Veterans Affairs Field Services Rep I

State of Oklahoma•Claremore, OK

1d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is for a VSR for the Claremore Veterans Home. Claremore Veterans Home 3001 W. Blue Starr Drive Claremore, OK 74017 Annual Salary: $47,408.00 Basic Purpose Positions in this job family are assigned responsibilities involving the coordination of benefits and other related services for eligible veterans and their dependents and as legal representative/Power of Attorney on their behalf before U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) federal boards. Serves as an advocate for veterans in order to maximize services and benefits for eligible veterans and their families in a designated geographical area. Serves as a liaison to other federal and state agencies in matters related to veterans services and benefits.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university; or an equivalent combination of education and experience, substituting one year of work experience in the military or veterans’ programs for each year of the required education.
Knowledge of federal and state statutes and regulations pertaining to veterans benefits and programs; of Social Security, Worker’s Compensation and other rules, policies and programs that affect veterans benefits; of benefit counseling and interviewing techniques; and of common adjustment problems experienced by veterans.
Sufficient proficiency in the English language to perform the essential functions of the position.
Ability to independently research laws, regulations, policies and precedent decisions for appellant cases; communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; to follow written and oral instructions; to use various software and agency specific computer programs; and to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
Must be a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, discharged under honorable conditions, and eligible for veteran’s placement under the Civil Service rules.
Applicants applying for Level I must obtain accreditation by a veterans’ service organization, which has been certified by the USDVA, within six months of employment.
Must be willing and able to fulfill all job-related travel requirements associated with this position and be willing to relocate to a central area within their assigned territory.

Nice To Haves

Some positions in this job family are safety sensitive as defined by 63 O.S. § 427.8.

Responsibilities

Interviews veterans and families assessing their needs and eligibility as related to receipt of state and federal benefits in the areas of medical treatment, disability compensation, insurance, pension, debt management, education, training, and rehabilitation.
Performs case management duties throughout the processes of assessment, researching information, compiling reports, filing claims, formulating appeals, and obtaining benefits; interprets laws, rules, regulations and procedures and provides assistance in the completion of required forms; counsels and assists clients in utilization of appropriate resources, identifies deficiencies and develops a strategy to initiate actions necessary to obtain maximum benefits; advises clients of documentation required to support benefit claims; and makes referrals to other agencies and resources.
Reviews rating board decisions insuring compliance with Title 38 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations; determines if appeal is warranted; initiates the appeal process by preparing a written brief outlining the basis of disagreement; and obtains client’s Power of Attorney to utilize as necessary.
Prepares financial statements and interprets the correlation of Social Security, military retirement, other income and net worth affecting USDVA pension and compensation; assists clients in dealing with USDVA Debt Management Agency; prepares financial reports to support client’s request for waiver, postponement, compromise offers, or repayment plan for benefit overpayments.
Independently reviews client USDVA files, evaluates evidence including veterans’ service and post-service medical records, as well as service histories; researches laws, regulations, policies and case law/precedent decisions from USDVA Board of Veterans Appeals and US Court of Veterans Appeals to prepare for hearings; and writes appellant briefs on issues that were previously adjudicated at a lower level.
Acts as claimant’s legal representative during informal hearings before USDVA decision review officers, formal hearings before USDVA administrative hearing officers and Board of Veterans Appeals administrative law judges; presents oral arguments during hearings; obtains sworn testimony during formal hearings through a series of questions that are supportive of the issues on appeal.
Plans/develops curriculum, conducts and coordinates training seminars and certification training for veteran’s service organization’s service officers, entry level VA Field Representatives and others as requested.
Develops, maintains, and coordinates comprehensive veterans outreach and public information programs including certification through Veterans Affairs Regional Office.
Serves as agency liaison and guest speaker at civic functions.
Performs other related duties as assigned consistent with the responsibilities of the position and agency operations.