Veterans meeting promises results

Rep. Louie Gohmert visits with area veterans at a forum he hosted in Tyler last week. The meeting gave former servicemen and women the chance to discuss their needs and concerns with Gohmert and a local panel. More than 200 veterans attended.

When news reached US Rep. Louie Gohmert back in January that veterans benefits services were suddenly discontinued at the Tyler Department of Veterans Affairs and the brunt of the workload was thrust upon the Smith County Commissioners' Court, the congressman said he would push the matter until there was a resolution that returned proper service and attention to veterans.

Rep. Gohmert followed through with his promise at the recent veterans forum he organized and moderated last week at UTTyler. Regional VA representatives heard the concerns of a vast number of veterans which resulted in some significant

successes, including a promise from the Waco VA Regional Office (VARO) that they will have the benefits services office staffing increased to five days a week.

Thanks to the veteran community's outstanding turnout and participation, Waco VA Assistant Director Tracey Betts stated to over 200 veterans, officials, and media, "I'm hearing that you want someone here five days per week. If that is what you need, that is what you will get."

This is a significant step considering the VA originally announced it was closing the office, and later offered to staff it only one day, then offered to staff it two days per week.

The Waco Regional Office later confirmed the benefits office in Tyler is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and along with staffing a Veterans Service Representative five days per week, it will continue to be staffed with a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor and a Program Support Clerk.

When several veterans complained during the forum that the VA did not supply them with a functional local phone number, Gohmert said veterans would not visit the office unless they could be sure someone was there, and they should at least be able to contact and leave messages at a local number.

Although AD Betts asked veterans to call a generic toll free number, Gohmert insisted that she give a working local number. Betts wrote the number on a card and slid it over to Gohmert who then announced to the veterans that the number is 903.565.0490.

The congressman and panel covered many other issues, some of which Gohmert said he will follow up on since they couldn't be immediately answered at the forum.