Oklahoma Department of Veteran Affairs

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**Oklahoma Dept. of Veteran Affairs**

Established:	1986
Secretary:	Norman Lamb
Executive Director:	Phillip Driskill
Deputy Directr:	Martha Spear

The Oklahoma Department of Veteran Affairs is an agency of the Government of Oklahoma under the Governor of Oklahoma. It is charged with veteran and veteran-related affairs in Oklahoma.

1 Mission
2 Leadership
3 Divisions
- 3.1 Claims and Benefits
4 Links

[edit] Mission

The Veteran Affairs Department is charged with ensuring all Oklahoma veterans and their families receive all possible benefits and provide health services and long-term skilled care in a residential environment to all qualified veterans residing in the state. These services includes nursing and domiciliary care, financial assistance in emergencies, and field service counseling in the filing of claims for United States Department of Veterans Affairs and state benefits.

[edit] Leadership

The Department is administered by the Secretary of Veteran Affiars Norman Lamb and the Executive Director Phillip Driskill. Oversight for the Department is provided by the nine member Oklahoma War Veterans Commission.

[edit] Divisions

[edit] Claims and Benefits

The Claims and Benefits Division provides many different services to the veterans and their dependents. The primary function is to assist veterans and their dependents with their claims before the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Claims worked through the Muskogee Claims Office help claimants obtain compensation and pension benefits. Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs Service Officers and Claims Officers are accredited with a number of service organizations in order to better represent the claimant with their claims and appeals. The Claims Officers will assist in the appeals process, and if necessary, represent the claimant at a personal hearing before the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Hearing Officer. The Muskogee Claims Office handles lifetime hunting & fishing permits, special veterans license plates, and the Financial Assistance Program.