Arapahoe and Adams counties will jointly fund a veterans service officer position for one year who will assist veterans and their families in Aurora with obtaining benefits and filing claims.

“Colorado and the Arapahoe-Adams area are home to many veterans who can benefit from the services the two counties and the city of Aurora provide every day,” said Arapahoe County Commissioner Jeff Baker, who is himself a veteran. “By creating a single point of contact, we hope to streamline and focus these operations and reach even more veterans than we already do.” 

Arapahoe County receives up to 1,000 inquiries and 100 claims per month from veterans. According to census data, there are more than 23,000 veterans living in Aurora, approximately 6% of the nearly 376,000 estimated in Colorado. 

“It was our goal in adding this new position to bring additional resources and personnel to an area with a high number of veterans so that we can better serve those who have served our country,” said Emma Pinter, chair of the Adams County Board of Commissioners.

Hiring will begin for the position around Sept. 1. It was created on a pilot basis, and after one year the counties and Aurora will consider whether to share long-term responsibility for it. The service officer will work out of Arapahoe County’s Altura Plaza office in Aurora.