The number of veterans helped by the county has grown by 25-30 percent each year during the five-year tenure of Anderson County Veterans Service Officer Leon Jaquet, Mayor Terry Frank announced.
The federal benefits paid to those same veterans has increased at nearly the same rate, Frank said in a press release marking Jaquet’s five-year anniversary. By 2011, the benefits paid to veterans and widows from Anderson County was about $8 million per year, Frank said.
Jaquet was hired Sept 17, 2007.
“Since taking over the office, Leon has strived to provide the highest level of service and assistance to the veterans, widows, and family members within Anderson County,” Frank said. “His willingness and eagerness to assist veterans in filing for their much-deserved benefits has made the office grow by leaps and bounds.”
Jaquet came to Anderson County with his wife, Barbara Jean Giles Jaquet, a lifelong Clinton resident, after he retired from a 24-year career in the U.S. Navy in 2003, the press release said.
After he was hired in Anderson County, Jaquet immediately began reorganizing the Veterans Service Office and working through existing files to establish a database, the press release said.
“Since that time, he has seen a steady increase in veterans and widows filing for and being awarded their benefits,” it said.
Frank said Jaquet’s efforts to reach out to all the county’s veterans were unsurpassed.
“Leon Jaquet utilizes all the media outlets to get information to as many veterans as possible through guest spots on the local radio station, news articles in all the counties newspapers, and guest speaker appearances at organizational meetings,” she said.
The press release said Jaquet is accredited with three organizations, The American Legion, VFW, and Tennessee Department of Veterans Affairs.
For more information, contact Jaquet at the Anderson County Courthouse, Room 114, in Clinton or call (865) 463-6803.
Onslow West says
This is a curious phraseology: “By 2011, the benefits paid to veterans and widows from Anderson County exceed nearly $8 million dollars [sic] annually, Frank said.”
How can I quantify an amount that is described as “exceed[ing] nearly $8 million?” It seems like the quantity should be either an amount that is more than $8M or an amount that is just under $8M. How much of the $8M in benefits is being provided by the county?
Speaking of numbers, how many veterans and veterans’ widows are being helped? If the number is 1000, then that would indicate an average benefit of about $8000 per veteran/widow. And that would be a sizable benefit.
Tj says
I think nearly is a typo. Should be yearly.
Yes, how many vetrans?
John Huotari says
Sorry for the two typos in that sentence. I re-wrote it. Thank you.
John Huotari says
Here is more information provided by Leon Jaquet:
As of 2010/2011, the Anderson County veteran population was 7,138 veterans. The number of veterans’ widows is unknown.
The benefits
paid to the county’s veterans that have filed claims is $7,731,050.00. There is no way to determine how many of those 7,138 veterans get part of
those benefits, but by those numbers, the benefits paid are $1,083.00 per
veteran.
New numbers for 2011/2012 are just coming out, and once received information will be passed along.