Freeborn County Veterans Services Officer Jon M. Rhiger and Veterans Services Benefit Specialist Irene M. Anderson made this report to the Freeborn County Board of Commissioners on July 28, 2008:

Please accept the following as our 2007 Annual Report of Activities for this office. In each case, the latest figures and statistics available to this office were used. Please note that the Veterans Administration fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30.

Freeborn County Veterans Service Office History of Contacts reveals that during 2007 there were 8,451 contacts requiring action; 756 by mail, 4,851 by phone and 2,844 in person.

Of these contacts, 42 were for World War I veterans or their dependents, 2,316 were for World War II veterans and their dependents, 1,808 were for Korean War veterans and their dependents, 1,994 were for Vietnam War veterans and their dependents, 482 were for veterans in the Southwest Asia wars and their dependents, and 1,097 were for peace-time veterans and their dependents.

Please note that we do not record every piece of mail coming into this office as a contact. Only mail that we have to take an action on or make a reply to or complete a verification of veterans’ benefits for another agency, etc., and return to that agency are counted. These reports are submitted to the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs on an annual basis.

Freeborn County Veterans Service Office History of Trips to the VA Medical Centers in Minneapolis, and St. Cloud, reflect that 161 trips transporting 1,293 veterans for a total of 33,277 miles were made in 2007.

State of Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Report of Veterans Relief Expenditures for 2007 showing grants were received totaling $15,132.

Veterans Administration Geographic Distribution of Expenditures for Fiscal Year 2007 reveals that Freeborn County veterans and their dependents received $5,838,000 in compensation, pension, educational benefits and life insurance.

Veterans Administration Geographic Distribution of Expenditures for Fiscal Year 2007 shows Freeborn County veterans received $6,749,882 in VA care at VAMC Minneapolis and VAMC St. Cloud and CBOC Rochester and CBOC St. James.

VA estimated living Veteran population of Freeborn County is 2,944 currently, not including dependents.