Beauregard Parish veterans have a new location and more hours available for their benefits office.  The Louisiana Veterans Affairs Service Office supporting the parish recently moved to the War Memorial Civic Center and is now available two days each week.

Robert Sparlin, Jr., Beauregard Parish Service Officer, is now open Tuesdays and Thursdays to assist veterans in a "one-stop-shopping" approach to obtaining benefits and providing information for vets.  The office provides help with all services available. "Anything veterans need, we can help them with it," said Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Manager Gerald Andrepont. 

All veterans can go to their regional office to obtain information about VA benefits, service-related disabilities, pensions for non-service- related disabilities, filing claims, filing appeals, and help with filling out claims.  Veterans can also receive assistance with applying for VA home loan certificates.

The service officers have access to VA computer systems, so they can track the status of claims.
"We have even helped veterans order their medication from the hospital.  We make the calls and help them through the process," said Andrepont.

These services are made available through state and local funding.  The state pays 75 percent of the cost of the program, while local government pays the remaining 25 percent.  In order to step-up the access, the DeRidder City Council and Beauregard Parish Police Jury voted to increase their share of funding to increase services to the twice-a-week schedule.  The city and parish each pay 12.5 percent, totaling the 25 percent that is not paid by the state.  They also funded the cost of the move to the new facility at the War Memorial Civic Center – known by many as the former USO.
DeRidder City Council member Joe Siciliano says that this is just the beginning for the goal they would like to achieve.  "We are still working with state officials.  Our ultimate goal is to have the office open to veterans five days a week," Siciliano said.  

The Beauregard Parish Service Office will hold an open house this morning at 10 a.m.
The office is open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, closing for lunch daily at noon.  They will be providing regular services to veterans today during those hours.   
For more information, Beauregard Parish Service Officer Robert Sparlin, Jr., can be contacted at 463-7305.