Governor Terry McAuliffe celebrated the opening of the new Virginia Department of Veterans Services office on the College of William & Mary campus in Williamsburg during a ceremonial ribbon cutting on Thursday.
The new office will serve military veterans and their families in the City of Williamsburg and the Counties of James City, York, New Kent, Gloucester, and surrounding areas. The Governor was joined by State Senator Monty Mason, Delegate Michael Mullin, Williamsburg Mayor Paul Freiling, College of William & Mary Provost Michael Halleran, VDVS Commissioner John L. Newby II, state and local officials, community leaders, veterans, and active duty service members.
“Since I took office, one of my top priorities has been to make the Commonwealth the best place for veterans and families to live,” said Governor McAuliffe. “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. We stand committed to ensuring that every Virginia veteran has a VDVS office nearby to provide essential access to the federal and state benefits they have earned serving our country.”
The new Williamsburg office is part of the Commonwealth’s efforts to expand veterans’ services throughout the state, joining new offices that have opened in Abingdon, Ashburn, Fairfax, Manassas, Springfield, and Strasburg in the past twelve months. A groundbreaking ceremony will be held November 1 for the new Jones & Cabacoy Veterans Care Center, to be built in Virginia Beach. This new facility will offer in-patient skilled nursing care, Alzheimer’s and memory care, and short-term rehabilitative services for veterans and is expected open in late 2019. Groundbreaking is also scheduled this fall for the new Puller Veterans Care Center in Fauquier County.
“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,” said VDVS Commissioner John L. Newby II.
“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,” noted Thomas J. Herthel, VDVS Benefits Director. “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.”
About the new VDVS Williamsburg Office
Location: 203 Ironbound Road, College of William & Mary Dillard Complex, Williamsburg, VA 23185
Phone: (757) 221-1734
Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
About VDVS
The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (VDVS) operates 29 benefit offices that assist military veterans and their families in filing claims for federal veterans benefits; two long-term care facilities offering in-patient skilled nursing care, Alzheimer’s/memory care and short-term rehabilitative care for veterans; and three cemeteries that provide an honored final resting place for veterans and their families. VDVS provides veterans and family members with direct linkages to services including behavioral healthcare, housing, employment, education and other programs. The Department also operates the Virginia War Memorial, the Commonwealth’s monument to honor the memory and sacrifice of Virginia’s men and women who served and fought to defend our way of life from World War II to the present. For more information, please visit www.dvs.virginia.gov.
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