A Q&A with County Veteran Service Officer Kurt Fisher
Many Osceola veterans and their family members might not be aware of the Osceola County government’s Veterans Service Office, or VSO. The VSO is tasked with assisting veterans and their family members to access any benefits under any federal, state, and local government laws, rules, or regulations they may be entitled to.
For reference, it is staffed by County employees under the direction of an accredited County Veteran Service Officer (CVSO), not VA employees.
The office is led by Kurt E. Fisher, a retired Coast Guard Senior Chief Petty Officer, who has been with the county since 2019. I sat down with Kurt in their new location at Oak Street and Vine Street in the Mill Creek Plaza in Kissimmee.
Osceola News Gazette (ONG): Kurt, tell us something about your background.
Fisher: I grew up in Ohio, joined the Coast Guard in 1980. Of course, I had a number of different assignments, including on an ice breaker that worked waterways in the Great Lakes and up to Greenland. I retired in 2010 and continued to work for the Coast Guard as a civilian employee. I started out as a VSO with American Veterans 2017.
ONG: What services does the Osceola County VSO office offer?
Fisher: We assist Veterans, surviving spouses, and surviving children with applying for benefits from the Veteran’s Administration (VA), including Disability Compensation, Non-Service-Connected Pensions, Survivor’s Pension, and educational benefits.
ONG: How many people are assigned to your office, and what qualifications are needed?
Fisher: Right now it is just myself and one administrative person. We are advertising to fill a recently vacated Counselor position. By law, counselors must be war-time veterans, and capable of being accredited and certified by the State of Florida and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The qualifications for counselors are set out in the same Florida Statute that requires county governments to establish VSO offices.
ONG: Is it fair to say that many veterans are missing out on some of their benefits?
Fisher: We do see veterans that come in to see if they can get VA healthcare once they reach retirement age when they realize the cost of healthcare. Not all veterans qualify for VA healthcare. It is best to contact the Enrollment Office at the VA hospital in Lake Nona.
ONG: Is your office involved with homeless veterans?
Fisher: We guide homeless veterans to available programs. We encourage them to call 211 to be connected to the appropriate agencies.
ONG: The State of Florida has a Veterans department as well, doesn’t it?
Fisher: Yes, the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs (https://floridavets.org) is the office that governs state programs. That site is great information on state programs.
ONG: Are there any direct benefits from the County?
Fisher: The County does not have any direct benefits for veterans, we help guide veterans to the state and federal programs available to them. (See the link below for the Osceola Property Appraiser’s office, which administers state property tax exemptions for veterans.)
ONG: What is something you most like Osceola County veterans to know?
Fisher: We are here to support them, and they should feel free to contact us for information and assistance. Surviving spouses of veterans with service-connected disabilities should contact our office so we may help them navigate the claim process for available benefits.
The Osceola County Veterans Service Office is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Appointments are required, call 407-742-8455. The website is: https://www.osceola.org/agencies-departments/human-services/veterans-services/
For Veteran/Deployed Servicemember Property Tax Exemptions, please see: https://www.property-appraiser.org/all-exemptions/
To submit items of interest for the Veteran’s Voice, email osceolavets@gmail.com.
