Brazos County veteran-services office reports surge in claims and new outreach tools

Kale Murray, Brazos County Veteran Services Officer, updated the Commissioners Court on operations and outreach, saying the office has seen a roughly 67% increase in clients since early 2024 and has moved to expand services and administrative capacity. Murray said the office assisted veterans or their families with 316 VA claims and 984 other assists through the end of May, and that roughly $921,000 in back pay from claims had been realized since the beginning of the year (a ballpark figure Murray said changes daily).

Murray summarized staffing changes (he became full-time in February after serving part-time), introduced new assistant Diana Mills and longtime administrative assistant Ben Holmes, and described two office locations (a Bryan office and a smaller campus office). He said the office implemented online self-scheduling and a new intake/tracking system on May 20 to handle higher throughput and expedite paperwork, and that campus volume is seasonally concentrated in spring and fall.

Murray also outlined community partnerships and outreach: veterans’ organizations, American Legion posts, campus ‘‘vet camp’’ orientations and local events such as a senior expo. He emphasized the office’s role in helping veterans obtain missing records (DD-214s, medical records) and in connecting families to long-term-care or survivor benefits.

The court recognized the work of staff and presented Ben Holmes with an award from the Texas Veterans Commission naming him statewide support staff assistant of the year. Murray said staff occasionally command higher private-market salaries but choose county service to support local veterans.

What happens next: Murray invited commissioners and the public to suggest improvements and noted staff will continue to refine intake and scheduling processes to manage demand. The court did not vote on additional funding during this session.