Hunterdon County Veterans Service Officer Rich Booth attends NACVSO summit in Washington, D.C.
HUNTERDON COUNTY, NJ – Hunterdon County Veteran Services Officer, Rich Booth, recently attended the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers (NACVSO) leadership summit, in Washington, D.C. from February 6th to the 9th as a delegate from New Jersey.
The NACVSO focused on improving support for County and Governmental Veterans Service Offices at the State, County, Tribal and Municipal levels to assist veterans who have “borne the battle.”
Commissioner Susan J. Soloway, who serves as the co-liaison on veterans’ issues for the County said, “I am proud of VSO, Rich Booth for representing not only Hunterdon County at the NACSVO Summit, but also for his representation as a delegate representing the entire State of New Jersey.”
County Veterans Service Officers (CVSO) and their local equivalent carry a significant workload for the federal government when it comes to implementing VA policies and programs, and often are one of the lowest funded offices in county government with no unified funding structure from the federal government. CVSOs also face disparities in technology, education and outreach due to low funding.
NACVSO encouraged members of Congress to Support/Re-introduce commitment to the Veteran Support and Outreach Act which would provide support to CVSOs to carry out a workload that includes, filing of disability claims, advocacy, healthcare enrollment, community care coordination, utilization of educational benefits, death benefits, and everything inbetween.
While in Washington DC, Rich Booth met with Congressman Tom Kean Jr. along with representatives from Congressman Bill Pascrell Jr. and U.S. Senator Bob Menendez’s office to discuss improving VA services both in New Jersey and nationwide.
”The recently enacted PACT ACT, a new law that expands VA health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange and other toxic substances, is an example of an improved and streamlined access to earned benefits for military service. NACVSO was a strong advocate for passage of the PACT ACT,” Booth said.
Commissioner John E. Lanza, who serves as the co-liaison on veterans’ issues said, “I am grateful for VSO Rich Booth’s on-going work to help veterans navigate VA policies and programs, which can often be difficult and stressful to understand.”
“VSO Rich Booth is a Navy veteran and brings a great deal of passion and energy to his job each day,” Hunterdon County Commissioner Director Zach Rich said.
The NACVSO summit serves as a forum to ensure the county CVSOs, who are the community point of contact for assisting veterans, always have the latest and most pertinent information on benefits and veteran policies and is an advocacy organization for better funding.
Hunterdon County veterans needing assistance with navigating veterans’ issues should contact VSO Rich Booth at 908-788-1361
