The Tazewell County Veterans Assistance Commission is expanding its program both this year and next.
The agency is charged with helping veterans and their families access federal benefits and other resources.
Superintendent CJ Pulcher joined the agency in June. Since then, he said, he has been able – with county board approval – to expand the staff from one full-time employee and one part-time employee to six full-time veteran service officers.
“That increases our capabilities exponentially,” Pulcher said. “We can take three to four clients each day, and my 1.5 veteran service officers, their schedules have been packed two weeks out. So, we're going to grow from a capability of doing roughly 30 a week to about 90 a week.”
The Tazewell County Board is also considering doubling the Veterans Assistance Commission budget to about $750,000 in the next fiscal year that starts in December. Pulcher said that extra money would help cover the new staff and allow for expanded legal work and a move to a new building.
Pulcher said he also wants to expand beyond the agency’s traditional offerings. Now he’d like to begin to offer veterans help with employment opportunities, including in the skilled trades.
One program would partner with Pekin-based Trouble Free Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing to help move veterans into those lines of work.
“Trouble Free reached out. It was an opportunity that came knocking,” Pulcher said. “As soon as I spoke to the fine gentleman over there, I realized it was a unique and great opportunity to grab a hold of.”
All Veterans Assistance Commission services are free to veterans and their families. Funding for the agency comes from property taxes. By state law, if a county chooses to set up a Veterans Assistance Commission, it must fund it to a certain level, equal to 0.02% of equalized assessed value.
Pulcher said that local structure helps to connect with veterans in the area more easily.
“A lot of the veterans that we have come in, we know, we've served with, so it feels like a family or a friendly reunion when folks come in looking for that that service or that help,” Pulcher said.
Pulcher encourages veterans in need of assistance to reach out. Either call (309) 477-2271 or visit the agency’s office at 414 Court Street in Pekin.
There are roughly 7,000 veterans in Tazewell County.
