San Jose – Santa Clara County has appointed Peter Garrison as the director of the Office of Veterans’ Services, where Garrison has served as the interim director since May 2006.
Garrison, who’ll earn $85,000 a year, was instrumental in establishing the county’s outreach program with the San Jose Veterans’ Center and has launched the Filipino Veterans’ Outreach Program.
He joined the County as a veterans services representative in March 2005. Prior to joining the county government, he was the lead veterans services representative in Alameda County for three years. He created home visit programs for house-bound veterans wishing to file claims and served as acting veterans’ services officer.
The Office of Veterans’ Services informs, advises, and assists veterans and their dependents seeking compensation, pension and burial benefits from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs provides in-home visitation and outreach services to elderly and disabled veterans. Outreach is also extended to veterans returning from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom through contact with their National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve units. The office also manages the California College Fee Waiver program to provide tuition and fee waivers to eligible dependents of disabled veterans attending a California college or university.
