Wendy Nally said her job, helping Weld County veterans and their families find help, makes her happy.
“I feel wonderful and so grateful to be able to help our Weld County Veterans acquire those VA Benefits that they are truly entitled to. I also enjoy assisting spouses of deceased veterans to apply for those VA Pension Benefits they may be eligible for as well. It is an amazing feeling to assist a veteran or spouse in being awarded benefits that will make their lives much easier, “ said Nally.
More than 17,000 veterans have been helped in 2020 by Nally and Nickie Phillips, two veteran services officers with Weld County Department of Veteran Services.
While the 2021 figures are not available yet, in 2020 Weld County veterans received about $156 million in funding from the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) and an increase of $18 million from 2019, according to the National Center of Veteran Analysis and Statistics.
The Veteran Services department received over 4,636 phone calls, and about 1,085 veterans visited in person this year so far, according to Veterans Services.
Even though the VA makes all the final decisions with benefits Nally and Phillips reduce the stress and frustration for families and veterans who need help navigating its complex systems.
In the Veteran Service department, Nally and Phillips’s job are to help veterans with the application process of VA health benefits, education, disability care, and benefits as well as helping the families with benefits, burial assistance such as location, headstones, and makers. Also, they follow up with the claims to keep families informed of its status.
Nally served as a non-commission sergeant in the U.S. Air Force from 1986 to 1990. She was stationed at Kaden Airforce Base in Okinawa Japan then transferred to FE Warren AFB in Cheyenne, Wyoming working in personnel that was the single Classification and Retraining office in Wyoming.
She joined the military because her cousin was a Seabee in the Navy and at the time Nally was not interested in college so she signed up for the Air Force Academy.
“The Air Force was amazing for me. I was able to travel and see other countries, including South Korea as well as Okinawa. I grew up a lot during those four years and rather wished I would have stayed in,” said Nally.
Nally lived in Georgia for 23-years, and after the military, she moved back to Colorado and worked as a temporary Weld County flagger.
“I had a hard time finding a job, so I took the temporary flagging position, hoping something else would come along. I saw the job offer for the Veteran Services Office, and I applied, not having a clue what this office was all about,” said Nally.
Nally was hired within seven months and found her purpose to help her fellow veterans.
“I thoroughly enjoy my job and helping Veterans, who just like myself, may not know what benefits they are eligible for. I love being able to assist the Veteran through the process as going it alone can be a challenge,” Nally said.
For more about Veterans Services, click “Veterans Services” under “Government” at www.weldgov.com.