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Pottawattamie County Veterans Affairs Adjusts Name to Offer Clarity

Pottawattamie County, Iowa – A slight adjustment to the name of Pottawattamie County Veterans Affairs is expected to create an impactful level of clarity for individuals and families it serves.

On May 16, 2023, the Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors approved a request to change the name of Pottawattamie County Veterans Affairs to Pottawattamie County Veterans Service Office. The request was submitted by interim Department Administrator Peggy Becker, following much discussion with staff and with the approval of the Veterans Affairs Commission that serves the department.

“There are a number of reasons we’ve made this adjustment,” said Becker. “Primarily though, we’ve struggled to differentiate our services from those offered by the Veterans Affairs Hospital. We feel making this distinction, will better clarify our purpose and help direct people to the services they seek.”

The move is also expected to help better identify department personnel.

“Our staff members that work with Veterans and families are officially titled Veterans Service Officers,” said Becker. “We felt the new name would more closely align those individuals with the department,”

The scope of services offered by the department won’t change with the name. The idea of adjusting the name of the department is one that is gaining in popularity for similar departments throughout the region. Douglas County, Nebraska already implements the strategy.

About Pottawattamie County Veterans Service Office: The Pottawattamie County Veterans Service Office is a department of Pottawattamie County, Iowa providing assistance in determining eligibility for County, State, and Federal Veterans Benefits. The services provided include completion of forms, referrals, follow-up services, assistance as needed, free of charge to veterans and their dependents. Caseworkers are nationally accredited by the Federal Department of Veteran Affairs. For more information, visit PottCounty-ia.gov.