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COUNTY VETERANS' SERVICE OFFICE HISTORY
A SUMMARY OF THE HISTORY OF OHIO'S COUNTY VETERANS' SERVICE COMMISSION OFFICES
The Act of 1862 created a fund, which provided for the relief of the families of "volunteers who now are, or hereafter may be, in the service of this state or the United States..." Volunteers included soldiers enlisted since April 1, 1861 in the regular army of the United States and those who "may not have been regularly mustered into the service of the state or the United States", but who were killed, disabled or captured in "any engagements with the rebels".
Keeping the above and following dates in mind the DVA (Department of Veterans Affairs) that we know today was created between 1930-1936 just five years more or less prior to the outbreak of WWII in 1940.
In May 1886, after the Civil War was over and reconstruction was well along, the Ohio Legislatures enacted 83 Ohio Law 232. This law provided for a Soldier's Relief Commission of three members to be appointed for each of the 88 counties in the state. The state legislature had seen a need to repay the debt owed Ohio's Civil War veterans along with concerns for their families formulated this set of laws to provide financial assistance for Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and their dependents or survivors.
The Soldiers's Relief Commission functioned for nearly sixty years, providing for the needs of Ohio veterans, with little change. Each Soldier's Relief Commission, acting as a separate entity, was funded first by a maximum of .1 mil, then .3 mills, and finally .5 mills or the property value in each county where it has remained since 1910. (Mill = 1/10th of 1 cent)
As the fighting during WWII continued, it became apparent that the part-time Soldier's Relief Commissions would need assistance in handling the influx of veteran's and the new federal benefits that they were becoming entitled to. In 1945, the Ohio Legislature again took action to provide readily available assistance for veterans in making application for this multitude of benefits provided by the "GI Bill".
In addition to increasing the size of the Soldier's Relief Commission to five members, new provisions were added to the law allowing each Soldier's Relief Commission to employ an honorably discharged veteran as a County Veterans' Service Officer (CVSO). Duties of the CVSO would be to "assist veterans and dependents in making application for any benefit provided under State or Federal law".
On February 13, 1962, the Ohio General Assembly of the state memorialized its decision to provide "for the relief of the necessities to...(veteran)...who now are, or hereafter may be, in the service of the state or the United States..." That decision, to provide "for the aid and financial assistance" of veterans, still stands.
On September 14, 1988, legislation became effective that changed the name of the Soldier's Relief Commission to the Veterans' Service Commission (VSC). Legislation changes made in 1994 have helped define the mission and responsibilities of the VSC and created standards for both Commissioners and County Veterans Service Officers.
Past Clinton County Veterans Service Office Directors
- Fred Stoops - 1945 till date unknown
- Edward Morris - dates unknown
- Paul Riley - dates unknown
- Orville "Tobe" J. Davis - 1959 to 1982
- Kenneth J. Burton - 1983 - July 1990
- Harry "Jack" McCall - September 1990 to 1997
- Eugene Tomaszewski - 1997 to 2001
- Jauanita (Dee) Fox - March 2001 to December 2002
- C. Ray Souder - April 1, 2002 to Present
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