Trained advocates help veterans and families navigate the VA system at no cost

Mesa County Veterans Service Officer Anthony "Tony" Lee helps local veterans and their families navigate benefits through the VA.

Thousands of Colorado veterans are missing out on benefits they’ve earned simply because they don’t know help is available.

When 88-year-old Air Force veteran Howard Revie realized he might qualify for more benefits, he reached out to the Mesa County Veterans Service Office. 

With the help of Veterans Service Officer (VSO) Anthony “Tony” Lee, Revie received caregiver support and end-of-life assistance he hadn’t known existed. After his passing, Lee guided Revie’s wife, Diane, through applying for survivor benefits. 

“Tony knows more about the ins and outs of the system than anyone else I know,” said Diane. 

Across Western Colorado, VSOs serve as lifelines for thousands of veterans who may not realize what help they qualify for—even years after discharge. With Colorado’s veteran population aging and new benefits available under the 2022 PACT Act for those exposed to toxic substances, many veterans stand to gain from meeting with their local VSO. 

WHAT VSOs CAN DO FOR YOU

Veterans Service Officers help veterans and their families navigate a maze of benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). They assist with health and disability claims, appeals, education, pensions and survivor support. VSOs can also help with VA life insurance, home loans, TRICARE, ChampVA health insurance for dependents and even Disabled Veteran (DV) license plates.

Best of all, these services are free. State law requires every Colorado county to maintain a Veterans Service Office to serve as a liaison between veterans and the VA. 

Montrose County Veterans Service Officer Phillip Rich connects local veterans with services and benefits.

Both Lee and Montrose County VSO Phillip Rich know firsthand how difficult the system can be to navigate.

Lee, a U.S. Army veteran who served in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, attended Mesa State College on the GI Bill before spending two decades with the Mesa County Sheriff’s Department. Realizing that his body couldn’t keep up with the physical demands of the job, he left law enforcement and earned a degree in Human Services. 

Ironically, when the VSO position opened, Lee had never heard of it.

“If someone like me, a local veteran, didn’t know this position existed, I figured there were probably a lot of other veterans who didn’t know either,” he said.

Rich, who served in the U.S. Army during the Iraq War, knows how easy it is for newly discharged service members to overlook the benefits available to them. 

“It’s incredibly fulfilling to help veterans get what they’ve earned,” Rich said. “This is the most rewarding job I’ve had since leaving the service.”

Both men say their military backgrounds help them earn veterans’ trust. 

“We speak the same language,” Lee said.

Mesa County Veterans Service Officer Tony Lee shakes hands with Vietnam veteran Bruce Charters. Through his work, Lee helps veterans like Charters access the benefits they earned through their service. Photo by Justin Shaw.

 SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT

The most common service Lee provides is helping veterans establish service-connected disabilities—identifying injuries or exposures linked to their time in the military, from bodily injuries to hearing loss and mental health conditions such as PTSD.

“A lot of people think you have to be wounded in combat to qualify,” Lee said. “That’s not true. There are benefits for all kinds of conditions that developed or worsened after discharge.”

The disability rating process can involve multiple denials and appeals, but success rates improve with VSO support. A service-connected disability may open doors to additional benefits such as medical care, vocational rehab, adaptive housing and increased compensation for dependents.

Lee said many veterans hesitate to seek help, believing they’re taking resources from others. 

“I frequently hear vets say, ‘There are others who require this more than I do,’” he said. “But these benefits were earned. You’re not taking away from anyone.”

Lee added that a big part of his job is helping veterans sort through confusing letters and forms from the VA. 

“The system can be overwhelming,” he admitted. “Sometimes veterans just need someone who’s been there to help them make sense of it all.”

Assistant VSO Laura Stanley supports Mesa County veterans alongside Lee. Photo by Justin Shaw.

 STRONGER TOGETHER

Lee and Assistant VSO Laura Stanley serve a veteran population of more than 13,000 in Mesa County. Together, they handle about 160 in-person meetings each month and respond to hundreds of calls and emails. In Montrose County, Rich provides personalized support for more than 3,000 veterans.

VSOs also rely on strong partnerships with other organizations. In Montrose County, Rich builds strong community ties by attending weekly veterans’ coffees at the American Legion and the Welcome Home Alliance for Veterans, where he holds drop-in hours for those seeking help. He also collaborates with groups like the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and Disabled American Veterans (DAV), sharing information and referrals.

Nathan Rudolf, Hilltop’s veteran’s directed care coordinator, works closely with Lee to connect veterans to care.

 “There are so many VA programs that even people who work in the system don’t always know about,” said Rudolf, an injured Army veteran who served in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the late 1990s. “VSOs like Tony are essential—he’s a subject-matter expert, tenacious and down to earth.”

The impact of a VSO’s work can be very personal. Lee helped an older Vietnam veteran receive a Purple Heart 55 years after being wounded in battle. In another case, a homeless man wandered into the Workforce Center during a mental-health crisis. When Lee learned the man had served in Iraq, he invited him into his office. 

“Within 60 days, we got him connected to benefits,” Lee recalled. “He’s now getting health care, working and still checks in to say thank you.”

Diane said she’ll never forget the difference Lee made for her and her late husband. 

“You can see his care and love for veterans,” she said. “My husband said he really felt that Tony improved the quality of his life, so many years after he served.” 

How to reach your local VSO

All services are free and confidential.
Home visits may be available for homebound veterans.

Mesa County Veterans Service Office

Inside Mesa County Workforce Center, 512 29 1/2 Road, Grand Junction

Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome Tuesdays 8 a.m.-3 p.m. 

970-248-2733 | [email protected]

Montrose County Veterans Service Office

320 S. 1st St., Suite 180, Montrose

Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome

970-417-7906 | [email protected] or [email protected]

Delta County Veterans Service
Officer – Linda Reeves

Inside Delta County Courthouse,
501 Palmer St., Delta

970-874-2082
[email protected]

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