The Virginia Department of Veterans Services has opened a new office to serve and support veterans in the Greater Williamsburg area.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe visited Williamsburg Thursday afternoon for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the office, which is located at 203 Ironbound Road at the College of William & Mary Dillard Complex, according to a governor’s office news release.
The office will serve as the main point of service for veterans from New Kent, Gloucester, James City, and York counties as well as the City of Williamsburg, the release said.
Support staff at the new office will help veterans apply for the benefits they earned from their time serving in the military, according to the release.
“Opening this new office here on the William & Mary campus is another concrete example of Virginia’s commitment to serving our veterans and their families in the Historic Triangle region and throughout the state to make it easier for them to successfully transition from the military to being a veteran,” Virginia Department of Veterans Services Commissioner John L. Newby II said in the release.
According to a map of veterans services offices on the department’s website, the closest offices are in Richmond and Hampton. The Williamsburg office will close that gap.
The office opens as McAuliffe continues to expand veteran’s services.
“Since I took office, one of my top priorities has been to make the Commonwealth the best place for veterans and families to live,” McAuliffe said in the release. “Virginia has one of the largest military populations in the country, with a large number of those veterans, active members, and their families living in the Hampton Roads area. That is why I am especially pleased to open this office in Williamsburg on the beautiful William & Mary campus.”
The Williamsburg office’s grand opening is one of many over McAuliffe’s tenure, the release said. Veteran’s services offices have opened in Abingdon, Ashburn, Fairfax, Manassas, Springfield and Strasburg in the last 12 months.
Also in attendance Thursday were Sen. Monty Mason, Del. Michael Mullin, Williamsburg Mayor Paul Freiling, College of William & Mary Provost Michael Halleran, state and local officials, community leaders, veterans, and active duty service members, the release said.
“Those visiting the new Williamsburg office can meet one-on-one with our highly-trained and accredited Veterans Services Representatives who stand ready to help them identify and apply for the benefits they have rightfully earned,” Thomas J. Herthel, Virginia Department of Veterans Services benefits director, said in the release. “The new office will also include a resource specialist from our Virginia Veteran and Family Support Program to help connect veterans to behavioral health, rehabilitative, and support services.”
The Williamsburg office is located at 203 Ironbound Road at the College of William & Mary Dillard Complex. The office will be open from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Appointments to meet with veterans services staff can be made by calling 757-221-1734.
