Allen County Veterans Service Commission
Here to Help Allen County Veterans Move Forward
The Allen County Veterans Service Commission helps local veterans and their families understand benefits, access support and take the next step. Whether you served recently, years ago, deployed or never deployed, our office is here to help.
What We Do
-
Help with VA benefits and claims
-
Emergency financial assistance
-
Transportation to VA appointments
-
Guidance for veterans and families
Veterans Serving Veterans
Our team is made up of veterans and dedicated staff who understand military service and are here to help Allen County veterans and families find the support they’ve earned.
Board Members
Chad Cupples
The American Legion
Coleman Clark Jr
AMVETS
Bill King Jr
Disabled American Veterans
Michael Burkholder
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Gideon Foster
Military Order of the Purple Heart
Staff
Tamara Wilson
Executive Director
Robert Shattuck
CVSO / VBA
Will Thompson
Lead CVSO
Harriet Carter
Administrative Assistant
Maricel Corpus-Davidson
Office Manager
Justin Harbison
CVSO / VBA
Drivers
Tom Fleming
Rudy Jackson
Marv Miller
A Legacy of Service
Veterans Service Commissions have a long history in Ohio. After the Civil War, many veterans returned home facing injury, financial hardship and an uncertain future. Families of those who did not return were also left in need of support.
​
In May, 1886 the Ohio Legislature enacted laws providing for a Soldier’s Relief Commission of three members to be appointed for each of the 88 counties in the state. The state Legislature had seen a need to repay the debt owed Ohio’s Civil War veterans and formulated this set of laws to provide financial assistance for Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and their dependents or survivors.
The Soldier’s Relief Commissions functioned for nearly sixty years, providing for the needs of Ohio veterans, with little change. Each Soldier’s Relief Commission, acting as a separate entity, was funded first by a maximum of .1 mill, then .3 mill, and finally .5 mill of the property value in each county where it has remained since 1910.
As the fighting during World War II continued, it became apparent that the part-time Soldier’s Relief Commissioners would need assistance in handling the influx of veterans and the new federal benefits that they were becoming entitled to. In 1945, the Ohio Legislature again took action to provide readily available assistance for veterans in making application for this multitude of benefits provided by the new "GI Bill".
In addition to increasing the size of the Soldier’s Relief Commissions to five members, new provisions were added to the law allowing each SRC to employ an honorably discharged veteran as a County Veterans Service Officer. Duties of the CVSO would be to "assist veterans and dependents in making application for any benefit provided under State or Federal law".
On September 14, 1988, legislation became effective that changed the name of the Soldier’s Relief Commission to the Veterans Service Commission as it is now known. Legislative changes made in 1994 have helped define the mission and responsibilities of the Veterans Service Commission and created standards for both Commissioners and Veterans Service Officers.
​
The purpose remains the same: to make sure veterans and their families have a place to turn when they need help. Today, the Allen County Veterans Service Commission continues that mission by helping local veterans access benefits, emergency assistance, transportation, resources and support.
