U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office Administers Benefits to Veterans Across the Globe
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The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Muskogee still strives to fulfill President Abraham Lincoln’s promise “… to care for him who shall have borne the battle‚ and for his widow and his orphan.”
In fact‚ Lincoln’s words are the official mission statement of the Muskogee regional office.
The staff accomplishes that mission by administering benefits to veterans all over the globe.
“For compensation and pension benefits‚ we take care of the state of Oklahoma‚” says Director Sam Jarvis. “For vocational rehabilitation and employment‚ we take care of Oklahoma plus two or three counties in Texas. Then for education‚ we have 14 states‚ as well as the Philippines and Guam. And we have the national direct-deposit call center‚ so we take care of the world. We take thousands of calls a day.”
The VA is adding a national call center for education to its Muskogee offices‚ which will be housed in a separate facility and initially employ about 100 people‚ plus another 50 to 60 when final phases reach completion.
With 638 employees‚ the VA regional office is one of the largest employers in the area. In addition‚ Jarvis says the office pays the highest wages and offers excellent benefits.
“We have a long history of being one of the best offices in the country‚ with the highest quality and the highest productivity‚ so it’s a wonderful place to work‚” he says. “We’ve been here for close to 60 years‚ and we’re not moving!
“We have about 63‚000 veterans in the state of Oklahoma that are currently drawing compensation and pensions‚” Jarvis continues. “We have around 500‚000 people drawing education benefits‚ so we have an impact on many people’s lives.”
Jarvis has worked for the VA for 32 years and has his own personal mission statement: “I have a little button that says‚ ‘Every day is Veterans Day.’ That’s my life.”
Story by Carol Cowan
