnam War alone drew diabetes-related compensation.
In 2013, the VA paid a little less than $10,000 to Montezuma County's 2,358 veterans.
Explaining to the county's veteran community the benefit options available to them has been crucial for the Montezuma County office. Torres and Kuhn have made it their charge to get out more in the community, and network with organizations like the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, as well as the Bridge Shelter.
Reaching out to younger veterans through social media is a 2015 goal for the office. Last month, Veterans Services created a Facebook page and Torres has plans to create a YouTube channel that will feature short informational videos.
"We want to increase office visit numbers and break 2,000 in 2015," Torres said. "We have to be out there with Facebook. It's an ongoing process to reach young vets and have a discussion about what's available to them."
