LOWELL, Mich. — Veterans in Ionia County will soon have access to critical services close to home for the first time in more than two decades, a change many say will have a lasting impact on those who served.
County leaders are preparing to open a new Veterans Service Office, marking the first time since 1998 that such resources will be available locally.
“It’s going to open up a whole network of resources for our veterans here in Ionia County,” said Eric Calley, commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4646.
Calley knows firsthand how difficult it can be to access benefits without local support.
After leaving Grand Valley State University to join the United States Marine Corps following the September 11 attacks, he completed two deployments to Iraq. But when he returned home, navigating the benefits system proved challenging.
“Back then, Ionia County didn’t have a Veterans Service Office,” Calley said. “I had to go to Lansing to see a service officer and start the application process.”
He says it took four years to finally receive his proper benefits. The new office, which will be located at the Ionia Administrative Building, aims to change that for the roughly 4,800 veterans currently living in the county.
“It helps that veteran and their family succeed and do what they need to, to transition and have a more comfortable life for what they went through serving,” Calley said.
For Vietnam veteran Shane Houghton, he says the added support is long overdue. Houghton explained the process of understanding and applying for benefits can be overwhelming.
“It’s not that easy to translate, particularly for a war veteran,” he said. “I think that would have helped me a lot.”
When asked how the local services would have benefited him, he replied:
“At least I would have known what benefits I might be able to have,” said Houghton.
State Rep. Gina Johnsen, who helped secure the new services, believes the office will benefit both veterans and the broader community.
“These veterans can now stay in Ionia County and get the services they need,” Johnsen said. “Whatever they’re spending locally increases revenue and creates an economic benefit for everyone.”
Calley agrees, adding that faster access to benefits can have ripple effects beyond individual families.
“Having a Veteran Service Officer that can bring you to that fruition a lot sooner not only helps the family, but it helps the community as well,” he said.
The Ionia County Veterans Service Office will be located at 101 W. Main St. Leaders say they hope to have it up and running within the next two to three months.
