Burlington County strives to provide local veterans and their families with the latest information about the resources, benefits, and support services available to them.
Veterans can receive information, complimentary meals, health screenings and more during the upcoming Burlington County Veterans Expo on Oct. 7, from 5 PM to 8 PM, at Rowan College at Burlington County’s Student Success Center, 1500 College Circle, Mount Laurel.
Organized by the Burlington County Sheriff’s Office, the free event features dozens of government agencies, nonprofits and service providers, making it one of the largest veterans service events in South Jersey.
Among the agencies and organizations expected to participate are: Burlington County Military and Veterans Services Office, Burlington County Clerk’s Office, Burlington County Department of Human Services, Burlington County Health Department, Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, Burlington County American Legion, American Red Cross, Armed Forces Heritage Museum, Alzheimer’s Association Delaware Valley Chapter, Brain Injury Alliance of NJ, Army Reserves Private Public Partnership, Disabled American Veterans, Habitat for Humanity, Department of Veterans Affairs, Philadelphia VA Healthcare System, New Jersey State Police, HeroCare Connect (Deborah Heart & Lung Center/Cooper University Health), Sanctuary Foundation for Veterans, Soldier On, South Jersey Legal Services, Veterans Multi-Service Center and more.
“Burlington County is home to more than 28,000 veterans and we want them and their families to know about the resources and services that are available to assist them,” said Burlington County Sheriff James Kostoplis. “The Veterans Expo brings together numerous government agencies, nonprofits and businesses to a single location so veterans can get information and answers without a long search or wait. These men and women served and sacrificed for our nation, so the Expo is another way to say thank you and offer assistance to those who need it.”
Among the services that will be offered at the expo are free veterans identification cards. The IDs are issued by the Sheriff’s Office Community Outreach Unit and are available to any veteran who is honorably discharged from service. The cards are often used by veterans to receive certain discounts or courtesies offered by businesses and governments for veterans.
Veterans interested in receiving an ID card should bring their DD214 discharge document and another form of photo identification.
The Burlington County Clerk’s Office will also be present at the expo to assist veterans with its services, including information on passport applications, property fraud alerts and its DD214 registration program.
The free service is offered to all Burlington County veterans. Under the program, certified copies of veterans’ discharge papers are kept by the Clerk’s Office for whenever a veteran or member of their family might need it. The records remain private and will not be released without the consent of the veteran or an authorized family member.
“The DD214 registration is a fast and simple process that ensures that if the original paper is ever lost, veterans won’t need to navigate any complicated red tape to get another copy from the Department of Defense,” said Burlington County Clerk Joanne Schwartz. “It’s a fantastic program and we’re proud to offer it to veterans coming to the Expo.”
Complimentary light refreshments will also be served and veterans attending will receive a free tote bag while supplies last.
Information will also be available about the numerous County services for veterans and active-duty or reserve service members. Some of the services include free pet adoptions from the Burlington County Animal Shelter, service medals for veterans or surviving family who are from Burlington County or who now reside in the county, and a cemetery care program that helps maintain veterans’ grave sites in cemeteries across the county.
The Burlington County Office of Military and Veterans Services also assists local veterans and their families with casework related to their benefits. So far this year, the office has assisted more than 25,000 veterans obtain nearly $8.9 million in compensation and benefits.
“Our County cannot fully repay our veterans and their families for their military service, but we take great pride in making them feel welcome here and letting them know their service is appreciated,” said Burlington County Commissioner Deputy Director Allison Eckel, the liaison to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. “The Veterans Expo is a great opportunity for veterans to learn about services and to connect with the agencies and organizations that are working to provide them the support and benefits they earned.”