When veterans apply for earned benefits, they often encounter a mountain of challenges during the application process. In El Paso County, at least two sources of help for veterans enable them to cut through the red tape: the El Paso County Veterans’ Service Office and the local American Legion posts.The El Paso County Veterans Service Office helps veterans apply for service-connected disability, education benefits, health benefits, VA life insurance and home financing. The service also helps veterans families with burial and death benefits.The service is by appointment only at two locations: The main office is at 5850 Championship View, Suite 130 in Colorado Springs. The telephone number is 719-520-7751. There is also a satellite office at Mount Carmel Veterans Service Center at 530 Communications Circle, Suite 114;the telephone number is 719-309-7751. The veterans service office can also be reached by emailing Vet@elpasoco.comMany of those same services plus more personalized help are available from local American Legion posts. ìWe can do about anything a veteran needs,î said Kathy Peterson of the Dane R. Balcon American Legion Post 2008 in Falcon. Each post has a designated person to help veterans, she said. Peterson said that a variety of personal needs can be met by the American Legion such as providing food baskets, help with utility bills and assistance with packing when someone is moving. A veteran does not have to be a member of the American Legion to get help; they just have to provide proof of his or her veteran status, she said. The American Legion Post 2008 in Falcon can be contacted by calling 719-749-1140 or sending an email to legionpost2008@gmail.com.
