Man works to help all veterans

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BY JOE DUGGAN / Lincoln Journal Star

YORK — Don Sandman says he will help any veteran who asks, even if it costs him his job.

Sandman, the veterans service officer for York County, said up to one-third of the veterans he assists live in other counties. He also said he donates time beyond his regular 40 hours per week to help them.

While members of the York County Board of Commissioners said they admire Sandman’s dedication, they expressed concern about spending local tax dollars on veterans who should be getting assistance in their own counties.

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Virgil Dillman, 86, who has never received any benefits through the veterans organization, is consulting with York Veterans' Service Officer Don Sandman to see if he is eligible for a new wheelchair in 2003. (LJS file)

Virgil Dillman, 86, who has never received any benefits through the veterans organization, is consulting with York Veterans' Service Officer Don Sandman to see if he is eligible for a new wheelchair in 2003. (LJS file)

Sandman assists his community

Among those who have sought Don Sandman’s services over the years are World War II veterans Keith Colson of Stromsburg and Denzil McClatchey of York.

Both are in their 80s, both are former prisoners of war in Germany.

Colson, 85, suffers from a variety of medical problems and could not be interviewed by phone Thursday. His wife, Jeanette, said they found the response to their needs much better in York than in their home county of Polk.

The veterans’ services job in Polk County is part time, and there was often nobody in the courthouse office when they sought help, Jeanette Colson said.

How about Sandman?

“He’s great,” Jeanette Colson said. “He really wants to help people and he was very helpful, that’s for sure.”

Denzil McClatchey, who has trouble hearing, also had his wife, Marjorie, answer interview questions.

“I think it’s too bad, with the good he’s done, that they make it harder on him,” she said of Sandman. “But maybe he shouldn’t have to do those other counties either. Maybe there’s a lot of things we don’t know about.

“I think there’s a lot of counties that could take care of their own.”

Denzil McClatchey did answer one question about Sandman when his wife relayed it to him as he sat near the phone. “He said, ‘wonderful.’ He’s really done a lot for him �” for us.”

John Turnbull, York resident, Vietnam veteran and former commander of the local American Legion post, also spoke highly of Sandman �” with one qualification.

“I think that he’s very concerned about veterans, so he defends them and he defends things such as office space and the services he provides. Maybe he could be more diplomatic in how he approaches folks to get that done.”

In doing his job, Turnbull said, Sandman is honoring service to country by people that many others in York may have forgotten.

“I think the older the vets, the more disconnected it gets between the general public and the vet �” mainly because the older folks, it was never their nature to talk about what they did.”

- Art Hovey

Those concerns came to the surface in dramatic fashion this week.

On Tuesday, board members suggested they might pass a policy requiring Sandman to assist York County veterans only. Sandman flatly told them he would violate such a policy.

In response, one of the commissioners made it clear such a violation could lead to his dismissal, Sandman said.

“I will never turn away any veteran, I don’t care where he’s from,” he said Wednesday. “If they fire me because of that, so be it.”

The federal government requires all counties to provide veterans service offices, although it supplies no funding for them. Service officers are charged with helping veterans navigate the often-confusing paperwork and regulations required to qualify for health care and disability benefits.

Under the law, any county officer can assist any veteran with federal benefits, regardless of the veteran’s county of residence, Sandman said. Residence restrictions do apply when state benefits are being sought.

Since he started in York County five years ago, Sandman said, he has filed federal disability claims for 1,150 veterans and obtained 850 new awards. Depending upon the severity of the disability, monthly payments range from $115 to nearly $2,500.

About 1,300 veterans live in York County, but not all seek help through Sandman’s office. Of the veterans who live outside the county, Sandman said most either work, shop or do business in York, so it only makes sense they stop in his office.

Sandman works overtime to handle the increased caseload, but he’s paid a salary so the overtime doesn’t cost the county additional wages. The only expense the county pays to help the other veterans comes in the form of office supplies and postage, he said.

Ken Stuhr of Waco, chairman of the commissioners, was quoted in the York News-Times as saying Sandman’s violation of the policy could lead to his dismissal.

By Thursday, Stuhr was no longer talking about firings.

“I don’t think there’s any thought that Don should be eliminated,” Stuhr said. “Don does an exceptional job.”

The commissioners have tried to get other counties to pitch in funds for the veterans who receive help in York County. Those efforts failed, Stuhr said.

Another issue is Sandman’s employment status, said Commissioner Bob Wolfe of York. The county pays him for 40 hours of work. Another commissioner and the county attorney are looking into whether he can legally be exempt from overtime pay.

Wolfe said he thinks any policies should restrict Sandman to 40 hours to avoid any potential labor law violations.

“As far as I’m concerned, Don does an excellent job,” he said.

Both commissioners said the county makes a serious commitment to its veterans. The county budgeted $85,000 for the office in 2007, $70,000 of which goes for salaries and benefits for Sandman and his administrative assistant.

That’s a healthy budget for a smaller population county, Stuhr said.

At Polk County, to the northwest of York County, Veterans Service Officer Vernon Kuhnel said his office was budgeted $7,500 for 2007. The office is open just three hours a week, although Kuhnel said he regularly checks messages and makes appointments to suit the schedules of veterans.

Polk County does the best it can to serve veterans, Kuhnel said. He resents the implication Polk County residents should help fund Sandman’s office because some veterans choose to go to York.

Kuhnel said he also has heard from several veterans who said Sandman recruited them to come to York County.

“He tells them he can do anything,” Kuhnel said. “He’s an agitator.”

In response, Sandman said he has never recruited veterans from other counties. He always tells them to go to their county offices first, but if they run into roadblocks, they are welcome to call him.

“I don’t need to recruit,” he said. “I have enough business as it is.”

Reach Joe Duggan at 473-7239 or jduggan@journalstar.com.