The Oswego County Veterans’ Services Agency (VSA) continues to hold weekly office hours in Oswego and Pulaski to make services more accessible to veterans.

“We started satellite hours in Oswego and Pulaski with the goal of reaching as many veterans as possible,” said Oswego County Veterans’ Services Director Eric Boozer. “Expanding into different parts of the county allows us to provide on-the-spot assistance to veterans at locations that are more convenient for them to travel to. As these offices get more traffic, we hope to increase the number of days we offer services at these satellite offices.”

A representative from VSA is available in Pulaski on the first and second Thursday of every month from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. The satellite office is located in the H. Douglas Barclay Courthouse, 1 Broad St., Pulaski.

Oswego office hours are held on the third and fourth Thursday of every month from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. at the Oswego VA Outpatient Clinic, 293 NYS Rte. 104. The location of the Oswego satellite office is especially convenient, as the VSA receives many referrals from the Oswego VA clinic.

“We want to ensure that our veterans know the services available to them and encourage them to apply for the benefits they’re entitled to,” said Boozer. “Sometimes veterans think that by applying for benefits, they’re taking them away from somebody else who may need them more. That is not the case. Every veteran has earned their own benefits through their service to our country. By not applying, they’re only missing out on the benefits they deserve.”

The Oswego County Veterans’ Services Agency is not a satellite office for the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs. It is a county-run department that helps local veterans, their spouses and dependents file for federal benefits and services.

VSA staff can assist with applications for compensation, pension, survivor pension, medical care, education benefits and VA home loans. Because these services can be completed online, VSA representatives can provide the same level of service to veterans at the satellite offices.

Along with the offices in Oswego and Pulaski, the County Veterans’ Services Agency is open for appointments Monday through Friday at its main office located at 200 N. Second St., Fulton.